Tween Journal

A friend of mine was bemoaning the fact that she needed to get a gift for her niece, just after she was encouraging me to keep up with my paper crafts…I suggested she get a journal for her, from me. She agreed!

Here it is:

Her name is Korian! A little hard to see here but the colors in person are fabulous!! The inside has four sections of different colors and each one begins with a little tab and it has a ribbon book mark with chip board buttons hanging on it.

Fun, colorful ribbons add pizzazz to the spiral binding and little silk flowers add a feminine touch.

Now, off to get it in the mail.

 

Copic Colors Notebook Tutorial

Ever get tired of trying to remember what Copic Markers you have at home? I do!! I created a Copic Color Notebook and you can too. For all the instructions, join me over at CutCardStock.com.

First, download the color chart that I created, here: Copic Colors chart 2012!

Happy, creative, fabulous new year to you all!!

Eli

Home Guest Book

Engagement parties are so fun. Celebrating the possibilities for a young couple while meeting many of their friends and family. Sometimes, though, it can be a challenge coming up with a special gift. Sure, it’s always appropriate and much appreciated to buy off the registry but I usually save that for the wedding. I like to create a personalized gift for engagements.

This time, I created a guest book for the young couple to have in their home to record events and friends who visit over the coming years.

It features their initials in the two hearts below.

Let’s open it up.

I created this size (8¾x4″) so I could cut 3 inside pages from an 8½x11″ sheet (3-5/8 plus a hair more x8½”). Economy, you know. I printed lines on both sides of the green pages and then cut them. I made 2 columns for plenty of guest signatures. If you want to make your own, you can download the page lines in a word document [ guest book horizontal lines 3.]

Important Stuff
Papers Pink leaf, cover blue, paisley heart (Me and My Big Ideas); Dots (Reminisce); Cream with house sayings (Doodlebug Design)
Tools Silver OWires, Bind-it-All binding system (Zutter); Cricut and cartridges: George and Basic Shapes, Jubilee: (Provo Craft)
Embellishments Letter buttons (Doodlebug)

Other Stuff Black cardstock, PVA glue, ribbons

Enjoy your day and get creative! Eli

Middle Schooler’s Notebook

Houston…we have a middle schooler.

And the feeling is overwhelming. Since my sweet girl won’t have a desk where she can keep something fun from mom, I made a notebook that she can carry along in her backpack or keep in her locker. Maybe she’ll use it to record her homework or just to put down her own thoughts.

I used my Cricut to cut the letters and shadows. Then cut the following:

• 9 squares for the background blocks: 1½x 1¾”
• a mat for the grid: 5½x5½”
• front and back covers for the notebook: 6×6¾”
• pages: 5½x6½” (in order to get two pages out of each 8½x11″ sheet of paper)

I like using recycled cereal boxes and other food packaging “chipboard.” For the inside cover, I used a Cookie Crisp box panel for the front (along with the school mascot “Go Bulldogs!”)

and Golden Grahams for the back cover.

Then I created a Cricut character (sort of a Bulldog) to add to the first page.

Isn’t he cute?!!

I bound it with the Zutter. If you want to know how to do that, check out this post here.

Finally, I added some fun dangles to the binding.

I hope you enjoy and remember to visit my other blog: At Home in Palm Beach.

Important Stuff
Tools: Cricut cartridges: Robotz, Doodletype (Provo Craft); Blue Fibers (EK Success); Guillotine trimmer (Tonic); Bind-it-All (Zutter)
Papers: blue, red cardstocks (Core’dinations); Blue distressed (My Mind’s Eye)
Embellishments: Citrus Buttons (Hot off the Press)

Other Stuff: Variety of papers, PVA glue, binding wire,

A Friend Loves

Proverbs 17:17 says, “A Friend Loves at all Times,” and this quote inspired the project of a journal/thank you gift for a friend. I used the colors and Floral inspiration from The Shabby Tea Room blog challenge this week. I love the colors, patterns and bird images in this.

