2020 Pocket Notebook Calendar

2020 is almost here!

Are you ready? I've made a start by putting together this fun 2020 pocket style calendar to keep up with myself, and that 's no easy task!  I used Eileen Hull's Pocket Notebook to create a monthly calendar that I can easily take with me when we are traveling as it is 6 3/4" x 4" and the spine is about 1 3/4" wide.  I used Graphic 45's beautiful new Fashion Forward Calendar Collection.

Video Flip Through

I recorded a video so you could see all the pages.

The Closure

Rather than the usual elastic band that are used on so many of these style notebooks, I chose to make a velcro closure.  It's simple to make, you just need to plan ahead.

Cover the inside and outside of your notebook cover with your choice of paper.  I often make mine with plain cardstock, then I don't have to worry about paper pattern direction and all that.  Then I cover the cardstock with design papers.  

Cut a 1" wide strip of  Tim Holtz Substrate or chipboard and at least 5 1/2" long.  Then cut cardstock to cover the strip 2 1/4" x 5 1/2".  Score on the long side 5/8" from each edge and cover the substrate or chipboard strip.  Then adhere to the front cover with a really strong adhesive.  A clothespin works great for holding it tight while the glue dries.

Here's a tip from my friend Ginger Ropp for cutting thin strips of cardstock.  Use post-its to hold your paper in place.   Works fabulously and no risk of tearing the paper like when you use tape.

Now you can proceed with your cover and add design paper etc.  

After I put design paper on my cover, I decided to secure the band with a couple of brads so that the band can't be torn off or come loose.

Once you have completed the back cover, you can add velcro.  Just place the velcro (with both pieces attached) onto the cover.  Remove the adhesive backing from the top of the velcro and securely press the band over the velcro, lift the band and one piece of the velcro will be attached to the band,  and the other on the back cover, thereby creating a perfect closure with everything lined up just right.

The Calendar Pages

I created a calendar at www.CalendarHome.com to use with Graphic 45's calender cut-aparts (8 x 8 pad).  The trimmed calendars fit perfectly inside the calendar cut-aparts.  You can download the calendar I used here.  As you can see in the photo, I just cut the individual calendars out, rounded the corners and adhered them over the design paper.

You can download a printable page here for the lined paper that I printed onto 6" x 12" lightweight cardstock to used for the note pages in my calender.  Just cut 12 x 12 paper in half and print.  Or, you could print on regular copy paper.

Supplies

Eileen Hull Designs by Sizzix Pocket Notebook

Sizzix Making Essential - Mat Board, 6" x 13", White, 6 Sheets - Item #656492

Eileen Hull Easy Cut Adhesive Sheets 6” x 12” sheets

Eileen Hull Red Liner Tape 1/4 in x 6 yd

Other Supplies

Graphic 45 Fashion Forward 8 x 8 pad

Graphic 45 Patterns and Solids

Graphic 45 Die Cut Assortment

Black Cardstock

I haven't recorded a tutorial video for this specific journal yet but here are links to some tutorials for traveler's journals by Eileen Hull.  They go together in the same manner as this journal.

Traveler's Junk Journal

Traveler's Notebook

Alchemy Journal

Thanks so much for joining me today!  After the New Year, I will do a complete tutorial for this notebook, til then...Happy Holidays, enjoy the season!

xxoxo Maggi

Die-cuts, fussy cutting, and paper scraps = Beautiful Tag!

The Funkie Junkie Design Team has a special post for our regular Showcase Saturday series.  Sll og us have created a special tag and tutorial for you showcasing some of our favorite Funkie Junkie items.  Stop by The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog to see all the DT tags.

How to Make a Tag with Less Than Perfect Papers!

It's not that the papers aren't perfect, it's that I can't bear to throw a scrap away and this is how I use them.

1. Use a Graphic 45 large ivory tag or recycle a large packaging tag as I did.  Sometimes the edging on the recycled tags looks fine but in this instance, I didn't like the look, so I just painted around the edge.

