Inspire Me Thursday - Notebooks

The challenge for Inspire Me Thursday for this week is to "alter or embellish a notebook, use a sheet of notebook paper in a collage, create a still life drawing of a stack of notebooks, or whatever you may be inspired to create."

Every year for Christmas I print out pages to help me stay organized. I usually just print them on boring old white copy paper and then toss them after Christmas. I've had this planner in my mind for quite some time and this week's challenge inspired me to do it now!

I used a 10" x 7.5" composition book (I LOVE those! Perfect size, cute, cheap. What more could you need?)

I embellished the cover with paper, brads and some delicious ribbon (a soft chartreuse on one side, soft gold on the other). The date tabs are made with 3/4" circle labels.

I use this page to write down crafts I want to make for friends and crafts I want to make with the kids. We always make graham cracker gingerbread houses and at least one kind of snowman. We've done sock snowmen, puff ball snowmen, craft stick snowmen...you get the idea.

Here I'll make a list of all the treats we want to make--old stand-bys (Cornflake Holly cookies are a must every year!) and new one to try.

Now these page (there are 4 total for each year) are why I made the planner in September. I try to make MOST of the gifts I give. (I did make the handmade pledge, you know!) And most people live far away so I do have to ship. So I start planning well before the weather turns (relatively--I do live in the desert) cold. (Do I use parenthesis too much???) :)

Here's where I write down ideas for next year (you'd never guess that from the title, right?) or projects, crafts or treats we didn't get to this year.

We do a fondue party every year. And there are always a host of other events to keep track of.

This is the back cover. It may be a little too plain. I may add something to it later although I'm sort of in love with the green paper and may just leave it clean and simple. Still not sure.

Anyway, that's it--The Christmas Planner!!