Coaster Post-it Note Holder

So have I told you all that I have a thing for office supplies? I just love walking into Staples or Office Depot and wandering through the aisles looking at all the pens and markers and most of all.... post-it notes. It's the next best thing to walking into a craft store. I've seen several different kinds of post-it note holders, but I've always had a problem with them. They're all made of card stock and seem to get beat up and there's that mitred corner thing that never works for me and the card stock doesn't stay no matter how much ModgePodge I use, etc.

So tonight I set out to make something that's both sturdy and beautiful. So out came my square coasters, my crop-a-dile and my UHU All Purpose Twist & Glue.

The stamp is A Muse A True Friend, stamped in Chocolate Chip ink so it meets Challenge #2 of A-muse-a-palooza. The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye Tres Jolie, the flowers are Prima Forever Flowers Hydrangea No. 5 and the brad is from JoAnn's. A little Diamond Stickles and some American Crafts ribbon finish it off. Here's a mini tutorial (sorry I didn't take pics until after I was done) on how I made them.

Supplies Needed:

Two 4" square coasters
Four 4" x 4" squares of patterned card stock (double-sided or 2 patterns)
One 4" x 3" piece of patterned card stock
1 4" x 1.5" strip of patterned card stock
Crop-a-dile (or hole punch strong enough to punch through chipboard)
Approximately 18" of ribbon
Basic Grey magnets
Terrifically Tacky Tape
All purpose glue or adhesive
Pop dots
Post-it Note pad


Step 1: Cover both sides of two coasters with 4" x 4" pieces of card stock. Trim corners and lightly sand just the corners to keep the rounded look.

Step 2: Stack coasters together and use Crop-a-dile to punch holes through both coasters at 1" intervals 1/4" from the edge.

Step 3: Place coasters on either side of 4" x 1.5" strip (do not glue yet) to mark where holes should go and punch corresponding holes on either side of the paper to line up with the holes on the coasters.

Step 4: Glue the strip to the front and back coaster, lining up the holes. Lay flat to dry.

Step 5: Lay down 1/4" strips of Terrifically Tacky Tape on the 3 non-punched sides of the inside coaster. Do not glue the middle, this is where the post-it note back will slide into place.

Step 6: Place + magnet on inside coaster edge near the middle. Layer - magnet on top (magnetic sides together) and place a pop dot on top of the adhesive side of the -magnet and close the cover. Make sure to get a good seal on the pop dot. If you have thicker post it notes, you may need to put a pop dot on both magnets.

Step 7: Lace ribbon through punched holes. Start on the inside corner and tie a knot, then lace across the spine and back through the inside, then go up the side and back out and across the spine. Repeat until the last hole is laced, then tied a knot and trim ends.

Step 8: Decorate front as desired. Slip post it note pad into place.