Fabric covered birthday card book

This is a handy little project for making a diary to keep a record of important people's birthdays, combined with a storage place for bithday cards, to help avoid that last minute dash to Paperchase when you realise you've missed your granny's birthday . . .

I came up with the idea when I noticed my mum's diary was bulging with an excessive amount of pre-bought birthday cards, slotted in between the pages of the month it was destined to be sent (you can tell where I get my uber-organisational skills from). However, not only was this entirely impractical for when she needed to take her diary out and about (along came a huge stash of cellophane-wrapped greetings cards) there was also a fairly regular disastrous occurence when the diary and it's entire contents scattered all over the floor after being knocked off the table.

For the birthday card book
You will need:

• A blank notepad, no smaller than A5 (I used an A5 sketchpad which is great due to its thicker than average paper, but slightly on the small side http://direct.hobbycraft.co.uk/products-Daler-Rowney-Spiral-Bound-A5-White-Paper-Sketch-Book_105240.htm) - whereas something like this is fine http://direct.hobbycraft.co.uk/products-Derwent-A4-Landscape-Sketchpad_333716.htm
• Scissors
• PVA glue
• Fabric scraps
• Needle and thread
• Ribbons
• Pen, pencil and ruler
• Paperclips or pegs

1.  Begin by sewing strips of fabric into two horizontal patchworks about an inch longer than the width and length of the book, to cover the front and back covers. Alternatively, if you are short of time, just measure and cut two pieces of fabric so they are slightly larger than the front and back covers. Set these aside.
2. As the book will be divided up by month, work out how many pages you'd like to use for the monthly calendar (I used one side of one page) and then add on two extra for each month - these will make the actual holder for the cards - "card" pages. It's OK to rip out excess pages as having the cards in the book will take up lots of space anyway.
3. Use a pencil/pen and ruler to mark on a daily calendar for each month (remembering to leave two blank pages between each month).

4. Using a ruler, pencil and scissors, cut half of each first blank "card" page for each month diagonally from about two inches from the botton right corner to halfway up the left side. Discard the top of each of these.

5. Cut 12 strips of ribbon (one for each month) the same length as the width of the book's pages, and glue them to fasten the bottom of the diagonal "half" page and the full "card" page for each month together. Add a little bit on the bottom right hand side as well if you like. Use your paperclips or pegs to hold the ribbon in place until it sets.


6. When everything is dry you should have quite a sturdy little book. Take your fabric - plain or patchwork - and glue each bit to the front and back covers, making sure there is a little overlap glued down on the inside top and bottom.

7. Trim any excess material down the sides of the covers and to give it a more finished look take a final piece of ribbon and glue it to the edge (inside and out of the cover) to hide the edge of the material. Peg everything in place until dry.

 Here is the one I made my mum for her last birthday, in full use!