Tag Archives: paper crafts

October 18, 2017 · 8:30 am

DIY Notepad

I’m a sucker for notebooks and notepads.  Though I haven’t kept a journal in several years, I like the IDEA of having a journal…and I certainly have enough blank ones to just get started already.

I also love making (and crossing things off of) lists.  I have grocery lists, to do lists, lists of books to read, lists of things to buy…it helps keep my brain organized and I can’t help but feel just a little accomplished when I finally get to cross something off!

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Before I started making my own notepads, I just had a purse full of receipts and post-its with various lists on them…but these cute little DIY Notepads are so easy to make that you’ll have your life organized in no time!

DIY Notepad

Materials:

  • 30 sheets of white computer paper
  • Ruler
  • Scissors (or a paper trimmer if you have one)
  • Stamps and ink pad (optional)
  • 2 sheets scrapbook paper
  • 2 binder clips
  • Paint brush
  • Mod Podge
  • Cardboard (optional)
  • Embellishments

Instructions:

Cut your computer paper (or cardstock if you want thicker sheets) into 5 in. x 7 in. rectangles.  Do the same with the scrapbook paper you want to use as the cover of your notepad.

cut-paper

Gather all the pages together and secure with binder clips on the 5 in. end.

journal-binder

If you want to decorate the pages with stamps, do that before securing with binder clips.  

Using paint brush, apply a generous coat of Mod Podge glue on the 5 in. end to hold all the pages together.  Once that coat has dried, apply one more coat.  Let dry fully.

In the meantime, cut your cardboard, if you’re using it, into a 5 in. x 7 in. rectangle.

Cut the second sheet of scrapbook paper (I just used a scrap piece, honestly…or you can use the flip side if your paper is double-sided) into a 7 in. x 3 in. rectangle.  This will be the binding cover.

journal pieces

Once your binding has dried, remove the binder clips.  Use Mod Podge to glue your paper pad onto your sheet of cardboard.  Place cover on top of pages.  Glue backside of 3 in. rectangle and carefully attach over binding.  Let dry completely.

Once that’s done, you can decorate your notepad cover to look however you’d like!

And there you have it!  A cute little notepad with removeable sheets that’s great for gift-giving and keeping your life organized!

diy-notepad

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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April 19, 2017 · 8:22 am

Wanderlust Wall Art

Do you like to hit the open road with your friends or family?  Do you have a few favorite locals that you just loved exploring?  If so, you’re gonna love this cute Wanderlust Wall Art!

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Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved road trips.  My family used to take them all the time and we rarely flew anywhere for vacation.  I mean, why fly when you can pack five people and a ton of suitcases in a Toyota Camry, blast some Tom Waits and hit the open road?

Even now, my husband and I love to travel and we’ve taken a good handful of road trips in our time together.  To help highlight a few of our favorite places, I created this cute Wanderlust Wall Art, featuring heart-shaped cut-outs of cities we’ve loved along the way.

Chicago, Madison, Marquette, Nashville, Las Vegas, Boston, Portland, Seattle, and Cleveland all made the list as some of our favorite cities, but honestly this picture could have been twice the size filled with even more places.

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Whether you’ve been born and raised in one town or you find Johnny Cash’s song “I’ve Been Everywhere, Man” perfectly sums up your life on the road, this cute wall art is a super cost-effective way to remember some of your favorite spots!  Simply buy a map of the US (or print out smaller maps of your favorite cities!) and use a heart template to cut a heart around the city.  Glue your hearts to a piece of 12 in. x 12 in. scrapbook paper and pop that baby in a frame and in no time at all, you have a fun piece of artwork that may even motivate you to hit the road…again.

 

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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March 15, 2017 · 7:14 am

Cute Birthday Hat Garland

I recently went through my craft stash and did a MASSIVE clean…I got rid of yarn I don’t use, supplies I never use, paper I’ve never used…and sitting at the bottom of one of my craft containers was a stash of scrap paper.

Saved from various paper projects, this collection of scrap paper had a whole mess of paper in it. In an effort to really make a dent in my craft stuff, I set it aside to be recycled…

But…then I got an idea!

Also in my collection of stuff to bring to work and put on the free table was a bag of small pom poms. I have no idea why I had these or where they came from, but I grabbed them and my paper stash and got to work making some little party hats.

Needless to say, this was a great way to use up my paper scraps and now I have a fun little garland to hang up during birthday celebrations!

mini-paper-hat-garland

I found a template for a mini hat at the This Heart of Mine blog (link below) that made super cute hats about 1 in. high. She also includes a pattern for human-sized hats if you want to get crafty for a party!

