Etsy listing available in my shop

09/04/201509/04/20152 Comments

Check out this new item in my Etsy shop!

Handmade Puff Ball bookmarks just in time for school!

Accessorize your office and school supplies.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/246749547/set-of-8-handmade-puffball-bookmarks

Cereal Box Crafts #4 – Personal Stationary Journal/Diary

09/03/201509/02/20152 Comments

Hi Everyone!

Can you believe it is already September!? I know I can’t! I recently started a new job and time has been flying by.

This is #4 of Cereal Box type crafts..if you missed the first three you can find them here:

Cereal Box Makeover #3 – Cereal Box into Notebook in 30 minutes or less: https://goo.gl/YmTLlt

Cereal Box Makeover #2 Cereal box to bookmarks and dividers, you can find it here: https://goo.gl/brvJgG

If you missed Project #1 Cereal box to postcard you can find it here: https://goo.gl/F2CuK4

My next project well…It is much like the notebook, but a tad different. I don’t know about you, but I have been hoarding stationary since I was little. I love it, but I never use it. I always feel like I like the pages are too nice to use. So I just stash it. I use some of the sheets, but I always keep some. I realized this is an issue when I found stationary from the early 90’s when I was like 10. My name is Brandie and I am addicted to stationery!

Since I love it so much I thought I would collect it all up and make it into a weird journal. That way I can keep my pages all nice in a book, keep adding pages if I need to and still use them for personal writing. The unique and fun pages I have collected over the years will make me want to write. The random makes my head happy. 😀

So without further ado…

The cereal box personal stationary journal. Woof, that is a mouthful.

First Things First, You will need:

A few cereal boxes or food boxes
Scissors
Ruler
2 or 3 Small Ball Chain with Connectors
Stationary Pages
Envelopes
Marker (optional)
Mod Podge
Fabric
Hole Punch

Instructions:

Gather your supplies

2) Find A box that will fit your stationary, use the ruler and cut the box down to size if needed.

3) Next, Figure out where you want your holes. Then punch the holes on all your stationary, the front and back cover and any additional pages you may have.

4.) Link everything through with the small ball chain and connectors. Make sure you put everything in order. Front, stationary, back. Plus any extra dividers. You can add and move things around later if you don’t like the order. You only need about 2 inches of chain, if that, plus a connector for each hole.

And PA-Zow! Journal…

Close up of Chain and connector.

Now you can stop there…But I didn’t.

Although… I did do this kind of the lazy way.

What I should have done is:

Mod Podge down a background page to the inside of the cereal box, and the front divider…then laid down the envelopes to make pockets, but I didn’t.

Instead, in my haste, I just Mod Podged the envelopes to the inside of the front cover, and the front of the first page, which is also cereal box divider.

Then for a cool effect and to make the pocket a little bigger, I flipped another envelope upside down and glued that one down on top. I really like the way this part looks.

Let everything dry.

cool pockets

Also added a back page pocket.

Then, I decided I did not like the way the cardboard looked behind the envelopes, so I hit it with a black marker.

The quicker fixer upper 😀

Oh and added some stickers.

So then I removed the front and back cover, and Mod Podged Fabric to them.

Then Let dry.

Sorry there are no pictures, but you get the picture.

Once completely dry, secure everything with the ball chain and connectors again.

And there you go a handmade personal journal, made with your own collection of paper.

Now if you’re not like me, but still love this idea, Michaels Crafts scrapbook paper is great for this. You could also use old maps, old notebook paper, pretty much any paper. I am all for recycling old paper.

This is a fun way to make custom journals or gifts. I hope you enjoyed it.

This is the last of the Cereal Box Crafts, Next week we move on to something new.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Cereal Box Makeover #3 – Cereal Box into Notebook in 30 minutes or less

08/13/201508/13/2015Leave a comment

Hi Everybody!
I hope you are having a great week so far!
So we are on week #3 of Cereal Box Crafts.

If you missed Project #1 Cereal box to postcard you can find it here: https://goo.gl/F2CuK4

If you missed Project #2 Cereal box to bookmarks and dividers, you can find it here: https://goo.gl/brvJgG

This project was really fun and only took 30 minutes to complete. This would be great for kids or anyone who likes to DIY their supplies.

This is a great back to school craft!

I had a bunch of loose graph paper just sitting in a drawer….for like years! So I decided to use it in this project in the hope that I would use it. And you know what…I think I will. I really like this project a whole bunch. It is also a great excuse to gather all those loose pages and turn them into something useful.

