How to do a binder makeover

This week a colleague of mine will retire and when something like this happens, we will make our own goodbye presents. Usually one of them is a binder with a personal wish from everyone. I didn't like the binders and decided to do a little make-over....

This is what they looked like before...

For a nice result I had to dismantel the whole thing...The first one was done by my hubby, the second I did myself (of course he had to watch and make some comments;))

The next step involved some fabric, the sewing machine and my lovely assistant...



and then some very sloppy embroidery and a few screws...

and this is the result:
(one of my lovely assistitants wanted to be appriciated as well!)