Create x3

Wooden Spool {Christmas} Ornaments

Recently on a cross stitch site, I saw an adorable set of ornaments using wooden spools. Well, I have a ton of wooden spools lying around since I use them for my parrots to chew on. I decided to steal some spools from the "parrot" stash and put a little twist on the idea I saw. Here are the ornaments I created out of the spools: 


Papers:  Memory Box Yuletide
Stamp Ink:  Archival Ink jet black
Stampd:  Memory Box We Wish B1808, Memory Box Mama & Baby C1736
Embellishments: Memory Box cherry red jewels and mint pearls, Stickles Christmas Red, Glossy Accents, misc. ribbon

They are very easy to make and the paper measurements will vary depending on the size spool you use. Let's look at how I created them.

1. Cut paper to fit spool. I needed strips that were 2 1/4" long. The width can vary depending on how many papers you are going to use.

2. Stamp the spool with a small sentiment stamp for fun. I used Archival Ink and the Memory Box We Wish stamp {B1808} on one of the spools.  

3. Add pearls, ribbons, Stickles, etc. to decorate. I chose to decorate one with the Memory Box Mama & Baby stamp {C1736}. I cut the bird out, added Glossy Accents, and adhered with a Glue Dot Pop Dot.

4. Add a ribbon hanger to finish. I used 10" of grosgrain ribbon. I tied a knot and glued inside the spool itself.

These would be super easy to make for stocking stuffers, gifts for teachers, neighbors, etc. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!

A Different Take on {Dave's} Printer's Tray

So, did y'all see Dave's "What's in the Box 2011" printers tray? He tweeted about it last week. If you missed the tweet/photo, look here. :) Awesome tray, huh?  Well, Dave painstakingly made these for ALL of the stores that are part of the What's in the Box program! Is that not amazing? I bet he doesn't want to look at another printer's tray for a LONG time! Well, I will be teaching this workshop in March so I wanted to share with you my class sample (though it will hang in my craft room once the workshop is over). :) :)


It's hard to see all of the details but I will share those and a complete product list once the workshop is over.  And if you notice, there are a few pictures of my precious parrots. :) I would love for each class participant to be able to personalize their trays so we will be using some photos of pets, grandchildren, kiddos, anything meaningful to those attending class. Here are the worshop details for those in my area:

Where: Stamp Salado, Salado, TX
To Sign Up: Call the store at (254) 947-8848
Date:  March 19, 2011
Time:  10:30 a.m.

There is limited seating, so you will want to call quickly to reserve your spot! :)

Well, I hope you liked today's inspiration along with Dave's amazing tray!  They are fun to do, and there are other Memory Box designers also teaching this class around the country so be sure and check your local store or check our listing of classes here! Thanks for stopping by! 

Come Create This with New Valentine's Goodies!

Hi everyone!  Today my step-by-step post is on the Memory Box DT blog.  If you want to learn how to turn this:


into this:


then come on over to the DT blog for details. This piece also uses one of the new Valentine stamps and the new Pixie paper!  Let me know what you think, and thanks for stopping by! 

Altered Clipboard Finished {Part 3}

Today is the final tutorial post on altering a clipboard.  If you missed the first two tutorials, please see these posts:

Altered Clipboard {Part 1}
Altered Clipboard {Part 2}

Let's finish our boards and see the final product!

Altered Clipboard Instructions (continued)

15.  At this point, you should have put your sealant coat(s) of Mod Podge on your clipboard.  I like to let mine dry overnight.  You will see some streaking but it is not noticeable unless you are looking up close.  I would much prefer to have a few streaks than have all of my work ruined quickly. I like the sealant layer because the board holds up to long-term wear and tear!

16.  Now it's time to decorate the top clip with ribbon.  Cut several 4 1/2” pieces of various types and colors of ribbon.  Here are the 3 ribbons I chose but I ended up adding a 4th type of ribbon because I ran out of the pink gingham. :)

 
17.  Start in the middle of the clip on the board and tie your first piece of ribbon.  Continue tying the ribbons across the entire clip alternating colors as you go.  I always work from the center out so that my ribbons are even. The first photo shows how I started out, and the second photo shows the finished look. :)


  
18.  Once you have attached your ribbons, you now have a beautiful clipboard to give as a gift or to keep for yourself.  One thing I did differently on this board that I have never done before is to add my signature and date.  My last clipboard I literally used for years but I can't remember when I made it.  I signed and dated this one before putting my sealant Mod Podge on top so I will always remember when I made it.


