Experience the joy and excitement of creating cards, boxes, books and home décor items with stamps, dies, stencils and paper! Whether you are a beginner or an experienced crafter, you will quickly learn all about papercrafting through fun classes and beautiful projects.
Hello friends. Today I am continuing my papercrafting gift series with some decorated notepads. These notepads are made from one piece each of 12" x 12" cardstock and 12" x 12" decorative paper. I selected double sided decorative papers which made it easy to coordinate the decorative papers on the inside and outside. If you search "paper covered notepads" on You Tube you will see lots of samples with instructions. However, before you start you need to decide what size notepad you are going to use inside. I used Junior Legal Pads and they fit perfectly within the piece of 12" x 12" cardstock. If you select a smaller notepad or even smaller Post-It notepads, you can make your structure with one piece of 8½” x 11” cardstock.
I cut all the cardstock structures from tan cardstock simply because it was available and a neutral color. For the outside covers I selected decorative papers that would work with the flower dies I had selected to use. You can of course decorate the cover with any dies and stamps.
My first two notepads are covered with a bright. colorful striped paper that coordinates with a cactus paper (used on the inside). I matted it with solid blue green cardstock. FYI: The front and inside covers measure 8¼” x 5¼”. You can see the pen on the left in its own slot (more about the pen later). I decorated this first notepad with a flower set from Taylored Expressions mounted on TE's stitched ovals.
Taylored Expressions dies Bloom Where You Are Planted and Stitched Ovals
My next notepad is decorated with the cutest little cactus die from Paper Smooches. I added the sun from Impression Obsession and mounted the cactus on top of a green background cut with Poppystamps stitched landscape die.
Paper Smooches die Cactus; Impression Obsession die Sun and Moon.
The inside of the notepad cover has a tear-off calendar and pocket on the left side and the Junior Legal pad on the right.
I covered the top of the notepad with decorative paper then taped it into the structure with very strong tape, either ATG tape or Scor tape -- both available at The Stamp Act.
The pen is a Pentel RSVP pen (available with the junior legal pads at Office Depot). The pen's black bottom screws off so you can curl the decorative paper around the ink refill then stuff it into the pen's barrel. This was the most challenging task!
The next few notepapds are decorated similarly using Blossom dies from Taylored Expressions and various sentiment stamps. I love the bright colors.
Penny Black clear stamp set Sentiment Collection
Missing a calendar -- ran out!
Taylored Expressions stamp set A Life She Loved
Penny Black stamp set Life's Messages
Taylored Expressions die Bloom Where You Are Planted
These notepads were a lot of fun to make and I want to make several more with themes like Cats and Dogs and more masculine papers. You can also add words like "notes, to do list, and important notes" to the covers.
If you are interested in making one or more of these notepads, call me for a class for you and a friend. I think they will make very useful gifts for anyone on your Christmas list. And don't forget to shop The Stamp Act for all your papercrafting needs and lots of inspiration!
Hello friends. I hope you are enjoying your summer. July is the unofficial kickoff of Christmas crafting and while I am not ready to make Christmas cards just yet, I am determined to get some Christmas presents started and finished before the hectic holidays are upon us. A popular gift that I make every year for an increasingly long list of friends and family are calendars. This year I am making two calendar versions and today I want to share with you the stamped version.
For the stamped calendars I used Taylored Expressions' stamp set with matching dies Flowers for a Year and the TE die set Build a Calendar 2. Here's what they look like:
Each year Taylored Expressions releases their new printed calendars in two sizes, 3" x 4" and 5" x 7". I like the smaller size because there is less to decorate -- very important when you're making multiples! The set of 12 calendars cards in 3" x 4" size is $4.49 and, as you can see, the frame die (above) just fits around the colored rectangle on the card.
The Flowers for a Year stamp set is so versatile -- it's not just for calendars -- it makes beautiful cards too. First I will show you the calendars I made (inspired by Melody Rupple's samples). Be sure to click on the photos to see more detail.
Now you're probably wondering how I display these calendars. I have used three options. First we have a Mini Easel that just fits the cards. It's inexpensive ($5.99 for a package of 2) and takes up no room.
A second popular option is the 7 Gypsies Shadowbox Frame (12 compartments) which have been discontinued but can still be found on line.My last option is new this year. It's the Tim Holtz Flip Frame ($19.99). It's a standing frame that measures 7" x 5" on a small round stand with a 5½” x 3½” center opening. The frame comes with two 1⅜” rings. I made the sleeves for the calendars using page protectors and the WR Memory Keepers Fuse Tool which heat sets a seam along the edge of the cut plastic. I punched holes at the top of each plastic sleeve, inserted the calendar then hung the 12 sleeves from the rings. The pages flip right over the top. The Flip Frame makes a very nice presentation for both men and women.Now for some card samples. This first set of cards is inspired by some that Michele Boyer made. These white on white cards each have an embossed panel matted on colored cardstock. The simple white layout draws all your attention to the pretty flowers and simple greetings (also in the same stamp set).
Here are two more cards using the same stamp set.