So here we go!

Cereal Box into Notebook

Gathering your supplies:

Corner Punch
Duct Tape or Washi Tape
Scissors
Hole Punch
Cereal Box
String
Loose Paper

Make sure you find a box that will be large enough for the paper you choose to use.

Steps:
1. With box still intact, undo the flaps from the top and bottom of the box, so that you can lay it flat.

Take the left side of the long side of the cereal box and fold it down the center, Bringing the side of the front and back of the box together.

2. Keep the side of the box with the folded edge together, then cut off the top and bottom flaps and the remaining unfolded side. Discard extra pieces.

Now if you open up the main piece you have a front, back and the folded side.

3. Keep the folded side folded and cut off about ½ inch or so from the bend. You are going to sandwich the paper between the two left over pieces, so make sure piece you are leaving attached is large enough for the hole punch.

At this point you should have the front and back of the box with a tiny folded edge along the inside of both.

4. Line your paper between the two folded edges and mark where the holes of the paper are. If you are using paper with no holes. You will want to hole punch your paper first, then line up the paper with your cereal box.

5. Once your holes are marked, make your punches. They need to be on both the front and back cover little flaps.

6. Now grab some string or twine or even ribbon, and we are going to string everything together. I started with the back flap first. I strung one end of the twine in the top hole and one in the very bottom.

Add the string through the corresponding hole in the paper, then go out through the flaps of the top.

7. You should have two strings coming out from back, take both those strings, put them together and string them through the middle hole together. Once the strings are on the back side, pull tight.

8. Repeat one more time. Take the strings that are now in the middle hole, separate and string one through the top and one through the bottom holes back through to the front. Then once in the front, gather both and string them back through the center hole.

9. Now all strings should be in the back. Pull Tight.
Knot both sides of the string to the existing string.

10. Then I knotted them together and cut off the excess.

Opened up.

10. Now when you close it, It has a raw edge with the side of the pages sort of sticking out. To make it look more neat, I used duct tape and covered the side. You can also used washi tape, I just happened to have duct tape on hand.

11. For the final touch, I used a corner rounder to round the corners of the cereal box. Completely optional.

And you’re done! Woo hoo Cereal Box notebook. Bonus, it has a game on the back!

You can always take this a step further and use Mod Podge to cover it with paper or fabric. Or use gesso to make a white background and you can decorate it all yourself.

I personally like the box showing. It would be super cute with different boxes.

I hope you all like this one! Let me know how yours come out or what you think.

Have a wonderful weekend, Happy Crafting!

Cereal Box Crafts! #2 Bookmarks and Organizer Dividers!

08/08/201508/07/20152 Comments

There is nothing more tragic than the tons of trash we go through as a human race. So it is nice to find things to repurpose and upcycle. Finding things to do with things has become an obsession.

If you missed last weeks post on turning cereal boxes into postcards you can find it here: https://goo.gl/LTxRR5

This week, while doing some research on my things to do with cereal box posts, I decided to show you just a couple super simple and quick things you can do with cereal boxes or food boxes that you can use in your office or school supplies.

In school or work or well just life you can never have too many bookmarks or dividers!

I have no idea what it is like to be a kid these days, but in my day…in school, I was always jealous of the kids that had rad supplies that were totally original. Sure it is nice to get new stuff but there is nothing like something you made yourself, that no one else has. Even if it is as simple as a bookmark.

This one is so easy, cut out the picture side of boxes to your favorite foods, punch a hole at the top and add some string! And there you go. I used a fancy scissor and cut the top and bottom, just to add a little something extra…and there you go. A delicious distraction.

Here is another way to fancy up a food box bookmark.

Yum! Scalloped Potatoes box! The side of the box was the perfect size for a bookmark, So I grabbed some fabric washi tape that is a bit wider than normal and cut out side of the box.

I measured the size of the bookmark and cut out the same amount of washi tape. I covered both sides, so cut two equal pieces of washi tape.

Then carefully apply the washi tape to the cut out box piece.

Once that is complete, Grab a hole punch and some ribbon or string.

Punch a hole in the top middle and loop through your string.

There you go a pretty little bookmark. What a great gift!

Ok lets move on to the super quick organizer divider!

I use a small divider to keep all my ideas and such. Because I am an over organizer and use a ton of divider tabs, unfortunately you only get so many with the pack, and sometimes if you have an organizer like mine, it is hard to find the right size divider.

So I make my own!

