Make This: DIY Dividers & Tabs

                     


After days of struggling with a bag full of un-organized file folders, filled with my online E-Course paperwork, I finally made the trip to Target.  I am happy to report that I have successfully procured a binder that suits my needs and I am so looking forward to continuing Blog Life without the stress of, “I swear I put that paper in that folder!”

The binder, which is not only cute but quirky, didn’t come with a set of dividers and tabs.  So what does a girl on a budget do when buying the binder in the first place was an excessive purchase?  She makes her own! To some, this may not sound like the most intriguing or challenging DIY project but I absolutely love, love, love office supplies.  We may not be strong in number but I know there are others who feel as passionately about picking the perfect pen or stapler as I do.  So, without further ado, let me begin this most simple yet practical DIY for making your own dividers and tabs.



                                  


Supplies Needed

- cardstock

- a pencil

- Elmer’s Glue Stick

- scissors

- ruler

*OPTIONAL

- Washi Tape

- exacto knife


                                               




Your first step is to choose the shape of your tab.  You could decide to create a fancy shape or even organize your tabs differently than the standard, but I personally think the classic divider and tab is the way to go.

                   


Pick out what color paper stock you’d like to use for your dividers and tabs.  You can choose to use a color scheme or embrace all the colors of the rainbow.  I decided on the latter (too many colors for such an indecisive person) but I did stick with just five colors for my tabs - you don’t want your dividers meant for organization to look sloppy and chaotic; I don’t think the binder could handle the oxymoron.

Now it’s time to cut out your tabs. Since I chose to separate my binder with five dividers go ahead and get out your ruler and measure each tab to be 2.5” in length and 1.25” in height.


                    


I found it easier to cut out a square from your chosen card stock and fold it in half to trace the shape of the tab.  Cut along the traced line carefully so you have an even and clean shape.  Open up the fold and cut in two. Now you have your first tab.


Choose which color you want your first section divider to be and mark the top of the page where you’ll be placing the tab.  As mentioned, if you are making your binder with 5 section dividers, each tab should be 2.5”H x 1.25”L.  Before you glue the first side of your tab into place, use a pencil to mark off where you will be placing the first tab.  To have enough space to label your tabs mark the placement for the bottom of the tab so half of it is on the card stock and the other half off the divider.

                    


                                         
Now, take out the glue, it’s time to make things permanent.  Glue the tab to the front, turn over and glue the second half to both the divider and back of the front page tab. This will insure that your tabs are sturdy and can withhold your page flipping.

Repeat these steps for each divider moving the tab placement for each divider by about 2.5” (the length of the tab) until you’ve completed all five dividers.  For my dividers, I decided to overlap the tabs slightly - this is totally up to you.

*OPTIONAL

When I was finished, I didn’t like the look of the plain tab showing so I took Washi tape to cover the bottom half.  I was having trouble cutting the tape straight along the tab so I used an exacto knife to do the job - it worked superbly. (Just be careful not to cut the card stock. It may or may not have happened to me…)

                                                           



There you have it, handmade dividers and tabs!  Simple, fun, and most importantly your own!  Good luck on yours and to all of you office supply lovers out there, I hope you have just as much fun as I did with this project :)


Until next time - MJ

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There’s been a noticeable absence of activity on my blog.  Lest the utter insanity my life has been these past few weeks, I have decided to finally take A Beautiful Mess Blog Life E-Course - thanks to an early birthday present from my beautiful, most gracious Grandma.

The course has 29 lessons and it’s steered towards taking your time for each chapter.  The first of which, is properly named, “Defining Your Purpose”, and boy oh boy, do those ladies know how to lay on the homework.  So as I journey through this course (mind you journey being the keyword) I may have bouts of absenteeism, sporadic topic changes, scattered but I assure you well loved and thought out interests, and what may seem at the time random themes (you could almost say I’m trying them on to see what fits) I promise you, in time, it’s all for the greater good - of my blog.

So I thank you in advance for your patience, your kind and constructive advice, and most importantly, your encouragement.


Until Next Time - MJ

Feeling Old In Your Twenties

                         


The other week I was watching the USA Network’s, Royal Pains, and one of the main characters had a troubling realization (or so he thought at the time).  Out of nowhere he felt old; out of touch.  He didn’t know the new hot spots, all the new acronyms the kids were using, and going to bed late was 10 o’clock at night.  Before I knew it, I was laughing out loud because I felt the same exact way.  It was only a year or so ago I was out all night, partying with friends, participating in illicit unmentionables, and literally had no care in the world.

Today, however, my days same rather rehearsed.  I go to work from 8 to 5, get home and start my nightly routine.  I take the dogs out, give them their dinner, then I sit down with a glass of wine and watch a bit of television or just sit still and unwind.  After that, it’s time to make dinner and eat, which in between watching the stove to make sure nothing boils over, I randomly pick up the house or work on a budgeted grocery list for my next trip to Publix.  I figure out what’s on my to do list for the next day, take a shower, watch that one last episode on Netflix, and go to bed.  Now, honestly, does that sound like the life of a twenty-seven year old?

When I tell people this and add in the fact that I love to embroider, they immediately relate me to their grandmother.  Which I don’t mind because I’m past the late nights and mischievous behavior (although I must admit from time to time, adding one in every once in a while wouldn’t hurt).  It’s not just the day to day that makes me feel “old” at a young age, it’s also the fact that when it comes to new technology, or social media, or how to properly get across my point in only 140 characters that I begin to question: how and when did I let all of this get by me?  I tell you truthfully that it was only a few months ago that I learned what IRL or SMH meant.  Until then I thought, well I didn’t know what to think.  But then I remember my good ol’ days and that we didn’t have to keep up on the in and now as much as the youth of today.  In all reality, I know I’m not old, far from it, and I don’t mind admitting I’ve never been to or used Reddit and hardly know what a thread is.  What’s really happening is I am growing up and what used to be impertinent to my daily and social life, don’t carry much weight anymore.

However, that doesn’t mean I won’t try to keep up - I joined Twitter didn’t I - it only means that the smaller things in life fill a bigger part of my soul than before.  So I welcome anyone who decides to accuse me of being boring or old because I know now what truly makes me happy.

Until next time, your old fart. - MJ

Moving Forward

                             



That would be one of my favorite lyrics from a band I’ve been listening to since I was in ninth grade. It’s rung true more than a few times in my life.  After the week I’ve endured, I feel a bit defeated and left with a bit of less hope.  There will be no easy outs or a quick fix but this will be the moment to build, slowly, what has taken me down.  I can only say that the challenges that lie ahead will be hard and that giving in or up will seem drastically less stressful; but who perseveres from taking that direction? Nobody and nor will I.  This is the time to rebuild, fill the empty spaces, create a new outlook towards the future, and begin my journey once more.  If anyone who reads this is feeling at all disparaged, just remember what The Bouncing Souls so brilliantly wrote and you will find hope.

Until next time my friends. -MJ