Saturday, February 13, 2010

What To Do With All Those Great Ideas?

I come across so many great ideas from all over blogland of different projects that would make great gift ideas and home decor accessories.  I can’t just save them to favorites on my computer; I need to be able to see the tutorials and instructions on paper.  So, I started printing them out. 

This also allows me to know who to credit the project to if and/or when I posted my own.  The problem started to become having all these print outs that were getting stuck in a drawer.

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I got a large white binder that had the clear plastic on the front, so you could insert a title page, but where I inserted some scrapbook paper. 

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I also got tabbed dividers.  I glued scrapbook paper to the fronts of these as well as to the tab portion.  I then used our Brother label maker to  print out a title for each section.  Since the label itself is clear, it allows the decorative paper to show through the title.  I currently have the dividers labeled as “Gifts”, “Home Decor”, and “Crafts”, to be added to or change as I gather more inspiration.

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It’s difficult to see in the pictures, but I then used stickers to put “Blog Projects” on the front of the binder and down the binding I put “Ideas”.  I can now keep all these inspirational posts stored and organized!  It will fit neatly on a shelf in my craft closet and be right at my fingertips when I’m looking for a particular project.

I was delighted to see that Manuela at The Pleasures of Homemaking shared a post where she talked about her Household Notebook.  Reading it, I realized the idea in my head for my binder was here for me to see in reality. 

This type of binder/notebook comes in handy for many different things!  Whether it’s your household information; one for each of your children’s school, medical and extra-curricular activities; craft projects; take-out menus; selling/buying a house; or maybe your interior decorating project.  You can personalize this to your own needs and style.

Linking to Tatertots and Jello’s Weekend Wrap Up Party.

32 comments:

Unknown said...

I think that's a great idea. I've been printing things out since my tech guy told me that having so many things in my favorites was causing my computer to load slow.

I think I'll go grab a binder from my supplies and do exactly this.

One thing I've always done is to print off the blog tips I find and put those in a binder. I don't know why I never thought to do the projects the same way.

Thanks for the idea.

Rhonda said...

Hi, I am coming over from Jen's. I love this idea. Instead of having so many favorites and bookmarked posts on my computer this would be awesome! With that many on the computer it can take a while to find the one I'm looking for too. Thanks for sharing! I will be doing this in the near future!

Carolyn @ My Backyard Eden said...

Great idea Kathy! I have fallen into the habit of saving things to my favorites. But usually, they get permanently lost in a long list of projects. It's great to have something that you can actually flip through.

Threebusybs said...

This is a wonderful idea. I bought an accordian type of file thingy to do this but your idea is way cuter!!

love it!

Aimee

Red Door Home said...

I am a "paper person" too. I find it much easier to flip through ideas on paper than look at them on the computer. I will have to get busy cleaning out my draw of prinedt out ideas and put them in a binder. Great idea!

Karen Valentine said...

Kathy that is a wonderful idea, and the notebook is so pretty too! Thank you so much for your birthday wishes and have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Karen
My Desert Cottage
BTW... I kinda like Kathleen Halloween!!!

Beth@The Stories of A to Z said...

I love it. I need one for all my magazine clippings!

Hautemama said...

Awesome idea-I have a household notebook and have been saving pics I love with the blog name but never thought to just print out the tutorials.

Maria Killam said...

Such a great idea! Love the polka dots!

Anonymous said...

Love when an idea works and is cute! Thanks for sharing, love your blog!

Pam said...

Hi, Loving this idea. Makes more sense than the backlog on my computer.
Thanks for sharing
Pam

Blessed Mama said...

Genius!!! I sooo need to make one of these notebooks. I never thought of printing them off, I just save it on my computer and hope and pray I can remember which file it is in. hahaha This is a great idea.....I will def be tackling this project this week Thanks for yet another great idea! :)

Threebusybs said...

The raspberry tea is really good and fruity. I have gone through so many trying to find one that really has a good fruity flavor and this one seems to have it! I hope you are able to find it; The Republic of Tea.

CosmoGirl Carla said...

Very smart idea, Kathy! I've done this will all the great magazine ideas/inspiration I keep, but never thought of it with the great bloggy inspiration I find.

This would have been perfect if I'd implemented it before my hard drive died and lost all that great stuff I'd found online. I think I another thing that would have saved me would have been put it all on a thumb drive. Your way's much more "fun" though! Thanks for sharing!

Heather Henderson said...

that is awesome! i keep note books for recipes, menus, and years worth of ideas from MSLiving.

Jane said...

Hi Kathy:
I really like this idea. I haven't been printing out project ideas and then of course I forget where i see them. This is a wonderful idea to keep me more organized. Thanks.
Jane

Lori said...

I love that idea... I think I'm going to have to make a book like this. I've been booking marking projects I love. I think I'm to start printing them out...

Sadie said...

Awesome idea! There are always so many projects I want to do. This would be perfect to keep them all in order. Thanks!

Blue Creek Home said...

I so need to do this!!! I have a pink notebook that will do just fine.

I do believe I will join you. Great idea.

Rhonda

The Pleasures of Homemaking said...

Great idea! This is a wonderful way to organize those ideas and be able to credit them properly.

Manuela

Unknown said...

Great idea. But it just isn't fair that you are CREATIVE and ORGANIZED!! I attempt to do such fancy things. Come up with a strategic plan...but then I never follow through. Humph! Its just not fair!

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com said...

That is such a great idea! You should make one and give it away so I can win it - lol. I need to try to make one. I love it!

Thanks so much for linking up to my party!!!

XOOX
Jen

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean about too many great projects to keep track of. I love all of the creativity but sometimes I can't keep it straight. This is a great idea for solving that problem!

Molly said...

That is a fabulous idea! I bookmark things, but then when I want to talk about them on my blog I can't remember where they were or who did them. I am definately going to be copying this one.....maybe I need to print this out to kick off my book!!

Content in a Cottage said...

Kathy...I always pick up binders at garage sales. You can't have too many. Might as well make them pretty too. Love your ideas. xo, Rosemary

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Your idea for ideas is ideal! I love the way you have embellished the notebook to look personal.

You are such a clever girl. And, I might just have to copy yours. Of course mine will have a fleur-de-lis on the front!

hugs
Sissie

Thanks for wishing my sister a Happy Birthday. I'm glad that you have a sister too. It makes life so much better.

Cathy~Mille Fleur said...

What a wonderful idea Kathy! I love your notebook...sooooo cute!

Enjoy!
XOXO
Cathy

Heathahlee said...

That's such a great idea! Anything to make me more organized...I need all the help I can get!

And I love Manuela's blog...I just discovered it after she bought a tassel the other day. I'm so glad she did so I have ANOTHER blog to get ideas from! : )

2sisters said...

Okay, so I HAVE been saving a lot of ideas to favorites, and it's getting very crowded there. Thanks gor the great idea! I think I even have a binder on hand already.
teri

Jenn @ West Sac Honey said...

I love this idea I have a stack of papers right now waiting to be organized!

Carma Sez said...

I need to do this too - instead of the big pile of miscellaneous papers that I have now.

Nice job.

Julie said...

I am binder obsessed you just made my day!! I am so going to use this idea instead of all the bookmarks

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