Here is my interpretation with a 7×7″ journal:

I love how this came together, especially this patterned paper by K&Co. Yummy!! The addition of a stamped bird, layered flowers and beautiful ribbon, really brought it to a completion and I think my friend will be blessed by it…I hope so! Here are a couple more images for your enjoyment!

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great week!!!

Important Stuff
Papers Patterned paper (K&Co); Blue, Yellow and Pink cardstock (Wausau), Creatology chipboard frame (Michael’s)
Stamp/Tools Tim Holtz Bird Stamp (Stampers Anonymous), Air Brush System (Copic), Bint-it-All binding system, 1/2″ black wire, Wire cutters (Zutter), I2-1006 Floral and Stone Impressabilities, S4-239 Classic Scalloped Borderabilties, S4-247 Labels Twelve (Spellbinders)
Ink/Colorants Stampology Onyx ink (Autumn Leaves); Sketch Markers B32 Pale Blue, E0000 Floral White, YR61 Yellowish Skin Pink, B-39 Prussian Blue (Copic); Frosted Lace Stickles (Ranger)
Adhesives Zip Dry (Beacon Adhesives), Glue Dots mini, pop-up (Glue Dots), 3D-Dots (EK Success)

Other Stuff Green cardstock, brads, silk flowers, green organza ribbon

Bind-It-All Tutorial

Have you ever used a Bind-it-All by Zutter? I love mine. It is a wired binding system that cuts the holes and binds the wire. I love using it to make my “Perfect Travel Journals” which you can see in my Etsy shop, Frolicasions. But almost any kind of spiral bound book can be created using it.

Today, I’ll share how I bound the birthday reminder book that I posted HERE. Here is a picture of the final project that I created using CutCardStock.com’s papers.

• After creating pages for a book, place a few of them in the cutting slot in the Bind-it-all. Depress the blue lever to cut holes for the wire binding. This book is the perfect size and all 6 holes fit the width perfectly.
  
• After all the pages have cut holes, stack the pages in regular book order. Then take the back cover out from the bottom of the pile and place it on top of the pile, in the direction it should go.
  
• Now trim a piece of wire from Zutter. I used 1/2″ black for this project and cut off 6 coils. Thread the wire into the 6 holes of the project, leaving the side with the cross pieces up (near December).
• Hold the end of the book, opposite the wires and insert the wires into the “squeezing” part of the Zutter Bind-it-all, making sure the wire is centered.
  
• Depress the lever to squeeze the spiral shut.
  
• Release the lever and pull out your bound book.
  
• Turn the back cover to the back. Add ribbons and a charm for the finishing touches.
  
• Now that you’re finished…put in all your family and friend’s celebrations: Birthdays, Anniversaries, Holiday, etc.

LOVE chipboard album

Today I want to share a project, LOVE chipboard album, that was inspired by the Shabby Tea Room (one of my new favorite haunts for challenges). The theme, “White and Bright” was enhanced by this photo inspiration:

I love the idea of white or cream in layers but I find it a challenge. I created the cover of this little album over 2 days, switching elements around until I came up with this design.

Here are a few tips on how to create some of the techniques in it.

• Use recycled snack boxes or cereal boxes as the base of each page and use PVA Glue to adhere metallic papers to either side.
  
• To distress the edges, go over them with the crease of a pair of scissors or use a single blade directly on the edge.
  
• To bring out the distressed look, ink the edges of the pages. {Not sure how this fits the White and Bright theme but I just couldn’t leave them “naked.”}
  
  
• Next, check out the design of the inner pages. By the way, the album is 4½x6″ so you can get four pages out of a 12×12″ piece of cardstock.
  
