Make a mini booklet from one piece of paper

When I was a Brownie Leader, about 15 years ago, I used to print the Brownie promise, song and Girl Guiding rules onto a piece of paper and then with a bit of folding and one little cut I turned it into a mini booklet for the girls. I decided to revisit this idea and create mini booklets with Stampin' Up! products.

I started with an A4 sheet of Whisper White cardstock and scored it in the middle at 10.5 cm (4-1/8") and turned the page 90° to scored it again at 7.425 cm (2-7/8"), 14.85 cm (5-7/8") and 22.275 cm (8-3/4"). I folded it down the middle both ways and then folded each narrow end in towards the middle. I cut the centre scoreline (10.5 cm line) down to the outer fold lines. I then folded the paper on the 10.5 cm middle fold and holding each end, pushed the sides in to create a little booklet.

Sample of cutting and folding using a piece of printer paper

I used a piece of printer paper as a sample to create my design placement. If you are going to stamp on each section you need to do it while the cardstock is flat, before you put the booklet together. Other embellishments can be added when the booklet is folded up.

For my first booklet I used the Beautiful You Cling-Mount Stamps, the Under My Umbrella Photopolymer Stamps and the Umbrella Builder Punch.

Pages 1 and 2 of Umbrella booklet

The designer series paper I used was only available during Sale-A-Bration and the designs matched the Umbrella Builder Punch. I fussy cut the stamped flower images after colouring them with Stampin' Blends.

Pages 3 and 4 of Umbrella booklet

I used a bit of Balmy Blue cardstock and coloured in the stamped images with Tuxedo Black Memento Ink before colouring them in with Stampin' Blends using colours from the umbrella designer series paper.

Pages 5 and 6 of Umbrella booklet

On page five I sponged a bit of Daffodil Delight ink in a circle to create a little sun peeking out of the Balmy Blue cardstock which was die cut using the Stitched So Sweetly Dies.

In my video I show you how to make a mini booklet using Painted Poppies Cling Stamps, Peaceful Moments Cling Stamps, Painted Labels Dies, and Poppy Moments Dies.

Pages 1 and 2 of Poppy booklet

I stamped the images using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and decorated them with Poppy Parade and Old Olive colours.

Pages 3 and 4 of Poppy booklet

For the die cut flower I used Rich Razzleberry ink, stamping several times to get subtle colour changes in order to match the designer series paper peeking out of the floral die cut from the Poppy Moments Dies.

Pages 5 and 6 of Poppy booklet

I used one of the Peaceful Poppies Elements along with some die cut images from the Painted Labels Dies to decorate the final two pages. To get the black ribbon I coloured a length of Whisper White 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon with the brush end of a Basic Black Dark Stampin' Blends pen.

In my video I show you lots of tips for partial image stamping as well as how to colour embellishments with a Dark Basic Black Stampin' Blend pen.

I hope you liked my little project and make your own little booklet to share with someone special!

#KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #Scrapbook #DesignerSeriesPaper #MiniBooklet #MemoryBook #OnePieceOfPaper #CraftHappy

Power of Hope Vellum Lantern

I love the look of paper lanterns and when I saw the Power Of Hope stamp set, available for free during Sale-A-Bration, I immediately thought of making one. I looked at some paper lanterns I had left over from attending the Auckland Lantern Festival in previous years and attempted to copy them in miniature.

I used a piece of petal pink vellum 5" x 4" (12.7 cm x 10 cm) for the little lantern and stamped the images in Memento back ink all around it between two 1/2" (1.25cm) score lines.

After the ink dried I cut 1/4" (0.5 cm) slices between the top and bottom score lines to create the curved lantern effect. I then glued the lantern sides together, overlapping one of the 1/4" (0.5 cm) slices.

I used a couple strips of petal pink cardstock 1/2" x 5" (1.25 cm x 12.7 cm)  to give it stability on the top and the bottom.

I hung a petal pink Best Dressed Tassel using gold thread at the bottom of the lantern. This also created a way to hold the battery-operated tealight. I also used a 1/4" x 6" (0.5 cm x 15.24 cm) piece of petal pink cardstock to create a handle at the top. 