And now for my finished product!  Here is the front of my board, and the second photo shows the back of my clipboard.  :)

Papers:  Memory Box Gossamer, Memory Box vanilla bean cs
Stamps:  Memory Box Vintage Scroll E1388, Memory Box Budding Branch D1360
Stamp Ink:  SU creamy caramel
Embellishments: Making Memories celery acrylic paint; Jenni Bowlin bingo card; 7 Gypsies 97% Complete tag; May Arts ribbon (pink dot); Bazzill ribbon (green); other misc. ribbon; Spellbinders Decorative Photo Corners, Flourish Accents, and Cross Collection dies; Quickutz Paige #3 and Britannia #14; Mod Podge; Creative Memories Friendship Micro Maker

I chose to use photos of my girls from when they were babies up until age 14!  They just turned 16 this past week but these were some of my favorite photos. And I did include a small one of hubby on the front too.  I couldn't forget him.  :)  Anyway, I really LOVE how this turned out, and I can't wait to use it next week.  The colors are perfect, and the Memory Box Gossamer papers were exactly what I wanted to use on this board.  Imagine a Christmas board done with the new Memory Box Mistletoe papers or the Spiceberry papers!  Ooh, what a gift that would make for someone!  I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  Please feel free to ask questions in the comment section, share links to your Memory Box clipboards, etc.  Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by! 
   

Altered Clipboard {Part 2}

So, did you start your clipboard?  Will it be for yourself or will you be giving it as a gift?  For those of you that missed Part 1 of this tutorial, please see my post here.  Now, let's continue with the instructions.

Altered Clipboard Instructions (continued)

9.  If you decided to finish the back of your board instead of painting, I am sure you discovered that you needed to punch out spaces for the metal "brads" on the back.  The way I do that is I lay my paper on the back of the clipboard where I want my paper to be. I then "emboss" the brads with my hand.  When I remove the paper, I can then see exactly where I need to punch holes for the brads.  Sometimes I use a circle punch but for this clipboard I chose to use a flower punch. I thought it was appropriate for the design.

 
10.  Using Photos--If you have chosen to use photos on your clipboard, you will want to print them on matte photo paper. After they have printed, put a thin layer of Mod Podge on the photos before trimming.  Sometimes the Mod Podge darkens the photos too much, and I need to reprint the photos a bit lighter.  If you put the Mod Podge on first before trimming and adhering to your clipboard, you will make sure they are the color you want.  You will eventually put another layer of Mod Podge on top but this one layer is sufficient for now to make sure your colors stay as you want them.  Here are the photos I printed for my clipboard after the Mod Podge has been put on but before the photos have been cut down to use.  Don't be alarmed if they curl a bit.  They will smooth out when you adhere them to the board.

 
11. Next start playing with placement of photos and embellishments. Since I use the clipboards I make, I always use flat embellishments. Once I am certain where I want the photos to go, I go ahead and adhere them to my paper.  You will want to make sure that you cover the back of the photo entirely with adhesive; otherwise, you could get bubbles when putting your sealant layer of Mod Podge on top (see Step 14).  Some people use a Xyron, some use Mod Podge as their adhesive, and some use Scor-Tape or another type of adhesive. I like to use either Mod Podge or Scor-Tape.

12.  After the photos are attached to your paper, start adhering your embellishments. One thing I love to do on these clipboards is to stamp on them with acrylic paint. You can see I put paint on the stamp and then stamp it directly where I want it on my paper.  Don't be afraid to stamp with the paint on your photos. It's fun!  Here I used the Memory Box Vintage Scroll stamp {E1388}.  I also used the Memory Box Budding Branch stamp {D1360} which you will see on my finished board tomorrow.


  
13. Once you have your photos and embellishments attached, it's time to attach your entire page to your clipboard.  You will want to adhere it by putting a thin layer of Mod Podge on the board and on the back of your paper.  You can also use other adhesives I listed above in Step 11 but you will still want to put a thin layer of Mod Podge on your clipboard. Once you have the adhesive on your clipboard and on your paper, carefully put your paper down. Then use your brayer to make sure there is good contact between the adhesives and to get any air bubbles out. I also put down a piece of paper towel on top of my paper so that I don't mess up my design as I brayer over the paper and embellishments. 

 
14.  Let that dry for an hour or so. Then you can put one or two thin layers of Mod Podge on top of the entire board to seal it. I let it dry for 30 minutes or so between layers.

Next post we will finish with ribbons, and I will reveal my finished clipboard (front and back). I hope you are joining in on the fun!  See you tomorrow!
 

Altered Clipboard {Part 1}

Years ago, I altered a clipboard. I have carried this clipboard to Bible study classes for the past 6 years or more. I love this thing!  Well, I finally decided it's time for a new one even though my current one is still in great shape!  I also thought y'all might enjoy learning how to make one too!  This could be a very lengthy post (over several days) so get ready!  This is a great weekend to make this project!  I will be using the Memory Box 6x6 Gossamer paper pack since I love pink but you can certainly use any of the Memory Box papers. :)  If you are making this clipboard as a gift, there are many great Memory Box 6x6 and 12x12 papers to choose from.  Let's get started!