Assemble the pieces shown in the photo below:

• Trim a cut-apart to about 3 1/8" x 4 3/4". (I used a scalloped die to cut mine).
• Die-cut a frame that is approximately 4 1/2" x 6".
• Fussy cut a bird and roses cluster as shown.
• Use the Graphic 45 large tag die to cut a base for the tag.  Notice that my blue base has a hole in it and the top is missing.  Yep, I utilize EVERY scrap of paper.  The center is going to be covered so who cares if there's a hole in the middle.  And, my paper scrap wasn't long enough to cut the entire tag.  Soooo, no problem, I used the tag die to just cut the top portion and covered my tag with the two pieces.  (see the 2nd photo.)

  2.  Assemble the tag -

• Glue a strip of beads at the bottom of the tag.
• Then cover the base with the blue patterned paper and the separate pink top.
• Pop up the die-cut frame and adhere about 1 1/2" from the bottom. Yes, I know the paper is upside down, but the die-cut at the bottom is a little messed up and that's not a problem because the bottom will be covered.  No one will notice that the paper is upside down after its all finished.

• Pop up the Joeux Noel cut-apart and adhere over the center of the frame.
• Pop up the fussy cut bird and place over the right side of the tag as shown in the photo.  Add some pretty flowers and a bow at the top.  
• Tie a pretty Christmas tree charm to the bow.

Supplies from The Funkie Junkie Boutique

Graphic 45 - 12 Days of Christmas Deluxe Collector's Edition

Silver Tone Christmas Tree Charms - Set of 5Graphic 45 - Large Tag Album - Ivory
Burlap String - 12 Colors

Distress Ink - Victorian Velvet

Distress Oxide Ink - Evergreen Bough

Distress Oxide Ink - Fired Brick

Spellbinders Romantic Rose Spellbinders Romantic Rose (very similar to the frame die I used)

It's the Holidays at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog

I'm hosting the current challenge at The Funkie Junkie Challenge Blog, come play along!  Read on for all the details and a tutorial for a flip up tri-fold card.

The Challenge - It's the Holidays

Not only is it the "most wonderful time of the year" , it's also the busiest time of the year, for me anyway!  It's hard to find anytime to pursue our paper passion so I decided on a practical challenge.  Hopefully, this will give you some needed crafting time, while making something that is useful for the holiday season that is upon us! For the challenge, create a vintage or shabby chic card, tag, gift box or bag that you can use over the holidays.  Easy peasy and something you'll probably need this season!

I created a tri-fold card with a flip up panel inside.  This card is flat enough to mail in a regular envelope.  Wow, imagine that, LOL, not something I do with any regularity!

Tutorial 

1. Cut a 12" x 6 1/8" cardbase from cream cardstock.  Score at 3 3/4" and 7 7/8" on the long side.  Be sure to orient your card such that the wider (4 1/8") flap is on the right side.

2. Cut a rectangle piece 4" x 6 1/2".  Score at 1/2" on one short side.

3. Take the small rectangle and fold the flap down.  Put adhesive just on the flap (Scor-Tape works really well for this application) and adhere to the center of the tri-fold just at the top such that the flap opens up as in the photo below.

4. Punch a border strip about 5 1/2" and adhere to the outside of the inside flap on the right side.  Place a small magnet closure on the outside of the inside flap as shown.  Be sure that you have it far enough to the left so that when you fold the left flap over, the magnet is completely covered by the left flap.

5. Place the magnet that is going on the left flap on top of the magnet on the right, remove the adhesive from the magnet and then fold the left flap over and press down where the magnets are located.  Then, when you open the card flap, the magnet will be perfectly placed.

6. Now, time to select your design papers.  I've used Graphic 45's 12 Days of Christmas.  Cut two pieces 3 1/2" x 5 7/8" for the front panel and adhere to the outside and the inside of the first panel. (We'll finish the front as our last step.)

I used two narrower scraps to cover my inner panel .  Then place a cut-apart in the center of the inner front panel.  Place adhesive on just 3 sides and adhere, creating a pocket as shown in the photo below.