Using three flowers from the Seasonal Layers Dies, I die cut the petal pink cardstock and vellum to decorate the little lantern, thus hiding my joins on the top and bottom strips.

I love the way this lantern came out and it was so easy to make. If you'd like to make one yourself, have a look at my video for instructions.

If you make a lantern I'd love to see it. Please post your pictures in the comments or on my Facebook page.

#Vellum #Lantern #Tealight #PowerOfHope #KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #SaleABration

Mailbag Makes -- Craft Anywhere You Want!

I love teaching others how to make things with papercrafts. I have weekly classes in my home and participate in annual events with my upline, called Crafternoon. I have even started making videos to show people all over the world how to make things with Stampin' Up! products.

However I know that some people just can't make it to a class because the timing isn't right or they live too far away. Maybe, like me, they love to watch videos but unless they have the materials at hand they never make the projects they watch. My Pinterest is full of projects I'd love to make, but sometimes it takes too long to prepare the materials. I have the same problem when it comes to cooking -- the prep work takes too long and what I really enjoy is the eating!

So I have come up with a solution to those problems -- papercraft projects already prepared and ready to make mailed out to people which I am calling Mailbag Makes! I will do all the prep work and I will mail you all the pieces needed to make the project. You will get a link to a video of me showing you exactly how to create the featured papercraft. That way you can make the item(s) anytime and anywhere you like as you'll have everything you need ready and waiting for you, except for the stamps and ink.

Each month I will create a different project, ranging from cards to scrapbooks, home decorations, gifts, bags and boxes. The Mailbag Make will include all the cardstock, paper and embellishments you need to make the project. The price of the Mailbag Make will vary each month depending on how many supplies are need and it will not include the featured stamp set or inks, however you can purchase them for an extra fee or just use what you have at hand.

I am starting this offer with an antique-looking Memory Book. You can use this as a scrapbook by attaching your favourite photos to the pages or you could also use it as a diary because it includes 12 printed calendar months. Have a look at my preview video below to see the inside of the book and for more information on what's included.

Just contact me to order your Mailbag Make if you live in New Zealand, unfortunately I am unable to send products outside of my country. Next month I will have another project for sale as a Mailbag Make so check back then or join my email list so you can be notified as soon as the next one is available.

#KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #MailbagMake #Scrapbook #DesignerSeriesPaper #MiniBooklet #MemoryBook #CraftHappy #PhotoAlbum

A Bouquet of Paper Tulips

I've been having so much fun with the new Tulip Builder Punch which is part of the Timeless Tulips Bundle from Stampin' Up!

I started off stamping and then punching out the flowers and leaves to give dimension to my cards but then I decided to take things to a another level with three dimensional flowers.

It is so quick and easy to make adorable tulips with this punch.

You can stamp the cardstock before punching or just decorate them using other techniques such as sponging, embossing, water colouring, blending, spritzing, or colourong with pencils or pens. You can also combine several of these techniques to add even more colour and depth to your tulips.

Tulip Builder Punch

To make these 3-D tulips all you need is some cardstock and the Tulip Builder Punch. You should punch out five flower pieces from a 2" x 6" piece of cardstock. Score the centre of each flower from the tip of the middle petal and fold each one in half lengthwise. If you want to decorate the flowers, you should do this now before gluing the sections together.

To decorate the tulips you will need some additional items besides just cardstock. Depending on the technique you use you may need some ink, pencils, pens, sponges, embossing folders, or daubers.

Glue all five flower pieces together to form the tulip, making sure you place a wooden skewer in the centre for the stem. You should colour the skewer with Stampin' Blends before attaching it to the flower. Punch out two leaf pieces from Garden Green cardstock and glue them together on the wooden stem. You could attach a banner with a sentiment to the stem if you wish.

Have a look at my video below to see how to put the flowers together along with other tips for decorating the tulips. I show samples of cards I've made at the end of the video as well as how to stamp the reverse image on a leaf using the Stamparatus.

