Friday, December 5, 2008

Stamp Simply Celebrate Day#6

Publication1

It's Day 6 of the Stamp Simply Celebration and the fun continues!  This is a long post, but bear with me and hang in there!

AJ Otto - The Willow Garden - AJ has some BLOG CANDY to share!

Sharon Johnson - No Time To Stamp? - Sharon has more BLOG CANDY!

Heather Telford - bits and pieces - Heather is sharing a Featured Project with us today — how to Dress up Your Table!  Fun!!!  And Heather is also incorporating a Challenge in with her project, making it 1-2-3 easy for us to decorate our own tables!!!  Be sure to stop in at Heather’s place today for many great samplings of table decor!  And check out Heather's sample makers:  Jennifer, Darlene, Joan and Julie for more ideas!

And today is my turn for a challenge as well!! Doesn’t every Mother need a helper, especially during the holidays?   My Featured Project is a Mother’s Holiday Helper!  Even if you're NOT a mom, you can use this easy-to-make Holiday Helper to help keep all your holiday lists & receipts handy!  Below you will find my project,with templates and instructions so you can quickly and easily create your own!  Don't be put off by the length of the tutorial---it goes fast and is easy to do!  Plus you can check out what the other sample makers, Barb, Deb, Janine, Darlene and Sharon have made! 

So grab your stamps and let's see what you come up with!  Anyone may participate in these challenges and all the fun events, blogger or not!!!  If you upload to your Blog, provide a link to your entry in this or the other challenge post.    I also encourage you to upload your projects at any online gallery.   PLEASE use the KEYWORD SSC08 (Stamp Simply Celebrates! 2008) so we can find it, and be sure to link it back to the appropriate hostess.  Have fun!!!

Mother's Little Helper Tutorial:

CTC13 Supplies:

  • Stamp sets of your choice
  • Standard Pocket Folder
  • Cardstock in your choice of color
  • Designer Paper in your choice of color
  • Sticky Strip or other strong adhesive, Tape
  • Calendar
  • Sticky Note, Pen, Clips, Ribbon
  • Any other embellishments of your choice
  • Scoring tool of your choice

Countdown to Christmas 1

Begin with your basic pocket folder. I happened to find mine in Staples and it matched my Frosty Day DP perfectly!

clip_image010

Open folder and measure down from the top 5”. You can mark it lightly with a pencil. Do this on each side.

clip_image012

Score across the folder on the 5” line. I am using my ruler and bone folder, but you can use whatever scoring tool you prefer. Again, do this on each side. You need to score firmly as the folder is thick.

clip_image014

Fold top down and score fold well.

clip_image016

Open folder out again. At top, measure 1 1/4” over from each outside edge.

clip_image018

Draw a line from the 1 1/4” mark down to the fold. Cut off each triangle-shaped piece. (You can save these and use them as a template for your DP when you cut it to cover your flap.)

clip_image020

Do the same at the center fold (spine) of the folder. Cut out this triangle too.

CTC8

This is what your folder will look like after the cuts are made.

CTC9

Now the fun begins! You can start decorating your folder however you like. Before adding DP to the outside, I attached some ribbon to the back of the folder with adhesive tape, leaving enough so that a bow could be tied on the front.

CTC10

Add some sticky strip to your DP so it sticks well. After you cover the outside, you can decorate it and the inside with stamps, stickers, ribbon, whatever!

CTC12

Here I have covered the inside pockets & flaps with DP.

CTC13

And here is my finished product! Let me show you the inside as well.

CTC14

The stamp set I used is Punch Pals from Stampin’Up!©. I decorated both flaps with the star image and colored them in with ink and an aquapainter. I printed the headings on Whisper White cardstock on my computer and cut the pieces to fit my images.

CTC15

The left side has a sticky note and pen; in this pocket I will put my Christmas lists, grocery lists, etc. I don’t like tall skinny lists as they don’t give me enough room to write, so I like wider pages and wider pockets. In addition, I’ve added a couple clips and a color-coordinated pen that one of my friends just happened to give me!

CTC16 The right side has a calendar (attached with repositionable adhesive so I can change it next year) which was downloaded from Red Castle. I’ll give the link at the end of the post*. This is where I’ll put all my receipts. Again, this can be made as simple or elaborate as you like. I am looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

CTC17

CTC19
  • Stamps: Punch Pals
  • Paper: Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Bella Rose DP, Frosty Day DP, Ski Slope DP
  • Ink: Stazon Black, Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa
  • Acc: Blender Pens, Markers, Aquapainter, Eyelets, Sticky Strip, Grosgrain Ribbon, Folder

*To download a calendar from Red Castle, go to their website: Red Castle. From there, at the top, click on the “Software” link. Scroll down until you see “FreeWare”, and then “Printing Calendars”. From here you will load software that allows you to print a wide range of calendars. I chose these options:

