DIY Colorful Paper Ring Binder – Creative Organization Idea

This Colorful Paper Ring Binder is such a fun project and can be changed to your favorite colors. Perfect for making a mini photo album or something your kids can use to store their favorite memories about this summer and having more family time. This could also be a perfect way to save family recipes and tips and tricks from those who have made it before.

Using a Variety Pack and a Ring Binder Mechanism (7.5-inch long x .75-inch wide) in a 1-inch ring size you will be able to make this project. Customize the ring size and binder mechanism to your choosing and cut your paper size from there.

Using the Chicago Screw: Binding Post, by Everbilt, with the screw, 3/16″ x 1/4″. The 3/16″ inch is how deep the post set is when you have screwed it together, so your paper spine has to be that thick. The 1/4″ is the width of the post, so it is the size of the hole you drill through the paper spine.

When I drilled holes in the paper spine, I started smaller and worked up to the 1/4 drill bit. The end caps on the posts are 3/8″ wide, both the part that shows on the spine and the screw. I put the screw on the inside. All papers used are 8.5″x 11″. The last step is punching the holes, using The Cinch Book Binding Machine, Version 2 by We R Memory Keepers | Teal and Gray. You can also use a hole punch.

Instructions for Colorful Paper Ring Binder:

1. Using some Shine, Pearl White, 107lb cover, spray it with distilled water and spray it on both sides so the paper doesn’t warp. Add drops of Tim Holtz alcohol ink all over the surface, but not on top of each other. I used Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Lemonade, Raspberry, and Lilac.

2. Spray some more water or alcohol on it so it runs. Move it around with a Q-tip. I sprayed it with water to make it run, then dropped on some Tim Holtz Adirondack, Alcohol Blending Solution, so it would move some more. If it is over wet blot it with some paper towels; it will lift the ink in spots, so consider that. I also used a heat gun to dry it on both sides and then I let it dry overnight. If there is any curling, put some paper towels down on the bottom and lightly spray the paper. Add some towels on top and then iron it; on both sides. I also ironed the colored side with wax paper. You can spray it with an acrylic sealer.
3. Line the decorated White Pearl with Basis, Dark Purple, 80lb cover by attaching it with some Silhouette Double Sided Adhesive Sheet. Use 2 sheets of each both the Dark Purple and the adhesive sheet, to make it sturdier. Mine was a little off and I had to trim it, so lay it on carefully. You only get one try. After trimming my sheet was 8.25″ x 10.75″. The plastic-coated paper is quite sturdy.

4. Make the spine and attach the Ring Binder. Mine has a width of .75 inches and I wouldn’t go over that as the book will wind up too narrow. Using the Reich Savoy 100% Cotton, Soft Grey, 236 DT (640gsm), cut 4 strips that are 8.25″ x 1.25″. Cut it as long as your spine is. Using 1/2″ ScoreTape put it on the outside of each strip, 2 per strip. Pull the backing and using a Q-tip, add some Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue. Place the 4 strips, each on top of the other one until you have your binder spine. Pull the backing on the bottom strip, add some glue, and center it.
5. At this point, I got out my bone folder and scored lines on each side of the spine. I place a ruler beside the spine, on each side, and scored that far out. That didn’t fold well enough with the thick spine, so I used a large acrylic nail file and score beside that too. I have 3 score lines side by side so the total width of the score is 1/4″, on each side of the spine. Just keep going over it gently and bending it back and forth until it flexes and closes well.

6. To attach the ring binder to the Soft Grey spine, now attached to the album, place the ring binder on top of the spine and mark the holes with a pencil. Remember I had Home Depot drill out the holes with a 1/4″ drill until the post from the Chicago Screw fit through it.
7. Set the ring binder aside and drill the holes starting with the smaller drill bit and then using the 1/4″ drill bit. The paper does not drill cleanly, so keep working the hole and filling the hole edges until it is smooth. I also used some Tim Holtz scissors to clip any extra paper and scrape the inside of the hole. Mine was a tight fit and that was good. Go slowly with the starter bit so the holes are centered, top, bottom, and sides. Push the post through the outside of the album and it will just stick up a hair. Place the ring binder on it and screw in the screw part with a screwdriver. Turn it a little to the left first to seat the screw and then screw it in. Do each end a little bit at a time so it sets evenly.