If you like these tulips check out my other videos and blog posts using this stamp set!

#KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #TimelessTulips #SaleABration #3DFlower #Stamparatus

Mini Calendar Easel Card with sticky note pad

I've finally finished my Christmas projects but I can't seem to stop crafting! So now I've turned my thoughts to the new year by making cute easel cards with mini calendars attached. The easel card design is simple and can be used for lots of different projects but here I use it to keep my sticky notes handy as well as a way for me to check the date!

For this project I used the Sailing Home cling stamps with the matching Smooth Sailing dies. I chose my colours from the Come Sail Away DSP -- Whisper White, Night of Navy and Mossy Meadow. On the first card I used an anchor from the Sail Away Trinkets, attaching it with a bit of the Night Of Navy/Sahara Sand Baker's Twine. My video shows how to use the smallest silver brad from the Metallic Brads to attach the hands to the compass.

The base of the easel is made from a 30.5 x 10.5 cm (12" x 4") piece of cardstock scored at 15.25 cm and 7.6 cm (6" and 3"). Glue a 15.25 x 10.5 cm (6" x 4") piece of coloured cardstock to the bottom half of the front of the card and a 14.25 x 9.5 cm (5-3/4" x 3-3/4") piece to the inside of the card. Glue a 14.25 x 9.5 cm (5-3/4" x 3-3/4") piece of designer series paper to the coloured front mat.

Glue the mini calendar to a piece of coloured cardstock which is slightly larger than the calendar, in my case that was a 7.6 x 5 cm (3" x 2") piece. You should be able to purchase the mini calendars online from a store in your country, however they need to be bought several months before the end of the year. Alternatively, you could print out your own and staple the months together. Glue the mini calendar to the dsp on the front of the card towards the bottom.

Stamp a piece of Whisper White cardstock with images from the Sailing Home stamp set and cut them out using the Smooth Sailing dies or the 3.8cm (1-1/2") Circle Punch depending on the images you stamp. You can also cut out images from coloured cardstock with the dies, such as the hands of the compass, the ship's wheel or the rope.

You can see exactly how to make one of these cards on my video here.

I taught this card at one of my Parent & Child classes recently, but we made it with the Good Morning Magnolia Bundle (Good Morning Magnolia Cling Stamp Set and the Magnolia Memory Dies). Some participants chose to stamp the image while others created a 3-D magnolia using the dies.

This would be a perfect gift for someone or make it for your desk so you have some note paper handy and will always know the date!

#KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #PaperCraftIdeas #EaselCard #MiniCalendar #StickyNotes

Swaps for OnStage Auckland

I love making things with paper and swapping at the Stampin' Up! OnStage event in Auckland is a good excuse for me to get creative. To that end, I made little sewing kit holders to give to my fellow demonstrators on November 16th. I saw the idea online from another demonstrator, Tracy Grant, but I changed the design to turn it into a 'matchbook' fold and sized it to get the most out of the sheets of cardstock I used.

It Starts With Art Bundle

I used the It Starts With Art stamp set with matching dies for these little swaps. This is one of my favourite sets as it has such lovely images which are relevant for most crafters, especially if you are like me and love stamping as much as you love embroidery. The images are so cute -- re-inkers, ribbon, sequins, buttons, pens, clips and thread bobbins -- and they have matching dies so it is easy to quickly put a project together. 

I chose the colours of cardstock and ink to match the four colours of Nature's Twine that I used -- Grapefruit Grove, Mint Macaron, Crumb Cake and Blackberry Bliss. I then sized the matchbooks to fit the little travel sewing kits I had purchased online. Each base piece of cardstock was 5 cm x 14 cm (2" x 5-1/2") and I scored them at 6 cm and 12.7 cm (2-3/8" and 5"). I folded the cardstock in at the score lines and then stapled the smaller bottom piece in place allowing me to tuck the longer top piece into it to make the matchbook.

