listbook

In the everyday struggle to organize my life, I'm a pile-er and a stacker and a list maker...which combined, makes me a bit disorganized.

I am continually digging scraps of paper with grocery lists, home lists, craftyMSP lists, list lists, work lists from my purse and the far recesses of my desk. Sound familiar?

A few weeks ago, I said - enough with the scraps! So I started making small notebooks to jot down all the daily thoughts that pop into my head. All the lists in one place, bound to stay together and stashed in my purse (hopefully with a pen). Now I'm hooked on making these little guys and wanted to share them with you!

You'll need scrap 8.5"x11" paper (I keep a box under my desk, so when something gets printed wrong, I just throw it in and wait until a good sized pile collects), card-stock for the covers, and binding. If you have access to a GBC binding machine - they are pretty awesome. But sometimes I like to take them over to my local chain-store print shop and get the nice skinny spiral binding. It's reasonably affordable and I think it looks better.

Fold the paper the long way (to a size of 4.25"x11"), so the printed side is facing in.

Cut all folded sheets in half perpendicular to fold (to a size of 4.25"x5.5") and trim your card-stock down to about a quarter inch bigger than the paper size. Set up the binding on the open side of the paper (opposite the fold).

Bind. You now have a handy little book with blank sheets (and it's recycled!). The printed side is secured inside a fold and a bind - a nice tidy way to reuse scrap paper. Decorate your card-stock if necessary - mine is pretty plain, so I'll dig up something to give a bit of pizazz - some sunshine in the daily lists.

Enjoy your weekend everyone! I'm hoping to get bunches done and waiting for some pretties in the mail (online fabric shopping is the best).