You need one of your current divider pages, a box that is big enough to fit the divider page, scissors, and a hole punch.

Use a marker to trace the outline of your current divider page to your cut out box.

Then carefully cut out.

Cover your made page with the original page to mark where the holes go. Mark with a pen, then punch out your holes and add to your organizer.

If you want to get fancy you can use Mod Podge (or glue) and paper to cover the new divider page.

I used scrapbook paper here:
*Cover your newly cut out divider page with a light layer of glue. Then press down on your paper.Let Dry.
*Once dry, cut out the divider page and punch your holes.

These are just a few super simple things you can do with food boxes. You never know what supplies you need in a pinch, or when you need a quick distraction project for a kid..or for yourself 😀

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Cereal Box Crafts #1 – Cereal Box to Postcards

07/30/201507/30/2015Leave a comment

Hi Everybody!

I hope this post finds you doing spectacular! My next series of posts are going to be Cereal Box Crafts. They are so great to work with, every house has them and by converting one piece of trash into treasure you are helping this beautiful planet. Besides, art supplies can get pricey, so it is always exciting to find everyday items to reuse.

Last September I did a post on using old paperboard as a mixed media canvas. You can absolutely do this with a cereal box or the technical name “chipboard” boxes that food comes in. Here is a link if you would like to give it a go: Mixed Media Art on PaperBoard.

Today I am going to show you a fun way to customize post cards with a Cereal Box.

Supplies Needed:

Cereal Box
Scissors
Mod Podge
Gesso
Ruler
Markers
Pencil
Stickles Glitter Glue
Glitter
Blank White paper.

Instructions:

1. Grab your box, scissors and a ruler or an old postcard, and trace the postcard wherever you like on the box. If you do not have a postcard to trace use these dimensions: At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long.

If you do not have a postcard to trace you can use the dimensions. At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long.

2. Trace and Cut.

Trace and cut

3. I chose to use the word Honey in my postcard. So I outlined the word with thick black sharpie. It gives me an extra thick boarder to work with. This step is optional.

4. Next, Use Acrylic Gesso in white and some fine detailed brushes to paint everywhere but the word Honey.

5. Once the Gesso is completely dry (it may take a few coats), use a pencil to write in your words. I chose: “Honey I sure do miss you”.

6 Once your completely satisfied with your words, Grab your sharpie and trace. (Just fyi, you can erase on gesso, just be careful and go with the strokes.)

7.) Now Grab your Watercolors and paint all around your words. This takes some fine brushes.

Don’t worry, It does not have to be perfect.

8. Once that is completely dry, Grab your stickles glitter tubes and fill in the words. I outlined my words in a black glitter stickles (not shown), then filled with Gold. The word honey was outlined in gold and filled with a brown. Then added some dots around the sides.

Let Dry

9. While that is drying, Grab your white piece of paper. Trace another post card size rectangle. I then used scalloped edge scissors and chose to make the white paper a tad smaller than the postcard to create a border effect.

10. I added a Post Card Stamp, but you can hand write this or use other stamps.

11. Use Mod Podge to attach once the front is completely dry.

Finished:

Once it is all completely dry, its a good idea to put a spray sealer on the front side. It will protect the water color and all your hard work!

Also its a good idea, once all dry to stick it in a big book over night so it stays completely flat. Sometimes with all the moisture the paper will want to curl. If you have a tacky surface put the post card in wax paper or freezer paper before you put in the book so they don’t stick.

Here is another idea with Glitter. I did not write a tutorial on this one, but if you want one let me know.

Glitter Post Card!

Can you imagine getting that in the mail!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

I would love to hear what you think or even better, see your projects!

Feel free to link up to your related blogs in my comments! I love to spread the word on artists!

Have a fantastic week!!

Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #4 Fabric!

07/23/201507/22/2015Leave a comment

Hello Everybody!

I am finally at my last Composition Notebook Cover post….for now.

If you missed any of the last 3 post on how to redo your notebook covers you can find there here:

Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #1 Paper Decoupage https://goo.gl/qSGXIh
Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #2 Gesso & Paint https://goo.gl/nzdMIP
Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #3 Yarn! https://goo.gl/Dbg4OJ

This week is the final post on Composition Notebook Redo’s. I thought it would be fun to finish up with some fabric. What is better to use than scraps! I am always looking for an excuse to use up scraps. I have this weird condition where I refuse to throw anything out, because I am absolutely sure I am going to need it one day. It’s not fatal but there is no cure and I do believe it was passed down genetically from my mother. ;D

So here we go!