7. Then use a Graphic 45 ATC tag, cover with design paper and tie a pretty bow at the top to insert in the pocket.  You could use this pocket for a gift card!

8. For the outside of the right side, I trimmed a cut-apart to 3 7/8" x 5 7/8 and adhered, coving the edge of the border strip and the magnet closure.

9. Cut two pieces 3 3/4" x 5 3/4" for the fold up center flap and adhere to each side.  Decorate the flap however you wish.  I used a die-cut tree and die-cut word as well as some stickers from the 12 Days of Christmas collection.

10. Cut a piece of design paper4" x 5 7/8" for the center panel underneath the flap and adhere.  Adhere a journaling die-cut in the center.  (YOu can see the center underneath the flap in the photo at step 3.

11. Cut a piece 3 7/8" x 5 7/8" for the inside right and adhere.  Add other layers as you wish.

12. Now let's finish the front.  Use a die-cut frame that will fit on your card.  I've used an old Sizzix frame.  Randomly dab embossing ink on the frame but don't cover completely.   Then sprinkle with white embossing powder and heat set.   (Note, this looks really good on dark paper as it creates a snowy effect.)  I either paint the ink on or use bottled with a dabber top ink.

13. Adhere the frame to the front of the card.

14. Trim a cut-apart to fit your frame and pop up with dimensional foam.

15.  The bow on the tag that you've slid inside the card gives a really festive look.

How to Enter the Challenge

Create a vintage or shabby chic project and link it up to The Funkie Junkie Blog Challenge, It's the Holidays.  The Design Team will choose their top four picks, with the winner being invited to be a guest designer in one of our Funkie Junkie Challenges. The other three winners will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into a draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Be sure to take a look at the creations of my talented teammates, you can see their creations here, at The Funkie Junkie Blog.

Supplies from The Funkie Junkie Boutique

Graphic 45 -12 Days of Christmas DCE

Graphic 45 ATC tag

Distress Embossing Ink

Ranger Adhesive - White Foam Roll

Scor-Tape 3/8"

Ranger Antiquities Embossing Powder - Weathered White

Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Fired Brick

Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Old Paper

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink - Iced Spruce

Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink - Pine Needles

BasicGrey Magnetic Snaps

Other Supplies

Graphic 45 ATC die

Cardstock - cream or ivory

Red Seam Binding

Tim Holtz by Sizzix Vintage Tidings

How to Make A Slider Easel Card

I'm up on The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog today with the Saturday Showcase where I'll show you how to make a slider easel card.  Join me here, it'll be fun!  

Eileen Hull Designs Trinket Box with a Shaker Top

Eileen Hull Designs Trinket Box with a Twist

Eileen trinket box is surely a favorite design of many and today I want to show you how to turn the box into a shaker trinket box.  Shakers are so popular right now, this is a fun way to present a special gift to a special person!

I've recorded a video to show you how to make the shaker and assemble the trinket box.  Best to watch it through before assembling your shaker trinket box as I give you tips and methods that I learned along the way while making this shaker trinket box.

When I die-cut the face for the trinket box, I did not use a crease pad so the inner oval that is normally just scored, cut all the way through and I liked that as it enabled me to turn the oval over and use a contrasting oval inset.

To make the ribbon closure, I simple adhered ribbon to the inside of the front cover, and glued a decorative strip of paper as shown below.  Then I adhered another piece of ribbon to the back cover and covered the back with a die-cut cover.

View of the outside

A little bonus for you

I love to add handmade tags to my gifts.  These are super simple and you can whip up a bunch in no time.  I simply die-cut a bunch of tags using Eileen Hull's Bookplate die from scraps all at one time.  Next I used my Crop-a-dile to punch holes at the top. Then I cut some of the tags into pieces and mixed and matched papers while assembling my tags.  I rummaged through my trims bin and added decorative trims and stamped "to-from" son cream paper, cut those out and adhered.  Tie a string at the top and that's all there is to it.