Altered Clipboard Instructions

1. Start with a plain clipboard. These can be purchased at Wal-Mart for approximately $0.97 or at Sam’s for approximately $5.00 (pack of six).

2. Piece your patterned paper to fit your clipboard.  Each clipboard is different so you will need to size and piece accordingly. I lay my papers on the clipboard and see how I might like them pieced.  Here you can see the papers I have chosen:

 
3.  Use Scor-Tape to seamlessly piece your papers together.  I also ink the edges of each piece of paper before piecing to give definition.

 
4. Measure the top clip of the clipboard and cut out the top so your papers will lay smoothly on your clipboard.  Next, round all four corners of your paper with a corner rounder to match your clipboard.

 
5.  Your paper should now look something like this:

 
6. Using acrylic paint, paint a 2” wide edge around the front of the clipboard. Let dry, and then paint a second coat. 

 
7.  Paint the entire back of the board with 2 coats of paint also, or you can create another sheet like you did for the front and cover the back of your board with paper also!  I personally cover the back in paper. If you are covering the back with paper, you will only need to paint the edge just as you did on the front of your board instead of painting the entire back of your board.

8. While the paint is drying, start looking for flat embellishments you want to use on the front (and back if applicable) of your clipboard.  Think about using Memory Box stamps, rub-ons, die cuts, photos, stickers, etc.  I will be using a mixture of these items including photos. If you choose photos, I usually print them out on matte photo paper in black and white.  Get these items together, and next post we will begin decorating our boards.

If you are shopping this weekend to complete this project with me, some other items you will need are:

*A brayer
*Mod Podge (I use Matte)
*Ribbons to match paper

See you again soon with more clipboard instructions!

Printers Tray Completed! {Part 2}

Did you miss my post yesterday?  If so, look here.  You can see the first set of instructions for the 7 Gypsies printers tray that I will complete for you today. 

To continue, you will want to choose your colors and papers before beginning to complete your piece.  I chose the Spiceberry 6x6 pack from last year only because the colors matched our pet sitter's business logo perfectly!  The Spiceberry 6x6 pack is still available too!  Be sure to check your local store or your favorite online store!  Even though it is a Christmas collection, the colors can also be used throughout the year!  I also used the new notecard color Wassail.  The Wassail matches the Spiceberry papers wonderfully.

So, now that you have your papers and colors chosen, let's continue the project:

 
8.  I measured each opening in the tray and decorated each one as I went along. Notice how I varied the papers from the paper pack and placed the photos in various spaces.  I also included her business logo and photos of her own family that she shares on her business website.
9.  I used lots of older embellishments and things I had lying around to give it variety!
10.  The adhesives I used most on this piece were Scor-Tape, Ranger Glossy Accents, and Glue Dots.  The Glossy Accents worked wonderfully for adhering the lace on the edges of the tray.
11.  The three Memory Box bird stamps worked great for this piece especially since this piece is about my parrots and the pet sitter. :)  The stamps I used were the Memory Box Meadow Birds {D1376}, Memory Box Woodblock Bird {D1307}, and Memory Box Bird Huddle {D1285}.  I stamped each one in VersaMark and embossed with embossing powder on the Wassail notecard.  You too will want to add stamps where appropriate.
12.  To finish, I added a note to the pet sitter on the back of my piece, signed it, and dated it.

Printers Tray:  7 Gypsies Artist Printers Tray
Papers:  Memory Box Spiceberry, Memory Box wassail notecard
Stamp Ink:  Memento london fog, VersaMark, Zing brown sugar EP
Stamps:  Memory Box Meadow Birds D1376, Memory Box Woodblock Bird D1307, Memory Box Bird Huddle D1285
Paints:  Making Memories chocolate, Making Memories banana, Shimmerz Spritz baby's breath
Embellishments: 7 Gypsies flashcard & notecard, Paper Trey Ink rustic twine, Bo Bunny double-dot ribbon, Deluxe Designs chipboard heart, Maya Road chipboard bird, tree, and key, My Little Shoebox alpha stickers, Basic Grey Boxer buttons & chipboard letter, Heidi Swapp ledger chipboard alpha, lace from Ellen Hutson, hand crocheted flower, Imagination Project coasters, Scenic Route chipboard circles, misc. parrot charm

I hope you enjoyed this, and I sure hope our pet sitter enjoys it!  Be sure to pick up a 7 Gypsies printer tray, your favorite Memory Box goodies, and have fun creating!  If you would like to see more 7 Gypsies printers trays from the Memory Box DT, be sure to look at Jean's here, Lori's here,and Pat's here.  Leave a link to your printers tray here in the comment section if you get one completed!  Thanks for joining me, and see you again soon!
  

