Mini Albums with Monika...Perpetual Calendar

Good morning, everyone! This is Monika here with my monthly mini album feature.Let's jump start our organization and get ready for 2013 with this month's mini album post.

Today I'm here with a fun and easy mini album, which has so many possibilities.

It could be a perpetual calendar - you'll finally have one place to jot down all your birthdays and anniversaries.

It could be a gift guide - write down your awesome ideas while you think of them so you won't forget all of the great ideas you have!

It could even be a brag book for the  grandparents with photos of their precious grandchildren - separated out by month so they have a time capsule of how they've grown.

I've used a planner similar to this one in the past, with just 3 pockets, and I used it for my Christmas lists. I added my grocery lists and recipe cards in one pocket and receipts went inside an envelope in the 3rd pocket. See, such a versatile little planner.

The pocket pages can be designed to be as large or small as you wish. Play around with some scraps to decide if you'd like a shorter page, a deeper pocket, a narrower mini book. The graph papers are held together with decorative brads and are a stylish way to write a few notes and reminders.

If you decide to use the planner as a brag book, make your pages a bit smaller and it will hold your 4x6 snapshots and fit into Grandma's purse!

And here's a short tutorial for you...

1. Gather 14 of your favorite My Mind's Eye patterned papers {I'll have a month-by-month supply list in a download at the end of the post} - 2 will be for front and back covers and 12 will be for the monthly pocket pages.
2. Trim your 12 monthly papers to 12x12 - by removing the border strip on each page. 
3. Score all 12 monthly pocket pages at 6", flip the paper and then score again at 9". Fold the narrow side up first, then flip and fold over the wider side next. NOTE | You'll want to fold up your favorite side of the paper,which forms your pocket, as the inside pattern will not be as visible.
4. Trim your graph paper, if you decide to include those inside your and attach with a coordinating My Mind's Eye brad. Mine are sized to 5" wide x 8" tall.
5. I punched my holes at 1.50" from the top edge and 1.50" from the bottom edge. Punching your holes before embellishing the pages is a good idea, especially if you like to add layers. If it's too chunky, you won't be able to punch your holes to bind your mini album.
6. Embellish your front  and back covers.
7. Embellish monthly pocket pages.
8. Pat yourself on the back for being one organized, crafty Mama!

I've included a few scoring and folding notes in the PDF this month...I'm a visual person and pictures are always helpful to me. 

Happy Holidays! I hope you'll be inspired to jumpstart your 2013 organization plan.

Click below to download the PDF!