Tutorial: Tri-fold Planner

It's been a while since I posted a tutorial, and I just completed a project that I thought might be a fun one for you to try, so I'll give it a shot.  First, the background on this whole deal, though...

I was going to make an address book and an event calendar as part of my whole getting organized and remembering the people I love resolutions for the new year, and I found this cool little trifold planner at WalMart that made me re-think my plan:

   

I bought it with the thought that I would just alter it with paper to match the notebook and gratitude journal, but I liked it too much to cover it up, plus I wanted to do the inside a little differently.  I wanted an "event calendar", as opposed to a regular one (you know - it  has birthdays and anniversaries and such in it so you can remember), and a pocket to put stamps in so they'd be handy.  So, like I have a tendency to do, I started to examine how it was made to see if I could just duplicate it.  This is what I came up with:

Materials Needed:

• Chipboard:  6 1/4" long by the following widths:  3 1/8", 3 1/2", 3 5/8", 5/8"
• Patterned Paper for Outside Cover:  7 1/2" long by following widths:  5 1/2", 7", 3 1/2"
• Patterned Paper for Inside Cover:  2 pieces 6" long by 7" wide
• Patterned Paper for Inside Pocket:  3 3/4" long by 4" wide
• Cardstock:  2 pieces for cover of Calendar, 6 pieces for pages of calendar, each 3 3/8" wide by 6 1/8"long
• Blank address book with cover removed, and patterned paper cut to fit for new cover (approx. 3 3/8" wide by 6 1/8" long)
• 2 magnet strips 6 1/4" long - one 5/8" wide, and one 3/8" wide

Using the old cover from the address book as a guide, punch holes in the patterned paper for the new cover.  Assemble and set aside.  Also assemble the pages and covers for the calendar (any way you choose to - I robbed an old notebook of it's o-wire and used one of the covers as a guide to punch holes) and set it aside.

   

On backside of 5 1/2" wide patterned paper (outside cover), glue the 3 1/8" chipboard and the 3/8" magnet strip, spacing them 1/8" apart.  Repeat with the 5/8" chipboard, 3 5/8" chipboard and 5/8" magnet strip on the back of the 7" wide patterned paper, again spacing them 1/8" apart.  Fold and adhere excess on outer edges to inside, mitering corners, leaving the top and bottom edges free.

   

Spread the two pieces you've finished to this point apart far enough to allow placement of the 3 1/2" chipboard between the 3/8" magnet strip and the 5/8" chipboard strip, allowing 1/8" between, as shown in photo.  Carefully remove 3 1/2" chipboard, apply adhesive to patterned paper, and replace chipboard on top of adhesive to make entire unit.  Carefully flip unit over and center remaining piece of patterned paper over chipboard to cover.

   

Flip unit back to front side again, and apply adhesive to top and bottom edges of excess patterned paper.  Fold them to the inside, pushing paper down into cracks between chipboard pieces with a bone folder.  Starting from left side, apply one piece of patterned paper for inside cover over raw edges of outside cover to finish.  Work your way across the piece, again working paper into cracks with a bone folder.  Repeat with remaining piece and beginning from right side.

   

This is pretty much what it should look like at this point.  Make a pocket for the left panel by scoring the 3 3/4" x 4" piece of patterned paper:  3/4" across bottom, 1/2" from each side.  Trim excess paper out of corner, fold along score lines to form pocket, and adhere to lower edge of left panel.  Adhere calendar to center panel, and address book to right panel.

   

Embellish everything - inside and out - as desired, and you're done!

Now that I've finished this little item, I have a complete set to keep me organized and functional:

I'm STOKED!!!  The first full week of the New Year, and I'm doing great so far!  Woo-hoo!

Comments

[Korin Sutherland]

I just love this!!! Will you come over so we can make one together? :) Your tutorial is perfect and so thorough. Awesome work!!

[Helen]

Sue - this is an AWESOME idea! I too have been looking for something and it looks like this might just be it.

Thank you for sharing your wonderful artwork and the tutorial.
Helen

[Jen]

This is awesome! Come on over to my blog and see What I have for you.... www.jordanmemories.blogspot.com