A fun garland to hang on the wall or use to wrap a gift, this birthday hat garland is fast, easy, and oh so adorable!

Cute Birthday Hat Garland

Materials:

  • Pattern (I used the pattern found here)
  • Scissors
  • Scrap Paper
  • Glue Stick
  • Hot Glue Gun
  • Mini Pom Poms
  • String

Instructions:

  1. Cut out your pattern and assemble your little hats. You can follow the instructions at the link above for the mini party hats.
  2. Using a glue gun, top your hats with mini pom poms.
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  3. Attach back of hats to string using glue gun.

String up and enjoy!

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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March 1, 2017 · 8:02 am

How to Make Watercolor Bookmarks

My dad used to live inside his books.  He would write notes in the margins and dog ear pages with his favorite quotes.  Pages would be wrinkled from spilled water or coffee and the spines of his books might hold crumbs or notes with quotes or drawings on them.  His books were alive with his essence and he immersed himself fully in the stories he read.

For me, my reading experiences are completely different.  I hate even cracking the spine of a new book.  When a book smells new, freshly pressed with ink and glue…it’s magical.  I almost never read or drink when I’m reading, for fear of damaging the pages and I never dog ear anything…rather just fill my book with little Post-Its or bookmarks to remind myself of favorite passages or quotes.

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As a reader, you really can’t have too many bookmarks…especially if you’re one to read more than one book at a time.  For me, anything can act as a bookmark.  Junk mail, ripped up magazines, paperclips…but why use trash to dirty your books when you can make your very own beautifully painted watercolor bookmarks?

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Painting with watercolors is so fun and easy…and it’s a great way to introduce yourself to painting if you’ve never painted before.

These lovely watercolor bookmarks are so easy peesy lemon squeezy…and you can add your favorite quotes to them and give them out as gifts or keep them for yourself!

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How to Make Watercolor Bookmarks

Materials:

  • Watercolor Paper
  • Watercolor Paint
  • Brushes (any variety will do, up to you!)
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Mod Podge or Glue
  • Spray Adhesive
  • Letter Stickers

Directions:
If you want to add a quote to your bookmark, you can either do it before or after you paint.  You can print it on your watercolor paper before painting anything or, if you have a snazzy printer, you can paint your bookmark and print your quote on later.  For me, I have a crappy printer…so I’m going to paint my bookmarks first, then add lettering with stickers.

  1. Using a ruler and a pencil, lightly trace the outline of your bookmark, making it as tall and as wide as you’d like it to be.
  2. Have fun painting!  Combine like colors for an ombre effect or mix and match to create amazing and unique designs.  If you’re struggling for inspiration, YouTube and Pinterest are great places to start!
  3. Once you’re done and your paper has dried, cut out your bookmarks.  I let mine sit under a heavy book for a few hours just to help it dry flat.
  4. For a sturdier bookmark, I glued mine to cardstock, then cut those out as well.  Place them under a heavy book to dry flat.
  5. If desired, you can punch a hole at the top and add a tassel for that traditional bookmark look.
  6. For my quote, I placed my stickers carefully with tweezers, then covered the whole bookmark with a very light coat of spray adhesive.  You can also use Mod Podge, but I like how spray adhesive doesn’t weigh the paper down or cause bubbles.

And there ya go!  A whole assortment of colorful and unique bookmarks that are just begging to be used!

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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January 25, 2017 · 9:33 am

Sweet Notebook Paper Goodie Bags

My dad was a sucker for Valentine’s Day. He always showered my mom with cards and gifts and would get us kids little Valentine’s for our lunches.

I loved getting little Valentine’s from my dad, and with the holiday of love on the horizon, these Sweet Notebook Paper Goodie Bags make wonderful Valentine’s Day treat holders!

notebook-paper-bags

Great for filling with candy, cookies, or just a sweet love letter, these adorable paper bags are super easy to make and only require a handful of supplies.

One sheet of notebook paper will make two bags, so don’t be surprised if you create a whole bunch of bags in less than a few hours!

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Also fun for birthday party favors or just for wrapping a simple gift for someone, these cute paper goodie bags are just as fun for kids as they are for adults!

Sweet Notebook Paper Goodie Bags

Materials:

  • Notebook paper (1 sheet will make 2 goodie bags)
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Stickers

paper-bag-stepouts

Directions:

  1. Cut your notebook paper in half hamburger style.  Fold short side of the notebook paper up to the red margin line.
  2. Bring other side of paper up to folded line, tucking it underneath the flap.  Fold.
  3. Place glue on underside of flap.
  4. Seal down to close.
  5. Fold bottom of bag up to middle of bag, creating a fold about 1.5 in. to 2 in. high.
  6. Open bottom fold and fold in both corners, forming two triangles.
  7. Add glue to long ends of triangles and bottom of bag, as shown in photo above.
  8. Fold top flap down to center line.
  9. Press to secure.
  10. Fold bottom flap up to close bag.
  11. Press to secure.
  12. If desired, cut pattern on top of bag.

