Crate Paper

May's CP Creative Weekly :: Charts

 

 

 We're on day TWO of our charting expedition here at the Crate Paper blog. This week, the motivating source of inspiration is the traditional chart! They're a super convenient means of documenting information that is more easily understood when separated into sections, or individual parts that come together to encompass a whole. They're also a tremendous resource in terms of composition and do a wonderful job of defining paths for the placement of photos and journal entries.  They're even great for compiling and presenting small bits of random stuff from either an event, or vacation! There's a sample in today's mix that does just that, Claudia's trip to beautiful Paris, France! Read-on to find out more...

CP Designer :: Anabelle O'Malley

When I heard that our Creative Weekly for May would be 'Charting', I immediately thought of a "Week At a Glance Calendar'. You know, the very kind we all carry around to keep pace with our busy lives. I have been wanting to scrap the pictures of Ryan's birthday week (yes, it truly turned into a week long celebration) for a while now, so I thought this would be the perfect format to do it. I even cut my page into the shape of a file folder to give it more of a "chart-y" (is that a word?) feel. The papers are from the Little Boy Blue collection. I love that they're so versatile and can be used on more than just baby pages! Also, Accents and stickers from the Story Teller and Pretty Party collections make an appearance, along with chipboard from Little Boy Blue! All work together to help tell the story a week-long celebration that won't ever soon be forgotten!

 

CP Designer :: Lilith Eeckels

I really like to stay organized, and not surprisingly, charts help a lot! A chart is a graphical representation of data and there are so many ways to pull it off. One of them is the radar chart. For this chart-inspired project, the data is a set of quotes I found at Pinterest. I chose ones that motivated me. After typing them out on cardstock, I arranged them around a polaroid frame in the same way that one would plot data on a radar chart. I then added a vellum envelope to the mix, which holds additional quotes. Overall, the process is a personalized approach to this whole concept of charting. As of right now, the layout sits on an easel on my table - I love peeking at the quotes once in a while because they mean a great deal to me and they're arrangment is so much fun!

 

CP Designer :: Claudia Shadler

Claudia here with a project submission for Creative Weekly - Chart It! I immediately knew upon hearing about the weekly theme that I wanted to chart my weekend in Paris, France, a trip I took last March. For the most part, I vacationed in the french countryside, though eventually made my way to Paris before coming home. Paris was AMAZING! I spent a lot of time consuming the famous artist attractions in and around the city -from the Eiffel Tower to Versailles. To create the layout, I used the Story Teller collection, just the perfect paper assortment for documenting the unforgettable trip!  

Confetti-Filled Mini Album w/Lilith Eeckels

For me, March symbolizes Spring, with the sweet scent of flowers in the air and soft, subtle colors on display. So, I thought it time to celebrate the season by creating a mini album from Crate Paper's "Paper Heart" Collection. It's fitting considering it's color palette is nearly perfect for this time of year. Inside the album are photos taken in May, 2011, and also, pages dedicated exclusively to one of my favorite ongoing trends, confetti making!

The Must Haves

Paper Heart Collection: Patterned Papers, Chipboard, Border and Phrase Stickers

Farmhouse Collection: Trim ~ Random Collection: Buttons

Others: 4 x 6 Photo sleeves {American Crafts}, Various Punches, and Stamps or Journaling Written via Computer.

 

In creating the covers, select two patterned papers from the Paper Heart collection {Pebbles & Valentine}. Trim a total of two 8" x 5" sections from both papers (you'll need two 12" x 12" sheets of each).

 

Grab two of the 8" x 5" sheets (one of each pattern) and cut them in-half so that they measure 4" x 5". Using a scorer, score five lines along both pieces starting at 1.5". Adhere the two pieces together to create binding for the album.

 

The next step is to join front and back cover using the binding from the previous step. Adhere them to the binding so that they just touch the outer score lines. The score lines help the album to "bend" easily.

