DIY File-Folder Mini-Album

"Et tu, Ete?" 

(a play off of the Caesar line, ete meaning summer)

I have been inspired by the work of Elise Blaha and partially coveting her summer journaling kit (which is sold out!) and Leigh Ann of Freckled Nest' s Summer Love Kit. However, money being somewhat tighter (even though I just bought two pairs of shoes today)...I am trying to work with what I have and primarily document life. Thus, the set up of a creative venue for my experiences and/or observations to spill onto as they happen. So so easy!!

First, I took some cute file folders I got for about a $1.29 for a set of 9.

 Aren't they cute? Basically I cut three of them in half so that the left seam remained closed so I could just cut the lower seam to make a booklet. I saved the other pieces to use in different ways or make more journals!

Here is a close-up of the cover title I drew on.

A close up of the binding and top. All I did was use my crop-a-dile to punch holes in all of my papers. A regular whole punch would suffice. I used binder rings, but ribbon would be just as cool!

(I scalloped the top edge and went hole punch crazy)

Here are the first pages to be embellished and journaled over. I like this binding because you can continue to add stuff and rearrange as you see fit! My opening divider is a coffee cup holder.

I used these month pieces from an old KI Memories kit and the backing is from one of my pay stubs through my now defunct Thursday job at the college. Let's not forget the trusty masking tape!

The left sheet is from a vintage children's book and then a paper bag with the top open to hold ephemera.

This page is cut from a 92nd Y catalogue.

This is another piece of one of the  file folders to hold various other pieces to either use in the journal or to keep as treasures.

This is a work in progress, but I hope you are inspired to join the creativity!

And, to top it all off, as I have been posting I added some more stuff since I got my (perfectly fitting) ephemera pack from the all-too-awesome Rachel!!