I've always loved address books, but a little part of me has always been afraid to mess them up. I love the beautiful printed and bound books at stationery stores. But it seems like just when you get all of the addresses filled in, someone moves and you're faced with having to scratch out the address and start over again.

I recently decided that I DID in fact want a new address book (instead of scraps of paper scattered around my home), but I wanted one that was fun and that wouldn't feel ruined if I had to change some addresses around. So I decided to create an address book that was already all mixed up! The pages match - but not quite - and the lines run both horizontally and vertically. I handwrite addresses in, stick them on journaling cards and add them to the pages, or even just staple in a return address label torn from an envelope.

To create your own address book, gather these supplies:

• a variety of lined notepads and papers (I used white, yellow, and pink notebook papers, as well as a 5" x 7" pad printed with clouds)
• 26 sheets of patterned paper cut no smaller than 5" x 7" (your stash of scraps is a great place to start)
• 2 additional sheets of patterned paper cut to 5 1/4" x 7 ¼"
• paper trimmer with scoring blade
• tab paper punch (mine is from Stampin' Up)
• small square alphabet stickers (K&Company)
• a few 8 1/2" x 11" sheets of white cardstock (for punching tabs)
• 2 pieces of 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" chipboard
• 2 sheets of 12" x 12" self-adhesive fabric paper (Love, Elise by KI Memories)
• Bind-it-All machine and 1 1/2" silver coil
• felt ribbon, chipboard owl, and alpha rub-ons for the cover (any embellishments can be used)
  

To get started, gather all of your lined paper and cut into 5" x 7" sheets. I cut about 130 sheets, or roughly five for each letter of the alphabet. I cut some so that the lines would run vertically on the page instead of horizontally, adding to the "all mixed up" look of the address book.

Then, cut your patterned sheets to 5" x 7". I selected a variety of patterns in bright, fun colors. Any coordinating papers will work well for this project.

Stack the papers so that you have five sheets of lined paper in between each patterned sheet. The patterned sheets will serve as the divider pages in the address book, and the lined pages are for the addresses. Set these aside.

Next, you'll want to create the covers. Cut two pieces of chipboard to 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" and cover with self-adhesive fabric paper. It's easiest to cut the fabric paper slightly larger than the chipboard so it will hang over the edges, and adhere. Then snip the corners of the paper off, and fold over the extra onto the back side of the chipboard.

Use your two extra sheets of patterned paper to cover the exposed chipboard and create your inside covers.

It's actually easiest to bind the book at this stage. Line up your interior pages with your outside covers and use the Bind-it-All machine to bind the book. (If you don't have a Bind-it-All, consider taking the assembled pile of papers to your local copy shop to have the book bound.)

Once your book is bound, you'll want to punch the tabs for the divider pages. To make them easier to fold in half, start by using a paper trimmer to score lines several inches apart on each sheet of 8 1/2" x 11" cardstock.

Next, line up your paper punch so that the scored line is in the middle of the punch, where the tab would fold in half.

Punch out your tab, and it's ready to fold. You'll need 26 total tabs, one for each letter of the alphabet.

After all your tabs are punched, adhere one to each divider page, spacing them out equally so that the tabs are staggered along the edge of the book. Add alphabet stickers to the tabs, one letter per tab.

All that's left is embellishing your cover! Rub-ons work great on the fabric paper, so I simply added the phrase "address book." I then finished it off with an owl and some pink felt ribbon.

I now - finally - have an address book that I love and actually use. It's fun, it's funky, and - most importantly - can never be "ruined" by an address change.