Monogram Hat Box

This was Amanda's present. She has all sorts of little things in her room so I figured she could always do with another box. It could be used for jewelry or little odds and ends.

I used the same method as with my clipboards - tear the papers into large chunks and Mod Podge them to the box. Make sure there are no bubbles in the paper. I did that all around the box and the top of the lid then I sealed it all with another coat of Matte finish Mod Podge. I cut a strip of paper to fit the brim of the lid and circles of paper to fit the inside of the lid and the bottom of the box and I Mod Podged those pieces in the appropriate places.
Just to give it a little more character, I added a ribbon across the lid and a fun, colorful flower. I left the ribbon hanging over the box and attached a monogrammed card to it.
I have plans to make some of these for myself. It was a quick and easy project and it produces something useful.

Library in a box

So I made this for Megan this Christmas. I Mod Podged a book shaped box with paper and ribbon. I wanted it to be fun, but also look realistic.

I took paper with writing, cut it into strips and antiqued the strips with a gold stamp pad. Then I Mod Podged the strips.
Here's the inside of the box. I used a rub on pack of letter's to make the "Megan's Library" plaque and used raised stickers to adhere it to the inside of the box. I bought a date stamp, pencil and stamp pad for documenting borrowed books. Finally, I cut out cards from manila card stock and used the gold stamp pad to monogram the cards and antique the edges. Then I tied them up into a little pack with a cute bow and stuck everything in the box.
I also Mod Podged the top of the inside of the box with a piece of scrap book paper that had a story "hand written" on it. I left the inside of the box plain so none of the contents could get stuck to the Mod Podge.
I was excited to give this to Megan (a future librarian and current employee of the library on campus) because I knew she would love it. It would be a great gift for anyone who loves to read and can be made for various prices (I found everything on sale, used a coupon and used paper I already had on hand so this was all done for about $5).

News to me

I'm reaching the sneaking realization that making 90% of your Christmas gifts is not a normal thing.

Of course this year, hand made gifts are being made due to lack of funds more so than preference, but still. I have always made a lot of the presents I've given to people. Maybe it's a youngest child thing or maybe it's because my mom always took the "we could make that and save tons of money" route (which often meant my sister and I spent hours painting, gluing, tying, etc. hunched over a card table in the dining room and dad spent a day or two carving something out of wood while mom supervised).

I've been known to build a piece of white cake with chocolate frosting out of scrapbook paper for a birthday surprise (a "no calorie" cake), compile mix cds with hand drawn covers, and create personalized picture frames.

What I'm realizing this year (probably due to the additional items I've been creating for Zeelightful) is that most people do not spend the weeks leading up to Christmas making all of the gifts they will be giving. They go shopping, buy the gifts then spend their time baking cookies, decorating the house and wrapping. I go home, put in a DVD and proceed to cover various objects in Mod Podge and brightly colored paper or decide to buy some fabric and just "whip up a pillow real quick." I always think," oh, it won't take me long at all. it'll be real quick." ALWAYS. I think that with quilts, tutus, boxes of all shapes and sizes. If I decided one day to make my nephew a toy box in the shape of a dinosaur (something I will never do) I am 99.9% positive the words "it won't take long" would come out of my mouth.

So the thing is, apparently, I'm delusional. That is the only explanation, right? Other wise I wouldn't have just spent the last several weeks gluing, painting and tying various objects for my loved ones (with two more weeks left to go!) and I would definitely have more cookies.

I will Mod Podge anything

I remember the first time I ever Mod Podged something. It was a box with butterflies at a Young Women's activity. I think I lost that box like a week later, but it was a very cute little box. I didn't really think anything of decoupage at the time, only that Rosie O'Donnell was a freak about it. She used to talk about it on her show all the time.

Then when I was a little older I was working out some present idea and (as usual) came up with something I wanted to buy then decided I could make something cuter. I used Mod Podge (I believe it was to make a picture frame or mirror) and random cut outs from magazines and I never looked back. I've made countless picture frames and photo albums covered in paper and Mod Podge. I use those inexpensive wooden mirrors from Ikea and cover them with interesting things. In the last two years or so I've branched out into boxes, blocks, paint cans, clipboards, letters, etc. Basically anything I can get my hands on.

So here are a few of the projects I did with my sister back home in Maryland. She found/thought of all of these and I just tagged along and became addicted.

Just a pink wooden letter. I let some of the pink show through on purpose just for fun. This one is small ish and just sits on top of a row of books I have. It can also hang on the wall.

An altered paint can. I made a small one to keep ribbon in (but I think I will need to make a large one soon). I added the tag with my name. I also painted the can and lid before adding the paper so the silver wouldn't show. Lauren made a large can for Thanksgiving time to fill up with things you are thankful for. I like the idea for storage mostly. If I had the money for a bookshelf from Ikea, I would buy one and fill it with altered paint cans and books.

