Birthday Binder Tutorial

Like everyone else in the paper craft world, I'm a fan of Nichole Heady's. So when, several months back, she came up with the idea of a birthday calendar in this post, I was immediately smitten.

But, I'm also a very frugal crafter. And I could not justify spending $15 on a project that I should be able to make for much, much less ($7 for the calendar pages, $8 for the binder, both from PTI's site here).

So, my brain got to work and the wheels were spinning. And here I am, several months later, proud to share with you a tutorial on how to make your own birthday binder for just pennies!



Step 1: Print all of your calendar pages on cardstock. You can create your own using any word processing software, or download the template I created here.

[If printing your own, make sure your document is in landscape mode and your printing doesn't go past the 3.75" width mark of your document.]



Step 2: Score all of your calendar pages at the 4-inch mark, then pre-fold them all to create a pocket.



Step 3: This is where the fun beings. For each month, cut 1 piece of decorative paper 6" wide by 8.5" tall. You can customize the paper to the month and season, or create a calendar that coordinates entirely together- that's up to you! After you have all of your liners cut, adhere them to your calendar pages (like lining an envelope).

Step 4: Using red-line adhesive or another super sticky brand (I prefer i {stick} papers (red line) tape), place two strips of adhesive down the sides of your calendar pocket. Seal.



Step 5: Punch holes into each calendar page for insertion in binder.



Step 6: Arrange your calendar pages into a binder of your choice. I had this one in my closet just waiting to be used. Gotta love free!

Step 7: Fill in family & friends' birthdays, anniversaries, and other important events. Tuck cards and tags inside the pockets.

Total cost of my project:
12 sheets of white cardstock: $1.80
old decorative paper from stash: $0.00
binder from stash: $0.00
adhesives and old trims from stash: $0.00
Final cost: $1.80

I'd say that saving $13.20 (plus shipping) calls for a bit of a celebration, don't you? Not to mention, my calendar pages are lined, completely customizable to my taste, and if I find I have a busy month- I can just print another copy of it!

I hope you find this helpful. If any of you follow my tutorial, I hope you'll share your links and photos with me- I'd love to see your finished projects!

Birthday Binder Recipe
Cardstock: PTI white
Decorative Paper: Echo Park Springtime, Life is Good
Accessories: i {stick} papers (red line) tape