I’ve seen a lot of these on You Tube and I modified them to make it the way I like it.

I found three junior legal pads for $1 at the Dollar Tree and mine are 8 x 5″ so make sure you follow my measurements on how to modify the sizes.

Start with cardboard (I used a backing for a paper pad) that is 8″ by 6″ so if whatever height your legal pad is, make the cardboard that height and add one inch to the width.

The paper (I used Stampin’ Up cardstock) you use to cover the cardboard is 1″ wider and 1″ taller than your cardboard, so mine is 9 x 6″. Put tear tape to cover one side of your cardboard and lay it in the center of this paper, then score the cardboard edges and put tear tape on the edges of the paper and cut out the corners about 1/8″ away from the corner of the cardboard. Fold the paper onto the cardboard and this is the back of our pad.

Using the same paper, you’ll need a piece that is 8 x 7″ or the same height as your legal pad and 2″ wider, if yours is a different size than mine. (In the video, I used the cardboard as the measurement for other size legal pads and said it’s 1″ wider and the same height and that’s correct). Score it on the 7″ length score at 1/2″, 1 1/2″ and 2″. Then take a pen and center it on the 8″ length on the second score line (sorry I said third on the video)..fold the paper under at the second score ( 1 1/2″) and make a mark where the inside of the top of the clip of the pen will go, and near the bottom of the clip make another mark, and then cut both marks to the next score (at 2″) line but NOT over that score. Make sure to erase the marks when you’re done cutting. I put tear tape on the back of the cut out for the pen and added a strip of Tyvek (from a used postal envelope) to that spot so when you pull the pen in and out, the pen holder won’t tear.

Put tear tape before the 1/2″ score and fold that piece of paper under so there’s a finished edge on the left side. Fold the second score the 1 1/2″ score, as a valley and the third score, the 2″, as a mountain. Add tear tape to the left side of the paper starting where you folded over the first score, to the second score line, it should be about an 1″, but don’t put any where your pen cut out is. Take a small piece of the same paper the same size as the opening for the pen (sorry I didn’t give measurements as it will depend on the size of your pen opening) and put tear tape on the back of it and lay it with the tear tape facing down under the opening for the pen, so when your pad is finished, you won’t see white cardboard under the pen. (Note, this is optional.)

Then lining up the left side of your paper on the left side of the cardboard, lay the pad in place at the top of the right side of your holder.

Take a piece of the same paper that is 11 x 1 1/2″ tall and wrap it around the cardboard of your legal pad centering it. Put tear tape on the pieces that are on the back of the cardboard and then lay it inside the cover so the legal pad is closest to the left fold of the paper . This allows you to reuse the folder after this legal pad is used.

To decorate the front of the cover, I used paper from Joann’s, Park Lane’s Watercolor Florals link: https://tinyurl.com/yzypuf4z. It is 1/4″ narrower and 1/4″ shorter than your legal pad, mine is 4 3/4″ x 7 3/4″ I used Bearly Art Glue to adhere the decorated paper. If you have a direction to your pattern, on the 7 3/4″ length, the pattern needs to face up.

To make a pocket, use the same green paper (non-decorated paper,) that is 4 x 6″ score at 1/2″, 5 1/2″ on the 6″ side and turn it and score at 1/2″ and you’ll fold and burnish these scores, and cut out the bottom corners (there should be small boxes that you’ll cut out.) Put decorated paper that is 4 3/4″ x 3 1/4″ on the front of the pocket.. put tear tape on the backs of the scored areas and adhere it to the inside left side of the cover.

I added a strip of decorated paper that is 7 3/4 x 1/4″ to the left side where the pen is. After I was done on the video, I added a butterfly and some purple Tonic Nuvo Drops to the centers of the flowers.

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