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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:

  1. 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.

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  2. 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!

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  3. 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.

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  4. 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

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  5. 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!

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  6. 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!!!

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

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  8. 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.

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  9. Such a great idea! Love the polka dots!

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

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

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  12. 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! :)

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  13. 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.

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  14. 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!

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

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  16. 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

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  17. 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...

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

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  19. 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

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

    Manuela

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  21. 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!

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  22. 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

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  23. 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!

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  24. 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!!

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  25. 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

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  26. 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.

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

    Enjoy!
    XOXO
    Cathy

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  28. 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! : )

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  29. 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

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

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

    Nice job.

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  32. 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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I always enjoy reading your comments! Kathy