I embossed a contrasting piece of 4.5 cm x 5 cm (1-3/4" x 2") cardstock with the Button Button Embossing Folder and glued it to the front of the matchbook. I cut long button and ribbon shapes using the Arts & Crafts dies to decorate the bottom front of each little matchbook to cover up the staple.

In order to stamp the thread holders, I first die cut the shapes out of Whisper White thick cardstock and placed them in a template I had made for the Stamparatus. This allowed me to quickly stamp each one accurately, since I was making 80 of them. I then put some Snail Adhesive on the back of each one to hold the ends of the twine in place as I wrapped it around the shape. I used about 46 cm (18") of twine for each thread spool and popped them up on the embossed piece of the holder using Stampin' Dimensionals. I then glued a die cut button on to the twine in a contrasting colour.

Steps to make mini sewing kit holders

I finished them by using a bit of Snail Adhesive to hold a mini sewing kit in place on the inside of each little matchbook.

Here is my YouTube video showing exactly how I made these swaps.

Watch out for my next blog post where I will showcase the talents of my fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators with pictures of the swaps I receive. I love the ideas I get from swapping at OnStage!

#KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #PaperCraftIdeas #HandmadeCard #Swaps #OnStage2019 #AucklandOnStage #SaleABration #MiniSewingKit #Matchbook 

World Card Making Day is Coming!

Saturday, October 5th is World Card Making Day and I decided to offer a Free Christmas Card Making Class here in my home. I've been advertising all over Facebook and other internet sites so I am hopeful that there will be a few people coming to make cards. Today I've been busy making lots of Christmas cards as samples for the class.

I will be using the Night Before Christmas Memories & More cards and envelopes in the class because it is very easy to put together a few elements to make a card quickly. However, since I didn't know what the final cards would look like I decided to spread all my supplies out on my dining table.

I grabbed some retired DSP, threads, stamps and embellishments to bling up the cards as well. Even though it looked like a card shop had thrown up all over my table, it was an organised mess!

My original plan was to create four sample cards for the attendees to choose from but once I started combining my supplies together I created 10 cards and I could have kept going! I even got out last year's Poppy Parade coloured cards and envelopes which worked well with some of the images in the Night Before Christmas card pack. I was trying to create simple cards in case those attending were new to papercrafts, but I couldn't help but add embellishments and die cuts.

So I ended up with 5 samples of beginner cards and 5 samples of more complicated cards. I will let those who show up have a choice of which one they would like to make or they can just create their own card from the supplies I will have on the table -- once I clean up my mess! 😅

I could spend days playing with this set by fussy cutting and punching out all sorts of shapes from the cards since the colours coordinate so well and with just a few extra elements I would have 50 Christmas cards. But I didn't want to make things too difficult since I want to get people interested in card making and not scare them away! I will do some more 'messing' about with the cards that are left over after Saturday to make more Christmas cards for my markets and future classes because for me . . . everyday is Card Making Day! 💟


#KeepCalmAndCraft #ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #StayHome #PaperCraftIdeas #ChristmasCard #MemoriesAndMore

Stampin' Spots Come To The Rescue!

I was creating some cards with my Stamparatus for a customer order and the coloured ink pads I needed to use were very 'juicy' which is a common problem with new pads and sometimes due to humidity.

I tried to make the card a few times with light pressure and scraping the ink to one side of the pad, but I still got too much ink on the photopolymer stamp and thus smeared the image. The only other solution I knew of was to scrape off the excess ink or dab the ink pad onto paper which I don't like to do as it wastes the ink.

Then I remembered I had some Stampin' Spots which are perfect for use on the Stamparatus as you don't get ink all over the plates when you ink up your stamps. Fortunately I had some un-inked Stampin' Spots so I dabbed them on top of the 'juicy' parts on my ink pads. This served two purposes -- it removed the excess ink from the pad and created an inked Stampin' Spot which was perfect for use with the Stamparatus.

In the end I was able to create several identical cards quickly and easily, plus I removed some of the excess ink from my full-size pads. This was definitely a win-win!

#ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #PaperCraftIdeas #HandmadeGifts #HandmadeCard

Quick and Easy Crafting with Kits

Sometimes I lose my crafting mojo and even though I can find lots of beautiful things to create online, when I sit down at my table I feel overwhelmed. That is when a kit comes to the rescue!

Much like going to a class, a kit provides you with everything you need to make several projects. The only thing missing is the teacher and classmates, but sometimes I just want to be alone and do my crafting in the comfort of my pajamas. I certainly can't do that at a class! 😉

When I became an independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator over 2 years ago I bought a couple kits from the current catalogue. I followed the instructions and made all the cards exactly as shown in the pictures. This quickly gave me a large quantity of cards to offer for sale at the craft markets I started attending and I didn't have to invest a lot of money in full products to make things.

Cards from 2017-18 All-Inclusive Kits

Now that I am a 'seasoned' demonstrator I still use kits for a variety of reasons. Even though Stampin' Up! offers a multitude of coordinating products and has a beautiful catalogue with hundreds of fabulous project ideas sometimes I just need something quick and easy to do. That is why the kits come in different styles, depending on what the crafter wants and needs -- all-inclusive kits, project kits and limited-time kits.

Different kits from the 2018-19 catalogues

I love kits because of the versatility of the products they have which allows me to make cards quickly or I use the items to create other projects. Using a kit is a great way to try different things without having to purchase a full set of products. With a kit you can use different embellishments, such as twine, vellum, glitter paper, foil paper, pearls, ribbons, dsp and dimensionals. Some kits also have different shapes and sizes of cards and envelopes as well as different cardstock colours. The other great thing is you get to play with cutout shapes without having a die cutting machine or a punch.

Another wonderful benefit of using kits is you get exclusive products which usually cannot be purchased separately. Each kit comes with an ink spot, cards, envelopes and embellishments created just for that kit. So purchasing several kits with different ink colours will allow you to collect a supply of ink without having to invest in the full-size ink pads. I personally prefer using ink spots with the Stamparatus as it creates less mess on the plates. The spots are also easier to travel with.

The 'All-Inclusive' kits come with everything you need to make the cards -- stamps, ink, cards, envelopes, embellishments and dimensionals. These kits are great for 'on the go' crafting as you have everything you need except for scissors, Tombow multipurpose liquid glue or Tear & Tape adhesive. The supplies usually come in a sturdy box for easy storage or you can use the box as gift packaging when you complete your kit. The kits usually come with matching envelopes so you are ready to post the cards once you are done. When you complete an 'all-inclusive' kit you then have stamps and an ink spot to use for other projects which is why these kits cost a bit more than other kits.

Made To Bloom all-inclusive card kit #148537 $57 NZD

Lots of Happy all-inclusive card kit #146388 $74 NZD

Soft Sayings all-inclusive card kit #145466 $74 NZD

The 'Project' kits do not come with stamps as the stamp set is sold separately. So you can use any stamp set you have to complete the cards in this type of kit or you can purchase the recommended stamp set to make them as shown in the instructions. The benefit of having the stamp set separate from the kit is that you can purchase more than one kit if you wish to make a lot of cards and you won't end up with duplicate stamps. Sometimes these kits include an exclusive item, such as the clear storage box in the 'Incredible Like You' project kit. You will need to use your own scissors, adhesive, inks and stamps to complete the cards in a project kit, however that is reflected in the lower price.

Incredible Like You project kit #148552 $57 NZD
Matching Incredible Like You stamp set #148708 $36 NZD

Occasionally Stampin' Up! comes out with limited-time offers and on May 15th there will be an exclusive kit offered here in New Zealand. In the USA and Canada, crafters can subscribe to a stamping kit from Paper Pumpkin which has exclusive Stampin' Up! products in it each month. However for one time only, we will be able to get a kit from Paper Pumpkin which is called the 'Hugs From Shelli' kit and it will include an exclusive stamp set not available anywhere else, one Classic Stampin’ Spot®, paper and crafting materials to create 12 cards (3 cards of 4 unique designs), 12 coordinating envelopes, adhesives and embellishments for all 12 cards in a decorated storage box.