  • Dec 2008
  • One month per page
  • Width 4”, Height 2.75”
  • Font – Bookman Bold, 16 pt
  • Box – Heavy

You can choose whatever font & size that will make your calendar the size you want. You can also just photocopy a calendar that you have around the house!
I have found the FlyLady website a great source for streamlining Christmas shopping, baking, decorating and cleaning. If you have never heard of FlyLady, you’re in for a treat. But allow some time, as her site can be addictive! (We don’t know what that’s about, do we?) I download her lists and keep them in my planner for time management and shopping information. You can start by logging onto her website: FlyLady. Once you’re there, scroll down and look for “Cruising Through the Holidays”. Once there, click on the Holiday Control Journal. This is jam-packed full of helpful hints to get your home in ship-shape order, plus lists & charts for cooking, buying, wrapping, spending, traveling, cleaning and more. Don’t look at the size of it and freak; scroll through and I guarantee there will be SOMETHING there that will be useful to you. One of my favorite hints from her was to gather ALL the recipes I use at Christmas time, make copies of them and put them all together in one place, so when I was ready to bake, I wasn’t searching through my recipe file, old cookbooks, scraps of paper from my mother, etc., looking for the recipes I wanted. What a time-saver! Now I go to my Christmas recipe folder, and everything is right there, ready to go!  Thanks for hanging in here with me---have a great day!

21 comments:

Sharon (notimetostamp) said...

LeAnne, I LOVE your project!!! It is just darling AND useful!!! Your tutorial was VERY clear and concise and your photos were excellent!!! I am so glad I dove in and tried one, even though it came out differently, it was FUN!!!! Thank you SO much. Thanks too for the reminder of the Fly Lady. I would love to read her again -- she was FUN!!!

Darlene Gabriel said...

Thank you for this tutorial. It looks awesome. I hope to find some time to try it out.

Jennifer Aviles said...

Isn't this just fabulous? I'm always looking for organizational tools and this one is perfect! Thanks for the great tutorial!

Denise Marzec said...

Adorable project and awesome tutorial!

Lisa Kind said...

Wow! What a post...full of so MANY helpful hints and a great tutorial! TFS all of this LeAnne!

Mary Sue said...

Thank you for the detailed tutorial.Love your project.

Darlene said...

This was SO MUCH FUN and such a clever idea! Thanks so much LeAnne! And, your tutorial was perfect ... I had NO problem following it!!!

Susan said...

What a great idea - thank you for sharing. I try the flylady system from time to time, but I never can make it more than a week!

Anonymous said...

Please tell me that's not really your work area. Please? My work area consists of a tray from the kitchen, balanced on my lap while my project pieces slide off the end table and roll under the couch.

Anonymous said...

Great idea. I also thank you for the reminder about Fly Lady. I've strayed from her and she does have great tips. I'm so happy to have found your blog and can't wait to see your other projects now.

Anonymous said...

I went to KROGERS (of course) and found two yellow folders. Came home. Put my tray on my lap. My folders on the tray. The laptop beside me, and followed you step by step. NOT as good as having you with me, but the folders are SO PRETTY! Now comes the fun part, and I'm thinking of using covered SU magnets instead of the ribbon to keep the folder closed.

ChristineCreations said...

What a great fun, cute and useful project! Wonderfully done. I used to go visit flylady all the time too, but it's been a while, I might have to drop by there again!

Femin Susan said...

Hi......
Your blog is really interesting... Keep posting....Good Luck...Welcome to my blog...

Merry Christmas and happy New year.

Jetstudio Designs said...

Great project and instructions. I think I am going to give it a try!

Anonymous said...

Thanks a bajillion for the folio template! We were riddling the project made eight years ago. It wasn't smooth. You solved our dilema; thanks. Fly-lady and DIL partner for most projects; you're right; she's amazing. (DIL, too!)
Quartered velcro circles for light- weight notecard folio or here a half velcro circle paired will secure if elastic ribbon/cording is not available. It serves as a great backup to beautiful ribbon. Keep Looking Up!

Julie Koerber said...

LeAnne,
This was such a darling project! I tabbed it so that next July -- when I have extra time, I can think ahead and make one!! LOL! It is too cute and too creative!

Nancy Jensen said...

What a great idea to copy all your holiday recipes and put them in one place. I love your tutorial too. Very easy to follow. I just might have to make one... that is time allowing. lol

Anonymous said...

LeAnne, this is such a wonderful project. Thanks so much for sharing your tutorial with us.

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous project, LeAnne!! It is so fun and creative and helpful! Wonderful tutorial, too!

Anonymous said...

LeAnne, I got a photo up on my blog of the folders I made, thanks to your tutorial. Keep it up and make more tutorials!! I also put a linkback to you. LOVE YOU!!

Lorraine said...

What a great idea and a fantastic tutorial. Thanks for sharing!