 

After attaching the cover, I decorated the front of the album. I covered the seam line with a border sticker. Then, to create a cluster of embellishments in the lower right corner, I partnered varying stickers, including my favorite, the "love" ticket!

Now lets move to the inside of the album. I have a lot of 4" x 6" photo sleeves lying around and decided they'd be ideal for this project.

 

Choose a patterned paper to slip into the sleeve, and trim to size.

 

Using different punches, create confetti to place inside the sleeve. Feel free to add buttons, or other die-cut shapes.

 

Sew a line along the width of the page so that the confetti doesn't fall out. 

 

I discovered that one of the sewn lines didn't look very pleasing to the eye, so I covered it up with a Paper Heart border sticker. On another sleeve, I used the twine from the Farmhouse Trim Pack.

You can create different types of pockets for your confetti. Why not create a half-circle? I drew one on patterned paper and stitched over the line. It's a little trickier to get the confetti in just the right spot while doing this, but it creates a really cool effect!

 

Decorate each of the photo sleeves. The photos are to be placed on top the sleeve, not inside it. 

 

The final step is the bind all the pages together. Take your sleeves (I had three of them), line them up carefully, and stitch along the binding. Then adhere the back 1" binding to the back cover of the album (use double stick tape) so that the pages are now inside the album. 

 

Trim a 1" x 4"1/8 sheet of patterned paper {Delicate}, and adhere it on top the plastic binding so that the stitches are covered (again, double stick tape).

To document the memories connected to this little outing with my son, I added some journaling strips. {Mine were made with the computer, but stamps are another option}

And there you have it - a confetti-filled, Spring themed mini album! Do enjoy and may Spring find you very soon!

Heart Puffies Tutorial w/Michiko Kato

Even though we're well beyond Valentine's Day, the creation of Michiko's "puffy hearts" are too adorable to pass up. Finally, instructions on how to make your own "puffies"!

Hello my friends, Michiko greeting you today with an introduction to a Heart Stitch layout I so happily created in celebration of February's familiar theme, "Love".  In Japan, there are many hearts displayed thoughout town, including both paper and chocolate varieties, and upon seeing them, I often feel a strong sense of excitement and glee. To recapture this feeling, I went about creating a layout on the subject, though skipped out on the chocolate! It's famous feature, puffy hearts! Today, I'm going to show you how to make them!

 The Must Haves

Paper Heart Collection: Pattern Papers {Delivery, Define, Cupid, Friendship}, 6" x 6" Patterned Paper Pad, Stickers, & Chipboard. 

Farmhouse Collection: Patterned Paper {Homemade}

Others: Sewing Machine. Cotton. Embroidery Thread, and Vellum Paper

 

First, make a heart template from a folded sheet of cardstock, or scrap paper. Draw a half-shaped heart along it's folded edge and trim it out.

 

Go ahead and make yourself a small pile of various sized hearts from cardstock; big & small. Feel to free to create a few that are in less-than-perfect form. I went with a total of five stitched hearts for this particular project, but you're welcome to make as many as you'd like.

 

In moving forward with the stitching process, you'll need two of the same shaped hearts. This is when the templates come in extra handy! Fold a sheet of patterned paper in half (again, use up them scraps!), tape the template to the patterned side of the folded paper and trim around the template so that you have two matching sized hearts to work with. Repeat this step for the remaining hearts. 

 

With needle and thread in hand, and while holding matching hearts together, blanket stitch around them. Stop stitching after you're 2/3's the way around and tuck cotton inside the heart 'til it's slightly puffy. Lastly, stitch closed!

 

I produced a total of five stitched hearts. Only three of them contain cotton, whereas a few are without it. Believe it or not, this minor difference lends texture to the layout, and the overall unique combination of hearts.

