the binder project

I bought these Tim Holtz binders after a class the other day because I've been dying to try making my own. It appeals to my organizational side -- I could custom make my three ring binders to fit my needs! I can have pockets and tabs and sections!

Then I started this project.

After this, I think I'll just stick with pre-made 3 rings and alter them to my tastes. This project was so frustrating for me that I can't even insert the pics into this entry the right way; I take it as a sign to just go with it.

(Which really isn't true because it'll bug me it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to and I'll redo it to get it right!)

I had not problem with the measuring and cutting. That went so smoothly for me that I thought the rest of the project would be a breeze. The folding part? Easy! Decorating, not a problem. Other than ruining the original box I wanted to us and being stuck for a way to get it all to close up, I do quite like it.

I would just never do it again, I don't think. I hate when projects frustrate me!


Here's the inside cover once I was finally done:


How I ended up closing it because at that point, I was really just ready to be done with the entire thing. I punched three holes on the closure and the cover. At first I tried brads and a loop, but it didn't work very well. Binder rings didn't keep it closed enough. Another set of brads. Finally I just decided that I'd tie some bows and just keep it shut that way. If anyone has any ideas on how to close it, do let me know!


The front, covered in two types of paper and tape, then covered with what was left of the original box.
The backside.

The box I originally wanted to use. It was a Prima box with such a pretty image on each side! Sadly, corrugated cardboard didn't work out for this binder so I tried to take the images off so I could use them in something else.

Um. That didn't work either.

This was all that was left of the box after spending 35 minutes trying to slowly peel up the image.

Inside of the binder before covering, scored and bent.

I cut a piece of card stock to fit the inside of the binder where the rings would sit. I attached them with their provided brads using a length of this super special industrial strength double sided tape to help keep the metal down. First time around I'd used some alcohol ink to cover the card stock, but that made it flimsy, so I covered the strip in metal tape. Once it was all ready to go, I used the double sided tape again to secure it to the binder. Works wonderfully - just like the rings were machine melded into it!

(I'm not kidding, it's super good double sided tape that came from a special project at Home Depot. It's meant to keep shelving together. Had I known how awesome it was, I would have taken all I could get as I can't get it anymore!)



Pros: did turn out nicely and it was educational for me to learn how to put together my own binder.

Cons: I would like it so much better if I could find another way to securely close it. Elastic probably would have worked but I honest couldn't figure out how to make it work that way so I went with the hole punch. Very, very frustrating trying to get it all to go together the right way; literally took me 5 hours to complete. The tutorial wasn't so much a tutorial as it was a diagram and a few instructions; I am the detailed step-by-step kind of girl. (Clearly)

Tutorial came from here: DIY Cardboard Binder
There's also this tutorial from the same person, only slightly different: The Bee Planner

Huge bonus: Ahhh-design provides some super lovely templates to print out for use inside your planner!