heartofdakota.com

I am wondering how you keep your guides clean. My Preparing book is pretty beat up, but thankfully the spine is tight. Same with my Beyond guide, but that has been around for a few years. My DD used Preparing this last year and while she is very careful, I've had to tape the corners to keep them from curling. My bigger concern is with CTC and the watercolor painting days. I don't want the book touched with paint tinged fingers, a stray brush, etc. but she will clearly need the book to carefully follow the directions in the box. What do you do to keep the guides clean and in good shape to use with upcoming kids?

I had the bindings cut off and I put the pages in sheet protectors for this very reason.

Sheet protectors--an excellent idea!

My guides look like they've been through the wringer, but it's not just the kids. I'm visual, and absent-minded , so I'm constantly making notes in my guides. We also check off the boxes when we've done them. I may have to buy new ones for the youngest. I'm not sure they'll make it through all three kids.

Okay, I can't bear to cut the guide up. Binders get dropped, clips open up, and I would be devastated to lose a page. I am most concerned about the painting days. She is one that would want to reread the directions over and over step by step as she is doing so she can do her best. I just don't want my guide near her work area. I am thinking about going through and typing out the directions for each painting box so when she has that activity the specific directions will be in her binder. Is that a reasonable idea?

I was actually going to suggest that.

Okay, I have already come up with a solution! Typing it all out seems daunting. SO, here is what I just did and I think it will work out GREAT. I cut up 2 crystal clear page protectors (cut along the side that has the 3 hole punches and then tore the bottom seam apart.) Then I put each side of the guide into the page protector so both the outside cover and the open page are covered and use huge binder clips to hold each one at the top. This way the outside edges are protected too (sides, not top/bottom) Each day I can unsnap the clips, turn the page, and reclip to protect the next day!

I saw someone who was using a clear cookbook holder to keep theirs clean! It kept the book upright so dc didn't have to touch the pages to keep them out of the way and there was the splash guard too!!! I thought it was a FANTASTIC idea!

Yes, here's what I do. The cookbook holder works great for painting! I also highly recommend the clear contact paper on the cover. My guide has held up beautifully this year.

Here's another idea from over on the WTM: http://workbookwindow.com/

You might want to call and see how big of a book it will receive. Then you can mark on it with a dry-erase pen as well. Just a thought (although a little more costly).

HTH.

This thread might help...

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5608