 

To finish the layout, trim a 11" x 11" section of "Homemade" patterned paper and adhere it on top of Paper Heart's "Delivery" patterned paper. Stitch around the edges with a sewing machine. Mat a photo with both "Defined" patterned paper and torn vellum. Position stickers, hearts, chipboard pieces, and other elements as shown. Finally, locate a small section of journaling next to the photo. Short and sweet is perfect!

 

I hope feel the same happiness I felt when having been surrounded by so many hearts not so long ago. If hearts aren't your thing, maybe go about creating puffies of a different shape - with so many shape options at your disposal these days thanks to the endless array of die-cutting machines, making puffies is super easy, and endlessly fun! See you next month!

Tiny Valentine Tags w/Claudia Shadler

Claudia here with a quick and simple tutorial for you to enjoy this lovely Valentine's Day! Lately, I've been on this "tag making" kick, so when the beautiful Paper Heart stash arrived from Crate Paper, I immediately gravitated towards it and put together some pretty tags! I have to say, that I love the color combo and fun designs of this latest collection. It made creating the tags an all day adventure that I'll never forget - and amazingly, the tags were not all that hard to make! Also, the possibilities were endless - Never could one go wrong! 

 

On the supply list - Marvy Mega Giga Tag Punch & 2" Circle Punch, Martha Stewart Heart Punch, Stapler, Twine, Bazzill White Cardstock, and Paper Heart Patterned Paper

 

Punch out as many tags and patterned paper as you like, the more different the patterned paper you use, the more variations you've the option to create. I'm particularly fond of the red and blue combo. 

 

Trim your punched pattern paper circle in half to arrange your combos. For me, this is the fun part - arranging  color combos and designs. Once you've made your selections, adhere circle halves onto a full circle for a secure, solid hold. Add some twine, staples and a heart on top the circle once you've adhered it onto the tag. 

 

 

The end result is a cute tag that is ready to be shared -  Use it as card decor, or as a label atop a gift!

 

Here's a couple of more tags I made to show the different variations one can come up with. On a few, I liked the idea of letting the hearts dangle via twine. They're really quick and simple to produce, and yet, you've still something extra cute and fun to give away!

I hope to have inspired you to try out a your very own set of tags! Not only are they well suited for Valentine's Day and the labeling of treat bags, they're great for everyday projects too! Once again, the possibilities are endless! 

 

 

There are an abundance of Paper Heart Collection Kits awaiting homes today, but first, thank-you, thank-you, thank-you! Your support this last week is greatly appreciated! Spreading the scrapbook love is what's it's all about in the grand scheme of things when we host events like this. Hopefully, you gained an idea or two along the way to help make crafting this season a lot easier, and more fun! Are you ready to find out the winners of last week's five giveaways? Congratulations to the following FIVE WINNERS....

 

FRIDAY

I love the LOVE stitching on Sasha's layout! The bitty box of goodies is gorgeous! And Rahel's layout and mini are beautiful! Gotta love Crate Paper :) Posted by: jackie | February 10, 2012 at 04:14 PM

 

THURSDAY

Lots of special people, but the number one in my life is my best friend, my husband. He was in a very serious accident late last year and it just made realize even more how important he is in my life. The happy ending to the that chapter is that is is now just about fully recovered from the accident and life is "normal" again. Posted by: KellyO | February 09, 2012 at 11:07 AM

 

WEDNESDAY

I always visit here daily for inspiration and ideas. The CP designers are some of the most talented scrappers I've ever seen. All of the above projects are gorgeous! Posted by: Lisa C. | February 08, 2012 at 12:13 PM

 

TUESDAY

AMAZING GOODIES!!!! I'm loving all the inspiration (as usual) here! For me, I'd have to say this year stands out. My kids and I (they are 10, 6, & 3) have been making Valentines for their classes for a few weeks now. it's fun now that they are all old enough to participate and they all love to craft! We've made hand stamped/colored Valentines,and crayons using heart molds and old broken crayons. Then we put them in clear bags with a pack of nerd candies. It’s been a great experience! Posted by: Heather I. | February 07, 2012 at 06:48 AM