Fill bag with whatever you’d like!  Fold to close and secure with a sticker or tape.

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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December 21, 2016 · 9:49 am

How to Make an Origami Paper Star

Whether you need a last-minute Christmas decoration, a garland for New Year’s Eve, or you’re just looking for a cute way to decorate your bedroom or nursery, these adorable paper stars are a wonderful way to add style to your home.

You could gather them in a bowl, string them on a garland, hang them from a mobile, or just turn them into cute ornaments!  The possibilities are endless and you’ll love how super easy these little stars are to make.

origami-paper-star

Though I made white stars here, you could easily use colored paper to create a whole rainbow of designs.  And the width of your paper will also vary the size of your star…so if you want bigger stars, make your paper strips wider.  For smaller stars, make your strips thinner (you may also have to make them a bit shorter, too so they’re not too thick when you try to form the points).

One of these stars took about a minute to make, if that.  So as you learn the motion, you can power through a whole galaxy in no time!

 

How to Make Origami Paper Stars

Materials:

  • Piece of 8 1/2 x 11 paper
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Tape

 

Instructions:

  1. Cut out two strips of paper, each measuring about 1 in. wide.  Tape them together for a strip measuring 1 in. wide and 22 in. long.
    paper-stars1
  2. On one end of the strip, make a ribbon, with the short end behind the long end.
    paper-stars2
  3. Insert the small tab through the hole and pull gently to form a knot.
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    paper-stars4
    Oops, my paper ripped!  No worries, you won’t see it!
  4. Fold down the short end behind the piece.
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  5. Then start folding the long strip up and around the piece, following the angles.
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  6. Keep folding until you get to the end.
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  7. Once you’re at the end, you’ll stick the end piece underneath these two folds.
    paper-stars8
  8. So you’ll have something like this.
    paper-stars9
  9. Then just push the side of the hexagon with your finger nail.
    paper-stars10
  10. Repeat on all sides for a star.
    paper-stars11

 

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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January 9, 2013 · 9:52 am

How to Turn Christmas Cards into Bookmarks

I don’t know about you, but I really don’t like throwing away cards that people send me.  A few years ago I did a purge of all the cards I had saved over the years and I gave each one a kiss before placing it in the recycling bin.

In some cases, I was able to reuse the card by cutting it up and using pieces for scrapbook embellishments or even to make new cards.  For the cards that I got for the holidays, I decided to create simple bookmarks (or gift tags) to be used in the years to come.  This is an easy way to reuse cards for all occasions and a collection of these cute bookmarks would make a great stocking stuffer come next Christmas.

Recycle Cards1

You could even use up leftover Christmas bows and ribbons to embellish your bookmarks.  Remember that these will be holding a place in a book, so don’t add too many embellishments because it can warp the book pages.  I left my bookmarks as is, but if you’re using an old card as a gift tag, feel free to add stickers, sentiments, ribbons…whatever your little heart desires!

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Recycled Christmas Cards Bookmarks and Tags

Materials:

  • Cards
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Ribbons
  • Embellishments (optional)

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Instructions:

  1. Lay your cards out and use a ruler and a pencil to create lines where you want to cut your bookmark out.  Cut along the lines.  If a card is a bit flimsy, you can glue a piece of cardboard to the back or use the backing from the back of the card to thicken your bookmark.
  2. Embellish your bookmarks with ribbons, stickers, glitter, etc.  Remember you want your bookmarks to be flat so they don’t warp pages of a book.

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Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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December 5, 2012 · 8:32 am

How to Upgrade Your Bathroom Cabinet in Two Seconds

The thing that sucks about renting or not owning your living space is that you have to think of creative ways to upgrade, update, decorate and polish up your home. For apartment dwellers like myself, decorating and upgrading my kitchen and bathroom prove difficult when I really can’t do much of anything without the landlord’s permission.

But there are ways around it. Can’t paint a wall? Try this no paint wall color technique to add a pop of color that’s easy to take down when it’s time to move.

Can’t hang pictures on the wall? Shop around for some cool wall stickers. They are easy to apply and come off with no problem whatsoever. These are great for areas with lots of empty wall space and can also be used to help you divide up one large room into two smaller ones.

That’s all well and good, but what do you do about a nasty bathroom medicine cabinet? I mean those cabinets that they’d have in dorm rooms and old apartments that were built in 1969. Those take a little more creativity to upgrade…but you can do it for less than $5.00!

