I don’t know about you, but I am a list maker. I feel better about attacking a goal by writing down everything I need to do ahead of time. And when the goal is HUGE, like say getting ready for Christmas, I really feel the urge to get my planning on!
This year I decided to make myself an official planner so that all of my ideas and needs are all in one spot and easy to find.
So today I want to show you how I made my new
Christmas Planner!
I purchased this 3-ring binder for super cheap last year during the back to school sales.
For the record, I have no idea who these characters are or what the binder says! I’m so uncool!
I never planned to leave it like this.
I’m going to Christmas-ify it!
I’m going to Christmas-ify it!
I kind of have an obsession with Christmas-themed scrapbook paper so I have amassed quite the collection.
I chose a 12×12 sheet I thought would be fun for the front of my binder.
I covered the front of the binder with Mod Podge and laid the paper on top.
Then I used a roller to make sure there were no bubbles between the paper and binder.
The paper is larger than the binder, but we’re going to fold it over inside in the next steps.
Before folding it over though we want to do a little trimming.
Trim the corners at a slight angle.
We’re going to glue down the side first.
Apply some Mod Podge then fold the paper over.
To keep the paper down, apply some “craft clamps” (clothespins!).
Repeat with the top and bottom ends of the paper.
Then repeat the entire process to cover the back of the binder.
Trim more scrapbook paper to fit the inside of the binder and Mod Podge it down.
For the spine of the binder we need the paper to be flexible.
Trim a piece of scrapbook paper large enough to just cover the spine and about 2 inches of the front and back of the binder.
Use very sticky double-sided tape to attach it to the binder.
Only put the tape down the length of the binder (on the front and back sides) as shown with the arrows above.
Do not put any tape where the spine of the binder is.
I added a sticker label to the spine and front cover of the binder.
Now for the true star of the planner!
The pages that go in it!!
Edit: The original planner pages used for this planner are no longer available for download. But that just means I made my own! Find them here: Holiday Planner FREE Printables.
There is no way you can have these downloads in your possession and not be organized this Christmas.
There are files for organizing your Christmas cards, decorations, shopping lists, holiday baking and more!
I cut some cardstock down to 8.5×11 to act as dividers for all of my files.
I cut squares out of scrapbook paper and folded them in half and glued them to the edges of the cardstock dividers to use as tabs.
I will be filling out the sheets for gifts over the next week as I plan out my handmade ideas for my friends and family!
Do you think a Christmas planner would help you?
To continue with the Workshop Wednesday blog hop,
please visit Tracey at My CreativiT!
I link to these great parties!
Jocelyn says
July 16, 2012 at 10:26 PMMaybe if I had an awesome planner like this, I would be so scatterbrained when it came time to doing Christmas stuff!!! This is awesome and I love all the fun details you used!!
Kathryn Ferguson Griffin says
July 14, 2012 at 7:40 AMI think I might just have to do this! Thank you for sharing. Visiting from My Repurposed Life. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2012/07/make-it-pretty-monday-week-5.html Wishing you a grand weekend. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Tauni says
July 11, 2012 at 10:08 PMHoly cow girl, you are super-duper organized! I haven’t even started thinking about Christmas and probably wont until about October 🙂
Thanks for sharing your adorable binder. It’s much cuter than my plain old excel spreadsheet.
xoxo, Tauni
Natasha SerenityYou says
July 11, 2012 at 10:45 AMlove this!!! I make a Christmas planner every year
would love it if you could share this on my link party – http://serenityyou.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/serenity-saturday-47.html
Jennifer Dawn says
July 11, 2012 at 6:52 AMGreat idea! I’m sure that would greatly help with getting organized for Christmas. I would love it if you linked it up to my brand new link party going on now. http://thelifeofjenniferdawn.blogspot.com/2012/07/little-bird-told-me-link-party-1.html
Melissa says
July 9, 2012 at 10:30 PMYeah, I totally thing a Christmas binder would help me plan out at least a little bit better. At least give me a visual idea on paper on how I would like to Christmas!
jen says
July 9, 2012 at 12:41 PMI’m glad i’m not the only one that is planinng in july!
Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says
July 8, 2012 at 5:42 PMI fly by the seat of my pants… I think I need this for sure =)
Amanda @ Serenity Now says
July 8, 2012 at 1:05 PMLove the fun papers you used, Michele. 🙂 I have a fun Christmas memory book, but I don’t have an organizer. Great idea!
Lisa and Joey @ Paintbrush and Screwdriver says
July 7, 2012 at 8:18 PMI always say I’m going to do this – thanks for the instructions and links 🙂
Crystal says
July 7, 2012 at 8:09 AMGreat idea! Never too early to think about Christmas! 🙂
Pamela R says
July 6, 2012 at 9:09 AMWow this is awesome! I’m sure it would definitely come in handy! Great job making the binder all Christmassy too, it’s beautiful!
Katharine Devinney says
July 5, 2012 at 10:13 PMThis is a great idea. Great tutorial too. I went “ahhhh” when she explained how you needed to tape the paper so it was flexible. Thanks for the info!
nest of posies says
July 5, 2012 at 9:56 PMyou’re killing me!
i’m the least organized person out here & now you’ve gone & started Christmas. get out of town!!!
xo
kellie
Beth says
July 5, 2012 at 6:39 AMThis is darling & YES, I have multiples of those same papers! LOL I really need to make one of these and tell myself every year that I will make one. I’ve never heard of the characters that are on the binder you used either.
Tammy Malone says
July 5, 2012 at 6:21 AMThis is such a fabulous idea!
Becki says
July 5, 2012 at 6:19 AMGreat idea to get organized for the holidays – it always seems to sneak up on me! Thanks for sharing!
Partycraft Secrets says
July 4, 2012 at 10:50 PMgood idea – another thing to add to the ‘to do’ list!!
Rhonda says
July 4, 2012 at 8:50 PMWhat a great idea. Thank you for sharing. I am going to try this!
Beverly {Flamingo Toes} says
July 4, 2012 at 1:11 PMWow!! I am so in love with your binder!! I think this and the planning sheets are just what I need! Yay to being organized!! 🙂
My-CreativiT says
July 4, 2012 at 11:45 AMMichele – from one organizer to another this is a great idea. This will help me remember what I gave the previous years as gifts while helping me stay on task. 🙂
Isabelle says
July 4, 2012 at 11:29 AMYour binder looks awesome! I used Christmas Your Way planning sheets last Christmas and loved them. Very practical.
Carol, The Answer Is Chocolate says
July 4, 2012 at 11:14 AMSuch a great idea Michele, just like your great idea to have this series!