Book of Dreams, Goals, or Whatever

Is that an inspiring title or what?  Contrary to how it may sound, I'm actually pretty excited about today's project.  I'm not really into the whole New Year's Resolution thing but I am a goal setter.  What's the difference?  I don't know, but I'm rarely successful at resolutions.  Goals are a whole other story.

I thought this might be a fun (and oh so pretty) way of giving myself something to accomplish each and every month of this year.  It's just a notebook, but it's a very special notebook!

I don't have a pic of the materials needed because the whole project changed about half way through, but here's a list:
-Scrapbook paper/ card stock
-heavy chip board
-envelopes
-glue/mod podge/ snail - whatever adhesive you like to use
-ribbon
-scissors
-embellishments

Steps:
1) I had this heavy duty chip board from some package or something.  I knew it would come in handy some day and it finally did!  I cut it in half, making sure that it would still be larger than my envelopes.

2) Cut some pretty paper the same size as your chipboard and cover one side of each piece.  This will be the outside of your book.

3) Cut some pretty ribbon to make ties for your book.  Glue each piece to the centre of the inside of your book covers.

4) Cut some more lovely paper for the inside of your covers and paste it on, over top of your ribbon.

5) Now here's where things got a bit complicated for me.  It's not complicated, but I made it so.  I wanted to make the inside pages of the book out of envelopes but couldn't figure out how to do it.  At first I glued all of my envelopes to ribbon and was going to make a ribbon binding.

Don't do this!  It won't work and it'll mix up your mind for days.

What I ended up doing was making a spine from cardstock.
6) I cut my paper to size, scored it a half inch, and then every inch after that, and folded it accordion style.

7) I had to glue the two accordions together to make 12 slots for my envelopes.

8) Now you can glue your envelopes into each slot and then adhere to your chipboard covers.

9) And now we get ready for the fun part!  Embellishing!  I started by edging the covers with a gold marker.

10) Next I added some stickers with all of the names of the months on them from a birthday calendar project that never did get started.

11) And now add the blingity bling bling!  Go to town.  Make it pretty so that you'll want to pick up your book and look through it all the time.

You can use this for all kinds of things.  Things to do, birthday ideas, blog project ideas, anything at all!

Take a look at what's inside my February envelope!!!!  I'm very excited about this!  And I'm making it happen.  So awesome!  (more info to come later~)

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I'm not 100% sure I'm done with this little project.  I can't decide if I should let the accordion be or tie it down so it doesn't get out of control.  The nice thing with the way it is now though is that I can fill my book as much as I want.  It's always good to dream big, isn't it???

What are you doing with your New Years Resolutions, goals, whatever?  Did you write them down?  One of the absolute best "self help" books I've ever read (and I've read many) is called "Write it Down, Make it Happen" by Henriette Anne Klauser .  If you really want those goals/dreams/resolutions to happen...write them down~

Don't forget to make my day and a leave a comment~