 

MONDAY

I can't remember if it was for valentines day or not (the holiday is not celebrated big time here), but I have a sweet memory from when I was about 10. I was in a school choir and we all took turns to get up and change the words which were projected onto the wall, and on the last choir practice of term I got up to change the words, and when I got back to my seat there was a box of chocolates on it, from a boy in my class. I felt very embarrassed but also chuffed! I'd completely forgotten about that until you asked! Thanks for the chance to win paper heart, I've been wailingly desperately for it to come back into stock here. I want it to craft a mobile of loving memories. P.s. Love the coupon cards! Posted by: Jennifer grace | February 06, 2012 at 03:45 PM

 ~

We're about to "set the table" with our final showing of Valentine projects! Included on the menu is a bountiful array of Valentine treats from CP designers Tara Anderson, Anabelle O'Malley and Christine Middlecamp. 

 

Crate Paper DT Coordinator :: Christine Middlecamp

We rarely think of our collections as being tied to their color palletes, so when someone like Christine comes along and throws in a wild card like cobalt blue & deep emerald green, we're thrilled to see the outcome of the new combination! Isn't this wall hanging totally fun?! 

 

"Youth and Valentine's Day don't present a whole lot of memories for me, but I have to say that I'd been a HUGE fan of constructing overly embellished Valentine Boxes as a kid! I remember thinking that it had to be over-the-top and thee best box in class - and honestly,it wasn't the Valentine notes that excited me the most, either, it was the box! I could of swore my peers thought I was a little off center for the needless enthusiam, too. Looking back, it all make sense now - I love crafting like you wouldn't believe! I love all the pretty stuff that goes with it, too. ;)" 

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Anabelle O'Malley

What is it about the empty space of punched shapes that catches our eye so much? Is it because they add depth to a project? We're guessing that's probably the case, but even better is that they make the best "frames" for embellishment presentation! Anabelle filled her's with PH chipboard pieces, and then used the punched circles to further decorate her layout - cute idea!

 

"One of my favorite memories about Valentine's Day was a tradition we had at school. For a dollar, you could purchase carnations to give to your friends. You'd receive a form on which to add a note and they would be delivered on February 14th. It was so exciting to come in and find several carnations on my desk from friends. And the fact that the teachers would send some, too, ensured that no chid would come into the room to find an empty desk. I think of this tradition every time I see a pink or red carnation."

 

 

Crate Paper Designer/Contributer :: Tara Anderson

As noted by Tara - "I made placecards for my Valentine's Day Dinner party! Not only does each heart have an initial on the front, I've also sewn a pocket onto the back using lace and tucked in a little "lovenote". I have this idea to ask each family member to write something they love about each person at the table and tuck the note into that person's heart!"

 

"My favorite Valentine's Day memory...I have to say I REALLY loved decorating my little Valentines box for our class party at school every year. When it came to class projectz like designing boxes, I might have been known to get a little competitive which may have resulted in cutting out hundreds of paper hearts and using a gluestick to apste them every where. I'm almost positive Ms.Lee would still remember me and my fascination with red paper hearts!"

~

If you're a winner of a Paper Heart Collection Kit, please contact us with your information at cpblog@cratepaper.com. Boxes are expected to ship shortly! Congrats again! 

There is still a full 24 hours to finish up those Valentine projects, so grab yourself some Paper Heart, and get craften'! On behalf of Crate Paper, Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

We're so very close to the end with only two more chances for you to win one of the five Paper Heart collection kits up for grabs this week. Today's requirement is that you tell us about the people most important in your life, whether it's a spouse, grandmother or child. We'd love to hear what makes them so important to you and if you've arranged plans for them on Valentines. Afterall, the "love" holiday isn't just for the lucky couples out there, it's reach goes far beyond the bounds of just two people. Love is everywhere and all of us experience it in some form or another. Share it. The winner will be announced on Monday.

