Create a Clipboard Office Suite – A Hand-made Gift Set That’s Fun to Make

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to get crafty. Sometimes the best gift of all is not one you purchase in a store, but is one you and your child make together by hand. Here’s a great gift that’s easy and fun to make: a Clipboard Office Suite.

Supplies needed:

• 1 – Standard-sized wooden clipboard (approximately 12 3/8″ x 9″)
• 1 – Ball point pen with a clear casing
• 1 – Medium binder clip (1 1/4″ wide)
• 1 – Note pad (5″ x 8″)
• 1 – Piece of scrapbook paper or construction paper (12″ x 12″)
• 3 – Pieces of card stock or construction paper (8 1/2″ x 11″). Each of the three pieces should be a different color that coordinates with the colors in the 12″ x 12″ sheet above.
• Fine grit sandpaper or emery board (fingernail file)
• Scissors (a paper trimmer is helpful if you have one but not necessary)
• Ruler
• Glue
• Tape

Clipboard Instructions:

1. Using the 12″ x 12″ scrapbook paper, trim it to the dimensions of 9″ x 11 3/4″. Keep the excess paper, it will be used later.
2. Open up the clip of the clipboard and slide the 9″ x 11 3/4″ scrapbook paper under it as far as possible; try to get it under the bindings that hold the clip on the board.
3. Center the scrapbook paper horizontally. Use the glue to secure it to the clipboard. Be sure to spread the glue along the edges of the board and under the clip.
4. Now take the long edge of the ruler and use it to smooth out any air bubbles. Set the clipboard aside to dry.
5. Choose one of the coordinating 8 1/2″ x 11″ card stock colors, and cut two pieces that measure 1″ x 3 1/2″.
6. Using glue, secure the 1″ x 3 1/2″ pieces of cardstock to the top of the clipboard, on the left and right sides of the binding and just above where the 9″ x 11 3/4″ scrapbook paper was placed. This may need a lot of glue to hold in place.
7. Set clipboard aside to let the glue dry.
8. Use the scissors to trim off any excess paper hanging over the clipboard (be sure the glue is dry first).
9. Finally, use the sandpaper or emery board to sand off and smooth out the edges of the paper and clipboard.

Notebook Cover Instructions:

1. Choose a second coordinating piece of 8 1/2″ x 11″ cardstock. Trim it down to 5″ x 11″.  Fold the trimmed piece at 8″ and at 8 1/4″ on the 11″ side.
2. Take the spare 3″ wide scrapbook paper that was left over from the clipboard project above, and trim it to 3″ x 8″.  Keep the excess paper, it will be used later.
3. Once trimmed, glue the 3″ x 8″ scrapbook paper (#2) to the 5″ x 11″ cardstock (#1), centering it both horizontally and between the bottom edge of the cardstock and the 8″ fold line.
4. Now it’s time to secure the cover to the notepad. Turn the cover over so the scrapbook paper is facing your work surface. Place glue on the small area above the 8 1/4″ fold line. Be sure to spread the glue all the way to the edges.
5. Now flip the notebook over, so you are looking at the back of it. Place the glued area of the notebook cover on the notebook, lining up the 8 1/4″ fold line and the top of the notebook.
6. Use the ruler to smooth out any air bubbles. Set aside to dry.

Notepad Pen Loop Instructions:

1. Choose the third coordinating 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of cardstock, and cut a 1″ x 6″ strip from it.
2. Flip open the notebook to the very back, so you see the cardboard backing of the notebook.
3. On the left side of the cardboard backing, measure down 2″ from the top, then place the 1″ x 6″ strip so it overlaps onto the cardboard backing by 2″ from the left edge. Tape the strip into place.
4. Bend the 1″ x 6″ strip in half, but do not make a crease in the fold. It should be rounded just a bit (this will hold the pen). Line up the free end of the strip with the section taped down in step 3. Secure the free end of the strip over the other end with tape as well.
5. Close the notepad. There should now be a “loop” of paper on the left hand side of the notepad to hold the pen.

Notepad Pen Instructions:

1. Choose any of the scraps remaining from the three coordinating cardstocks. Cut a 3/4″ x 4 1/2″ strip of paper. Roll the paper along the X” side so it looks like a long tube.
2. Remove the lid, end cap and inkwell from the pen’s clear casing. Insert the paper tube into the back end of the pen casing, then reassemble the pen.
3. Insert the completed pen into the loop on the notepad.

Binder Clip Instructions:

1. Take the spare scrapbook paper and cut it to 1 1/4″ x 2″.
2. Completely cover the back of the scrapbook paper with glue.
3. Insert one of the 1 1/4″ wide edges of the scrapbook paper into one of the binder clip’s 1 1/4″ wide handle bases. It’s easiest to do this with the handles of the binder clip closed (handles touching each other).
4. Wrap the scrapbook paper around the binder clip, smoothing it down as you go, then tuck second the paper edge into the binder clip’s remaining handle base. Set aside to dry.

You can use any leftover cardstock scraps to further decorate your Clipboard Office Suite. Enjoy!