Crafter's Card File: Unlimited Possibilities

If you love paper AND organization, there is not a project more fun than the Crafter's Card File. Not just for contacts anymore, this handmade wooden card file has a variety of practical and fun uses. I created a card file with photos of my nieces, and they always enjoy flipping through it. It makes for great conversation when displayed on a coffee table.
Using a card file for photos does not require as much planning or commitment as traditional scrapbooking can, because you can easily rearrange the cards and it is a small canvas with which to experiment. It is also great because it is a terrific solution for those photos that you love but don't make it to the big scrapbook page. If you already have a lot of small photos or photos with a small subject, the 3x5 card works great.

If the 3x5 card is not quite enough space, you can cut your own cards 3 inches wide and up to 4 or 5 inches tall and cut the notches out with a 3x5 card punch. For the coffee table card file pictured here, I used printed and solid cardstock that I had on hand. I like the look of the varying heights of cards, so I cut out cards 5 inches wide anywhere from 3 inches to almost 5 inches tall. I then punched the card file notches with the punch. In this file there is no chronological order, but they could easily be rearranged by date. To add some whimsy, add tabs from A-Z and file pictures. For example, the headline "ice cream" would be filed under the "I" tab. The headline "waaaahhhh!" would be filed under the "W" tab.

Use the back side of the card for journaling.

More ideas...

Address Card File
While using the card file for your contacts is one of the most obvious uses, the design can hold an element of originality. When giving as a gift, customize it for the recipient. The possibilities are endless... a Harley Davidson themed card file, a cupcake themed card file, a superhero themed card file, a UT Longhorn theme for a Longhorns fan... you get the idea. I have even been thinking about making a file for my friend who is a recycling hero/guru by using packaging (such as cereal boxes, inkjet printer boxes) to make the cards. I love the one that Jen del Muro made for addresses.

Important Dates
Make a tab for each month - January - December. Use one card for each important date and file chronologically. My friend, Diane, made this one to keep track of birthdays and anniversaries. I love the way she also made a tab for the date. The month cards are larger than the individual date cards which adds interest. She included photos and hand stamped the cards throughout.

Treasured Moments
Take a minute to jot down the cute thing your little one said or did. Include the date and slip it in your card file. You can add tabs to categorize the events by date or by child. This makes a great gift for parents or grandparents and is an easy way to create a lifetime keepsake. It also makes a great reference for scrapbooking. Refer back to it for inspiration when you are putting your photos into albums.

Recipes
Check out Susan Lile's fabulous recipe card file.

Travel Photo File
Create a file with vacation photos -- your tabs can be places you've been or the year of the vacation.

Recycled Christmas Card File
If you hate the thought of discarding or even recycling the Christmas cards you receive, turn them into card file cards. You can use the file to organize your Christmas card list or for Christmas recipes, projects and ideas. It would also be interesting to make a tab for friends and family and keep their Christmas photos in the file under their family name - "The Johnson's". Another variation of this would be to make a tab for each year.

Scripture Card File
Keep a catalog of your favorite scriptures -- organize by topic (love, faith, prayer, salvation...) or by book of the bible (Genesis, Ephesians...) You could even make a special tab for scriptures you know by heart.

Favorite Quotes
Make a card file to hold your favorite quotes. Use a-z tabs or organize by topic.

Guest File
For use in a Guest Room, create a card file that has local information for your guests. Incorporate interesting facts and photos about your town and have a section of blank cards for guests to sign and date.

New Words Card File
My husband, a fourth grade teacher, often gets asked about the meaning of a word. His response to his students is almost always to look it up. A card file with newly learned words could be a great tool for the classroom or for the homeschooled child.

Perpetual Calendar
While at the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington, Texas last year, a couple of sisters were planning a perpetual card file for their mom. They were going to divide 365 cards among 5 sisters and were going to create a card for everyday of the year. Besides including information on important dates (anniversaries, birthdays, etc.) they were also going to include special memories throughout the file. I would love to see how that turned out. It sounds beautiful.

I could go on all day... the possibilities are endless.

Thanks for stopping by my blog for my first post. Special thanks to Susan for helping me figure out how to format the photos. I now have an even greater appreciation for those blogs that give me so much inspiration. I imagined that it must take some time for each post but I had no idea how much time would be spent trying to get the text and pictures to look somewhat like you want them to look! I have a long way to go, baby! A lot to learn!

For my first "confession" I will tell you that blogging is something I never thought I would do. I admit it; I am scared. There is so much great stuff out there that the thought of me blogging about my creative adventures is terrifying... I really want to contribute something worthwhile and while I am excited and hopeful, fear and doubt are present. Is there room for another creative blogger?

However, I am looking forward to moving past the fear and learning more about this whole creative blogging world. I am looking forward to sharing ideas, hopes, dreams... and stay tuned... confessions of a crafty girl.

Fear is that little darkroom where negatives are developed.
Michael Pritchard