A Visit to Wonderland Part II: Wee Wonderland Accordion Book with Tutorial

A second Wonderland post?! A second post WITH a tutorial?! We ARE all mad here.

My second project today is a teeny weeny hardcover Wonderland album. 

Psst... If you haven't already visited my other Wonderland post, pop over to Part I: Messy Mixed Media Wonderland Character Cards

This sweet little album made with a Matchbox Ticket Journal - Black and a bit of card-stock, has cut out window so that the pics can be slipped out and changed.

So let's get to it!

To begin, you'll need a Matchbox Ticket Journal - Black

Remove ONE of the tickets. This makes just enough pages to fold into a book properly.

Skipping the first and last ticket, cut/punch out a window in the remaining tickets.

Apply a fine neat line of glue to the bottom edge and crease of each ticket, again skipping the two end tickets. Don't go too crazy with the glue because you want to make sure you can slip pictures into the pocket that will be created.

Fold the Matchbox Ticket Journal - Black so that you have something that looks like this.

Cut a piece of plain card that is larger than your ticket book. Mark the center point, then mark where you will need to score to create the 'spine' of your book.

Score and fold the cardstock to create the cover. Bending the card back and forth to make sure that the fold is 'loose' makes fitting everything together a bit easier.

Cut the cover paper for your book larger than your folded card. Notch each corner and fold as pictured. **Remember to glue your cover to the BACK SIDE of the cover paper.

Fold the paper over the edges and glue into place. Once again, score the spine edges and fold back and forth. Again, this makes the spine loose and helps to fit everything together.

Glue the first and last ticket to the cover you've created. Do not glue the spine. Fiddle and fart around until everything fits and folds perfectly.

Now you can slip pictures in the pocket pages you've created! Add snips and bits, creating your own little Wonderland album.

Don't forget to decorate your cover too. I've added a bit cut from the Tiny Alice Book Covers Collage Sheet, along with a Medium Bronze White Rabbit Charm.

Tip: You can chop the loop off many charms with cutting pliers. Use a metal file to smooth the cut edge. A dab with an ink pad on the filed area will camouflage the area.

And, ta dahhhh! You're done!

Ready? Here are all the bits I used:

• Tiny Alice Book Covers Collage Sheet

• Medium Bronze White Rabbit Charm

• Matchbox Ticket Journal - Black

• Hearts & Clubs Card Suits Scrapbook Paper

• cardstock

• glue

• ink pad

A Visit to Wonderland Part I: Messy Mixed Media Wonderland Character Cards

AlphaStamps is visiting Wonderland once again with this month's Alice Accordion Book Kit, and so I hopped along for the trip.

I've got two projects to share today, and, hold on to your pantaloons, I've got a tute too! I'm breaking this post up into two parts to try to keep things orderly and under control (Ha! Funny, right?) For the second project post, please hop over HERE.

But first, some Messy Mixed Media Wonderland Cards

My set includes the Tweedle boys, the Hatter, the Hare and the Queen. Each being assigned a card suit in this Playing Card Set - 4 Suits (Alice is probably off somewhere drinking something she really shouldn't.)

Ahh, the Hatter. What a nut.

These cards were made simply. The background is old paper with an oval of Hearts & Clubs Card Suits Scrapbook Paper on top. I painted the corners of the background so that when the top layer is in place, they match the suit. 

The top layer is just painted and inked and stamped, not covered in paper at all. When put in place, I've filled the suit crevice with Glossy Accents, and the whole thing grunged up.

Then it was just a matter of adding fussy cut characters and a matching sentiment from the We're All Mad Here Collage Sheet. 

How cute would these be used as name place cards at a tea party?! Gah! Now I need a tea party. Maybe we should have an online mad hatters party where we fussy cut, eat cookies, and tell inappropriate jokes. You in?

Here are all the supplies I used for Part I: Messy Mixed Media Wonderland Character Cards:

• Hearts & Clubs Card Suits Scrapbook Paper

• We're All Mad Here Collage Sheet

• Playing Card Sets - 4 Suits
• Glossy Accents

• paint

• old paper

• glue

• foam adhesive squares

• ink and stamp

Ok, now lets pop over to Part II: Wee Wonderland Accordion Book with Tutorial

A Full Moon Mobile

Some people love the sea... I love the night sky and light of the moon. I've made myself a little mobile so that I might have a slice of that celestial magic inside.

I'm really pleased with how it came out and it was really quite simple. I even have a tutorial for you below, but first a  couple of notes about this project:

• Don't fret if you can't find the wooden shapes I used. You can absolutely cut your own from cardboard

• Really, really, really play around with balance to find where the best placement of your stars and moon, and also where to place the hanging wire.

• I 100% DO NOT recommend this project for above a baby crib. Bark, fishing line, glitter and tiny stars that might come loose may all pose a danger to little ones. Don't risk it!

• I only decorated the front of the pieces because I'll be hanging my mobile against a wall. If you want to suspend yours you may want to decorate both sides of your stars and moon.

Okay? Okay.

