DIY Art Pads
Published: October 23, 2026
On a rainy Labour Day weekend I decided to dig into my craft closet to see if I could be creative without another trip to the craft store.
To my luck, I had everything to make some spiral books! I’d purchased a Cinch machine a few years back with the intention of making my own journals and planner, and while I’d made one so far.. It wasn’t exactly getting its moneys worth.
I also dug out a pile of “Little Golden Books” that I had picked up at a thrift store for pennies intending these to be my journal covers.
Seeing all these materials at my fingertips made me realize I’m really good at planning. Not so great at executing… Something to work on.
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The most challenging part of this project was finding paper for these books. I didn’t have an abundance of lined paper, but I did have a solid collection of kraft paper and scrap book paper.
Adding the pages to the binding coil
Digging through all these materials was like a flashback in time. I could remember every occurrence that led me to purchasing the material, the bright ideas I had for it. Inevitably the weekends ends, life gets busy again and the materials get stashed away in a closet for “someday.”
I am trying my darndest to clear out some clutter. I’ve been very aware of my mortality lately and while I’m not sick or anywhere near death, life can change so fast and I don’t love the current state of my home… If I die in a car crash tomorrow my spouse and other family members would have A LOT of sh*t to go through. I would also end up haunting the place due to all the half finished craft projects I’d leave behind.
Through this morbid thought it at least forces me stop waiting and make that “someday” happen. It felt really good to spend time creating something new using materials already in the home.
Using the Cinch Machine
There are 3 different steps to using the Cinch machine.
Measure and punch the holes into the cover and paper.
Hook the binding wire to the side of the machine to insert the pages
Pinch the binding wire using the cinch on the back of the machine
With the materials I had at home I was able to make the following.
2 lined notebooks
4 large artist pads
1 large junk journal
4 small artist pads
1 small junk journal
Large artist pads made from thrifted Little Golden Books
When I first acquired the Cinch and the Little Golden Books, I had envisioned creating bougie notebooks and planners to sell. After creating 12 little books I realized it’s actually quite challenging to make these little books perfectly! The hole punch part of the Cinch can get jammed resulting in your holes not being in the right spot if you’re not careful. I don’t think a single book came out flawless but at least I know what to expect.
While I haven’t given up completely on the dream to make these books to sell in the future, I’m excited to utilize these completed books for my own art therapy and it opens up new opportunities to use up some other supplies that’s taking up space in my house now that I have a blank slate to work with.
I’ve also held on to the pages from the original Little Golden Books as I know the pictures will make amazing additions to junk journaling!
Doodle Art
Embracing Doodle art has been incredibly therapeutic. Its a creative outlet that allows for experimenting and mistakes without making it a big deal.
You don’t need fancy supplies to make doodle art. In all the above photos I’m just using regular coloured markers and a gel pen for the details. I didn’t need to buy anything to make this art which makes it extra satisfying.
I’ve even used my sticker collection to add some extra flair to a few pieces just for fun. It’s a really nice feeling to create just for the sake of creating. I have a tendency to only do things that are productive in some way so unless I think something could improve my property or make me money I won’t dabble. These doodles are just for me (aside from the few shared here) and that really feels liberating to take that pressure off myself.
