Personalizing Notebooks or Books for Now and Later

Raise your hand if you remember Trapper-Keepers, lots of spiral notebooks, and cardboard pencil boxes from your school days. Anything I could do to personalize these school materials and put my own stamp on them, I did. In first grade, I went so far as to ask my mom to cover my pencil box in pretty wrapping paper so it would look different from everyone else's on the planet. I guess that need to turn the boring, mass-produced product into my own creative masterpiece still lingers. because here I am as an adult teaching my own kids, and I'm still doing the same thing! I love it when we turn the boring cover of their binder or notebook into something they want to see every day.

Personalizing with Paper

I enjoy letting the kids pick out decorative paper and crafty accessories, glue it on (we like brushing on decoupage glue), and add their names. Shhh... I must admit that while I smile on creativity, I'm also an organized perfectionist, so I'm usually steering them toward a "neat and tidy" version of creativity. I should probably loosen up a bit in that department. Maybe I'll work on that this year.

Personalizing with Fabric
While some school materials only last for the year, others may be around for several years. For example, my kids are going through the Spell to Write and Read course, and part of the program involves starting a new composition/log book each year. While it's a new book, each year's book has the same dimensions, so this year while I had my sewing machine out around Christmas, I made re-usable fabric covers for these books to make my kids' work inside feel important and personalized. They selected their favorite fabric, and I did the work. Next year, we can simply slip new books inside and move on. Another good time to make a fabric cover/jacket is when you buy that used book that was listed as "like new" only to discover when it arrives that it should have been described as being in fair condition. Don't you hate it when that happens?

If sewing isn't your thing or you don't have the time, fabric is still fun to cut and glue on for a neat look and soft finish. You can't re-use it, but it's a nice texture change from paper. It can also be a fresh way to use that adorable shirt your child outgrew.

Matching Magnetic Bookmarks
Whether using paper or fabric, you can create a matching bookmark by gluing it to two thin magnets (like those you get in the mail from your insurance company) cut to equal sizes so it will fold over the page.