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Jaime Warren

Paper Heart is accomodated by many hues, but you're not required to use all of them if you don't feel like it. Jaime's taken only the red and pink elements from the Paper Heart collection to create her layout, a more traditional color palette for this time of year. The layout is sweeter than ever.

 

"I remember making Valentine's Day holders in Kindergarten for the big day! We made them out of paper plates, doilies and glitter. I clearly remember the pink and red glitter we had used, too. So pretty! I have loved Valentine's Day ever since!"

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Charlene Cundy

This pocket album of "loving memories" from Charlene Cundy is exquisite beyond words. Page after page, there are suprises tucked away beneath layers of embellishments and papers. You can't help but want to look through it to see what's next!

 

"My favorite Valentine's memory was when my husband and I built our new house and my husband surprised me with the new furniture of our entryway. You see, we pretty much spent all our money on building the house, so I expected the entryway to be bare for a while. He bought me a set of queen anne chairs, a table, and a beautiful curio cabinet. He placed a red rose on one of the chairs, too! It was such a wonderful surprise and perfect Valentine's Day!"

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Latonia Grant

A layout can still be soft and pretty with distressed edging. As an addition, it lends texture to the overall page. 

 

"My favorite Valentine's Day childhood memory is of my father giving both my sister and I a teddy bear and chocolates every year while growing up. He'd also take it upon himself to remind us that he was the only man that could give us chocolates! =)"

~

Day four of the event has reached an end! Giveaway details are listed above this time, incase you missed them. I doubt you did though :) Thank-you for keeping us company today - and only SIX days left until Valentine's Day!

 

 

We dearly hope you are fond of the Valentine projects on presentation this week. Maybe you've already begun the process of creating Valentine cards, or a scrapbook page featuring some of the ideas shown thus far. If so, share a link to your project so the rest of our guests may admire them and be swayed into trying something new this Valentine's Day. If they just so happen to comprise snippets of Paper Heart, even better. And now, here are today's projects...

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Stephanie Dagan

 File folders aren't just for "filing" away paperwork. Layer them up, one on top of the other, as Stephanie has done on her layout. Decorate them with stickers, stitching and cut-outs. Mix in some journal cards as well, or sections of patterened paper w/journaling.

 

"In France, we do not really celebrate Valentine's Day, so I have no particular childhood memory to share with you about it. But that doesn't stop to talk about love and children - it's really a matter of inspiration! My youngest boy who shows very little interest in girls told me that there was still a little girl he loved in his class. I found it very amusing that he speaks without much shyness, but rather with pride. So, I did not hesitate to make a page on the subject. I wanted to build the LO as if there were the "Eugene Love Story" folder with lots of little notes and some small hearts."

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Claudia Shadler

Tiny Valentines are the perfect size for catering to lots of loved ones! It takes only a few snippets of patterned paper and one or two embellishments to make a card of this size. They come together quickly, too.

 

"For the past three years, or so, I've always made mini cards for Valentine's Day. They're simple to make (depending on your taste) and you can end up with plenty! Typically, I'll make a bunch and take some to work so that I can give them away to people. They're always intrigued by how tiny and cute they are, and they'll gladly take one to give away. That's the thing about cards, in my opinion, you have to give them away, or else you end up w/shoe boxes full of them (been there, done that). But, be that as it may, this occasion is the perfect one to make cards for (other than Xmas), how romantic is that? ;)" 

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Lilith Eckels

Window Frames provide lots of room for preserving moments about loved ones and such. Event the outside leaves enough room for decorating!

