Clever Yet Simple

I'm totally copping out on original blog content today and simply copying this idea from Paper Source.

And, I think it's such an awesomely cool (yet simple) idea, that I'm not even going to make you click over there to check it out.

Voila!

Do-it-Yourself Custom Accordion Organizer

This is an easy-to-do handmade and personalized organizer for all of your small odds and ends. Coupons, receipts, to-do lists, business cards, tickets, etc. This would even be a nifty keeper for memorabilia (provided you used acid-free materials for archival purposes). You could save ticket stubs, postcards, whatever you pick up on a trip. Or ... with the right sized envelopes, a Brag Book. Label each section with a grandchild's name and carry along those precious pics (along with a crayon drawing by each child or other momentos).

Cast of Characters
Envelopes, ribbon, colorful pens, pretty labels, glue stick, scissors, and the ever-popular, but completely optional (read more on this later) bone burnisher.

Step One
Choose your envelopes. May I suggest something colorful and sturdy from the card or stationery department, rather than just plain ol' white business-type envelopes. They're prettier and tend to be made from heavier paper. Use an odd number of envelopes somewhere between five and ten (ish).

Step Two
Use a glue stick to adhere the envelopes together. I suppose you could use regular old Emler's, but be careful of using too much and having the paper get all wrinkly and soggy. I just hate it when the paper gets all wrinkly and soggy. Glue the inside of the flap of one envelope to the front of another envelope. Stick it down really well (craftsy people like to use a bone burnisher for jobs like this, but it's certainly not obligatory).

Step Three
Fold all the pages accordion style (again, the craftsy types use a burnisher for this part, which isn't necessary at all, but I must admit does help make a nice clean hard crease just where you want it). The pointy flap of the first envelope becomes sort of the cover for the whole little organizer. And the bottom envelope is itself the back of the book. Nifty so far, eh?

Step Four
Add a ribbon closure. Cut a small opening the width of the ribbon on both edges of the last envelope and feed the ribbon through. So you're running the ribbon through the bottom edge of the envelope (the end of your book) and up through the envelope and then out a slit at the top edge of the bottom envelope where its flap hooks on. I think. This seems to be one of those steps that will make more sense when you're actually doing it.

Step Five
Use nifty pens and stickers to label each section of the organizer. Categorize your contents. The it's just up to you to fill up the pockets an tie it up. Well, and remember where you've put it, or you've really rather defeated the purpose of tucking away everything in one safe-and-sound spot, haven't you?



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