Projects to Make with an In-home or Small Office Thermal Binding Machine

I bought a thermal binding machine, used it for a few weeks, then realized it will never be used again unless I sell it, give it away or get creative. Here's a few suggestions for those of you who may be looking for some crafty projects to do with binding.

Kids

It's easy to think of crafty things to do with kids. If you leave it up to them, they will come up with their own creations just fine. Give them the paper and let them make their own books. Supplies may include: markers, crayons, a computer with a color printer, decorative details they may want to include on their paper (such as gluing sequence around a border). They create the paper and you bind it into a book. It's really that simple. And fun.

You can also make books for little ones by drawing or using a computer and printer. One idea is to create a book of shapes, colors, numbers or whatever you may be working on with a child. Older children can also benefit by creating a book of math problem for them to practice. It is possible to make it fun and colorful-and don't forget to personalize it with their name and favorite things.

Scrap Books and Picture Albums

While on the topic of crafts and color, deviate a bit from the traditional scrapbooks and picture albums by creating your own to bind. Pictures can be digitally reproduced or glued and taped onto paper. This makes labeling easy and cheaper if you choose to do it by computer.

Did your kids join a softball or baseball team this summer? Capture all the great plays on your camera then plug them into their very own specialized album-that you made. What kid wouldn't want to display the 2006 ball season?!

Or how about those Christmas photos you still have in your camera or stuffed away in a drawer? Pull them out and display the memories all in one place-with your handiwork.

Journals

There can be almost any type of journal as far as the imagine will flow. Personal journals, gratitude journals, travel journals. . . . Again, you get the idea with pictures, drawings or whatever else you use to be creative. Make it your own.

Cards