 

"When I was ten years old, I really fancied a boy (probably the first boy I really liked). Being very shy, I didn't dare say a word to him, nor would I have given him a Valentine's card. All the girls at school were talking about giving cards or presents, so I decided to make one, but didn't sign it with my name (far too scared). Then on the 14th, everyone popped their letters/cards into the school's letter box. Much to my surprise, I got a card and guess who sent it?! Yes, the boy I fancied. I did tell him I had sent him a card as well, and he laughed and said he had recognized my handwriting. This is one of my favorite Valentine's memories because as I grew up, I became even shier and I never made another card until I met my husband."

 

We're keeping things simple with today's giveaway! Leave some love for our designers and tell us what you think of their creations! Maybe you've a fave that you want to point out, or like all of them just the same. No matter the case, we'll include you in the Paper Heart drawing to post next week! Have a fabulous day friends!

 

 

 

You know, we hadn't realized until today that it might of been more fun if we had asked you to express your "ALL TIME favorite Valentine's Day memory" with yesterday's giveaway, but alas, it's too late to do a switch-a-roo. To make up for it, because it's not always the easiest task to travel back in time ten, twenty, thirty years (trust us, we know!), today's giveaway focuses on the "present" - tell us about a recent Valentine's Day moment that brought you tremendous happiness, and love. This is also includes the single folks out there! Maybe you bought yourself a fresh, beautiful bouquet of tulips, or you spent a favorable night amongst friends..whatever the case, state it, and rejoin us next Monday to find out if you're a WINNER!  

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Michiko Kato

Not one, but two very detailed creations from our designer, Michiko Kato! The first is of a decorative box of chocolates beautifully topped with an assortment of Paper Heart embellishments, and patterned paper pieces. The second is of a layout accustomed to an assortment of florals, hand-trimmed from our "Petals" patterned paper.

 

"In Japan, Valentine's Day is a day to tell "someone special" that "you love him/her", followed by the gifting of a box of chocolates. When I was young, I made a bundle of handmade chocolate candies for a boy I liked, and paired it with a love letter. When I went to give the candies to him, my heart was pumping fast, and I'd been so nervous that I hadn't slept well the night before. Still, to this day, I remember the wonderful memory and the feelings it brought on..so very exciting! I now spend Valentine's Day with my daughters making handmade chocolates!"

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Shanna Noel

Shanna expressed to us that she had a lot of fun playing with the Paper Heart collection when putting together her mini album. Currently, her husband is deployed overseas, and before he left, she and her husband came up with "Ten Date ideas" for their girls and "mom" to enjoy while "dad" is away. The album provides space for the girls to write about their outings, and also, clues as to the location of each date. There's also room for photos! 

 

"I guess my love of all things paper started when I was young, as my favorite childhood Valentine's Day memory would definately have to be picking out boxes of Valentine's Day Cards. I loved all the different kinds found in each box. I'd write everyone's name on them and then sealed them up with the help of a cute heart sticker. It was always so much fun!"

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Rahel Menig

It goes by so quickly, those first days of being together along with the fireworks, first kisses, and such. To forever preserve them, this Valentine's Day, document them via a mini album, like this one from Rahel Menig. Consider giving it as a "gift" to your loved one as well, so the both of you benefit from it's retelling of the past.

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Don't forget - leave a comment as to the above aforementioned subject in the first paragraph of today's post! We'll see you again tomorrow with more "Paper Heart". 

 

 

If your anything like the rest of us, you're probably scrambling for last minute Valentine's Day ideas, and with just one week left, the pressure is building! Alas, you've come to the right place, so pull up a chair, grab yourself a cup of joe, and relax, we're here to rescue you! With the help of the CP Design Team, and the love-friendly Paper Heart collection, this week, Crate Paper is publishing Valentine's Day projects galore! That's right, this entire week is dedicated to the popular red & pink holiday, and to give ol' sweet cupid a head start in spreading the love, we're giving away a total of FIVE Paper Heart Collection Kits throughout the event, one each day. Catch the giveaway details at the very end of today's post. Also, get ready to pin..you're going to "heart" this week's creations!

