Scrap Paper Notepads

It seems like people are constantly looking for ways to recycle and make good use of items that used to be deemed trash. I love when I can combine a great way to recycle with an exciting new craft project idea. Making notepads out of scrap paper is an easy and creative way to make something new out of paper that would have otherwise been discarded.

The best part about this craft project is how few items you will need. You can use any type of paper that you want to recycle to make your notepads. You can also make them into any shape or pattern you might like. Here is everything you will need and all you will need to know in order to make your own scrap paper notepads.

Items Needed To Make Scrap Paper Notepads
1. Paper
2. Scissors
3. Puzzle Glue
4. A clear work area
5. Pen or markers
6. Colored sheets of paper (optional)

Choosing Shapes And Patterns
The notepads can be made into just about any shape or size. The first thing you will want to do is to decide on the shape or pattern you want to create. You will want to stack and cut your paper according to the size and shape of your own personal design.

The notepad in the picture featured with this article is a very simple rectangular shaped pad. There is absolutely no reason you should have to stick to this basic pattern. Get as creative as you want to when you start cutting your paper pieces. You might want to make pads with a variety of different sized pieces of paper. The best way to do that is to layer your sizes with the largest pieces on the bottom and the smallest pieces on the top.

You might want to consider cutting all of your paper into circles or other shapes. It is perfectly fine to do just that so long as you keep your largest pieces on the bottom of your paper notepads. You will also have to be quite a bit more careful when you apply your puzzle glue to paper with detailed cuts.

Applying Puzzle Glue
The hardest part of this paper craft project is lining up the paper and applying your puzzle glue very sparingly. Be sure to take your time and brush on just the smallest amount of puzzle glue to each sheet of your paper. You will want to apply the glue to just the very top of your paper and add one piece on top of the other as you go.

Puzzle glue is the perfect glue for this project. You can find puzzle glue by looking at http://www.joann.com/ or, at a local craft supply store. Take your time and experiment with a few pieces of paper till you feel certain that you are getting the right amount of glue on each sheet. Let a few pieces dry and then test your work by tearing off a few sheets. The sheets should separate perfectly just as they would on a notepad that you had bought from a store.

After you have your notepads all assembled and you have used your glue to keep them together, it is time to do any decorating you might like. Use your pen or marker to add an initial or some other simple design to your paper to give it your own unique touch. If you are planning on giving the notepads as gifts, be sure to add an initial or design that will be special to the person they are planned for.

You can have quite a bit of fun getting creative with your notepads. You might want to add some glitter or colored paper to give your notepads some extra flare. If you have a stamp kit, this is also a great time to get that out and use it on each sheet or even on just the top sheet of every notepad. Whatever you choose to do with your notepads, remember to add that special touch that will make this craft project uniquely your own.