You can never have enough notepads. Even now we have smart phones, iPads and Google home at the ready, sometimes you just need good old fashioned notepad and pen. This fun and simple notepad DIY project is so simple and can be made in whatever colours you fancy!
I’m using paint pens and markers here rather than normal paint from a tube for a couple of reasons. One; for the paint doesn’t bleed into the pages, creating a neater finish and two; it’s easier than mixing paint and water to the right ‘flicking’ consistency!
I’m also slightly obsessed with the pastel colour Bic Cristal Fun pens at the moment, and I *may* have chosen the green paint to match the green pen. Ahem. (Not an ad, I just love them!)
You will need:
-Plain notepad or memo block: I got this one from Wilkos – just make sure that you get one that is glued along one edge and not loose sheets of paper!
-Paint pens; Uni Posca, Uni Paint Marker or similar
-Elastic Bands
How to make:
1.Put a couple of elastic bands around the notepad. This is so we can turn the notepad on its side to paint the edges without the pages separating and ink running in-between them.
2.Cover your table in scrap paper and choose your first colour. If you are using a mix of metallic and non-metallic, use the plain colours first and the metallics last. Prime the paint pen by firstly shaking it until you hear the ball rolling, then gently pressing the tip down onto your scrap paper until the paint flows.
3.Now for the fun, yet messy part! Stand the notepad on its side and flick your wrist so some of the colour lands on the edges! The ink in paint pens usually dries almost instantly, so as soon as one edge is covered to your liking, turn the pad around and do the opposite side. You will have to put the elastic bands on the other way around to paint the last edge.
4.Repeat with your other colour(s), leaving any metallic until last.
5. Take off the elastic bands and remove the top piece of paper as it will probably have stray paint on it!
6.Flick through the pages to make sure none are stuck together and you are done!
If you have a go at making this Painted Edge Notepad DIY, or have any questions feel free to comment below or message me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook! And if you don’t want to miss out on any future tutorials, I’d love for you to sign up to my monthly email! Happy Making!
