This year’s
holiday planner was a combo project – part getting organized for the Christmas
season, and part learning to use a new tool.
You see, I have
an embarrassing confession to make. I was one of the first people to own a Bind
It All – I purchased it during CHA Winter back in 2007 when it debuted. I
brought it home from the show, all excited by the possibilities…and then it sat
there in its box, in a corner of my bedroom, until this week. You math whizzes
have probably already figured out that’s just shy of 2 years. Preposterous! And
yes, I was duly ashamed of myself.
Every time I
thought about opening that box, the learning curve turned me off. I didn’t have
time to read an instruction manual or watch a video, or mess with trial and
error. But this week I decided to give myself amnesty from the guilt, open the
box, and figure the darn thing out. My holiday planner was the guinea pig
project.
I will admit that
it didn’t turn out perfectly. I chunked up the cover while learning how to
punch the holes, and I tweaked part of the wire binding. Those things bothered me for about 11
seconds, but I’m over it now. Most importantly, I had FUN making it, and I love
the colors and the haphazard, sticky-out parts and the graph paper I used. The holiday
season may now commence – I’m ready!
So without further ado, I present my 2008 holiday planner.
I used a lot of this 'n' that, all of which I already had on hand (yay me for denting the
stash!) Here’s a quick rundown of the main stuff: The chipboard covers are from
the Theresa Collins line for Bind It All, as are the precut papers I put on
them. I added some borders cut from a sheet of Cosmo Cricket’s “Hello Sunshine”
8x8 pad, Dymo labels, some Gartner Studio stuff from Target, and various letter
stickers, envelopes, tags, and library pockets I had lying around. I still plan
to add a piece of elastic to hold it shut. If you’re wondering about something
specific that I didn’t mention, shoot me an email.
If you missed the
back story on my annual tradition of creating a holiday planner and why I
cannot survive the holidays without one, go here.
And now I would
like to leave you with a challenge. I know I’m not the only one with some sort
of product languishing about for ages. Leave me a comment about that thing
you’ve been meaning to bust out of the packaging…and then do it! Today. No more
putting it off. I guarantee you will be glad you did. Bonus points if you share
your completed project on your blog (or with a friend if you don’t have a
blog). I hereby absolve you of guilt over how long your whatever-it-is has been
sitting there, just as long as you use it NOW.