Printers Tray, Anyone? {Part 1}

Hi dear blog readers! I have been away for 12 days on vacation. I hope you enjoyed my "pre-scheduled posts."  Today I want to share something fun and different with you.  When I returned home on Sunday, I found this amazing 7Gypsies printers tray in my mail!  Fun, fun!  

Well, I immediately knew what I was going to create with it!  We have 2 parrots that are truly my babies.  Can I say I love them more than my 3 dogs?  Ooops!  :)  Anyway, the "girls" {parrots} just turned a year old, and we have never left them before.  Leaving them for 12 days was very hard for me!!!  Well, I found the most AMAZING pet sitter, and she put my heart at ease and was wonderful with "the girls."  I want to make her a gift, and this printers tray will be perfect!  Let's get started and see how I have made/altered this tray!  I hope you will grab a printers tray and create along with me too!

1.  First, I opened up Microsoft Word and inserted some pictures I knew I wanted to use.
2.  I then measured the openings in the tray where I thought I might like to place the pictures.
3.  After measuring the photos, I resized them in Microsoft Word.
4.  Now, before printing on photo paper, I printed the images on regular printer paper and cut each photo out and placed in the tray. That way I could see if the sizing was right, the coloring was right, etc.
5.  After resizing or fixing the photos as needed, I reprinted on matte photo paper.
6.  Next, I put a thin layer of Mod Podge over each photo and let dry before cutting the photos out.
7.  Then I started picking a few embellishments, Memory Box papers, stamps, etc., that I thought would work for this piece.  I layed them on the tray to see where I thought I might like them to go.

 
So, that is the tray as I have started it.  Next post, we will look at how to finish the tray. I hope you will join me!  See you then!
  

Leave a Love Note!

 
Board:  KaiserCraft Memo Board
Papers:  Memory Box Gossamer Flitter & Gossamer Happenstance
Stamp Ink: Adirondack shell pink, SU creamy caramel
Stamp:  Memory Box Branch Heart E1310
Paints:  Memory Makers rose petal, Smooch vanilla shimmer, Shimmerz angel wings
Embellishments:  misc. ribbon, Memory Box baby pink pearls, My Mind's Eye buttons, Bazzill flowers, American Crafts felt flower, Basic Grey dark chocolate chip micro-chip stickers, Mod Podge

I purchased this board about a month ago, and I couldn't wait to alter it with the new 12x12 Memory Box Gossamer papers!  It was fun to do, and really did not take too long.  After painting the board, I sprayed the board with Smooch spray paint.  I then added the Gossamer papers.  I did use Mod Podge to adhere and seal the paper.  I had fun embellishing the board with flowers, ribbon, and Memory Box baby pink pearls.  I also stamped the new Memory Box Branch Heart stamp {E1310} on the memo paper that came with the board.  I thought it added a great touch!  Here are a few close-ups of my board:

 

I hung the board on one of my storage units in my craft area.  This unit had a blank side to it, and I felt like this was the perfect spot to hang it!  And who knows, maybe I will leave the family some love notes here!  Or better yet, maybe they will leave me one!

Well, thanks for stopping by today.  Be sure to grab some Memory Box Gossamer papers.  They are amazing!  See you again soon!

The Silliest Thing I Have Ever Altered!

Papers:  Memory Box Spiceberry
Stamp Ink: Memento rhubarb stalk
Embellishments:  misc. ribbon, Pink Paislee alpha sticker

Yes, it may seem silly but what women can live without a tape measure!  I picked this up at Lowe's for less than $2.  Well, it is so small and handy that I have caught several of the family members using it!!  I want to keep it in my purse.  I can't tell you how many times I have been out and about needing to measure something but I haven't had a tape measure.  So, I decided to get my cute measurer back from the family and alter it.  It was SUPER easy and quick to do, and now maybe the family will leave it alone.  LOL!

First I punched two 1" circles out of Memory Box Spiceberry paper for the front and the back. I inked the edges of the circles in Memento ink.  To adhere to circles to the plastic, I used lots of Glue Dots.  That should keep the paper from falling off!  I then added an alpha sticker using my first initial just incase the family forgets who it belongs to. :)  Then I added a few ribbons to the chain, and viola, there you have it!  Cute, easy, and personalized.  Now what girl doesn't need this for her purse?

I thought about painting the red plastic because it is not my favorite color but then decided against it.  I really wanted to use the new Memory Box Valentine's PINK papers for this but it didn't work with the red plastic.  Oh well.

So, grab a few of these at Lowe's along with your favorite Memory Box papers and make a bunch for gifts to hand out through the year.  I am sure teachers, co-workers, family members, etc., would all love to have one!  Thanks for stopping by, and see you again soon!