Altered Composition Book and Clipboard

Teacher Gifts

Well, since I homeschool my kids, we don’t make Teacher gifts.  We make AWANA Leader gifts. 

These squatty pillar candles are dressed up with pushpins and sewing pins.

Mason Jar Sewing kit

Altered Clipboard and Journal

Usually I decoupage paper to the back of the clipboard. This time I stamped and used embossing powder.  I would think this is way more durable than the paper.  It would probably be even better to paint and then stamp/emboss. 

Altered Clipboard, Composition Book and Pen

Listen to the Animals Devotional Book

Based on the book by William L. Coleman
Everyday we read a devotional discussing God’s creation – animals.  Every day we studied a verse, an animal, and a character trait.

Little denim bag

The purse is made from the cuff of a VERY worn pair of jeans. 
I cheated with the pocket – fabric glue is amazing!

Denim Pocket Composition Book

Oh, so that’s where my pair of shorts went!

Scrabble Journals

It would be charming to glue some scrabble tiles to the cover. 

Book Purses

My friend Sheri has graciously put my book purses on consignment.  No takers yet. 

Brie Box & Thank you book

 

The upcycled round box used to house a round of President’s Brie. 

The round book is a little memory/thank you book for the Sally – the retiring school administrator.

Applique Tree on Pillow

Using spare fleece and lots of buttons we dressed up these store bought pillows.

Paper flowers from dead books

Thanks to the Rohwedders’ library for helping me pursue all my crafting dreams! 


For directions to make your own:
http://www.lovelycraftyhome.com/2010/12/20/paper-rosette-wreath/
http://meholder.blogspot.com/2009/03/paper-flower-tutorial.html

Shh... A secret book

Ingredients:
Book Cover (no pages)
Decorative Scrapbook paper + White Glue
Watchmaker tins (found in the bridal favor aisle at the craft store) + glue gun

Award winning Fresh Baked Pies

Kid2 made these magnets for 2009 County Fair. 
She won First Place, Judges' Favorite, and Best in Class (Youth Recycle Category). 

Nook Book Cover

IngredientsMain Book cover: 1 book cover slightly larger than Nook
Inside:  1/2 book cover slightly smaller or same size as Main Book Cover
Inside Patch:  Scrapbook paper
Elastic: Approximately 2 feet (the debate, what color elastic to use?!?)

ToolsGlue Gun
Flexible adhesive appropriate for paper (I used my ATG)
Paper trimmer
Xacto Knife
(I didn’t take in-process pictures.  I was just excited to put it together.  If I ever make another one, I’ll update this post.)

1.  Cut scrapbook paper at least 3x bigger than the book spine.  Adhere to cover up book spine “scar.”  I goofed up a couple of times during this part.  First, I cut the paper 2x bigger than book spine.  I figured that I would cover just over the minimum space of the spine scar.  Doesn’t work,  Paper pops up and doesn’t lay flat.  And I also wanted to make sure the scrapbook paper underneath the 1/2 book cover would not suffer from the “popping up” syndrome as well.  It’s just paper – use a generous size.
2.  with the 1/2 cover and the elastic figure out what will keep your Nook secure.  Take note of finished edges.  Make sure the unfinished edge is by the spine.  Trace where elastic will be on wrong side of 1/2 cover.  In order to avoid lumpiness, I used the Xacto knife to remove some of the inner book cover and created a groove the width and depth of the elastic.  Using glue gun, fill in groove with hot glue and secure elastic.
3.  If everything’s dry and you are sure of the orientation of the inner book cover/elastic piece, apply hot glue to cover and carefully adhere 1/2 book cover.  I also put some heavy books on it while it dried.  Just say no to lumps!

Battery-operated Tealight Cakes

We give these to friends celebrating birthdays.  It's a great way to use up the odds and ends of our sewing box and paper scraps.
We love those little LED tealight candles!

Matchbox Drawers

The worse part of this project is ending up with a million useless matches.  I googled "crafts with matches" and didn't find anything that I was willing to do.  I ended up leaving the matches in the "free box" at the garage sale. 

If you have a cricut, there are nice people who have made .svg files for matchboxes.  Save yourself the agony of  chucking matches.

I intend to use this one as a Jesse Tree advent countdown someday.  I just need to make ornaments small enough to fit in the little boxes.

Christmas Ornaments

Idea is from Splitcoaststampers.com

The verse is Isaiah 1:8 --
Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be made as white as snow

This one is filled with glitter.  I've made some other ones with sparkly "snow" confetti and snowflake confetti filled behind the transparency. 

Another suggestion:  glue the the ornament top to the ornament to avoid having glitter EVERYWHERE in your ornament storage box.

Altered Composition Books and a Clipboard