Washi paperclips tutorial

It occurred to me, while sorting out my craft room (an almighty job!) that I ought to be able to do something constructive with a box of paperclips I have.  I love scrapbooking, in particular journalling.  I have a few fancy shaped paper clips holding mementos and photos all ready but wondered if I could do my own.  Here is my mini tutorial for jazzing up paper clips!

Washi Paperclips

 First take a paperclip and  a length of tape, I tore off around 8cm, the ends don't actually matter at this stage so you don't need to be too neat!  This tape is just less than 1cm wide.

Next step I threaded the tape through the loop (like above) and pushed the ends together making sure all the sticky side was covered.  I then cut the end into a chevron to make it look like a ribbon.

Here I had a go with a wider tape, it was a bit fiddly but looked great in the end!

Here are my new washi tape paperclips in one of my 'And Etc's' journal.

I think I am going to have to make a lot of these using all my different tapes!!  If you would like to see the tape I used as well as other washi tapes I stock please click on the link below!

xx

Smashing Fun! Paper cuts and books!

What a week!

Well it has been a crafty week!  I have made wooden and also recycled keyrings, taught a friend to make a box, tried paper cutting again and done lots of Smash booking!  Oh and created a teachers set of story stones.  (It has been busy, not sure where the energy came from, just hope it lasts)

I thought I would quickly show you my little paper cut.  I am so pleased with it, mainly because I didn't make any mistakes and that I didn't try to challenge myself too far which has been part of my down fall in the past I think.  Any how, what you do you reckon?  I love it in black, that may be my new thing!

I don't know if you remember my big crafty challenge last week, but I made a smashbook in the process and even gave a tutorial on how to make it.  Well I thought I should use it, so I made a start filling it with memories from our recent adventure to Scotland.  We only stayed a couple of days, but did do a lot.  I thought I would give you a sneaky peak at some of the pages I have done.  I haven't done any journalling yet but I have managed to sort out photos and memorabilia from our visits.

         

     

Hope you can see the layouts alright, I have filled the book.  The thing I particularity like about Smashbooking is that there are just no rules!  I used to love to scrapbook, but it would take hours to decide on layouts and colours and embellishments to go with them etc.

  

Smash books are just fab!  

I know I am using a brand name here and I am using my own book, does this matter?  I am not sure.  There are several different type of journalling book like these, Smash is one, La de dah another and even Stampin up have jumped on the wagon and created their own.  I love all the accessories that go with these but to be honest I love making the books and using them, They are far more personalised.  My other bug bear with the commercial book, is that often you like the page picture so much, you don't want to put anything on it.  No matter what you would call it, the thing that is clear is that it is exactly how scrapbooking used to be, before the posh papers and special albums.  Scrapbooking has evolved and is now a no holes barred, no rules way of sticking memories or interesting items collected on your journey through life into a book quickly.

If you are interested in starting having a go at journalling like this then I found loads of videos online, there are lots of images to see on Pinterest, I even have a board all about it so feel free to pop by and have a browse.

Well I think maybe I have gone on enough and am off to go and see what wonders are to be found at Handmade Harbour (my fav Sun/Mon hangout!)  Hope to see you there.

xxx

Smash book tutorial

Well after all the excitement with my last post I really didn't know what to write today.  I decided to give you more of a sneaky peak at my smash book.  The book itself is 7" x 6"  which is lovely size, usually I create books a little bigger but due to the constraints of the 8x8" paper size I had chosen I had to compromise.

Smash Book

I firstly started off by cutting all my pages to the size I wanted.  All but 2 of these sheets are double sided, this saves on paper ultimately so you don't need to double your paper in order to make them double sided.

I saved all the offcuts from my paper, I used these later on to decorate my book.

On the two pieces that were single sided I cut a semi circle in the top.  I then attached double sided tape down the two sides and along the bottom and stuck each one to another sheet of paper.  This makes a pocket and the semi circle helps you to pull out a tab or whatever you have decided to put in there.

I cut out various sized shaped from 1 sheet of cream card, these will be used to journal later on or to stick photos to.

Here are all my pages decorated!  I had put journalling squares on most of the pages and a couple of narrow strips and then jazzed them up with some beautiful flowers.

Next I created my front and back covers, These were made by cutting some thick card a little larger than my paper and then covering them with paper.  I then added a journal square and some flowers!

Lastly I put them all in the order I wanted and ran them through my 'Bind it all', You could just punch your own holes in and thread through them or put in rings.

All I need to do now is fill it with wonderful memories!

xx