DYI Smashbook

I said I wouldn’t (twice, even), but I broke down and made a Smashbook, and I’m already glad I did. I first saw this on Rinda’s blog and then on Mel’s. Both times, I said, “not me.” But after watching some of the videos linked on Rinda’s blog and the Counterfeit Kit site, I had an idea for a somewhat different version to meet my somewhat different needs. So here it is. I decided I wanted a three-ring version so I could add, subtract, and move my pages around. I started with a lovely binder that I bought nearly five years ago, and never found a good use for. I kept the cover simple, add some American Craft Thickers and stickers from my stash. (In the spirit of the Counterfeit Kit Challenge, all the supplies were from my stash.)

Then taking a selection of bright, cheerful Papertrey Ink papers, I created dividers and tabs. The tab punch I had was way too big, so I die cut six tabs from a Nestability Labels Eleven die, and adhered them to the back of the dividers. Most of the divider headings came from one of the Smashbook videos.

Next I raided my stamps for images that seemed to fit the divider topics. Inspired (Stampers Anonymous; Labels–Jeni Bowlin):

Jotted (Take Note-Papertrey Ink; Alice in Rubberland; Stampa Rosa):

Saved (Odds & Ends–Tim Holtz; Daily Junque–Pink Paislee);

Photo Tips with an Ansel Adams quote (A Girl & Her Camera–Unity):

 

Quoted (Labels–Jeni Bowlin; Daily Junque–Pink Paislee; Take Note–Papertrey Ink):

And Random (Freestyle–Teresa Collins; Postage–Papertrey Ink):

The notebook came with lined paper, but my favorite paper is graph paper so I cut and punched a lot of graph paper to use as well. I stampd a few pages and added some quotes to get started. (Stamps: Insightful Meadows & Authentic Man; Kit of the Month–Unity)

And then look what showed up in this month’s Studio Calico kit. I’m sure I’ll be able to incorporate some of this into the notebook as well.

One of my reasons for creating the notebook this way was to have a place to record information I don’t want to forget. I always carry a tiny Moleskin notebook in my purse and keep one by my computer. I have two filled notebooks and need to go through them to see what I need to hold onto. I’ll just add the information in the correct section. Today when I started going through the beautiful cards on the Papertrey June Release blogs, I started a page in the Inspiration section with ideas for little details to include on cards. Here’s a look at one of them.

So thanks, Mel and Rinda, for giving me the inspiration to get organized.