'Cause you're gonna keep on lovin' me...

'Cause you will love what you are gonna see!

I've been working like a house elf here trying to get this done! First, I have to say I can't take credit for the basic idea, apparently this project was done on the Cruise this year. I got my first look at a similar one here on Blue Moon Stamping which is Deb's (lastname?) blog.

Naturally, I was intrigued by this project and thought it would be a perfect class! Especially if it was made to be a Christmas organizer and I used the Winter Bright Simply Scrappin' Kit. So I've been taking a bash at it and finally came up with this:

Ingredients: Stamps - Rough Edges Alphabet, Typeset Lower Alphabet; Paper - Winter Brights Simply Scrappin'; Ink - Basic Grey, So Saffron; Other - Large Open-Ended Envelopes, Silver brads, Wild Wasabi Double-Stitched grosgrain, red & light blue gingham, Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Apricot Appeal & Real Red Grosgrain, Bind-It-All machine, 1/4" coil, 3/16" corner rounder punch, 1/2 junior legal pad, bond paper, Avery white unlaminated 2 pocket folder

You make this by taking a plain school folder, folding the covers back on themselves, then folding the edge of the covers back to the middle, making a "W" shape. I used my Fiskars to score the centers of the covers so I got a nice crisp fold. You can find the white folders in packs of 10 at OfficeMax. This project uses up about 1/2 a scrappin' kit with lots of leftovers to make cards or scrapbook pages with. I'll be scheduling this for early October, if you live in the area and are interested in attending.

Here it is open:

I gave some thought to what should go in the pockets. I figured a shopping list was a natural, a receipt envelope, a planner/calendar and a guide to the sizes and personal preferences of those we were giving gifts to would also be nice. So I came up with the following:

Here's the gift guide and here it is open:

I have 40 pages (20 printed on both sides), which ought to be plenty for anyone shopping, but you can always add more. Because I'm SO NICE (YILM!) and because you all love me SO MUCH, I've made the file into a PDF which you can download here:

Download giftguidepages.pdf (16.4K)

The pages print four up on a sheet and you need to print the front and back so as to save paper and make a slimmer booklet. I used the 1/4" wires from Zutter in my Bind It All. I've always wanted a little book like this to keep track of sizes, favorite colors, brands, etc.

Then I moved on to the shopping list. I found that I could actually cut a junior legal pad in half...mostly. I could get through everything but the chipboard on the back, but that was easy to finish with a craft knife. Previously, I could as Dan to do it, as he had a full print shop at school at his disposal, but since he doesn't teach at the high school anymore, I can't. So I figured I'd try my Carl DC220 and it worked! So I put a cover on half a pad:

And then I did the envelope for receipts:

And finally, the calendar/planner:

Here it is open:

I found these calendar printable pages at Organized Christmas, which is a very cool website with the goal of having all your Christmas shopping/baking/decorating done by the first week of December. They have lots and lots of pages to put in your planner that I didn't include, but you can if you wish. You can get two of them on a sheet of paper if you print front and back. I am not entirely pleased with how the binding punched into the top of the calendars, so I may redo this just 'cause why? Because I'm A-N-A-L, that's why!

Now...don't you think my interpretation of this project is STINKIN' CUTE, not to mention GOJUS!?!?! I hope so! After all, you came here to be inspired and I came through! Do you love me now?

Before I sign off I have to show the Blogger Rak I got yesterday:

This is from Jana Weaver, whose blog is Stamp with Jana. Thank you, Jana, for the beautiful RAK!

Comments

[Ruth]

Jan you have out done yourself this time. This is totally awesome! This would make a fabulous class. Thanks for sharing the whole thing with us.
Ruth A.

[Faith SCS faithyc]

Jan, Please come to RI! This is AWESOME! I would love to take your class. Thanks for the close up pictures and the pdf. I am going to do my best to case this! LOVE it!

[Karen]

Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! ::Visons of Horseshack:: I am sooo excited! This is just an awesome project Janine!! Thank you soooo much for sharing! YWLY! (Yes We Love You!)

[Jennifer]

Gojus!!! Love all of them!

[Jamie Morris]

Wow Jan I am really inspired. This is awesome!! Amazing job as always.

[Rose Ann]

Wow...now isn't that the coolest? I love it, Jan!

[Jana]

This project is totally awesome! I can't wait to make one (or several!!) Thanks for sharing as always!!

[Deb]

I'm so glad you love the planner. My friend and upline Dena came up with the planner design after a project they did on the SU cruise. Here's her blog link to check out http://drekow.typepad.com/. I love your Christmas planner idea and will be trying one myself. I found white folders at Staples for a nickle a piece...what a bargain!!! This project would also make a great wedding, baby, teacher, or 'high school senior headed to college' planner.
Thanks again for the shout-out. I love your blog. It's so inspiring and hysterical all at the same time. :)

[Ann M. Clemmer]

Yes, we do love you Jan! You are da bomb!

[Tammy]

Beautiful work and fun idea! Thanks for the great tutorial!

[Kathi S.]

WOW!!! You have outdone yourself. This is so beautiful, wonderful, crafty, awesome and terrific. Can I come over to recreate this? All I would have to get is the scrappin kit, bind it all machine, craft knife, and Jr. legal pads. I have a bunch of folders. opps, all of mine have the things with prongs for paper.

I think you have a class on this. We could prepay for the supplies.

[Corinne]

Holy Smolly how adorable is this !!!! WOWZA !!

[Kelly]

Soooooo... darn cute! Sending lots of love your way!
Thanks Jan!

[Lee Conrey]

Another great idea!!! It's fabulous, just fabulous!
.....and of course we DO love you!

[Corie]

Yes I truly love you -- you are the best.

What a FANTASTIC idea -- love it

[Rachel]

I love your Christmas Organizer! I just made my 1st folder/organizer this week, too--it's to leave with the babysitter and has all the info she would ever need.

Also, THANK YOU for pointing me to organizedchristmas.com!! This is going to help me SO much this year--it's AWESOME!

-Rachel
Grandville, MI

[mary rose]

Fantastic project, Jan! (And yes, we do love you!)
mary rose

[Tracy]

Oh Mah Goodness!! Luv it, luv it...did I mention I LUV IT! UBDABOMB!

Thanks for sharing and inspiring (and making me buy that blasted Zutter Ü)
Tracy

[Cheryl K]

Once again Jan, you are awesome! Thanks so much for sharing. I believe I will have to CASE your idea, and have a class over here in Western WI. THANK YOU.

[Stacy]

GOJUS!! Love it, love it, love it! I can't wait to CASE this one.

[Jenn D]

This is wonderful! I had a chance to make a folder like this at CHA, but haven't had a chance to make a SU one yet. I love the Christmas Organizer Idea.

[Sheri]

This a fabulous! I wonder if it would actually help me get organized? Yeah...probably not! I also wanted to thank you for the trip down memory lane back into the 80's with your reference to a well known song that will be taunting me all day! LOL!!!

[Kay]

Simply wonderful!!! You as always are an inspiration. Thank you for all of the detail that you have given.

[catherine]

So creative, so clever, so amazing, so beautiful! Jan, you always have the best ideas and I really appreciate how you are so generous in sharing them with us!!!

[Michelle Wallace]

Very beautiful! I'm sitting here trying to decide if I could get anyone to a class to make something like these! ;)

If you're doing a class on these, I would recommend taking your stack of notepads to office max & having them chop them in half. They SHOULD be able to do quite a few at a time, if not all at once depending on how many, but of course we know how that goes sometimes. ;) Just a thought if you need to cut alot of them in half! Good luck with the class!