Sorry Amy Knapp....time for a make over!

Every year I go completely bonkers when it's time to buy a new calendar/planner. It's a love-hate thing. It really is. I love starting the new year with a new planner but I hate the hunt. It HAS to be weekly (but it has to have monthly planning pages); the days CANNOT go horizontally across the page - they must go vertically; it's gotta be the right size, the right color, yadda yadda yadda! Every year I search high and low for this perfect planner (that does not exist) and for the last three years I always end up buying the exact same one as before.

This year I vowed to make a change. And I did. The hunt for a new one was ugly but I finally found the perfect one. So I thought. It took less than 24 hours to figure out I had to break up with it.

*Sigh*

At the suggestion of my BFF I decided to go with Amy Knapp's Family Organizer. At first I hesitated. I didn't like the cover. I didn't like the flimsiness of it either. But it was already well into January and I desperately needed something! And I have to admit, there were certain features of the planner that I liked. I really liked that it was 50% off! And having $10.00 in Border Rewards that was soon to be expired was a big plus as well! SOLD!

So I take it home and get to know it a little better. After our honeymoon phase I decided that yes, I liked it. However, I just could not get over the cover! It is hideous. I'm sorry Amy Knapp but it's true. I decided to do something about it.

The hideous cover.....

One of the moms (hi Marygail!) in my mom's club in Honolulu posted a link to a tutorial to make reversible journal covers. Time for a planner make over! I couldn't decide what fabric I wanted to use so I opted for some Asian fabric that I already had. The tutorial was great. Easy to read, easy to understand, easy to do!

While I did make it reversible I used the same fabric on both sides. I also decided to go ahead and stiffen the planner up a bit by tucking cardboard into the pockets. TA-DA! Much better don't you think?

New and improved!

Inside view: