NB ...

It's not just the coolness in the morning air, nor the spiders' webs glistening in the hedgerows. It's not the feeling of those fresh white ankle socks and the hem of the striped school dress lapping above my knee, an inch or so above where it had done so two months before (and another month before the winter uniform proper makes an appearance). And it's not even the wispy curls of scented bonfire smoke rising above the hedges on the way back from school that spell autumn for me. None of these. It's the unmistakeable urge to cover notebooks.

"NB?" said Grandpa, smiling below his little sandy-coloured toothbrush moustache. I knew he would know: he was in The Printing Trade. "It stands for Nota Bene - that's the Latin for Note Well. It means: Mark This, Pay Attention." My seven-year old self was entranced. How magic was this, that NB didn't just mean notebook (in my childish mind) but also pointed to something important about what was to go inside the covers too. Notebooks clearly had to be treated with respect. And that meant, at the start of every September, covering the notebooks and exercise books for each school subject.

Wall-paper was a favourite in my class but resulted in lumpy corners. Shiny patterned shelf-paper was a step up, but sellotape was less than effective in keeping the edges stuck down. My favourite was brown paper, but led to lots of agonising decisions: shiny or dull on the outside? The subtle stripes going horizontal or vertical? If we'd had scrapbooking paper, I'd have been in seventh heaven. I still back my notebooks every autumn ...

Enrolling in Shimelle's Learn Something New Every Day 2011, I am pondering how to structure the photos and journalling this year: if it's September, and it's about learning, it's just got to be a notebook.  I'm still thinking it through ... If you're doing the class, have you reached any decisions yet? Somewhere I am sure I have a roll of brown paper ...

Comments

[Melissa]

I just covered the front of a spiral notebook today with patterned paper! I'm going to be following along with LSNED, however I'm also doing The Mother LOAD so am hoping to finish a layout every day for September 1 - 26. I'm simply planning to read the LOAD prompt & the LSNED information and see what I get inspired to scrap! And hope I have time to keep up every day as I also start teaching two sessions of a Bible Study next week (lots of studying involved for me), thus the new pretty notebook.

[Karen W]

I have a love affair with notebooks, and have to restrain myself when I find a new one I love. I broke down in Vancouver and bought a tiny new one for my purse (once my Moleskin is filled up). Yours are lovely. I can't decide about LSNED, but I did have an idea. I'm just not sure if the prompts will work for it, or if it even matters that they do.

[Ginger]

That is a beautiful way to bring a notebook to life! I have never done LSNED but have signed up for it :) I have a 7 Gypsies journaling book that was given to me... I'm going to use that with some scraps... hopefully I manage to keep up!

[Jennie Hart]

You write nostalgia so well Alexa, you take me right there. I too used to love covering my notebooks, but I haven't done it for years. I confess I prefer to make minibooks now. Which is what I have done for LSNED. Talking of which, I have learnt something today and it is only 7:10am :) NB stands for Nota Bene, I did not know that; I am enjoying saying that in a 'flourishing' italian accent :)

[linda]

I love those wall papered covered books! I had loads of those too:) I've decided not to do LSNED this year as I am half way through my CAB (citizen's advice bureau) training, and it takes up a lot of time.

[helena]

great memories - last month I was going through a box of school 'treasures' from my Mum's attic and came across covered notebooks - wallpaper - pink with raised white dots - which I invariably doodled between over the year.

[Jacky S]

It takes me right back there....sitting covering school books......maybe that's what started us all on the papercrafting trail!

[Paul B]

I believe from an email I received that i'm automatically enrolled on the class. Though to be honest, I haven't given any thought as to how it might proceed and in what format. I recall a previous time you took up the call and created a wonderful journal of the month. I didn't take to it as easily - it was a little too abstract. You interpreted each day with such seeming ease and i'm sure i'll be wowed by this year's posts too. Looking forward to seeing how it unfolds. Px

[Alison McInnes]

OH Alexa....so many memories! I too loved covering my 'jotters'(as they were called in Scotland)and also loved brown packaging paper- it had much more space for doodling!
Alison xx

[Julie Kirk]

Oh I'm so pleased you're doing the class this year - I've signed up for the first time. I have no idea what form it'll take and just hoping I can keep up. I hate starting and not finishing. I'm glad I have you as a classmate! x

[diane]

When I was teaching i loved covering the kids books with matching covers for each subject :)

[Sian]

Oh,yes! I remember how frustrating the peeling-up sellotape was! I would have loved brown paper, but my mum wouldn't buy any because she had been given a wallpaper sample book and she was determined to get some use from it!

Great post which really rang a (school) bell with me today

[Amanda]

Brown paper sounds perfect. I think I've shared with you before my school Home Economics exercise book which is covered in the kitchen wallpaper of the time.

[Furrypig]

what a great pile of covered notebooks and a great story! I can't wait to see what you do for LSNED, see you in class xxx

[Julie Jeavons]

Lovely post. See you in class if I manage to get myself sorted!

[Miriam]

Brown paper, dull side out for me but the same indecision regarding the stripes. I still make notebooks! I buy them, I 'rescue' them, I covert other peoples. I make a little pocket one each year for LSDN. I am going to try digital this year but want to use 'notebook' paper. Just love your post this morning.

[Alexa]

Morning Miriam, and many thanks for your comment. I'm going digital too, but printing it out. Have your sourced your notebook paper? There's a site that offers free notebook. writing, graph paper etc. and it's here: http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/writing.html

[Wanda Jorgensen]

Reading your post, I was reminded of the many hours I spent covering textbooks when I was in school. In fact, as I recall, that was the first night's assignment for every class--and woe to the child that came to the school the next day with a naked book! Our covers tended toward the utilitarian--plain grocery bag covers that, before too long, had doodles, notes, and homework assignments scribbled all over them.

[Thoughtsalonglifeshighway]

Covering my books was one of my favorite things about back to school - except I loved the brown paper wrapping because I saw it as a blank canvas on which to spend my creative energies throughout the year. I always hated when the paper wore out and I had to "retire" that cover (toss in the garbage) for a new one - I felt like my artwork was going to waste!
I love your colorful covers - I have been doing the same with some tiny little composition books I found and I give them as little gifts to my friends - they are a perfect size to carry in your purse when you need to jot a note.

[Valentina]

Such a lovely post... I enjoyed your wirting. I wanna say thanks for your very sweet comment on my blog. I managed to post the cover on my blog now, so, if you wanna take a look... Hope to see you in class.

[Kim Dellow]

Ooo the note books just look great! Kim