How To Make Your Own Jotter | DIY Jotter Tutorial. Supplies

I decided to post this guide on how to make your own jotter after this year’s adventure school supply shopping. I do love that annual store trip. Give me all the supplies, paper, paper accessories.

However, while searching the store shelves that one purple composition notebook that was nowhere to be found and wondering why in the heck it was on the list when they don’t make it in that color, realization set in that there is a leftover one at home from last school year.

Do other parents re-use those? Am I crazy for buying a new one and not sending my kid with the partially filled one to use again this year? Ultimately, I got the new one but I started to think on what to do with all that leftover paper.

After checking in the craft storage bin when I got home, I confirmed that sure enough, notebook after notebook including that elusive purple composition, and even the primary writer paper that was left over from the Pre-K and Kinder years.

And not only notebooks, but construction paper, multiple sizes!

So. Much. Paper.

Ironically, in one of these half-filled notebooks was a collection of stories that my son wrote last year. I remember creating books in 2nd grade from construction and primary paper. They were great for the stories we wrote and illustrated in class.

Those little construction books would be perfect for his stories and maybe I can even get him to illustrate a couple. And yes, they are really for me to keep in my ‘collection of things my kid creates’ box.

So after gathering all the supplies and setting up shop to create these little books, my son’s creative interest was piqued and he asked to help. It turned into a fun little afternoon activity and time well spent together.

See below for the guide on how to make your own jotter from supplies you probably already have on hand.

Tutorial Step 1 Gather supplies:

  • Paper for inside of book – lined, dotted, grid, blank, it’s up to you!
  • Paper for cover – I used construction paper, but sky’s the limit.
  • Something a little more durable or heavier weight than the inside paper would work best.
  • Scissors or cutting tool – I used both
  • Stapler
  • Glue
  • Embellishments or artwork for cover – washi tape, glitter, vision board images, and so on
How To Make Your Own Jotter | DIY Jotter Tutorial. Supplies

Tutorial Step 2 Start your book

  • Select what paper you want to use for the inside of your book.
  • Example is standard notebook paper
How To Make Your Own Jotter | DIY Jotter Tutorial. Paper Selection.
  • Select the paper for the cover
  • Example is 12 x 18 construction paper
  • Size your cover to the inside paper, cut down as needed
Paper selection and cover material
  • Determine how you’d like your binding
  • Example shows a hidden staple by making the cover larger than the inside pages, stapling the cover along the edge of the inside sheets and then folder over the excess cover and gluing it down.
Binding for your jotter

Voila! Next step, create your story and illustrate!

Finished jotter, ready to presonalize!

Thanks for following along. I hope that you enjoyed learning how to make your own jotter! Drop a comment to let me know how your jotters turned out!

Need more inspiration? See my other posts!