This is a close up of an altered clipboard. Again, I left some of the clip board showing on purpose. You generally would paint the board a color to match your paper, but I just picked paper that went with the natural color of the board. Then you rip your paper in an attractive way and start with the Mod Podge.
I generally choose two different patterned papers and cover most of the back with one and most of the front with the other. Use the Mod Podge to glue the paper to the board and on top of the paper to create a finish. I also leave some papers hanging over the edges and then fold them over so they cover the front and the back. It gives the board a more finished look.
Finally, I added ribbon and an extra detail at the bottom. By purchasing the legal sized clip board, you can add letters or ribbon or any other embellishment to the bottom of the board without making it hard to write on paper. Since I was just going to have this hanging on my wall, I wasn't worried about writing on it so the ribbon goes across the top. This one is currently hanging on my wall holding a photo of my brother and my niece.

I have made quite a few other things with Mod Podge over the last few weeks, but can't share them until after Christmas since the people they will be given to read this blog. I don't want to ruin any surprises! But I will add more pictures once Christmas is over.

Inspiration

I've been inspired today! Maybe it's the weather. It's also a little from this website (thanks to google reader). I always have a list of projects, things to work on and it gets longer and longer everyday...but today it's not just ideas but also the motivation to see them through!

Yes, I, like everyone, have a pile of unfinished or not-yet-started projects. Little Bears quilt being the most important to finish...but I am reworking my approach to that one.

Here's the scoop. I have been thinking about making several of my tutus to sell. I think mine are cute and different enough from the others I've seen out there to possibly make some money if I find my materials on sale and probably take custom orders. Shea called me last night to say that a friend of hers saw the tutu I made for G-ball and asked her to make her six tutus! She made $90! I'm not expecting to be so successful right off the bat and I might try a few different avenues for selling, but I think I am going to try it. Of all the things I could make a sell I think this is my best product. So I'll be getting on top of that in the next couple of weeks. I'm going to make about six as an inventory and see what happens from there.

So after Shea got me thinking about making more tutus, I started looking online to see what is being offered already - totally giving me great ideas of how to further improve my design and make my tutus stand out from the crowd.

Then I stumbled across Tangled and True (which has amazing ideas). I am going to make a coat rack for the boys room out of those plastic cups from Ikea. That got me thinking about the art I promised Lauren to go with the sheets and curtains from Ikea that are in the boys room. I was going to paint but now I am going to make shadow boxes and I'm going to create the animals (as close to matching as possible)using scrapbook paper and cardboard. It sounds odd, but I think it will turn out much nicer and there will be different designs and colors, textures and added dimension. Much more interactive and appealing than just painting the animals. Plus, it will be easier to coordinate the colors than trying to match them exactly.

Finally, I was seeing some felt creations on line. Amazing things really. My mom used to make Christmas tree ornaments out of felt...we still have tons of them. They were inexpensive, cute and fun for kids to touch and not break. But now I am coming up with an idea for a baby mobile. I just need to pick a theme (right now I'm kind of thinking of doing the Lucky Charms shapes since those would be basic and simple to start with) and decide how I want it to look. I could use tree sticks from outside or dowel rods for cleaner, crisp lines. After I get the first one out of the way then I might try to find some patterns or make some patterns for more unique mobiles.

And lastly, Lauren wants me to help her make some Tag-its. They are little square shaped "blankets" made with fleece and ribbon. You just sew two pieces of fleece together and insert different colored/textured/sized ribbons all around the edges. Then babies can sit and play and chew and look and feel all the ribbons. Monkey loved his - especially one spotted ribbon. But I've been thinking of improvements. Maybe more colors of fabric, different textures of fabric, ribbons sewn throughout the fabric and not just on the edges, etc.

See what I mean? All of these ideas. Not to mention the blanket I'm crocheting for myself, LB's quilt, restoring my old bedroom furniture, and my "constant" projects of scrap booking and giant journaling. I had to write this all down before I forgot it all!!

Oh and I forgot that I want to....um...I just forgot again. haha. Wait! I want to also perfect my journal making skills. I think I could create some pretty journals like unto the ones I made for Megan, Miri and Krissie - I would just like to find a more stable book to use instead of a Composition book.

Journals

These are so easy and fun to make. Lauren taught me. She's amazing. It's just a composition book made pretty with scrapbook things; paper, ribbon, etc.

I made these using paper from themed packs but you can pull together different patterns from anyplace. Then you trim the paper and Mod Podge it on there (matte Mod Podge is best).




Once you have your paper on the way you like it, on the front and back as well as on the inside, add ribbon and stickers and embellishments where ever you like. I made ribbons extra long to serve as bookmarks. Lauren staples cute ribbon to different pages throughout the journal. I also put quotes and things throughout the pages - inspirational quotes or something that goes with the theme of the journal; I used Shakespeare with the Fairytale theme and travel quotes with a travel themed journal (not shown here).

My friend, Sheryl, made some of these for the kids she nannies. They loved them. It's a fun journal to use and just so pretty.