Ideal Bite

Junk Mail Notebook
45 minutes - 1 hour, plus drying time

What You Need:

• Craft knife
• 6-10 junk mail envelopes of the same size
• Nontoxic, water-soluble glue, such as Coccoina
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Large/upholstery needle
• 2 pieces of cardboard (a cereal box'll do; cut 1/4 inches wider and taller than envelopes)
• Heavyweight paper (cut into 6 pieces; cut 2 pieces 2 inches wider and taller than cardboard; 2 pieces the same size as envelopes; and 2 pieces 4 by 7/8 inches)
• Large book or weighty object
• 1 foot plastic wrap (from product packaging)
• 3 feet quilting or embroidery thread, or dental floss
• 20-inch ribbon, or colored string (optional)

1. Cut off each top flap with craft knife (tips here). (Optional: If the envelope has a cool design on the inside, use the knife to open the glued seams, refold inside out, and glue back together.) Along the long fold of each 'lope (your "spine"), measure and mark: 1 1/2 inches from the top, 2 1/2 inches from the top, 1 1/2 inches from the bottom, and 2 1/2 inches from the bottom. From inside the envelope, use needle to poke a small hole in the fold at each mark. (Step-by-step photos here.)

2. Spread glue on the wrong side of your largest pieces of paper. Center each piece of cardboard on the paper and press down to glue. Fold paper corners toward the middle of board (creating a right angle) and fold sides in. Set under weight on unglued side.

3. Sew outside in at the top hole of your first envelope, then inside out through the next hole down, and knot ends together on the outside of second hole. Lay one 4-inch strip of paper over the knot, hold in place, then sew through both holes. Take your second page, thread through the top then bottom hole, over the strip, then through the top and bottom holes again. Repeat until last page, then knot on the outside. Repeat for the bottom holes.

4. Lay dry covers paper side down and stand sewn envelopes (spine-side down) between them. Glue the loose strip ends inside the covers.

5. Coat the inside of each piece of remaining paper with glue and center inside the covers, sandwiching the ends of the sewn strips between the outer and inner covers. Place plastic wrap inside covers so they won't stick. Close, reweight, and let dry. Remove plastic wrap and tie closed with ribbon (optional).

Show us yours - email a picture of your junk mail notebook to makeit@idealbite.com.