This kit was created with the help of Shelli Gardner, co-founder of Stampin' Up! It will only cost $44 NZD and is available for a limited time, so if you'd like one of these kits please let me know asap as when they sell out they will be gone forever. The Paper Pumpkin kits are always a surprise so I can't show you what will be in it as I don't know, however I was lucky enough to get to make one of the exclusive cards when I attended OnStage last month and I even got to keep the photopolymer stamps!

Hugs from Shelli Paper Pumpkin kit #152032 $44 NZD

When I am pressed for time, I sometimes use a kit for one of my classes so I don't have to prep all the different elements for the cards. Kits are also wonderful if you need a lot of a similar cards made quickly, such as birthday or thank you cards. Sometimes just making a few cards from a kit can get my mojo going so I can then get back into my creative groove!

#ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #PaperCraftIdeas #HandmadeGifts #HandmadeCard #PapercraftKit

Stamping Outside the Paper!

I know the title of my blog is Papercraft Addiction, but sometimes I need to do crafting without paper. Crazy thought, I know! However I did used ink and stamps, so it's still a hand-craft.

I watched a video online and then attended my upline's technique class to learn how to stamp on to a ceramic mug. The main things you need to know to do this technique are that you use StazOn ink and bake the mug at 180 degrees Celsius for at least 20 minutes to make the ink stick to the mug. You can then colour the image with Stampin' Blends and re-bake it to fix the ink to the mug. However I am not sure the image would stay on if you wash the mug in a dishwasher, but I don't have one so I can't test that theory.

At the class I attended I was able to get a good image after only a couple tries and then I was asked to help other students as I seemed to have mastered the technique. I was so impressed with how easy it seemed that I went out and bought 10 mugs so I could make some to sell at my monthly craft markets.

Well, I don't know what happened from when I learned the technique to the day I tried to stamp my own mugs because it seemed so simple before, but when I was doing it at my own home I kept having problems. Fortunately I could wipe off the ink before it dried and try, try, try, try again!

I think my first problem was that I attempted to put too many images on the mug in one go. The mug kept slipping and smearing the images. I then decided to only use a couple of stamps and eventually I got an image that I was happy with. I thought I had finally figured out the correct pressure, angle, and speed, but no! I continued to wipe off more ink than I kept on the mugs.

I would say this technique is best for patient people or stubborn ones like me, as I was determined to get all 10 mugs stamped! My frustrations were increasing as I couldn't understand why it had been so easy the first time I did it only the week before.

I learned a lot from my mistakes though, like the images don't go on straight because the mug is curved. That is why most of my sentiments are at quirky angles, but I think it looks like it was meant to be that way. At least that's my story and I'm sticking with it!

Finally with multiple adjustments in stamp placement . . . trying it while standing . . . trying it while sitting . . . rolling the mug from the left . . . from the right . . . and even backwards . . . I was finally able to get all 10 mugs stamped and baked.

The next step was to colour them. Although after having so much trouble stamping the images I was afraid of messing them up, but I persevered. I used the Stampin' Blends to colour each mug. I started with the easy one -- the panda holding a balloon. Then I coloured the daffodils and discovered that even though the mugs had been 'heat set' in the oven the Blends would smear the black ink if I rubbed too hard or too long in one spot.

After a bit of a learning curve, I finally got the hang of how to colour each mug without ruining the image. I even found out that the Color Lifter works like an eraser to remove the ink, even the black ink which had already been baked on. It was really handy in fixing some of the smeared images. And if I didn't like the colour/shade I used I could go over it with a different colour and the previous ink would come off.

So here are the final, coloured mugs which I hope to sell at my markets. I am a bit worried that the images will come off when the mugs are washed so I think I will add a note to them saying they should be gently hand-washed.

Since I didn't use paper maybe I should change the name of my blog to Stamping Addiction or Try Try Again Crafting or Trying Crafter or just Stubborn Crafter Who Won't Give Up! What do you think?

#ComputerAndCraftDesigns #StampinUp #creativetherapy #PaperCraftIdeas #HandmadeGifts