8. The rest is the easy part. Using the Extract Shell, 140lb cover, cut 2 rectangles 3″ tall x 3.75″ wide and cut some partial holes out of the top of each one with Martha Stewart Punch around the Page, 1.5″ circle. Add some 1/2″ ScorTape on the bottom and some 1/8″ tape along the sides and add a pocket to both the front and the back of the album. I didn’t center them, I put them to the outside edges and the spaces on the side and the bottom are even.
9. Make the tags for the Pink pockets using Poptone, Razzle Berry, 65lb cover, Poptone, Sno-Cone, 65lb cover, and Shine, Violet Satin, 92 lb cover. Cut the tags so they fit into the pockets. The Razzle Berry is 3″ x 6.5″. The Sno-Cone is 2.25″ x 6″. Using the 1.5″ hole punch, punch a hole in the Sno Cone and the Razzle Berry and add both of the circles to the Violet Satin tag in the back pocket.

10. The first album page is an envelope with a pullout tag of Violet Satin. Cut a VIA Vellum, A7 envelope, to 3.5″ wide, which removes the flap. Cut the Violet Satin to 3.25″ x 7″ and make sure it fits inside the envelope. Using the 1.5″ hole punch, cut a hole in one side of the envelope, or both since it would make it easier to get the tag out. Cut a Shell hole, trim it to match the envelope hole, and attach it with ScorTape.
11. There are 8 more pages, all 3.5″ x 7.5″. Use the Shine, Violet Satin, 92lb cover, the VIA Vellum Sunflower, 80lb cover, the Poptone, Razzle Berry, 65lb cover, and the Extract, Shell, 140lb cover, cutting 2 of each page.

12. Using the Crush, Natural Citrus, 92lb cover, print lines for the journal pages and print both sides of the paper. Trim the edges so the lines cover the whole width with a small border at the top and the bottom. The journal pages are 3.5″: wide by 6.75″ long. There are 10 journal pages.
13. To cut holes in each page, I used the Cinch Book Binding Machine, Version 2 by We R Memory Keepers | Teal and Gray. I set the slider so the outer holes were used first, cutting 2 holes. I batch cut all the pages. Be sure that the hole spacing matches rings on the binder ring mechanism. For the center hole, you move the slider on the Cinch and push it in, around 1/2″. Use scrap paper to be sure; first for the two holes and then for the center hole. Once the slider is correct, do the center hole for all 8 pages, the envelope, and the journal pages.

14. Decorate each page with a strip of paper, trimmed off the pages, and attach them with 1/8″ ScorTape. Once you add the photos and mementos the pages swell up to fill the book with all the bright colors I didn’t add a lot of extra decorations as the photos will also add a lot of color.

Enjoy!

Materials for Colorful Paper Ring Binder:

• Paper Used:
  • Shine
    • Pearl White, 107lb cover
    • Violet Satin, 92lb cover
  • Basis
    • Dark Purple, 80lb cover (2 sheets)
  • Extract
    • Shell, 140lb cover
  • Poptone
    • Sno-Cone, 65lb cover
    • Razzle Berry, 65lb cover
  • Crush
    • Natural Citrus, 92lb cover
  • VIA Vellum
    • Sunflower, 80lb cover
    • Sunflower, A7 envelope
  • Reich Savoy 100% Cotton
    • Soft Grey, 236 DT (640gsm)
• Other Materials:
  • Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Lemonade
  • Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Raspberry
  • Tim Holtz Distress Inks, Lilac
  • Tim Holtz Adirondack, Alcohol Blending Solution
  • Ring Binder Mechanism, 3 round, .75″ (or 1″)
  • Chicago Screw: Binding Post, Everbilt, with screw, 3/16″ x 1/4″
  • Silhouette Double Sided Adhesive Sheet
  • Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page, 1.5″ circle
  • ScoreTape, 1/2″ & 1/8″
  • Cosmic Shimmer Acrylic Glue