Browsing Tag

Decor

Delicious Paper Strawberries! (Echo Park)

Hi Everyone I have this post up on the Echo Park Blog today. These paper fruits are perfect for hiding sweeties inside, or you could make a bowlful for some colorful Spring decoration. They are simple to make and I have made them using both a paper template and an electronic die-cutting machine – the only difference is that with the machine they are quicker to cut out! There are a few patterns available online – try this one here which you can print onto plain cardstock for a template or if you have an electronic die-cutter – you can purchase the cutting file here. With either method it is easy to shrink or enlarge to create the size strawberries you want. I tucked some treats inside before using strong paper threaded through all the holes in the petals to close. Don’t worry about how it looks as you are going to be covering the top with the leaves of the strawberry. These fabulous papers from the This and That Graceful Collection were perfect for this project and I used the Kiwi green paper (kind of appropriate for me living in New Zealand!) from the Dots and Stripes Soda Fountain […]

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Halloween “Spooky Tree” – Echo Park

Hi Everyone A few more Halloween ideas using the fabulous Apothecary Emporium Collection from Echo Park today. I bought this Kaisercraft Modern Tree and set it aside for Christmas but I could not pass up the opportunity to make it into a “spooky tree” as my kids have called it! I painted the whole piece with 2 coats of black acrylic paint and then laid the Black Magic (reverse) pattered paper over the tree in sections and glued it on. Using a very sharp knife I then cut around the branches and sanded the edges of the paper with a fine grit sandpaper. Would you believe I covered the whole tree in one piece of paper! Now comes the fun part – decorating! This little banner was made using a pennant die – but you could easily just cut triangles of paper. The easiest way to do this is to make a little template from cardboard (two pieces of cereal box glued together is about the right weight) and then just cut around the template on your paper with a knife. This way is a lot quicker than tracing and cutting individual shapes, and works very well for simple shapes […]

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Halloween Party Ideas

Hi Everyone – I am sharing a couple of super simple ideas for Halloween drinks party decoration. These ideas are adaptable to ANY holiday – and all your need is some patterned paper! Custom Platters Remember the coasters I made using the Echo Park “For the Record” Collection? I found heaps of different color and sized tiles in the hardware store – I think the most expensive was $1.79. These make great platters – you could probably make half a dozen for less than $10! Not sure if they would be food safe – but they are great as display tiles and for wrapped items! Glass Toppers Hand cut, punch or die-cut a shape and then, using a small circular object as a template – cut a semi-circle shape with a knife. Decorate and stick atop your festive glass! Straw Toppers Hand cut, punch or die-cut some symmetrical shapes (they must be symmetrical). Fold in half and glue back to back in a circle as shown. I have used six per topper but you might need to experiment to see how many works best with your shape. I have a few more Halloween projects to share over the next week […]

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Deployment / Patriotic Mini Album

Hi Everyone I made these recently for the lady who won my giveaway on the Whipperberry blog. She actually won a custom made cardset and when she said her son was joining the marines later in the year, I offered to make her a frame and album in a patriotic theme. Fold Out Photo Albums I had seen this “Liberty” Bo Bunny Collection online and knew it would be perfect for this project. I could only get a few of the bits and pieces but I am really pleased with how these turned out.. I made a little fold out album and left the pages blank as Jodi wanted to add pictures when she received it. I thought it be fun to package the albums in these tins as it would protect them and any other little bits and pieces if they wanted to take them on their travels. (Read on to see why I made two!) I added my own little personal note on the back – it is just a simple Thank-You. Photo Frame This is a Dusty Attic frame and they are so easy to put together. Just grab some scraps of paper, a few embellishments and […]

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Tile Coasters and Mini Album w/ Echo Park

Hi Everyone – a couple of fun projects to share today. Tile Coasters Not only fun, but this first one is super cheap and definitely one that you can do with older kids too. Take a look at these coasters – they look “designer” but in fact I reckon you could make a dozen of these for less than $20! I was going to make a tutorial for these, but I quickly realized I could not possibly improve on the fabulous tutorial shown on the website where I originally saw this idea which was here at the Cottage Home Blog. I have used papers from the Echo Park “For the Record” Collection (available here in New Zealand) and if you have not seen Echo Park’s 6×6 paper pads I definitely suggest you check them out. They have the scaled-down designs like many manufacturers BUT they are also double sided which gives you many more options for use. I followed the instructions shown on the tutorial above, with a couple of exceptions. I used Spellbinders squares to cut my squares (I am somehow challenged when trying to cut squares with a paper trimmer!) and instead of felt pads I bought a […]

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Map Folded Flowers PLUS Tutorial

Hi Everyone This post has been updated in May 2020. Check out our new tutorial below!I made several of these flowers this afternoon. It’s actually surprising how quick they are to make – to give you an idea – I made these in the time it takes for 2 “Dora the Explorers” to play on DVD. For those without kids under the age of 8 – that’s about 50 minutes! It is important to cut squares very precisely for this project. I suggest using some square craft dies if you have a die-cutting machine, or if not – any paper trimmer will do the job. I have listed my favorites below! I strongly suggest you use hot glue for this project. Something else might work in a pinch, but for this type of project, hot glue is the way to go! For these flowers below, I used some old maps I found in a second hand store. The paper was crisp, and beautiful to fold, and it’s lovely to think these flowers give new function to the paper. Once you have finished your flowers, you can easily glue them to a stick or other mount of sorts to create a […]

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