Archives for 2014

Envelope Punch Board Cracker Boxes

Do you find Christmas Crackers expensive and always have tiny gifts that you will never use?
Why not make your own Cracker Boxes? These stand nicely on your festive table and can be filled with your own personal gift, lottery/scratch card, paper hat and fun fact.

I used to buy Cracker Boxes and fill them but now with my Envelope Punch board I can make my own.

By using one sheet of 12″ x 12″ cardstock you can make one box and decorate it too!

They are sturdy enough to be used year after year so once you have made and decorated them you can use and keep them for years to come.
By adding a name tag they can also be used as place settings.
I fill mine with a gift which is personal to the recipient (nail polish, lip stick, hand cream, socks, chocolates)
I also put in a lottery ticket or scratch card for a bit of extra fun.
Off the internet I also print off some fun facts that are great as a talking point around the table.
A christmas paper hat and a small chocolate finishes off the cracker box and makes it a much more exciting table decoration.

You can make these of different sizes so they can be used as gift boxes all year round.

Dawn’s Inspirations 2014 Retreat

Moments to treasure and share from the 2014 Weekend Retreat.
Thank you ladies for making the Retreat full of fun & laughter.

“Fantastic weekend- exhausting but would not have missed a moment!”

“Dawn you have the patience of Job giving us your attention even when you must have wanted to scream- keep it up!!”

“Really enjoyable, mix of fun and learning, really great people, learnt a lot.”

“very enjoyable weekend.”

“Love to craft any project – Really had a wonderful weekend- Thank you very much!”

Not So Mini Year Book Online Workshop

So many of us take oodles of pictures throughout the years and these tend to be left on hard drives and cards rather than being easy to view and enjoy with friends and family.

In our daily lives, we snap away taking loads and loads of pictures and as scrapbookers we find it hard to decide which photos to scrapbook.

This year book mini will give you an opportunity to not only showcase many of your photos for each month, but also has room from journaling and memorabilia.

When you have finished constructing this mini book, you will be able to show over 200 photos of your most treasured memories making it a great way to document your year.

You to can craft along with me in this Online Workshop to create you own Year Book.

Envelope Punch Board Flowers

Do you throw away the scraps after using your Envelope Punch Board?
Well STOP!!!! Have a small pot close to hand and keep them.
In this Video Tutorial I will show you how to turn those tiny scraps into flowers you can use as embellishments to add to your projects.

Elsa’s One Page Binding Mini

These Mini albums have been inspired by Elsa of Just a Few Designs and this is my take on her awesome “One Page Binding Mini”

She has created a One Page Binding Mini in which is great as each page uses just one sheet of 12×12 double sided paptterned paper.

You can click on the links to see Elsa’s video tutorial One Page Binding Mini and to go to her blog Just a Few Designs.

I love both of these Mini Albums and by just changing the binding you can give this a whole different look.

So go a head and experiment with different ways of binding to give a different feel your mini albums.

Super Quick 8×8 Envelope Scrapbook Album

After making the Graphic45 Birthday Book, one of my subbies ask “What can I make with the leftover envelopes?”

Well here is a really quick Mini you can make!
I made this using just 4 of the envelopes, freebie paper collection (8×8 size) and some coordinating card stock.

If you don’t have this freebie you can always use any 8×8 papers or even cut down some 12×12.
Also if you don’t have any 8×8 envelopes you can make this mini with any size square envelopes.

So go no create along with me in this Video Tutorial and you too can make this super quick mini.

Stationers Desk Paper Bag Scrapbook Album Online Workshop

This Paper Bag Scrapbook Album is a great project and the finished size comes in at 8 ¼” x 7 ½” x 3” this makes it a very substantial Album which can hold well over 40+ photos.

Using just 4 paper bags and a Prima paper collection, you will make a beautiful Paper Bag Scrapbook Album with a difference! Everything matches to make this stunning project so you can be creative along with me.

Click here for more details about Stationers Desk Paper Bag Scrapbook Album Online Workshop

MDF Beach Hut with Mini Paper Bag Album Project

I decorative this Beach Hut at a Workshop that I attended at the MDF Mans Studios.
This was should have been a Money Box however, you know me!!! –
It had to have a Mini Album inside.

Rob (AKA MDF Man) made me a spacer for the roof so it would lift off easily and was the door for me to access the mini album.

The mini album is made using some of the papers and tags from the Prima Seashore 12×12 Paper Collection Pad.
I also used 4 white paper bags in size size 3½” x 6 ¾” x 2” which Maria kindly sent me from America.
The cover was made using a food packet box which I cut down and the rope handles are made from garden twine.
This was going to be a gift but I am finding it hared to give away, I think I may have to make another one. I do hope you like?

Using Magnets in Mini Books & Papercrafting

This quick tip video tutorial shows you how to use magnets on your paper crafting projects.

Rather than always using 2 magnets, why not replace one with a stainless steel washer to save on the cost.

I get my magnets here in the UK from my local supplier First4Magnets
I use size 12mm x 1mm

Paper Bag Pocket Wallet Mini Album

Here is my take on a Mini Album is a designed by Steff Miller, she did a free ustream class to show you how to make it, so all kudos to Steff for a great design and I have loved making this project.

The project uses 2 paper bags and some card stock.
As for the patterned paper the Ladies Diary one I made using scraps I had left from another project and the Noir Chic one was made using new sheets of single and double sided paper.

I was requested to make a video as some of you have found it hard to follow the Ustream method.
I hope you like my video and you too can enjoy making this lovely Paper Bag Pocket Wallet Mini Album By Steff Miller as it is a super cute mini!

It is hard to give measurements as everyone will have different sizes bags depending on which country you are in but what I have done is made 2 PDF sheets for the basic measures for the 2 paper bag sizes I have used.

Paper Bag Pocket Wallet Mini Album Size 3.5 x 6.25×2

Paper Bag Pocket Wallet Mini Album 4.7×2.8×8.9

Colouring using Spectrum Noir Pens & Pencils

Just wanted to share with you a couple of Christmas Cards I have made using Crafter’s Companion Vintage Christmas Papercrafting Collection CD.
The patterned papers on both cards have been printed from the Vintage Christmas CD.
The main image on each card is printed off from the Digi Stamp section of the CD.

The Christmas Bells image has been printed onto Neenah Desert Storm Card and I have used Spectrum Noir Pens & Pencils to colour this image.
The Pens I used are CT4, TN2, GB5, FS2, CG2, DG2, DR5, DR7. I followed by using pencils over the top 19, 20, 22, 4, 7, 59, 24, 33.
I have then blended the finished image with the Blending Solution and Paper Stumps and then shaded around the completed image with Spectrun Noir Pen IG1 to help the image stand out.

The Snowman image has been printed onto Neenah White Card and I have used my Spectrum Noir Pencils to colour the image.
The Pencils I have used are 64, 69, 21, 92, 13, 44, 46, 24.
I have then blended the finished image with the Blending Solution and paper Stumps and then shaded around the completed image with Spectrun Noir Pen IG1 to help the image stand out.

Paper Bag Tag Mini Album

Here is a great tag book mini I have made following Stephanie Miller’s Tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNhsKVlIbtg.

After watching one of her other tutorials I love this idea and wanted to share it with you all.

The paper collection and bags where sent to me by my subbie Maria and I have really enjoyed crafting with them.

The paper collection is DCWV The Pets Sack and I used the 4 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ papers.