I love finding crafty projects using vinyl records– from making a vinyl record purse or vinyl record bowls, I think those round slabs of plastic are incredibly fun to bend, mold, shape, and cut. About a week ago, I saw this incredible idea on Gemma’s blog about how to make a vinyl record notebook and I was so excited to make it.

Now, while I love using records to make crafts, my boyfriend is a huge record hipster dork. 😉 (Hehe, sorry Sean!) I’m telling you– in the many years I’ve known this boy, he has been such a difficult person to think up gift ideas. He is the type of person who could care less about stuff. In terms of earthly possessions, the kid loves books, fountain pens, fruit, and hand-me-down clothes from his brothers/friends/grandfathers… and records… and that’s about it. (Yes, grandfathers.)

Sean’s record collection at school. And guys– *his record player is at home in Indiana.*

Right now I am visiting this stuff-hating boyfriend in Princeton, NJ and before I left, I wanted to make sure I had a little gift to give him when I got here… because I love presents. Especially giving little surprising ones. 😉

Sean writing his name in the notebook. 🙂

As I write this blog post in his dorm room, I can look around and see all the random little gifts and ridiculous doodads I’ve given him over the years– a tiny jar that looks like Thomas Jefferson’s head, a plastic animal photo holder, some vintage ship photos, a crazy/creepy little furry cat… and now a vinyl record notebook. While I’m really proud of these “gifts,” I think Sean just keeps them around because I think it’s so funny to give him such silly things. But he might just like the notebook. Of course I’ll never know– giving loved ones handmade gifts is like giving your mom your artwork in kindergarten. They always hang it on the fridge, (or sit it on their desk/window/bookcase) and say “Awh, thank you!” Haha.

If you want to give a vinyl record notebook as a little gift, they’re actually really simple to make. 🙂

To make a vinyl record notebook you need:

-A vinyl record
-Duct tape
-Needle & thread
-Hot glue gun
-Recycled paper
-Scissors
-Oven

And here’s a video I made on the whole process. I actually used it to enter Modcloth’s DIY Boss contest— to all you other crafty bloggers out there, you should enter too! 🙂

Sean’s notebook and the notebook I made for myself. 🙂

Watch out hipster friends, you just might get one of these next. 😉

And now I’m off to eat two very large ice cream cones in the Princeton dining hall. #ImissCollegeFood 😉