I have kept a written diary since my early teens. I like them to be pretty, and at the moment I am using a very lovely Mary Engelbreit notebook for my diary. I like to plan ahead, and thought that I'd get ready a new notebook for when my current diary is full. I had quite a bit of fabric left over from the vintage style dress. Not enough for a project as large as the dress, but enough for a small project or two. Today I bought a very dull looking notebook and some 'funky foam'.
I cut the funky foam to fit the front and back of the notebook. (I always think that padded notebooks feel expensive and luxurious). I was trying to make the notebook change from dull and boring, to pretty and feminine. I covered it with satin lining, and finished off with two layers of crushed taffeta - no sewing skils are needed, you just glue, glue, glue! When all the layers were in place, and I'd decorated with a strip of tulle, velvet ribbon and satin ribbon (from our left over wedding invites), I left it by an open window to dry.
To give a real vintage air, I used a diamante buckle on the gold ribbon, and topped with an ivory ribbon rose (please excuse the wet glue!).
I used the taffeta because it is so beautiful, and I really wanted to find another way of using the left over fabric. If you are like me, and order fat quarters without the slightest notion of what you will do with them, then consider using them to cover boring notebooks, they are the perfect size for doing so.
This idea is such a nice one, and so easy to do. You could do a stash of notebooks and give them away as Christmas pressies this year. I've seen some fabric covered notebooks for sale for £30, which is pretty shocking. If you know an arty crafty type of person, they would certainly appreciate one as a gift, homemade is always wonderful to receive, and it need not cost anywhere near £30 to do!