Here’s a pic of what our bathroom medicine cabinet looked like when we moved in. This is after 3 cleanings with bleach, mind you. That stuff just wasn’t coming off. I hated looking at it every time I had to open the cabinet, so if it wasn’t going to come off, I was just going to have to cover it up.

I took 2 sheets of scrapbook paper and simply taped it to the back of the cabinet…that way it’s easy to come off and I don’t have to look at that nasty background every time I open the cabinet.

This easy technique can also work for covering messy drawers, the backs of bookshelves, and even hiding ugly markings on the wall.

Knowledge is power!  Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.

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February 1, 2012 · 1:02 pm

3D Valentine’s Day Card

Who would have thought that you could turn a toilet paper roll into a cute little Valentine card?  With this easy paper craft you can make cute little 3-D hearts to attach to cards, packages, and lots more!

3-D Valentine Cards:

Materials:

  • 1 toilet paper roll
  • White, Pink, and Red fabric paint
  • Paint brush
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun
  • Variety of paper
  • Knitting needle
  • 2 coffee cups
  • Tape
  • Newspaper

Instructions:

1.  First cut your toilet paper roll into 1/4 inch circles.  It helps if you flatten it first.

2.  Next you’re going to want to rig up a drying machine.  I put some newspaper down and turned some coffee cups over.  I taped a knitting needle to one side and slid my hoops on to the needle from the other side.

3.  Once your rig is built, paint your cardboard hoops white.  This will make your color pop when you paint them.  One coat should do it.  Make sure to get the sides and inside of each hoop.  Place each hoop one by one on the knitting needle and let dry completely.

4.  When your white coat is dry, paint your hoops whatever color you’d like!  I did three baby pink, three hot pink, and three red…one coat of each.  Put them back on your “rig” and let them dry again!

5.  Once your hoops are dry, shape them into hearts by folding one crease tighter and pushing the other crease into the middle.  Add some hot glue to one side of the heart and press onto the paper.  Cut around the hearts and arrange to your hearts desire!  The leaves were made the same way, I just didn’t turn them into hearts!

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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January 25, 2012 · 1:14 pm

DIY Journal or Notepad

I love lists.  And I know I’m not the only one out there who finds it cathartic to write down things I’ve already done just so I can cross them off.  How awesome does that feel?

I’ve also got to be one of the only 20-somethings left on planet Earth that doesn’t have a smart phone.  I can call, text, and take a picture…and that’s about it.  So when I think of a great idea or remember that I need to buy toilet paper or eggs, I actually have to write it down in my to-do list.  No apps, no fancy phone gizmos or bells and whistles, just the trusty ol’ pen and paper.

Therefore, I carry my to-do list with me almost everywhere.  It fits snug in my purse so it’s not cumbersome to carry and I even pimped it up a bit, so it’s not boring and official looking when I whip it out to empress everyone (or prove that I’m still living in the 18th century).

This is a super fun and easy craft to do if you’re looking to reface an old journal or notebook.  This is also a great handmade gift for someone who’s going off to college, a little frazzled when it comes to remembering things, or someone who just adores the simplicity of pen and ink.

Cute Journal or To-Do List:

Materials:

  • 1 journal or small note pad
  • Scrap paper
  • Various ribbons
  • Hot glue gun
  • 2 buttons
  • Needle and thread
  • 3-Hole Punch

Instructions:

1.  Remove all the paper from your notepad.  Also remove the front and back covers.  Discard the spiral.  Set aside the paper for now and decorate the front cover however you see fit.  I used some scrap paper and ribbons on mine.  Use a glue gun to adhere your embellishments to the cover.

2.  Use the three hole punch to create two hole punches in the cover, back cover, and paper.  If the holes don’t line up exactly, it’s not the end of the world.  It gives your to-do list a nice homemade look!

3.  Once you’ve made your holes, string some thread or yarn through all the holes.  Tie as tightly or as loosely as you see fit.  I tied mine tight enough to hold the paper, but not too tight that I can’t untie it and add more paper if I need to.

4.  String some thread through one of your buttons so the loop is in the back of the button…meaning put one end of your string through one hole on the button.  You are going to want to make a little loop to hold your note pad closed, so you’ll be tying the excess string in the front to make a loop:

5.  Use your needle and thread to sew a button to the back cardboard so the loop you just created has something to attach to.

6.  And there you have it!  An easy to-do list or journal for your needs or the needs of someone else.  Like I said, you can decorate the front and back however you’d like!  And feel free to post your creations and ideas on our Facebook page!

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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