Watercolor Floral Notebooks with The Cinch Binding Tool!
Watercolor flower notebook with toy for children!
I love creating notebooks, journals, journals or sketchbooks, and the Cinch Binding Tool is the perfect way!
I'll show you how to make your own notebooks for a great handmade gift to keep track of pretty photos, keep a diary, or just for fun! Make a notebook on the string in just a few minutes.
Three years ago I found The Cinch at a local grocery store for $15! I wasn't sure it would work...it's a risk if you buy used stuff.
I argued a little ... but I knew that I could pay off a loan for the device in the store if it didn't work out. I bought it and never looked back!
Here is a video of the strapping machine in operation from the previous post:
The best part is that laptops can be made just the way you want them. Choose the size, choose the filling, mix! Take threads of different sizes and make them as thick or thin as you like.
I started with the four main books in the middle, but after cutting the paper I had a lot of leftovers. So I made a lot of other sizes and love them.
Make a notebook and leave the cover blank for the recipient to decorate, or create a cover design like me.
These mini notebooks are perfect for taking quick notes and can be stowed in a briefcase - a great gift idea for teachers.
Well, professional advice:
If you have a Cinch machine , the cables can be expensive. I ordered 3/4" 2:1 gold and white cables. (I get cables from MyBinding.com )
Honestly, now I have a car, I can't imagine without it! Now a good price, only for the holidays.
Consumables needed for tulip laptops:
Connect the wires in 2:1 diameter steps from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inch.
Strathmore Heavyweight Mixed Media Paper (This material is extra thick and ideal for laptop covers)
(You can fill it with colored paper, watercolor paper, art paper, filler, etc.)
For watercolor:
Dr. F.'s ink Indian martins (this gives them a bright, rich color)
Step 1: Watercolor
Start by cutting your thick Strathmore Mixed Media to the size you need for your laptop sleeve. Then paint them with any design you want! Then let the ink dry completely.
Covers can also be left blank so the recipient can create their own!
Step 2: Cut the paper
Now cut the filler paper, chipboard, and cover to fit the notebook. These adorable books are 4" x 6" in size.
Each book will require a piece of board for the root and mixed media for the top. The filler can be a little over 1/2 inch thick...so depending on the thickness of the paper you're filling it with, the amount of paper will vary.
Step 3 - Drill the holes
Now read the circular table. Since my paper is 6 inches wide, I need to remove the #12 pen so it doesn't punch a hole in half. Then align the paper on the left side and pull the lever.
The size can be up to 20 pcs stuffing at a time. I usually only make 6-8 pages at a time.
Repeat the etching process on the board and all papers.
Don't forget to align the paper with the edge and press that edge with the machine.
Step 4: Seal
Now it's time to bind a notebook. Start by counting the holes in the paper you punched. Then cut the thread to get as many loops as possible. Then hang the cable on the side of the machine.
First, lay the baseboard backing on the cable.
Next, place the laptop cover face down on the breadboard over the wires.
When you open the lid, make sure you're looking in the right direction. I'm confused!
Then place the gasket assembly on the wires.
Step 5: Binding
Carefully remove the cables from the edge and place them directly on the back of the Cinch. Make sure it matches the diameter of the cables you are using. Then push the lever to set the cables down.
Then remove the laptop and check the cables. I love how easy it is to keep it!
Repeat this process for any number of laptops!
I usually start with a sheet of paper a little larger than the final product so I can cut out the edges and incorporate the design into a notebook.
After cutting the paste into 4" by 6" pieces, I had a lot of leftovers that I didn't want to get rid of. So I cut the board and covers to make them fit, and used yarn motifs to attach the small notebooks.
What is your favorite notebook? I will give a little for Christmas, although I love notebooks and keep them! That's what makes the Cinch Binding Tool so useful and awesome...and honestly, it's worth its weight in gold.
Just add a fun pen and a heart note, boom! The right gift! My daughter and I started a travel diary. She paints on one page, then I paints on the next... We pass and wait to see each other's art or ideas.
