Are you the type of person who has to put your creative stamp on everything? Decorating notebooks might just be your next obsession. Notebooks provide an easy way to create personalized supplies to use at school, work, or in your home office. The following ways to decorate a notebook cover are fun, creative, and easy DIY projects that anyone can do.
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DIY Fabric Covered Notebook
This simple DIY dresses up an ordinary notebook with a fabric of your choice. Customize with a bold pattern or use something a little more subtle that still reflects your personality.
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Washi Tape Pencils and Notebooks
Washi tape and paper crafting just seem to go together. Attach strips of colored tape in rows onto the notebook cover, and you will have a journal that is pretty and one-of-a-kind. Wrap matching washi tape around pencils to coordinate with your notebook. Making a strong design statement has never been easier!
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Wood Notebooks
Cover a cheap notebook with some pretty self-adhesive faux wood vinyl. These notebooks almost look like real wood from far away.
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Painted Notebooks
Dyan Reaveley covers notebooks with her fabulous painted designs. If you are artistic, take some inspiration from this DIY and paint beautiful notebook covers with your own creations. Experienced painters can use acrylic paints or watercolors to produce notebook covers that are real pieces of art.
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Washi Tape Sticker Notebooks
Decorate your notebook with some DIY washi tape stickers. It's not as hard as you might think! Crystal from Hello Creative Family has a tutorial that teaches you how to design your own washi tape stickers for pennies. You'll never need to buy stickers and labels for your projects again.
DIY Washi Tape Stickers Decorated Notebooks from Hello Creative Family
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Fabulous Notebook Makeovers
Decorate an ordinary composition book with cute leftover paper scraps and ribbon. Add some pens and you will be prepared for class! Just paste some coordinating scrapbook paper onto the cover and construct a pen holder with ribbon. Your notebook is now as practical as it is pretty.
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Zentangle Inspired Notebook
Zentangle is the art of drawing repetitive designs with a thin-lined Micron marker. It takes a bit of practice to master the steps, but even the artistically challenged can produce lovely drawings following simple guidelines. This notebook cover inspiration features rows of doodle art, stamped feather clip art, a matching flower, and strips of paper in shades of turquoise and blue.
Zentangle Inspired Decorated Notebook from Miracle Art Inspirations
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Embroidered Notebook Covers
Protect your notebook with a vinyl cover embellished with embroidered flowers. What a unique way to use your needlework skills!
Embroidered Notebook Cover from Creative Workshop Inspiration
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Mini Memo Notebook
These small decorated notebooks are the perfect size to tuck into your purse. Print the free notebook cover template onto heavy-duty brown cardstock and cut it out. Wrap the cover around a small composition book and then decorate the spine. Such a pretty journal to jot down your thoughts on-the-go!
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Monarch Butterfly Notebook
These monarch butterfly notepads are a craft your kids will want to help you create. Have them make a few extras for gifting to friends and family.
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Monogram Journals
Monogrammed notebooks are a smart way to make a special present for your friends. They will think of you fondly every time they write in this journal.
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Terrazzo Style Notebooks
Terrazzo is a material that has been used to make floors and walls since the 15th century. The compound has chips of marble, quartz, glass, or granite which give it a distinctive pattern. This notebook cover mimics that look.
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Small Pocket Notebooks
These cute pocket-sized notebooks are just the right size to pop into your purse. All you need are stickers, a stapler, and some colorful paper to make these sweet little books.
Craft It: Small Pocket Notebooks from White House Crafts
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X's and O's Notebook
This decorated notebook cover was originally designed as a Valentine's Day gift, but it could work for any occasion. Make it as a favor for your next bridal or baby shower. Your guests will love it!
10 Minutes or Less: Valentine’s Day Notebooks from The Crafted Life
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Mini Chalkboard Notebooks
You can find mini notebooks at any discount store, but the covers are usually ho-hum. Make them unique with chalk paint and a chalk marker. Attach some leather strips to the spine, and they look like they came from an upscale gift store.
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Stitched Notebooks
Aren't these heart-shaped notebook covers just the cutest thing you have ever seen? Cut a heart-shaped hole into the notebook cover and glue your favorite paper design to the backside. Add some hand-stitching to the perimeter of the heart, and you are finished. How lovely!
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Decorated Notebooks for Back-to-School
Who says school notebooks have to be dull and boring? Label each subject with gold lettering, and attach the glittery paper to the spine for a glamorous new notebook.
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Vinyl Letter Notebooks
These notebooks have simple black vinyl lettering against a white background––proof that the design principle "less is more" can be pure elegance.
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Leather Stamp Notebook
Sometimes we just want to label our notebooks rather than cover the front with elaborate decorations. Learn how to make and attach a simple leather tag to a moleskin notebook. This project is so chic, you'll want to make extras as gifts.
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Altered Books for Little People
Do you have small children in your home? Make them some house-shaped altered notebooks. Cut a notebook at an angle to mimic a roofline, then glue on small wooden shingles, kraft paper, and scrapbook tiles to finish the cover. The books are just adorable, and will quickly become your child's favorite! Adults will love them too.
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Woodgrain Heart Notebooks
Make this beautiful notebook cover from craft paper and woodgrain stamps. You can change out the red glitter heart for another type of sticker if you like––a woodland creature would be especially cute.
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DIY Leather Covered Notebooks
The tutorial demonstrates just how easy it is to make a sturdy protective notebook cover from leather—it's just a matter of cutting a square of leather and wrapping it around your notebook.
DIY Leather Cover for Kimidori Project Notebooks from I Try DIY
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Back-to-School Printable Notebook Stickers
Kids love to cover their school notebooks with stickers. Download these cute summer-themed stickers for free, then print them onto adhesive paper. The labels are much more beautiful than the pre-printed ones you buy in stores, allowing you to add your own unique touch to back-to-school supplies.
Back to School Printable Notebook Stickers from Design Eat Repeat
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Personalized Notebooks
Bright colors and raised gold letters will take your plain Jane notebooks to the next level.
DIY Stationery Personalized Notebooks from The Things She Makes
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Printable Composition Book Covers
Are you design-challenged but still want to make your school notebooks pretty? Damask Love offers two free printable composition book covers for download. All you have to do is print them out and glue onto your notebook covers. Instant style! It doesn't get any easier than this.
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DIY Floral Paper Notebooks
Add some interest to your hardcover drawing notebooks with tape and floral paper. It brings a colorful, artistic, and feminine touch to your notebooks.