Eileen Hull Designs Dies Used

Sizzix ScoreBoards XL Die - Book & Pages, Trinket Box & Frame

Sizzix Framelits Die Set 8PK - Bookplate, Hinges & Label

Thanks for joining me today!

Maggi

Lovely Leaves Challenge on The Funkie Junkie Blog

The Challenge - Lovely Leaves

Welcome to another fabulous challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog.  Jenny is our host this time and she says, "At this time of year leaves take over from flowers as the stars of Nature's display - the deciduous ones take on beautiful Autumnal hues before falling to the ground, whilst the evergreen ones keep our gardens from looking bare as we wait for new flowers to appear in the Spring. For this challenge make sure to add leaves (or even Pine Needles if you like)your vintage or shabby chic projects."

My Project

This the season and all that!  I decided to make a piece for my front door.  This is a small Etcetera tag measuring 5.5" x 10"; really not all that small!  These tags come in several sized and they are perfect for home decor projects that are just a little bit different!

I started by painting the tag white and then I added a base layer of paper from the Christmas Worn Wallpaper collection.  Next I stenciled on some snowflakes and over than I stenciled gold checks with Tim Hotlz gingham layering mask.

The Merry Christmas words are from Creative Embellishments and I heat embossed them with Eileen Hull Designs Molten Dimensions Golden Rod.  The words were adhered to a piece of die-cut Worn Wallpaper that I popped up to make it stand out.  This I mounted onto red cardstock to further emphasize the words.

I love tradition Christmas red and green so I went with red as my accent color adding red trim and flowers to complete the festive look!  

To meet Jenny's challenge, I used Tim Holtz's Holiday Greens Sizzix die to die-cut pine boughs to tuck around my flowers and bow.

  Then I tucked in a couple of pine cones die-cut with the Pine Branch Thinlits set.     I think they are the perfect finishing touch!

I also love to add sparkle to my Christmas projects and I added a lot of sparkle to this one.  I stenciled the snowflakes with white paste and after that dried I painted over them with sparkle gel so they would twinkle!  The flowers are misted with Lindy's Blazing Sun Glitz Spritz which just adds a nice gold sparkle to the petals.  I dabbed Ponderosa Pines Olive onto the pine boughs to give them a hint of sparkle.  It's really too bad that the camera doesn't pick up all the sparkle of this festive piece!

A side view so you can see the dimension created by popping up the title

How to Enter the Challenge

Create a vintage or shabby chic project and link it up to The Funkie Junkie Blog Challenge, Lovely Leaves. The Design Team will choose their top four picks, with the winner being invited to be a guest designer in one of our Funkie Junkie Challenges. The other three winners will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into a draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.


Thanks so much for stopping by today. Be sure to take a look at the creations of my talented teammates, you can see their creations here, at The Funkie Junkie Blog.

Supplies from The Funkie Junkie Boutique

Tim Holtz Etcetera Small Tag Thickboards

Tim Holtz Idea-ology Worn Wallpaper, Christmas

Tim Holtz Layering Stencil

Ranger Texture Paste Opaque Matte

Stamperia Glamour Gel - Sparkling White

Tim Holtz Layering Stencil - Gingham

Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Embossing Paste

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Pad - Forest Moss

Emerald Creek Eileen Hull Molten Dimension Embossing Powder

Sizzix Chapter 4 Thinlits Die Set - Pine Branch

Sizzix Alternations Tim Holtz Thinlits Dies - Holiday Greens

Other Supplies

Creative Embellishments Merry Christmas words

Red cardstock

Wild Orchid Crafts Christmas flowers 

Petaloo Poinsettia

Red trim - Hobby Lobby

Tags and Shakers!

Now this is just plain FUN!  If you know me, you know that I love my furbabies.  I've combined Graphic 45's Raining Cats and Dogs with a really old paper from BasicGrey (I think) to make this fun large sized shaker tag.  Note that there are 3 poodles showing on the tag, 😄

The Tag

The tag is a great size at 5.5" x 10" and is made of sturdy chipboard by Creative Embellishments.  Tags are my art journal of sorts, I love to make tags for fun and just to try out new things.  This one is really simple but I think it has a great impact!