Things you need:

Fabric Scraps
Mod-Podge or Elmer’s glue
Scissors
Optional: Stickles Glitter Glue or Puff Paint
Composition Notebook

Steps:

Gather Supplies
Pick your favorite fabric scraps
Cut fabric into squares of various sizes. I was not careful in any way. You can cut perfect squares, I just chose to do the cover with a bit more random bits.
Use a brush and add a layer of Mod-Podge or Elmer’s glue to a small area of your notebook. Then line up the squares and start to add fabric to the Mod Podged area. I started from the inside moving out so. That way if your scraps do not line up perfectly you can just trim the excess off.
Keep adding squares…
Add Some More… Make sure all pieces are completely glued down, cover with mod podge again if you want to be extra sure.
Keep on going.. add some more…
Until…It is finally all covered
Let dry completely.
Once it is dry, I added a border line around all the small pieces with stickles glitter glue. I even highlighted the random scraps to fill in the weird gaps.
let dry.

Ta-Da!! and Woo-Hoo!! DIY Quilt style composition notebook cover out of fabric.

Finished!

Can you imagine the possibilities! All those scraps so little time!

What do you think? I would love to know.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Composition Notebook RE-DO #3! YARN!

07/16/201507/16/20152 Comments

Hello Everybody!

Sorry this post is a little late. I hope everyone is having a great week!

Are you crafting? I would love to hear about your projects.

So over the last couple weeks I have been posting on different ways to update and redo your everyday composition notebook covers.

To recap, You can find week one, Composition Notebook Re-do #1 Paper Decoupage, Here: https://goo.gl/qSGXIh and

Week two, Composition Notebook Re-do #2 Hand drawn cover, here: https://goo.gl/nzdMIP

This week was a total experiment, and I will not lie, I almost gave up thinking it was going to be a craft fail, but I kept going and actually love it.

This week’s Composition Notebook Cover redo is with Yarn!

Now the yarn I had laying around I found in a clearance bin. Its called Red Heart Boutique Sashay in twist and platinum sparkle, you can still find it online if you like the look of this particular project. The description in Mary Maxim describes this yarn as “A unique kind of yarn with a touch of metallic that creates beautiful ruffle scarves and accessories with just one ball.” Its almost netted and has a neat effect.

Red Heart Boutique Sashay

Its not regular yarn but you can absolutely use regular yarn, it is just going to require a bit more patience and glue sticks.

Materials Needed:

yarn, scissors, glue gun & sticks, notebook

Yarn (Any will do but I used: Red Heart Boutique Sashay in platinum sparkle and in twist Link to Yarn)
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
Glue Sticks (at least 15)
Composition Notebook

This project is super duper simple. It requires more patience than anything, and you are working with a hot glue gun so if you’re doing this project with children keep an eye out.

I chose to line up my yarn vertically. You can do whatever your heart desires. If you are using regular yarn you can make pictures and patterns.

So you just heat up your glue gun and start laying down strips of glue. I would work in small patches at a time.

Lay out about a two inch or so line and then carefully lay the yarn on top. Try not to push right away, you will just burn your fingers, so wait a few seconds then you can lightly press.

I chose to lightly overlap the layers. I also kept the yarn bunched up not pulled out.

Keep on going… I know it looks weird.

I did four lines of the twist color then one line of the platinum sparkle.

Don’t give up yet…once you are finished with one side make sure the edges are secure and cut off the excess. If you glue around the notebook edge right against the edge then cut you will get a cute frayed look.

cut off the excess

Now for the front!

But first…get up and stretch, go get coffee or do a few neck rolls, work out that neck so you don’t get a stiff neck staring at this project 😀

So back to the notebook 😀

Keep on gluin’…

OK, so here is where I get honest. I ran out of glue sticks right at the point pictured above, D’OH!!!!!

If this happens to you, never fear, you can use Mod Podge like I did or Elmer’s glue or anything that will dry clear. I added a pretty thick amount to the remaining piece of the notebook then laid out the rest of the yarn.

Once everything is down…resist the urge to touch it. Just walk away for a few hours, once it has had time to sort of set then you can come back and lightly press everything down. Then walk away again until it dries completely. (You can do the whole cover this way, but it will take a steady hand and more patience than I have). Hot glue is quicker and much easier.

and TA-DA!

Now you have this soft, fun, hippie, boho, right out of the 60’s awesome notebook. And when all those people ask you where you got such an awesome notebook, you can say “I made it!”