And as an extra feature to coincide with the projects, each of our designers is sharing her favorite Valentine's Day childhood memory, along with a brief summary about her creation.

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Piradee Talvanna

 Pockets and Sprinkles. Piradee's coupon cards are too cute for words. And, if you read her childhood memory, you'll learn more about them! 

 

"For my project, I drew inspirations from the good old school days - where in my case, it's way way back to those middle school days. I remember one year where in addition to the roses that can be purchased for your special someone(s), the committee was also selling these valentine coupon booklets (with simple kid friendly tasks). And by the time that they were delivered to the class rooms, needless to say, we didn't get much done for the rest of the day. We were too busy using the coupons on each other and acting like crazy kids (the committee terminated the coupons for the following year - ooops)."

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Kaori Watanabe

Our kids need to be reminded of how much their loved every day, but Valentine's Day gives you a chance to really show how much you care about your lil' one. How about tucking a Valentine's Day card inside their lunch sack or backpack? Would be so much fun for them...

 

*Instead of a memory, Kaori's expressed a Japanese tradition that we think is very sweet. 

"I made a Valentine's card for my son. The manners and customs of a Japanese Valentine's Day is slightly different from the US. In Japan, the tradition that prevails is for women  to present chocolates to the men they love. It's become a Japenese custom and is very popular on Valentine's Day! How do you celebrate Valentine's Day in the US?"

 

 

Crate Paper Designer :: Erin Stewart

A couple of final projects from Erin Stewart, we thought it best to introduce them this week since they fall upon two subjects dear to our heart, "dad" serving overseas and love for the the little one. We hope you are well, Erin! Thinking about you, and your family on this Valentine's Day!

 ~ 

And now for the giveaway details! Well, it's simple, really. After reading a couple of childhood memories from our designers, it's your turn to tell us your favorite Valentine's Day childhood memory! That said, we know that not everyone celebrates the holiday, so if you're without something on the subject, you can still participate in the giveaway. All we ask is that you tell us what remarkable project you'd craft from Paper Heart. Winners will be randomly chosen and announced next Monday! Good Luck and may cupid be on your side!

A Mini Love Message Tag Album W/Erin Stewart

 

 

I wanted to make something special for my husband for Valentine's Day this year because we'll be spending it halfway around the world and I wanted to show him how I love him.

 

For starters, I printed five photos for the backside of each of the tags. The photos are of the same width as the tag, about 3". To help cover the length portion of the tag, because the photos don't quite reach the top, I added strips of pattern paper, and border stickers. 

 

I created five tags of pattern paper by using a standard tag as a tracing impliment. I then added chipboard, stickers, and stamps to each one. 

 

For the tucking away of a special "love letter", I included a small sized envelope crafted from pattern paper.

As the main focus of the project, I'm going to demonstrate how to create the star-burst effect from the cover page. First, pick out four to five colored patterned papers from the Paper Heart Collection.

Grab a tag, and use it to draw out a star-burst pattern. To assist with this process, trace out the lines with the help of a ruler, estimating the best position for each line. As you draw the first line, slightly angle the next one to create a "V" shape - continue to follow this process, while allowing the strips to increase in size. 

For the most part, I guessed the location of each strip. I started with the longest strip in the middle, and progressively worked my way out. Number the strips to keep them in order. Trim each one out with a scissors.

 

Trace each strip onto a corresponding pattern paper and trim them out. Arrange and adhere them to the cover page. 

 

This is kind of a neat trick, make custom hole reinforcers by spraying them with a specially chosen mist color! The reinforcers are available at any office store and they typically come in plastic packaging. Also, mists are available in a range of beautiful colors, so your color options are endless - add them to the album pages, followed by a D-Ring to keep the pages together. 

 

This concludes the heart-astic message mini - maybe it'll give you an idea or two for surprising your loved one this Valentine's Day! If so, we'd love to hear about it! Thanks for visiting CP, today!