The Shaker Top

The bone shaker is so awesome and the minute I saw it, I had to have it!  I was scrapping with my scrappy girls that come once a year and there I sat with this tag and this shaker.  I kept placing the shaker here and there on the tag but nothing would work.  Then you know, it's like lightening, boom!  It made a great "bow" for my tag.  The shaker is also chipboard from Creative Embellishments and comes complete with everything you need to make a shaker except the filling.  I used Black Magic embossing powder from Eileen Hull Designs to coat the shaker.  My shaker material is a great collection of buttons, beads, charms etc from 28 Lilac Lane by Buttons Galore.  They make great shaker materials in so many colors and mixes.  Stop by and check them out here.

My Furbabies

Aren't they sweet?  There's 3 years difference in their ages and they adore each other but they do have sibling rivalry just like all kids!

Many thanks to my scrappy bff Jen for bringing the Buttons Galore & More "stuff" to my house for all of us to enjoy!  And thanks to all of you that read and follow my blog, much appreciated!

Fabulous Fall Challenge at The Funkie Junkie Blog.

The Challenge - Fabulous Fall!

Ginny is hosting our latest challenge and it's a colorful fall challenge.  She says fall is a "wonderful season where the leaves are changing and the air is crisp and our thoughts turn to pumpkin spice everything. For this challenge create a Fall inspired" vintage or shabby chic project.

My Project

As you probably know, I love dimension and bulk and most of my cards don't fit in conventional envelopes.  I just can't seem to stop piling on the layers and flowers!  This card is no exception, it's slider card mounted on a patchwork of beautiful fall colors.  It's lovely as a card or even a piece of fall decor.

The Method

What you're looking at above is a 4.25" x 5.5" slider card that I made with the Spellbinder's die pictured below.  (Sorry the card is upside down)  After assembling the card, I mounted it onto another layer of design paper to give it a frame.

The Frame

Stamperia's Patchwork Collection has so many pretty papers that work with all the seasons.  I selected this patchwork paper for it's fall colors.  The paper is 12 x 12 and has a border all the way around it.  Well I wanted that border all around so I cut a large piece 6" x 7.5".  Then I cut the border off the other corner and glued it in place to create a nice frame.  The size of the frame was determined by measuring carefully so that a 1/8" border of the green would peek out around the card.

By the way, did you know that The Funkie Junkie Boutique carries a great selection of Stamperia products at great prices, do check it out!

After assembling the frame I adhered the slider card to the frame, centering.  Then I adhered a smaller die-cut frame to the card being careful to ONLY glue to the bottom half of the pop up mechanism.  You can see the slider and pop up mechanism in the 2nd photo below.

I glued a die-cut medallion made with gold kraft paper and the Impresslits embossing folder.  It's a lot easier to grasp the pull on the slider with the medallion on it.

View from the back.

To finish the card, just add embellishments of your choice being careful not to adhere anything to the slider itself, thereby preventing it from sliding!

Be sure to join me on November 30th for the Saturday Showcase on The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog as I will show you how to make  Christmas slider cards of different sizes.  Here's a sneaky peek!

  

How to Enter the Challenge

Create a vintage or shabby chic project and link it up to The Funkie Junkie Blog Challenge, Fabulous Fall.  The Design Team will choose their top four picks, with the winner being invited to be a guest designer in one of our Funkie Junkie Challenges. The other three winners will receive Top 3 badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into a draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Be sure to take a look at the creations of my talented teammates, you can see their creations here, at The Funkie Junkie Blog.

Supplies from The Funkie Junkie Boutique

Stamperia Patchwork Paper Collection
Distress Oxide Ink - Vintage Photo, Wild Honey, Antique Linen
Bronze Pumpkin Charm
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Metallic Kraft Stock 8 x 8 Pad
Sizzix 3-D Impresslits Embossing Folder - Medallion


Other Supplies
Spellbinders Festive Wreaths Slider Card die set
Spellbinders Netabilities Iron Romance Etched Dies
Bakers Twine