Handmade gifts are really special. There’s something lovely about receiving something that someone has taken time to make just for you. It makes you feel that you are important and matter to them.
Before you start saying that you could not possibly make anything, let me reassure you making a gift doesn’t need to be hard. Nor does does it have to be time consuming or overly expensive.
Just look at these really cute handmade notebooks that some of my guests received as gifts at my 2017 annual catalogue launch. Each took about 10 minutes to make. I used products that were left over from other projects so each notebook only cost a couple of dollars to make. Although these gifts weren’t expensive, they were a huge hit!
Do you want to know how they were made? Yes! Of course you do.
Let’s get Started:
- Gather your supplies – see the list at the bottom of the post for all the stampin’ up products used excluding the scrap strips of cardstock and cardstock scraps I used on the flower. I used cheap note books from the $2 shop. You will need a ruler, scrap paper and a pen too.
- From some scrap cardstock punch 5 flowers for each notebook using the pansy punch. Spritz each flower with water and crumple into little balls and set side to dry.
- Measure your note book. Also measure the depth of spine of the notebook. (write these measurements down) Now you have to do some maths! In my case the spine of the notebook is at the top – so add the longest measurement + the spine measurement + an allowance to adhere to the back of your notebook – 5cm or 2 inches is plenty. For example, my notebook measures 8cm wide x 20cm long and has 1cm deep spine so I would add 20+1+5=26cm. So my final dimensions are 8cm x 26cm. If you want your cover to overhang the sides, you can add an extra half a centimetre to the width – I don’t think it is necessary. It’s your personal preference.
- Cut the smokey slate cardstock with your stampin’ trimmer to make the front cover for the notebook (e.g. 8.5cm x 26cm)
- Using the score blade on your trimmer score the long side at 20cm or the length of your notebook, and at 21cm (or the length of your notebook plus with depth of the spine). Crease the score lines with your bone folder.
- You can stamp on the smoky slate at this point or randomly sponge. On the reverse side to the stamping/sponging add adhesive to the 5cm flap and attach it to the back of your notebook – I used about 4 strips of tear & tape adhesive – top and bottom edge and two in the middle. You want it to be very secure.
- Cut your Designer Series Paper (DSP) to your desired size and adhere it to the front of your notebook. I cut my DSP so I had a 1.5cm border/half inch border on two sides. You can distress, tear or even sponge the edges of your DSP before you stick it down.
- Cut the ends of your cardstock strips to make a banner then “Work” your cardstock strips with your bone folder to curl them. You can even scrunch them. Add each strip to the card with “tear & tape” or fast fuse adhesive. Make sure you overlap them at one end. This is where your flower will sit.
- Add some white bakers twine. You can make it in bows or just leave it messy. Please yourself.
- Now to assemble your flowers. The scrunched pansies should now be dry. If they aren’t dry, blast them with your heat tool to dry them off. Gently flattern each flower. (Optional: sponge around the edges of each petal to add dimension). In the centre of the first punched flower add some multipurpose glue or strong adhesive (fast fuse/tear tape/hot glue), layer the next flower on top offsetting the petals. Continue until all flowers are layered. If you have brads in your stash, you may wish to pierce a hole in the centre of the layered flowers and add a brad for extra strength. If you use a strong adhesive you won’t need to do this.
- Add a faceted gem to the centre of your flower. Scrunch each layer of the flower towards the centre to create a distressed bloom.
- Adhere your flower to the front of the notebook with strong adhesive or a dimensional.
- To make your flower sparkle add some Clear Wink of Stella to the edges.
As you can see, it was easy! You probably have most of the tools in your basic tool kit. Now you know the basic process, make sure you share with me photos of your handmade notebook creations.
What you need to make these Handmade gifts:
|
|
|
| |
|
| |||
|
|
|
|
