UPCYCLING: Faux Galvanized Metal Box

Here is Southern California, or at least in my city, there’s a plastic bag ban. That’s fine. I’m all for eliminating those plastic bags. But if I want a paper bag when I go to the grocery store, I have to pay for it. In other words, it’s BYOB or Bring Your Own Bag. I miss my brown paper grocery bags. I used them for everything. Covering books, crafting, and putting recycling in.

INKLING: The Cinch–DIY Spiral Notebooks

Guess what I’m going to be making for Christmas gifts? Lots and lots of pretty spiral bound notebooks. And it’s super easy now that I have a Cinch by We R Memory Keepers. The Cinch is basically like a comb binder but with nifty features that make it easy to create pretty notebooks.

INKLING: Dressed Up Envelopes

It’s so fun receiving real snail mail and even more fun when it’s something enticing like a pretty envelope. I made several fun envelopes and they were so easy to create. I may never use a plain white envelope again.

INKLING: United States Pin Map

As part of the Lifestyle Crafts Studio Team, I also get to use the We R Memory Keepers line of products. So for this month’s project, I went back to basics and created a fun paper project. To make this U.S.A. Pin Map, I really went old school and only used a pair of trimming scissors, craft knife and cutting board. No fancy tools necessary for this project.

INKLING: A Colorful DIY Herb Pot

The hardest part about being on the Lifestyle Crafts Studio Design Team is deciding what to make. Not because I can’t think of something but because there are so many goodies to share with you. This month, I made something super easy but still fun and cheerful.

INKLING: Lifestyle Crafts Mini Takeout Boxes

Don’t you love miniature. These tiny takeout boxes are the perfect size for party favors or little gift boxes.

INKLING: Ephemera, Origami & Rice Paper {fusion}

If you’re a scrapbooker or paper crafter, you probably know what ephemera is. They’re bits of paper typically used in paper crafting. The actual definition is: things that are important or useful for only a short time: items that were not meant to have lasting value:  paper items (as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles. I love these pretty little bits of book pages and other tidbits.

CELEBRATIONS: Chinese New Year {paper fortune cookies}

The Chinese New Year is on January 31st and this year is the year of the horse. I thought it would be fun to make some paper fortune cookies to celebrate the event.

Inkling: glitter & gold covered mini notebook

Every now and then you just need a little glitter in your life. And nothing brightens up a day more than gold glitter.

Etceteras: introducing mod melts

Back in January when I attended the Craft and Hobby Show, I watched a demonstration of a product called Mod Melts. I’ve been anxiously waiting to try them out and the day has finally come.

INKLING: PATRIOTIC BERRY CUPS

Today in the United States, it’s Memorial Day – a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. And while we honor and remember these brave men and women, the long weekend also signifies the unofficial start to summer and backyard gatherings.

Celebrations: mother’s day gift box

Mother’s Day is around the corner and a homemade gift is always special. This year I’m going to make some treats and fill up this embellished box that I made.

homework: reading {paper blooms}

Paper Flower Jar Lids – from my archives

 

I’ve made several paper flower projects here on homework. I love working with the different paper colors and textures and turning them into fun embellishments or using them for décor.

Inkling: paper mache confetti bowl

I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s very hard for me to throw away scraps of paper. I wouldn’t exactly classify it as hoarding but it could become a problem if I don’t use up the bits and pieces. This bowl wasn’t made out of paper scraps but paper catalogs. When I attended CHA in January, I came home with a lot of catalogs. The paper catalogs have pages and pages of pictures of pretty paper. How could I throw those away?

Inkling: frolicking with dear lizzy fifth & frolic

Whether you are into scrapbooking, card making or just love beautiful paper, you are going to love this new line designed by Liz Kartchner. It’s the American Crafts Dear Lizzy Fifth & Frolic line and it’s debuting this weekend.

Inkling: pretty file folders {martha stewart paper}

Hello friends! Do you enter giveaways? I don’t scour the Internet looking to enter tons of giveaways but I do enter giveaways hosted by other blogs when the prize is something I would love to have. I’ve won some fun things too.


Getting a package in the mail is always fun and this Martha Stewart paper pack that I won from Etcetorize was an instant day brightener.



I know I’ll find lots of uses for these pretty coordinated papers and the first thing on my list was to make pretty file folders.



To make these file folders just measure an existing manila folder and cut your paper. A rounded corner punch will give your corners a nice rounded edge. Remember, the back piece will be taller than the front piece so that you can label your folder. I used clear packaging tape to stick my back and front pieces together. Packaging tape goes on super clear so you won’t even see it. Plus, it will reinforce the bottom edge of the folder. If you want to cover the tape, add another strip of paper over it.

And since I don’t like to waste, I used the trimmings to make these cute business cards. 

  

Now, my blog business card and shop card are tied together with twine or scraps of ribbon. I can send them out with shop orders or hand them out if I’m ever at a blog event.


By the way, did you know that I have an ongoing Giveaway Link Party. You can link up your giveaways and visit the links to enter for a lot of great prizes – because it’s always fun to win a pretty prize.

Thanks for visiting.

Carolyn

Inkling: french flair paper

Jolee’s Boutique® {EK Success Brands} has done it again – they’ve partnered with French General, a Los Angeles-based boutique that specializes in French fabrics, buttons and baubles. The result is a collection of paper crafting embellishments that will make you feel like you wandered into a vintage notions shop.


I received a sampling of the new goodies and this was the label on the packaging. They had me at “vintage” and “old world charm”.



Here are a few of the items that are in the line and that I received. So fun – cameos, buttons, labels, ribbons and more.


I sat and stared at all the embellishments for quite awhile. I’m not a scrapbooker and layering the bits and pieces and putting them together was challenging for me. What I did figure out quickly is that the products all go together and so you really can’t make a mistake. It’s just a matter of what you want to create and how you want to put them together.

I made some hang tags that I’ll use to identify supplies in my craft boxes. 

Most of the fabric sheets and labels have adhesive backs. Just peel and stick.

I also cut some of the labels and ephemera to cover some match boxes.
[ephemera: items designed to be useful or important for only a short time; pamphlets, notices, tickets, postcards, or labels that become collectible]

 

The collection is also perfect to create beautiful gift wrap and packing.

How fun would these be to use for a French vintage-themed wedding? ooh la la!

My favorite embellishments are the little cameos – so tres chic!

If you’re interested in this collection, the line is available on the EK Success Brands website, and Michaels stores in June. 

Thank you EK Success Brands for the wonderful opportunity to play with this beautiful line of Inspiration Francaise.

Thanks for visiting.

Carolyn

I received samples from EK Success Brands but was not compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.

I link at the wonderful parties listed here and 

 

Celebrations: spring napkin rings

Spring flowers are popping up all over my house 

{unfortunately not in my garden yet}.

Last week I posted about this spring centerpiece that I made out of painted paper napkins. You can see the post here.



I had some leftover painted napkins and made a few more flowers that I used to create these napkin rings.



The rings are made out of floral wire and covered with a green paper napkin and Mod Podge. I used a hot glue gun to adhere the flowers to the wire and covered the flower base with more of the green napkin.



As I mentioned in my original centerpiece post, the napkins are super thin {cheap} which makes them all the more delicate and airy. Great for crafting but not very good for using with a meal.

A trial run place setting for Easter.

Happy Monday everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Thanks for visiting!

Carolyn