Here are all the things I used:
Wooden circle and stars
Old sheet music
Glue
Acrylic Paint
Nail file
Glitter
Twig
Acrylic stars
Fishing line

And, finally, here's how it's made it:

If you make your own, please tag me when you're showing off. It really is the best compliment and it helps promote my little crafty mess making heaps and heaps. Plus, I just love to see what you're making ;)

NOW GO MAKE SOME MOON MAGIC!!!!

Playing with colour and good advice

Inspiration has struck and left me dizzied. I can't seem to focus on one idea long enough to finish before having another idea I *need* to work on. 

This collection of colourful pieces did not start out as experiments in colour but here we are.

I had made myself a sheet of vintage medallions and nice words that could be strung together into encouraging words with a specific intent. This was not that intent but I think they're rather fun and I have been in dire need of a jolt of joyous colour.

Stringing words together to produce lovely sentiments is one of my favorite activities. The results often feel like messages from the universe.

Sometimes they provide solid words advice or much needed positivity.

And while I plan on following through with my original plans, I think this colourful distraction was a valuable creative experiment.

Feel like playing too? I have a three page pdf download available HERE

Grumpy Monday and Miniature Mail

I am in a mood.

It's only 1pm and it's already been such a Monday.

I didn't wake up feeling bad. No big bad thing happened. It's just one of those days when a million little things beyond your control chip away at you.

But I'm refusing to let my pants remain grumpy this afternoon. Get lost blahs! Emotional vampire knocking? Sorry, no one is home at the moment. Perhaps a bit of cleaning and clearing to kick that bad juju in the bollocks too!

Let's start right now with some jolly things to push the mood in the correct direction.

Miniature mail! This batch was made from one print out of my new Miniature Vintage Mail PDF. 

Personally, I think there is something rather therapeutic about sitting quietly and cutting out all those wee bits, but I understand that isn't for everyone. For those who aren't keen on fussy cutting, I've put together some little packages of PreMade Mail too.

And since I'm slinging my wares today...

There are a half dozen Spring Clean Grab Bags listed as well. They're chocked with nice things new and old and come as close to humanly possible to 100g of goodness to keep the shipping cheap, cheap, cheap. (That's not an Easter joke, that's my frugality talking.)

Monday, I hope you're done with your tomfoolerly, because I am having none of it. Here's to better things.

"My Love" Mini Book Box with Love Notes

Perhaps it's because I'm socially anxious and awkward, but if you met me in person I doubt you would think I was sentimental in any way. I'm much better at swearing, making jokes and laughing too loud than I am at romance.

Love? Pffft. Forget about that! I'm not very good with "I love you's" But no matter how much I protest, and how hard those words are... I am a sentimental fool underneath, with a heart of softened butter.

So I've made a charming little love thing-a-ma-bob with Love Notes Paper and a Tiny Faux Book Box.

It is a little thing but packed with love and made with pretty things.

The spine is simple and pretty with a Bronze Filigree and Antique Brass Stamped Metal Brad

Inside a little silhouette from Little Women in a brass setting with a wee little butterfly.

And you can see the sweet piano key border from Love Notes decorating the sides.

Despite the tiny size of this piece, there are three different collections used here. Love Notes, Little Women (the silhouette), and French Country (the chip tag).

Inside I've tucked in some miniature envelopes using my Miniature Vintage Mail Collage Sheet, and added my own favourite tender notes inside.

Here's the list of all the supplies I used:

Graphic 45 Products:

Love Notes 8x8 Paper Pad
Little Women 12x12 Collection Pack
Antique Brass Ornate Metal Keys
Antique Brass Stamped Metal Brads

French Country Chipboard Die Cuts

Other Bits:
Miniature Vintage Mail Collage Sheet
38mm Long Bronze Filigree
Faux Book Box Tiny Card Size

Brass Filigree Setting

Here's to love and social awkwardness.

Scrappy little potted sprout #G45MixandMatch

This month's Graphic 45 challenge is to use up those papery scraps. And ... well ... ugh my heart!

Cute. As. Flipping. Buttons. That's my dude in his first halloween costume.

I gathered up a bunch of floral themed scraps from a variety of Graphic 45 collections and fussy cut a boatload of flowers, leaves, mushrooms and butterflies.

I staggered all those cut pieces inside a little plant pot and popped a photo of my kiddo in there.

While I'm not sure why you wouldn't have a picture of someone you love dressed as a gnome or fairy, it isn't absolutely necessary.

A regular photo will work just as well.

If your heart is set on having a potted fairy or gnome, never fear! You could absolutely add wings or a red cap to your photograph.

So get out your sharpest scissors...

... and fussy cut 3x's more than you think you'll ever need...

... then get to work on your own scrappy little potted sprout! 

Here is a video tutorial to get you on your way.

And everything you'll need to make this adorable thing-a-ma-bob:

Graphic 45 Papers!!!!
Floral scrapbook scraps! I've used papers from:

• Flutter

• Fairie Dust

• Floral Shoppe

• Home Sweet Home

• Garden Goddess

• Time to Flourish

• Botanical Tea

Small plant pot and base *you'll want a base larger than the pot so that the pot fits comfortably

Moss

Photograph

Wooden stir stick

Small wooden block

Hot glue

Here's to a happy April!