{"id":80166,"date":"2023-08-21T14:46:13","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T18:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sweetshoppedesigns.com\/?p=80166"},"modified":"2023-08-21T14:46:13","modified_gmt":"2023-08-21T18:46:13","slug":"think-outside-the-album-post-it-note-wallets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sweetshoppedesigns.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/think-outside-the-album-post-it-note-wallets\/","title":{"rendered":"Think Outside the Album: Post-It Note Wallets"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to the August 2023 installment of Think Outside the Album<\/strong><\/em>, where we look at different ways to take our digital supplies off the scrapbook page and instead, use them to make the rest of our world just a little bit sweeter!<\/p>\n

As the summer winds down and kids head back to school, I thought we\u2019d look at an easy- and quick-to-make project that\u2019s perfect for teacher gifts, sliding into your child\u2019s backpack, or mailing off in a care package for a college student. It\u2019s super useful, fully customizable, and you can make it as simple or detailed as you like.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m talking about Post-It Note Wallets<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Personally, I use Post-It\u2019s all the time, whether I\u2019m working in my office, crafting, or making my way through a Bible study. But they\u2019re not the easiest thing to carry in a purse or backpack, as they get caught on things and easily pull apart.<\/p>\n

Years ago, someone got the idea to wrap a block of Post-It\u2019s in a heavy-weight cardstock to protect it in transit, and the DIY Post-It Wallet was born. This project is one frequently done by rubber stampers, as it easily invites a design on the cover. But anything a rubber stamper can do, we can do faster with our digital scrapbooking supplies!<\/p>\n

Today, I\u2019ll teach you how to make a basic Post-It Wallet. Then I\u2019ll show you how to take it next-level with a series of added features. And along the way, I\u2019ll give you pattern diagrams for reference as well as lots of eye candy. So let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n

Post-It Notes come in a variety of sizes. For this project, I\u2019ll give you the pattern and show you how I calculated the dimensions to cover the basic 3\u201dx3\u201d Post-It pack. But once you understand how it comes together, you can easily adapt this project for any size Post-It.<\/p>\n

What You\u2019ll Need<\/h1>\n

A block of Post-It Notes
\n<\/strong>Brand-name or generic, in the size of your choice. For this project, I’m using 3″x3″ Post-Its.<\/p>\n

One sheet of solid-colored cardstock<\/strong>
\nThe heavier weight your cardstock, the better. You’ll want to choose a color that coordinates with the digital kit you plan to use to decorate your wallet.<\/p>\n

One sheet of white cardstock or heavy-weight paper<\/strong>
\nI recommend 48lb and up, with the highest brightness rating you can find.<\/p>\n

A color printer<\/strong>
\nEither inkjet or laser is fine; I used my HP OfficeJet Pro 9010 All-In-One.<\/p>\n

Something to measure your Post-It note block<\/strong>
\nA ruler or tape measure will work, but make sure it goes down to 1\/8″ markings (or mm for our metric friends).<\/p>\n

Something to help you cut, score, and fold with precise measurements<\/strong>
\nA paper trimmer with cutting and scoring blades, a scoring board, or a ruler with an x-acto knife and bone folder.<\/p>\n

Heavy-duty Double-stick adhesive<\/strong>
\nYou need something really sticky\/tacky to hold the Post-It block in place. Standard rolling adhesive won’t cut it. I used\u00a0red-line tape, though a good quality glue would work as well.<\/p>\n

Regular weight double-stick adhesive<\/strong>
\nYou can use a tape runner, rolling adhesive, or standard double-stick tape to adhere your cover art. Or you can use the same heavy-weight adhesive you’ll use to stick the post-it block in place; your choice.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Measure your Post-It stack.<\/h1>\n

Accuracy in this step is super important! Even though the package I bought indicated they were 3″ x 3″, my Post-Its actually measure a length of 3 1\/8″ and a width of 3 1\/8″. That will mean the difference between a cover that fits the Post-Its and one that almost<\/em> fits them, so be precise. You’ll also need to measure how thick the stack is. Mine measured a height of 3\/8″.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Write those 3 measurements down and keep them handy.<\/p>\n

Step 2: Sketch out your template.<\/h1>\n

Don’t worry – I’ve provided you with the template sketches below. What you really need to do is a little bit of math.<\/p>\n

Use the three measurements of your Post-It stack – the WIDTH, the LENGTH, and the HEIGHT – and this sketch to determine how big to cut your cardstock and where to score and fold it:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On the left, you can see the basic template for a Post-It wallet. My Post-Its measured with a WIDTH of 3 1\/8″, a LENGTH of 3 1\/8″, and a HEIGHT of 3\/8″. I plugged those in and came up with the dimensions shown on the right.<\/p>\n

I will cut my cardstock 3 1\/4″ wide and 6 7\/8″ long, and will score and fold it 3 1\/4″ in from each end. Or, if you prefer to measure from the top, I’ll score it at 3 1\/4″ and 3 5\/8″.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Cut out the wallet foundation.<\/h1>\n

Use your solid-colored cardstock to cut and score the wallet foundation with the dimensions you calculated in Step 2.<\/p>\n

Fold it along the score lines to create what looks like the cover of a book. In the sketch above, you’ll fold the top down and the bottom up.<\/em><\/p>\n

Put your Post-It notes inside the wallet and confirm it covers the block completely.<\/p>\n

Step 4: Create your cover art.<\/h1>\n

Decide how big you want your cover art, based on the dimensions of your Post-Its. You’ll want it absolutely no bigger than WIDTH by LENGTH; that will give you a 1\/8″ border where your cardstock will show around your artwork.<\/p>\n

Launch your favorite digital design software and set up your canvas using the dimensions above. (In my case, I created a new document in Photoshop that was 3″ wide, 3″ high, and 300dpi.)<\/p>\n

Design away! Use your favorite Sweet Shoppe digital scrapbooking supplies<\/a> to create something beautiful.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Created using Scholar: Teacher Appreciation by Megan’s Creations<\/a>\u00a0and Cindy’s Layered Stickers and Stamps: School Days by Cindy Schneider<\/a><\/h5>\n

When you’re done, print your cover art on bright white heavyweight paper or white cardstock.<\/p>\n

Give it a chance to dry and then trim your cover art to size.<\/p>\n

Step 5: Assemble your wallet.<\/h1>\n

Apply heavy-weight adhesive (like red line tape) to the back of your Post-It stack. Then place it inside your cardstock wallet so that the “bound” edge of the Post-It pad sits flush against the spine of your wallet sleeve.<\/p>\n

Once it’s good and stuck in place, close the cover of your wallet. Use regular-weight double-stick adhesive to attach your printed cover art to the outside cover of your wallet.<\/p>\n

Ta-daaaaa!<\/em> One custom-designed Post-It wallet ready for gifting!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Created using Scholar: Teacher Appreciation by Megan’s Creations<\/a>\u00a0and Cindy’s Layered Stickers and Stamps: School Days by Cindy Schneider<\/a><\/h5>\n

Now that you know how to create a basic Post-It Note wallet, let’s look at several different ways to really kick this project up a notch…<\/p>\n

Next-level Option #1: Add patterned paper to the inside<\/h1>\n

Print out a sheet of coordinating digital patterned paper, trim it to size, and adhere it to the inside of your wallet before you tape down the Post-it pad.<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Created using Life In Plastic by Studio Flergs<\/a><\/h5>\n

Next-level Option #2: Add a Velcro Closure<\/h1>\n

Want to ensure your Post-It wallet stays shut inside a backpack or purse? Velcro is the answer!<\/p>\n

In addition to the basic project supplies, you’ll also need:<\/p>\n