Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Notepad Folder

I hope everyone is having a great day!! We are lucky enough to have a few days of beautiful spring weather to enjoy here before the next cold front comes along.

So I promised a project this week. I was debating between two, but decided on this one because I had all the supplies. This is a notepad made out of a regular school folder. You can make two of these with one folder. I received some pics of these from my aunt a long time ago and just came across them a couple weeks ago, so I thought I would give it a try.




Front (TAC stamp set "Forever" T-2811)

Inside



Supplies:
1 paper folder
Adhesive of choice
10 x 12 Inch patterned paper
3 7/8 x 9 3/8 patterned paper (you may need to adjust the size so do not cut ahead of time)
1 x 5 inch patterned paper
5 x 8 inch Notepad

I started with a regular size school folder - a paper one.



Cut it in half - you will only use one side. I used the right side.

Fold in half - it helps if you use a bone folder for the crease



Apply adhesive to one side of outside of folder. Open folder and lay on top of the back side of your patterned paper. Center on the paper horizontally so you have the same over hang on both sides. I lined up the top exactly to the top of the paper leaving an overhang of pp at the bottom only. Press firmly to adhere together. If you adhere the entire folder at one time it will not fold properly.


With only one side adhered, miter the bottom left corner.


Fold left side over and adhere to inside cover.

Fold the right side of your folder over. Apply adhesive. Fold your paper over on top of it and press firmly to adhere.



You will miter the other corner like you did on the left side and fold overhang over and adhere. You see her I didn't center mine and didn't have much of an overhang on the right side. I like to show my mistakes so you can learn from them - like most mistakes with scrapbooking it is fixable.

Attach your second piece of pp to the folder flap. You may have to measure your folder because this can vary slightly.

You can leave a straight edge on the flap or add a little shape

Attach the 1x5 inch pp to the top of the notepad. Embellish your notepad as desired. I used the just a note saying from the TAC set "Trendy Greeting" T-2144. I also matted my notepad on a paper cut 1/2 inch larger than the notepad on each side.

Adhere notepad onto the right side of the inside.( I added a liner to the inside only to cover up the mistake I made earlier, but this is totally optional. I used a 11 3/8 x 9 inch piece of cardstock for this). I also inked all my edges, this adds so much dimension to a project (see picture at top)
Waalaa...your done!!!
After I finished this I had an awsome idea of a pen holder and closure in one that could be easily added with a few adjustments. We will see if it turns out like I have it pictured in my head. I think I will use the other side of the folder for that one and post it for you when I get it done. Using the second side of the folder will require a few adjusments because the pocket is on the other side.
Coming next week : A super simple mini easter basket.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Challenges from January

Hope everyone is having a great day!!! It was wonderful here today. We had 85 degrees and sunshine. Too bad it is only lastin one day, the cold front is already moving in.

I belong to several scrapbooking groups on cafe mom and there are constantly challenges to participate in. These are great because I get fresh ideas and some scrapping and cards accomplished. Which can be difficult in between work and the kids. Once the challenges end an anonymous voting poll is put up for all the members to vote on their favorite.

I want to share some of my challenges from last month. I was so excited that I won three card challenges and one scrap page challenge.



This card was made with "Catelynne Collection" from The Angel Company. I also used some of the GWP stamps that you can get free with a purchase of $30.


This card was great for using up some of those scraps that we all have. I also used one of the swirls from the "Butterfly Swirls" (T-2929) and the sentiment is from "Just Because" (T-2899) from TAC.
Here is another card that would be great for using up some of those scraps. The small peices are actually from the index page that comes with TAC's "Tutti Frutti" paper collection.
The sentiment is from the level A hostess stamps "laughter" TA-2960. You can get one of these stamps sets free for hosting a workshop or a book party with sales of atleast $100.
I added the cute little flower to cover a blemish I made with the ink. These are also from The Angel Company and come in a variety of colors.
I have been trying to keep up with scrapbooking, so I can start backtracking with older photos, but that plan isn't working too well.
Here is my two youngest playing last summer (thats how far behind I am) in the back yard.
The pictures were so bright and colorful that the "Tutti Frutti" papers complemented them so well. The paper comes with one sheet of phrases, that is where the "having a great time" came from.
One of the stamp sets in our new magalogue is "Marvelous Mottos" (T-2888), it is one of my favorite so I just had to work it into the page.
This was another entry that I won with. I used the slice for the title and the little flower, I just love that little machine.
I already completed five cards for the February challenge and want to do a couple more along with some other page sketches I want to finish.
I am excited about the cards I made, so we will see how they do. I would post them here for you , but I don't want to influence the voting because some of my cafe mom friends visit me here.
I also have another project I want to get posted but I haven't yet done the pictures for the tutorial. Hopefully I can get that done next week for you. Enjoy the rest of your week!!! :)

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Super Easy Valentines!!!

I finally made it back here. I just don't know how some people find the time to get their blogs updated so often, I actually see some people updating theirs every day. I have been trying to get things done to post, but sometimes life just gets in the way.



This is what I did this afternoon. With Valentines Day coming up, you know the kids are asking for valentines to take to school. Yes, even the teens ask!!! With time running short and me working full time, these valentines were sooooooo simple. It took me less than an hour to put 20 of these together. Well, minus closing them with the ribbons because I have to go buy the candies yet. I have to thank my friend Cindy for this idea, she made the kids and I some of these for Halloween. These are so adaptable. I kept mine a little easier by using patterned paper instead of stamping on them, they are going to third graders and will probably end up in the trash pretty quickly.



Here is what the final product looks like, you can actually fit quite a lot of goodies in them. We are making some for the teachers and putting some homemade toffee in there wrapped in wax paper. I also have to thanks Cindy for that one too, she taught me how to make it this weekend. I think we will be trying it with white chocolate though. Yum!!!!














You will need a 12x12 piece of cardstock. Cut it in half, this will give you two 6x12 pieces. Enough to make two treat holders.


Score down the center of cardstock at 6 inches.












Turn the paper vertical and with the scor-pal make a small notch at the 3" mark on each end. This marks the center, so you know where to make your next scor.


You know it is really hard to take a picture with one hand while trying to do something with the other.






You are going to now score on an angle from your 3" mark you made down to your center line. You will do this on the left and right sides of both ends. It will look like the image below.













Fold all of your scored lines towards the inside of your paper.











You are going to fold up the middle of the paper, so your two triangle meet. Use your tape runner on one of the triangles. (fold over first to see how high you should put your tape, so it doesn't stick above the other side)













Fold the other triangle over your taped piece. You see on this one I put my tape too high because I was rushing, that's the reason for my tip above.


Do not tape the other side closed - that will be where the treats go in and out.









Punch a hole through the center of the side you taped.




















Holding the triangles on the other side together punch another whole through them both in the center.




(you can adjust the size of these treat holders, just make sure the width is half of the length)













Thread your ribbon through all the holes.

Make your embellishment for the ribbon - see mine below. I used a 1 1/8 inch circle punch and a 1 1/2 inch scallop circle punch. The stamps I used are from TAC stamp sets "So Sweet" T-2347 and "Mini Occasions" T-2754. Punch a hole to attach to the ribbon and your finished.


















Now I am off to work for a couple of days. Then on Wednesday I have to start on the Valentines for my 9 year olds basketball team - they have a game on Valentines day and some Valentines boxes for my 15 yr old to give her friends.