Crafty Equipment File Tutorial

A few days ago I mentioned I was going to put a tutorial on about how to make a file for cataloguing your rubber stamps or stencils.

This is the one I made a while back for recording my rubber stamp collection:

I showed forum members on the scrapbooking thread of mse how I made it from a giftbag. 

This is a couple of pages from the inside:

 Today I made another one of these with a slight variation, this one opens sideways.

TO MAKE AN INDEX CRAFT EQUIPMENT STORAGE ALBUM:

1. First of all you need to get yourself a giftbag that is big enough to store your paper in:

(This one was £2.49 but I saw they sold some different types in our local pound shop)

2. Cut a front page and back page (both the same size) from the front and back of the giftbag. (Add on a bit for folding over).

3. Then, using your cutout pieces as a template, cut out some cardboard the same size (minus the add on) and stick your patterned paper onto one side of  the cardboard.

This shows the paper stuck onto the cardboard.  I used my trusty ATG Glue Gun to stick the patterned paper onto the cardboard.  When you do this, make sure you only roll the gun in ONE direction, just saying thats all... (don't wreck your tape by trying to do it in the opposite direction like me!)  Alternatively, use a different type of glue.

4.  Cover both inside pages with plain coloured paper - I chose purple to match the star gifttag shown above.  I also cut two additional strips to use for decoration on the front of the file. 

5.  Place your inside pages in position and mark where you need to make your bookring holes - I used my Big Bite to make the holes.  Thread a couple of bookrings through the holes you have made.

This finished picture shows the inside pages with the stencils inside the page protectors and bookrings threaded through all the pages.

6.  Finish off by decorating the front

(I added the strips of coloured paper I'd cut and the gift tag that came with the bag)

FINISHED BOOK:

(Just needs some more labels and some corner protectors)

Hope these instructions are clear enough, and as Neil Buchanan would say, "Try it Yourself.  Your very own gift bag scrapbook."

Thanks for reading,

See you tomorrow,

qwiksave

Love in a Frame

Today's project is different from what I originally put on yesterday because I changed it this morning (Friday) .

I was quite pleased because I had got myself a lovely distressed looking frame for 50p from my usual sources - I don't know whether it was meant to look distressed or was genuinely old, but I think it was the former, because there was quite a swanky looking label on the back, y'know the type you see in 'designer' home shops.

This was the frame..

...that came with this print in it.

Yesterday I made a project with some pink flowers in it, but I really didn't like the end result so  I changed it to this:

I did my favourite technique of inking the edges and corners with Black Stazon and stamping with assorted flourish stamps:

Under there (on top of the pink background paper) I have also stuck a white doiley which I have rubbed with a black wax crayon to bring out the texture.

The heart and rubber stamped message I had done previously, using chalks.  I just ripped around the edges.

It's a lovely sentiment and the whole thing looks perfect in the distressed frame.  At a later date I may distress the frame even more.

All in all a much better result than the flowery picture I made yesterday! :-)

qwiksave x