Binder Cover Tutorial

Okay y'all, since I've gotten such a fabulous response regarding my binder covers for this school year, I've decided to invest a little time into making a tutorial.  Enjoy!

Type One: Monogrammed Lilly

(The ones featured in my "Back to School" post)

1. Obtain the font: If you don't have a monogram font installed on your computer, you can download one for free here.  This is a safe and reliable download; it's the one I use.
2. Open a MS Word document
3. Choose a Lilly print: If you don't have any saved to you computer, Pulitzer Prints is one of my favorite sources.
4. Copy and past the Lilly print to the MS Word document  
5. Resize the Lilly print to fit the page.  DO NOT try to set the print as the page background.  I did this at first, and it looks fine on the screen, but it ends up printing with a tiled background and doesn't look very nice.  Be sure the text wrapping on the image is set to "through".  This can be done by clicking on the image, opening the "Format" tab, and looking in the "Arrange" category.
   
6. Add a circle.  Under the "Insert" tab, click "Shapes" and select the circle.  Set the alignment (again, look for the "Arrange" category under the "Format" tab.  Make the circle a color that compliments the Lilly print, but not a main color of the pattern.  I like to make the shape outline thick and white, but this is optional.
   
7. Add the monogram.  Don't just right-click on the circle and "Edit Text."  Create a separate text box (Go under the "Insert" tab and select "Text Box") and align it to top and middle.  Set the text box to have no border or fill color (change this setting under the "Format" tab).  Play around with where you position the text box-- everyone's monogram is different, so the font size and position on the circle will depend on your particular initials.  Note: When using the Monogram KK font, enter your monogram like this: mBj.  Capitalize the middle initial (your last name), but leave all three letters in the same font size.
   
8. If you're satisfied with this, go ahead and print it.  If you want to add a class title, insert a rectangle just as you did the circle.  Make the rectangle the same color as the circle, but leave off the outline (unless you just want it.)  Align the rectangle to the bottom and center of the page, just like you aligned the circle to the middle and top.
   
9. Right click the rectangle and choose "Add Text."  Be sure the text is center aligned and the font color is the same as the monogram.
   
10. Save it, print it, and show it off! 

Type Two: Monogrammed Chevron

When one of my friends asked me to make her monogrammed chevron binder covers, I knew it'd be easy.  I followed the exact same steps as I did to make the Lilly ones!  Chevron is hard to work with when you're looking for high-resolution images, because the majority of chevron on sites like Google Images is so tiny!  I followed some links from Pinterest and found the perfect site with lots of cute-colored, high-resolution Chevron!  Here's the link.  Just click on the color you like and copy & paste.  Follow the same process you did for the Lilly ones!  Here's one of the finished products:

Not going to lie, I think these came out pretty fabulous.  She gave me some great color combinations to work with, so I figured I'd share them with y'all.  They all look really, really good.

• Navy and green
• Light blue and orange
• Light blue and white
• Aqua and coral
• Pink and white
• Yellow and grey

Type Three: Class Title Chevron

Okay, so as hard as this is for me to comprehend, some people just don't want everything monogrammed.  My sister Katie is one of those people.  So, when she asked me to do her binder covers, I had to redesign my template a little bit.  I used the same process, but designed them a little differently.  Here's a tutorial.

1. Open a MS Word document
2. Choose a chevron color (see link above for a great site)
3. Copy and paste the chevron onto the MS Word document
   
4. Resize the chevron to take up the entire page (Again, don't just change the page color.  The tiling effect is especially bad with chevron).  Remember, set the text wrapping to "Through".  This can be done by clicking on the image, opening the "Format" tab, and looking in the "Arrange" category.
   
5. Add a rectangle.  Under the "Insert" tab, select "Shape", then choose the rectangle.  Align it to the top (Go to the "Arrange" category under the "Format" tab) and be sure it reaches the entire way across the page.
   
6. Right click the rectangle and select "Add Text".  Be sure the text is center aligned and type the class name in a complimenting font color (I usually go with white).
   
7. Go back to the "Insert" tab and click "Shapes" again.  This time, add an oval.  I like to give it a thick white outline.  Align it to the bottom and center of the page.
   
8. Right click the oval and select "Add Text", just as you did the rectangle.  Remember to center align the text and use the same font and color as you did the class title.
   
9. Save it, print it, and show it off!

Remember, these don't just have to be in chevron or Lilly!  Experiment with the background and color schemes!  I'd love to see what y'all come up with!  Please show me!

Enjoy the rest of summer, but here's to a stylish school year!