Daily Planner Cover Tutorial

With the 2010 year coming quickly to a close, I am in the market for a new calendar/planner for my purse. I am not one of those people that take their schedules and events digital. I like the feel of a book that I am able to pen all my happenings in and then have the tangible evidence that I in fact conquered it all! I came across this great tutorial by Cathe Holden at Just Something I Made, that shows you how to make a cover for your daily planner by using an old book cover and some file folders. Cathe Holden's blog is full of DIY projects, graphics and free printables! Check it out - it is brilliant!

She made this.....

Into this!

************************

Here is Cathe's tutorial:

Find a cool vintage book close to the size and thickness of your planner and either a manila folder, decorative folder or heavy card stock.

With a craft knife, gut your book. I needed to cut the strings to remove the innards.

Save the pages for your craft projects.

Trim away any extra scrap along the inside of the book cover, but careful not to cut through the cover itself.

Turn the file folder inside out, and lay the book cover onto it with the fold of the folder lining up with the inside edge of the cover’s end paper and trace around the cover.

Draw fold lines just inside the drawn book line.

Cut the folder about 1″ outside the fold line.

Trim away the fold creating two cards.

Trim away the two corners just inside the fold lines.

Use a ballpoint pen to press fold scores into the cards.

Fold the flaps inward.

I chose to add packing tape along the non-folded edge for additional reinforcement. Run a strip along the edge and trim away excess.

Using a strong adhesive on the folded flaps only, (I used E6000), glue to the inside covers with the open sides towards the book spine creating pockets.

Place a piece of paper inside the pockets to keep any oozing glue from gluing the pockets shut.

Place stacks of heavy books on top of the pockets as they dry.

Trim your planner if necessary to fit into the pockets.

With book cover folded backwards, slide the covers of the planner inside the pockets.

Once the planner is centered and in position, add a piece of double stick tape inside the pockets to keep it from shifting. This can be removed later for inserting next year’s planner.

Start planning.

I can't wait to get started on this project!
**An abundance of thanks to Cathe for allowing me to post her tutorial!** 

To see more great planner cover examples by Cathe, click here!

Do any of you like to use a planner like this, or do you use modern technology to keep yourself organized?