If you've ever wanted a junk journal insert that holds a working notepad, a pocket for tags, and still has room to decorate — flip down notepads are the thing. This tutorial is part three of my ephemera making series, and it walks through every step of building these little folded notepads from scratch, including how to bind the pages, make a front pocket, add paper ruffles, and actually place the finished piece inside a journal. They work beautifully as journal inserts, but they're also lovely as small standalone gifts.
What we cover
We build a flip down notepad step by step — from choosing and folding your paper to binding a signature, gluing a pocket, decorating the flap, and adding a closure. I also show several finished variations side by side and walk through different ways to place these in a journal, including tucking them into belly bands, gluing them onto pages, and using them on inside covers.
What you'll learn
How to fold the notepad structure from a single strip of paper — the fold sequence creates a top flap and a bottom section that closes over the notepad inside. The key is leaving a little space when you fold the bottom up: fold all the way to the crease and the flap won't close cleanly once the notepad is in there.
How to choose and prepare your paper — the main requirement is that the strip is long rather than wide, so the notepad inside has room to sit. You can use dyed printer paper, scrapbook paper, book pages — whatever you have. I used paper I'd dyed with party streamer dye for this one, which gives a beautiful subtle color.
How to handle book pages so the text faces the right way — book pages have a direction, and if you fold them without checking first, you can end up with upside-down writing on the front of your notepad. Fold wrong side up first, check the front, then flip and re-fold if needed. Not a disaster either way, but worth the two seconds to check.
How to make a simple folded signature for the inside, including:
- Folding three or four sheets of plain or note paper in half to create a small booklet (three sheets gives you twelve writable sides)
- Trimming the signature to fit inside the notepad with a little space on each side
- Checking the fit before binding
How to staple-bind the signature to the notepad crease, including:
- Opening the stapler flat and working over a mouse pad or cardboard to protect your table
- Positioning the stapler groove directly on the fold crease
- Closing the staples completely by hand and then flattening with something firm so they sit flush — sticking-up staples are a real hazard in a journal
Binding alternatives if you don't want to use staples, including:
- Sewing through the signature with a sewing machine (runs right through the crease)
- Three-hole pamphlet stitch with thread
How to make and attach a front pocket, including:
- Choosing sturdier paper for the pocket — index cards, mini cards, scrapbook paper — because a floppy pocket won't hold its shape when you're pulling tags in and out
- Inking and decorating the pocket card before gluing
- Gluing exactly three sides (I put my hand inside the pocket to remember which three — I learned that from Jenny Belly and I've used it ever since)
How to distress and finish the edges — ripping the very top edge of the flap and then inking all around with distress ink gives the whole piece that layered, aged quality. I used a corduroy-type ink for this one; any brown or earthy distress ink works. You can skip it entirely and go clean if that's your style.
How to decorate the flap with paper ruffles — I keep a stock of pre-made ruffle rolls ready so I can pull a section when I need it. Cut approximately what you need, ink the edges, and glue right over the stitching in the center. Cutting through the stitching doesn't cause unraveling once the glue is down.
How to add tags to the front pocket, including:
- Cutting strips from scrap paper or using pre-made tags
- Trimming to different lengths so they sit at varying heights inside the pocket — visually much more appealing than a neat uniform row
- Inking the edges to tie them in with the rest of the piece
How to add a closure, including:
- A small wooden peg or binder clip (my usual go-to)
- A paper clip threaded with ribbon
- A wrapped or looped closure strip — I show this variation on a few finished pieces though I save the full how-to for another video
How to place a finished flip down notepad in a journal, including:
- Tucking into a belly band (in which case you don't need a separate closure)
- Slipping into any existing pocket in the journal
- Gluing the whole back to a page to create a decorative and functional element on an otherwise unusable page (heavy patterned pages that are hard to write on are perfect for this)
- Gluing just three sides to create an extra pocket at the top
- Placing on the inside front cover as a welcome element — lovely for gifted journals, where you can leave a note or an intention on the front notepad
Tips & gotchas
If your paper trimmer blade is dull, put a piece of scrap paper underneath whatever you're cutting. It sounds too simple to matter, but it genuinely makes the difference between a clean edge and a torn one. My trimmer has been blunt for ages and this is how I still get usable cuts.
When folding the bottom section up, stop just short of the top crease — leave a small gap. It seems minor but once the notepad is bound in there, that gap is what lets the flap close all the way. If you fold tight to the crease, the flap sits slightly open and the whole thing looks unfinished.
For the pocket, use something with a bit of body — mini index cards, T-dyed card stock, heavier scrapbook paper. Standard thin paper goes limp the moment you start putting tags in and out. The pocket needs to hold its shape to function.
When stapling through the folded signature, protect your work surface — a mouse pad, a piece of cardboard, anything that gives the staple somewhere to go. Then flatten the staples all the way down. A staple that's only halfway closed will catch on pages, catch on your fingers, and eventually catch on something it shouldn't.
If you're working with book pages, check the direction of the text before you fold. It takes two seconds and saves you from finishing a beautiful piece only to realize the words on the front are upside down. If you want them right-way-up on the outside, fold with the text facing down.
When gluing the pocket, three sides only — and if you ever lose track of which three, just slide your hand inside and glue everything your hand isn't touching. I've passed this on from Jenny Belly and I use it every single time.
They also sit nicely at the front of a gifted journal as a little welcome note or intention-setting page. If you're working through the ephemera making series, the paper ruffle rolls video is a natural companion to this one — having ruffles made in advance is what makes the decorating stage fast and genuinely fun.
