Calendar/Planner Makeover

Each year, no matter how loved my planner has been (even if it's rarely used and is refill-able), I feel this urge to buy a new one- no matter what.  Yes, it seems wasteful, especially back when I used to buy fancy leather planners, but there's just something about a brand new planner for a brand new year.  Like a fresh start or something. 

Well, last year I think I procrastinated well into January before I bought one.  It was bright orange- see, me and color, we have an understanding.  I make sure there is color in my life at all times- especially during those cold, gray, dreary winter months.  So I thought bright orange was right up my alley (plus it matched my new wallet!).  Well, it's a refill-able kind and I thought that in the spirit of thriftiness, the economy (and my personal financial situation!), and craftiness, that I would just do a little makeover on it so that it seemed new to me.  And I'm getting a head start on it!

Of course Mod Podge is involved, and I took a lot of pictures, so it is pretty self-explanatory.  I'll chime in when it's helpful, but here are the materials I used:
-Mod Podge
-Ruler
-Exacto knife
-Maps
-Kraft Paper

(I apologize in advanced for the bad light and difference- part was shot at night, and the rest was shot the next morning- oh yeah, and I painted my nails in between!)

Before:

Sorry- I took the inserts out before I decided to do a tutorial

there- I put 'em in a shot for ya'!

 Cut Kraft paper to size:

Find a font you like, print out- this will become a template/stencil:

Cut out letters

(set aside for later)

 I love maps, so I invested in a big road atlas a while ago-$3.99!

 Choose any map you please (or other sort of decorative paper, if you like):

Cut out square or rectangle, size depending on how big your font template is:

 Commence the 'Podge-ing:

(if you've never used Mod-Podge before, it's basically like glue AND sealer- it's tha' bomb- also, go see Amy for all sorts of great Mod Podge ideas!)

 To figure out where I wanted my stencil placed, I scored (folded) the kraft paper around the edges of the hard plastic of the planner, then turned it over to center the stencil:

while I was at it, I went ahead and used my exacto knife to cut out little notches to make folding the corners down easier:

 Loosely attach stencil with masking tape so that it won't scoot around:

Trace letters.  Cut out:

'Podge up the front of the cover (I did it in 3 sections so I could work out the bubbles and wrinkles without too much stress):

 Lay kraft paper on top, being careful to center the stencil where you want it

You can use a credit card or a sturdy piece of cardboard to smooth out the surface- I used a post-it stack because it was close- most of the wrinkles will come out during the sealing layers of Mod Podge anyway:

 I scored the ridges of the spine with my fingernail:

 Work your way around the front, then flip to the interior and glue down the side flaps, and then the top flaps:

 Here's how I did the corners:

If your corners are rounded, just flip it over to make sure you've rounded it, too (this can easily be achieved with a little pinching and pushing):

 Use a layer of Mod Podge to "seal" the paper (I end up doing 2-3 layers so I know it will stand up to some roughness):

 Now onto making the inside of the planner look pretty- grab a larger piece of map and cut to just under the size of the open planner:

 I recently got a coveted item on my craft wish list (thanks to a 40%off coupon to my fave art store)- a corner rounder!  I just think it makes projects look so much neater.  So- if you have one, use it now:

(if not, don't worry about it)

 Brush a layer of Mod Podge all over the inside cover (after the outer cover is dry, of course):

 and place map on top of the podge

then 'podge over the map (again, I did this2-3 times, letting it dry between layers):

Let dry and reattach the inserts...

 And here you have it- a brand new planner!

Now all I have to do is buy new inserts and I'm good to go for 2011:

(I got a stubborn bubble at the bottom, but it's sealed really well, so I'm not too worried)

So go ahead- you know you have something that wants a new life!  We'd love to see pictures of any project you come up with.  Happy 'Podge-ing (yeah, I'm pretty sure that's a made up word)!