random.on purpose.

Tutorial: Keychain Mini-Album

Okay, so it's time for another tutorial.  I saw these little cuties on eBay, spent some time figuring out how to make them, and decided to share.  They'd make great party/shower favors, stocking stuffers, whatever!  Here we go:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Materials Needed:

• 2 strips of cardstock 2 3/8" x 11 13/16"
• 16 squares of cardstock 2 1/4" x 2 1/4"
• 16 squares of patterned paper 2" x 2"
• 2 squares of patterned paper 4" x 4"
• 2 squares of chipboard 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
• 16" ribbon
• split ring
• lanyard hook
• 2 identical punched pieces approx. 1 3/4" - 2"

 

   

Cover chipboard squares with 4" squares of patterned paper, mitering corners.  Score long strips of cardstock at 2 3/8", 4 3/4", 7 1/8", and 9 1/2".  Accordian fold strips.  (The last panel on each strip will be 1/16" shorter than the others in the strip.)

   

Overlap the two shorter panels as shown and adhere to make one long continuous strip.

   

Mat patterned paper squares with cardstock squares, then adhere them to panels on strip, alternating patterns and leaving the first panel on each side of the strip blank.   Make sure you have the panels right side up (if they are words or other patterns where it matters) on the back of the strip - it's easy to get confused.

   

Put adhesive on blank panel on front side of strip (you can't see it in the picture because you have to fold it to the back to attach it), center on inside of cover piece and adhere.  On inside of back cover, put adhesive across the center, then adhere ribbon, placing it so that you have 5 1/2" of ribbon extending from right side, with remainder extending from left side.  Then adhere blank panel of back side of strip (again, you have to fold it to the back) to this cover piece, completing the book itself.

   

Punch a hole in the upper left corner of the panel attached to the back cover (this will include the cover itself, of course).  Attach lanyard hook and split ring through hole, as shown.

   

Wrap long end of ribbon across front, and tie book closed at right side.  Slide one punched piece under ribbon, centering as shown.

   

Adhere second punched piece on top of first, sandwiching ribbon between, and making sure everything lines up properly.  Embellish as desired.  All finished!  Here is a view of it open:

Okay, that's all for now - too much to do today to stay on the computer - but have fun creating, and I'll be back another day with more!

Tutorial: Creating Tickets

Okay, as promised, I've finished the first in a series of tutorials.  I have no idea how well it will translate to this format, so please be patient if I have to learn how to tweak things a bit.  Here we go:

TUTORIAL:  Creating Tickets

 

Items Needed:

• Paper Trimmer (not shown)
• Ruler
• Rotary Tool with Perforating Blade
• Ticket Corner Punch
• 3/8" Round Punch
• Stamps/Inks of Choice

 

 

Measure the outline stamp you plan to use for your tickets.  Add 1/4" to the width and 1/2" to the length to determine the finished size of your tickets.  For this example, Close to My Heart's "So Sweet Seasons" stamps are used.  The outline stamp measures 1" x 1 3/4", so the finished tickets will measure 1 1/4" x 2 1/4".  Use the paper trimmer to cut a strip the finished width of your tickets (for this example, the strip is 1 1/4", as determined above).

Use the ruler and rotary tool with perforating blade to mark perforations close to the very end of the strip (this will be torn off and discarded), then at the measurement of the finished length of the tickets down the entire strip.  For our example, the lines are marked every 2 1/4".  There will probably be an uneven leftover at the end of the strip.  Tear this off and discard, as well.

 

Align the 3/8" round punch so the perforated lines are centered and the edge of the paper is not quite halfway into the punch.  Punch out this area at each perforation down both sides of the ticket strip.

Use the ticket corner punch to punch the corners at each end of the strip.  If you do not have a ticket corner punch, you could use the round punch as described above before you tear off and discard the excess at each end of the strip.

This is an example of what your strip should look like at this point (although it will probably be more than three tickets long...)

Stamp the outline stamp in each panel of the ticket strip. (Alternately, you could just use a pen and ruler to mark the outlines.)  Stamp a word, number or sentiment at each end of the ticket panel, then use a pen and straightedge to "define" this area.

Stamp desired image in center of each ticket panel.  Color as desired. You can leave your tickets in a strip, or tear them into individual tickets, as shown here.

And that's all there is to it!  Ta-freakin'-da!  Hope this is helpful for you, and you have some fun with it.  I'd love to see what you come up with, so please email me or post a comment to this blog!

That's it for my first tutorial - more to come in the not-too-distant future!