  

Important Stuff
Papers Opal Stardream Metallics, Natural White cardstocks (CutCardstock.com); Patterned papers (My Mind’s Eye)
Tools Wizard, S7-017 On the Vine Border Grand, S4-214 Eyelet Borderabilities Petite, S4-210 Lattice Pendant; S4-167 Flowers-retired (Spellbinders Paper Arts); Cricut, Jubilee Cartridge, Embossing Sleeve (Provo Craft); Crop-a-Dial punch (We R Memory Keepers)
Embellishments atyou Spica Gold glitter pen (Copic); 1/8″ Metallic thread (Kreinik); Perfect Medium, Tea Dye Distress Ink, Inking Tool (Ranger); Cosmic Opaque Opaline Embossing Powder (Sparkle and Sprinkle)

Other Stuff “O” Rings,

My Storybook (CPS 185)

As school is in full swing, I am working hard to create plenty of items for the Christmas season craft fairs. Those of you who know me, know I have a love of travel journals, little notebooks and other spiral creations. Today, I put together a child’s storybook.

I’m sure you can remember those days of beginning to print your name, short phrases, sentences and eventually stories of your own creation. Add to that, the thrill of illustrating your own stories. The best place to create such fun is inside a journal with “elementary lines” on the bottom and drawing space on the top.

Voilá!

The inspiration for the cover came from the sketch over at Card Positioning System (#185 below):

Inside the front cover:

Important Stuff
Papers Green and blue patterned (My Mind’s Eye), Green and blue tone-on-tone [used in background] (BasicGrey)
Embellishments S4-268 Nested Pears (Spellbinders); Bind-it-All, Black Owires (Zutter)
Adhesive Black 3-D squares (Scrapbook Adhesive by 3L)

Other Stuff Olive green and light green cardstocks, PVA Glue

ADVENTURE journal (CTD #109)

Another Perfect Travel Journal: if you are not familiar with my travel journals and what makes them “perfect,” check out this post here. I used the inspiration at Color Throwdown this week, #109 to design the cover:

I imagined this in my mind and it even came out almost like I imagined. I knew I wanted the letters to “cover the cover,” and to follow a patchwork of the colors from above.

My favorite additions include die cutting a map piece with the same turquoise, hot pink and yellow. Then I added ribbons to the spiral and big buttons to them…fun, fun.

Important Stuff
Papers Green patterned paper (K&Co.),
Die Cuts/Tools Letter die cuts, Wizard™ (Spellbinders Paper Arts); Bind-it-All machine, Owire (Zutter);
Embellishments Ribbons (Creative Impressions); translucent buttons (Oriental Trading Company)
Stamps/Inks Map (Museum of Modern Rubber-retired); World Traveler, Eiffel Tower/Paris Postage (Inkadinkado);  Rubber Stampede Cherry Blossoms (Delta); Post Card (Stampabilities); Memento Tuxedo Black die ink (Tsukineko)

Other Stuff PVA Glue; Turquoise, Pink and Yellow cardstocks, cream paper,

A few other images:

1) inside front cover

2) Stamped image on one of the pages.

3) Close up of cover.

4) Stamped envelope to hold trinkets or papers.

Spiral Notes (CPS179)

It’s been several weeks but I finally got back to a sketch challenge at Card Positioning System. It’s a simple but elegant sketch, seen here. I decided to stray a little from the “card” positioning system to make a small note pad.

I used a stack of neon notebook paper, cut into four equal pieces and stacked them, alternating the orange and pink, the yellow and turquoise.

I think it is a fun little note pad to add to your purse or just leave on the kitchen counter. Hopefully it inspires you to go beyond the card when using sketches for inspiration.

Important Stuff
Papers Celebration pad striped and leaf papers (Me and My Big Ideas); Astrobrights lined paper (Wausau Paper)
Binding Bind it All, Silver Owires (Zutter)
Die Cuts/Tools S5-019 Labels Eight, Wizard System (Spellbinders)
Embellishments Chipboard letters (Colorbök), buckle and small ribbons (JoAnn),
Adhesives Glue Dots (Glue Dots Intl), Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Other Stuff Recycled chipboard, Blue ultrafine marker, seed beads, brown satin ribbon, silk white flowers, PVA glue