Sunshine – Taylored Expressions stamp set with matching dies Flowers for a Year; TE dies Picture Perfect - Sunny Days and Stitched Circle Stacklets; design inspired by Jean Manis Notables Card – Taylored Expressions stamp set with matching dies Flowers for a Year; TE dies Build A Calendar 2, Picket Fence and Grass Border; TE background stamp Notables; TE embossing folder Bead Board; design inspired by Melody Rupple.
Keep watching for more gift ideas and please let me know what you are making with your papercrafting supplies. For calendars, stamps, dies and papers, head on over to the Stamp Act! We would love to see you.
Hello Friends. Thanks for stopping by. As we near the holiday season and begin thinking about gifts for loved ones, don't forget that we have our hobby affords us the opportunity to create gifts that are unique and personalized. My niece is a brand new veterinarian and she was so dismayed and upset when her first pet patient died. I thought she would feel better if she had a lovely card to send the patient's owner so I pulled out all my pet stamps and dies and started creating cards. The primary stamp set I used is Taylored Expressions' Care & Comfort - Pets:
And here are two TE die sets I used:
For this card I embossed the background with the Puppy Paws (my name) embossing folder from Marianne.
Our Pets Teach – Taylored Expressions stamp Care and Comfort Pets; TE dies Doghouse Accessories and Frame in Frame 1; design inspired by Kim Singdahlsen
Adding a little heart to the card's corner is a loving touch.
Our Pets Love – Taylored Expressions stamp Care and Comfort Pets; TE dies Doghouse Accessories and Grass Border; Memory Box die Stitched Rectangles; design inspired by Stephanie Kraft
This card has multiple layers. The scalloped frame in the background is topped with brown and red layers and finally another kraft layer embossed with hearts. I used more embossing too on the little ball (TE embossing folder Weathered) and the doghouse (Bead Board).
Doghouse – Taylored Expressions dies Build a Doghouse and Stitched Banner Stacklets; Taylored Expressions embossing folders Bead Board and Weathered; Taylored Expressions stamp set Care and Comfort Pets; Cuttlebug embossing folder Hearts; Impression Obsession die 6-in-1 Rectangle Frame; Paper Smooches die Dog Icons; design inspired by Kendra Wietstock
For this card I used brighter colors, multiple layers and embossing in the background.
Our Pets Striped Paper – Taylored Expressions dies Stitched Bracket Stacklets and Stitched Frame Stacklets 1; Taylored Expressions stamp set Care and Comfort Pets; Lifestyle Crafts embossing folder; Memory Box die Glorious Hearts; Paper Smooches dies Dog Icons and Woofers and Tweeters; design inspired by Sankari Wegman
I love this card but it was a little difficult to create. The paws were stamped in Versamark and heat embossed in white on the red heart. Then I had to hold the heart over the front of the card face and figure out where to stamp the paws again in black, lining them up with the white paws. It's not hard, just a little tedious.
Our Pets Heart – Taylored Expressions stamp and die combo set Max; Spellbinders die Hearts; Taylored Expressions stamp set Care and Comfort Pets; design inspired by Taylor Van Bruggen
My first cat sympathy card features a Paper Smooches cat die (Cat Icons).
Pink Cat Sitting – Paper Smooches die Cat Icons; Spellbinders die Hearts; Taylored Expressions die Stitched Banner Stacklets; TE stamp set Care and Comfort Pets
I love this card. It has been my go-to sympathy card for friend's pets. Here's a tip on how to create it. I cut white cardstock to 4.25" x 5.50" and then die cut it with the paws die 4 times, essentially creating a template or stencil. Next I cut the paws from colored cardstock, keeping each paw (5 pieces) together in a little pile. Then I placed the cardstock template over the white card and glued the paws into the openings. This technique allows you to have the paws perfectly mounted on top of the card.
Colorful Paws – Paper Smooches die Cat Icons; Paper Smooches clear stamp set Paws for a Cause
A paw on a red heart says it all. The heart background paper keeps with the red, white and black color format.
Red Heart – Spellbinders die hearts; Taylored Expressions stamp set Care and Comfort Pets; Paper Smooches die Dog; Memory Box die Stitched Rectangles
Another cat card features a large walking cat with a handsome blue collar and a little bling.
Cat Walking – Taylored Expressions die Stitched Banner Stacklets; TE stamp set Care and Comfort Pets; Poppystamps die Large Cat Walking
Gray Paw – Paper Smooches die Dog; Paper Smooches clear stamp set Paws for a Cause; Memory Box die Mini Heart Collection
Watercolor Paw – Paper Smooches clear stamp set Paws for a Cause; Memory Box die Cross Stitched Rectangles; design inspired by Kecia Waters
Gray Dog Bowl – Taylored Expressions stamp Care and Comfort Pets; TE dies Doghouse Accessories, Build-A-Calendar 1 and Tag Stacklets 1; design inspired by Jami Sibley
Think about your friends and family and the type of cards they could use. I am sure they would love to have a set of special cards made just for them.
Thanks for reading my blog and please stop in soon and shop!