MIL stationary set

I have this idea in my head for making the perfect little notepad holder/wallet-y thing for myself... so I bought some patterns that have interesting/helpful elements, and set to work... Of course, I didn't want to use up the fabric that I bought just for me, so I used fabric my MIL would like, and followed the patterns with little to no tweaking, just to see what they'd do...

I used Iron-on vinyl on the cover of this one, made from this pattern, because the cotton was SO lightweight.

I don't think the stabilizer provides quite enough stabilization, so next time I'm going to use chipboard inside...

Then I found THIS awesome free large portfolio pattern by Amy Butler, and I used the suggestion from this blog to use stiffener from a hardware store (I prefer Lowe's, but potayto/potahto)...

here's the outside...

and the inside. the top pocket is probably useless, but the bottom pocket holds cards/envelopes, and the other side will hold a half-letter sized notepad. C designed/printed the stationary (with email and phone number at the bottom, which I blurred out for her privacy), and I made 3 notepads for her...

pretty awesome birthday gift, if I do say so myself!