the hybrid chick

I knew that what I needed was some kind of organizer to hold each month’s birthday cards, as well as a monthly calendar to let me know whose special day was coming up. I happened across an empty half-sized binder when I was cleaning up our home office, and an idea was born.

The papers from the gorgeous Fresh Cut: The Collection by The Digichick Designers were perfect for my file pockets, and I found exactly the right calendar in the shop as well: Jan Hosford’s Perpetual Calendar Templates.

The first thing I did was to create a new 8.5 by 11 inch document and drag in the 12 patterned papers that I had picked out. I then created a vertical guide at exactly the half-way point where I was planning to fold the printed page in half to create the pocket.

I added Jan’s calendar and a white mat under it, as well as a white box where the cut-away for the pocket would go. Planning ahead, for once, I also made sure to leave plenty of room on the left side for the stitching and three-hole punching. Each page was created the same, and then I duplicated the necessary layers, flattened them and printed my file pockets.

After everything was printed, I gathered up the rest of the things that I thought I’d need. Here is the complete supply list:

• Fresh Cut: The Collection by the Digichick Designers

• Perpetual Calendar Templates by Jan Hosford
• Epson Premium Matte Photo Paper
• half-sized binder
• three hole punch
• sewing machine (or paper piercer, needle and thread)
• adhesive (I used both Mono Adhesive Permanent and a glue pen)
• ruler, craft knife, scoring tool

My sewing machine and I are not on speaking terms, and apparently our three hole-punch is not the adjustable kind so I had to use the old-fashioned tools here. This next part would go a LOT faster otherwise! First I scored the middle of all of my printouts, and then used my ruler and craft knife to cut out the blank white part. On two of the pages, I’d added some month tabs before I printed that I’d made from elements out of the kit, so I cut those out as well.

Next was the task of creating the pockets by folding the papers in half and sealing up the bottom and side. I knew I didn’t want to just use glue, because it needed to be sturdy enough to hold up to repeated use, so I decided that stitching it closed would be the way to go. I tried my sewing machine, failed, reprinted and got out my paper piercer and ruler with the evenly spaced holes. Then I started poking away. It took a while. But I finally finished and pulled out some floss and a needle and stitched the sides together. I hope that it lasts a long time because I’m not anxious to do that again!

Here are all my pages, pierced, stitched and hole-punched!

I added the tabs that I’d created and here is the inside of the binder, ready to be used. All I need to do is fill in the birthdays for the appropriate dates, and then the cards for each month can go in the pockets.

I slipped the outside covers into the front, back and spine, and my project was done! I can’t wait to start filling it up, and I hope that this fun little binder inspires you to use your craft supplies to get organized too!

Other Articles by Jessica Pranaitis:

• Fourth of July centerpiece - July 2nd, 2010
• Sassy Purse Gift Set - April 28th, 2010
• Gallery Finds - March 10th, 2010
• Chinese Takeout Container - February 3rd, 2010
• Stocking Stuffer Gift Tin - December 23rd, 2009