Revamping Notebooks

Going back to school is the ride where halfway through we're all going down the same old rabbit-hole, begging for a break. For some of us, the only thing that makes this ride easier is being tricked into believing that beautiful notebooks fix everything. Thereby, presenting a few styles to try out for customised notebooks: 

YOUR NOTEBOOK PERSONALITY
This is the most basic way to go about refurbishing your everyday notebook. Use A4 sized white paper cut to size and glued to each side of the notebooks' covers to wipe off any sign of the shabby old cover. Then it's a matter of simply printing out patterns and prints that appeal to you and speak of your personality. Here are a few but you can go crazy with mix and match and create your own kind:

The traveller: If wanderlust is your middle name, how about having a set of notebooks that each pertain to one country? Print out vintage postcards belonging to your favourite places for the covers of your notebook along with your favourite words/quotes (perhaps in native language). If you happen to have stamps from these countries, feel free to adorn your notebook with them to complete the look.

The artist: If you're crazy about art, putting prints of the paintings by your favourite artists on the notebook covers will be a masterpiece in itself. Before you know it, you'll be able to carry your favourite paintings around in your backpack which will be no less than an art museum.

The musician: Dear music fanatics, this is your chance to show off your favourite musical maestros on the covers of your notebook. The front cover of the notebook could be dedicated to an album cover or the picture of your favourite singer/musician/band. Scribble out your most favourite lyrics from their songs onto the covers and the back cover could be dedicated to a playlist of your favourite songs by them.

DRY ERASE COVERS
Some people claim to concentrate better when they doodle in class (like yours truly). For the doodlers and sketchers who have been told off since their school days for drawing stick figures, cars and flowers on their copies, worry no more. Make your very own dry erase notebook covers and doodle, erase and re-doodle whenever and wherever you want to. The unsung hero of this creation is the clear adhesive tape or as we call it – scotch tape. 

To give your notebook a genuine white board look, cover it with calendar paper. To do this, open your notebook and cut out calendar paper 1 inch bigger than the notebook. Cut 2 slits at the middle of the calendar paper at the top and bottom and tuck the small portion of paper inside. Now, fold the edges of the calendar paper sticking out around the covers and seal them in place with glue or staples. Now use the wide, transparent scotch tapes to smoothly coat the calendar paper, making sure no air bubbles or creases are formed and there you have it. Doodle your heart away.

DENIM WRAPPED BOHEMIAN NOTEBOOK 
Denim is something that turns the look of anything up several notches and will do the same for your notebook. For this all you need is old, worn out jeans (the thinner the better). Cut out the legs of the jeans and lay out the fabric to cut it 1 inch bigger than your notebook. Cover the notebook with denim using the aforementioned steps and you'll have a classy notebook that never goes out of style.

Labiba Mustabina studies biochemistry and biotechnology at North South University. A tree hugger, she also claims to be a closet artist. You can reach her at labiba.wish@gmail.com