Perfect Paper Crafting

St. Patrick’s Day and a Leprechaun Trap

Contessa — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:35:51 +0000

St. Patrick’s Day celebrated throughout the country even though it is not a legal holiday. It is a celebration of Irish and Irish American culture. Celebrations include wearing green (getting pinched if you don’t!), eating corn beef and cabbage, religious observances, crazy parades, Leprechauns, and rainbows with pot of gold at the end. Whenever I forgot to wear green at school when I was young, I told everyone I was Irish so they would leave me alone! It usually worked.

With that being said, a couple of years ago my oldest son brought home an assignment to make a Leprechaun trap. I was not able to work on it due to a work conflict. So my sweet hubby decided to help. I had a vision of what a Leprechaun trap should look like; an elaborately decorated box with tons of green stuff, four leafs clovers, gold coins, etc.. When I saw my husband and son’s version I laughed hysterically and had tears running down my face. My husband took a Lucky Charm’s box, put a sticky rat trap inside and called it a day! I still chuckle thinking about the simplicity of the trap and the difference between men and women. Women are extremely detailed, elaborate and complex, where men are to the point and no fuss, no muss!!!! Needless to say, my son got an A on his assignment and his teacher said it was the most clever Leprechaun trap she had ever seen. Now my hubby is in charge of all projects that come home!

So, with St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, I thought I would share a card I made with our Perfect Layers tool.

I just love how the different layers make my card pop. I used our Perfect Layers tool to make all the different layers. What I love most about our tool is it takes the guessing game out of trying to figure out the exact measurements of matting paper or pictures. If you haven’t tried our Perfect Layers tool and would like to, please check out our website at PerfectPaperCrafting.com. There you will find our products and videos on how to use our products. And if you use Contessa5% at checkout, you will get a nice discount on your order.

I hope your St. Patrick’s Day will be full of fun, green things, (maybe even green eggs and ham), and tons of fun. Heck maybe even making a Leprechaun trap. I think my husband would be ok with you using his ingenious idea!!!!! Thanks for stopping by. Leave us a comment about what you like best about our Perfect Layers tool, a question about our tool, or even a fun St. Patrick’s Day story, we would love to hear from you.

Love Notes for Valentine’s Day

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:58:16 +0000

By Marci Leishman

I am the mother of three boys, which means I don’t often get to pull out the glitter and hearts when I am working on a project! So believe me, when Valentine’s Day comes around, I am all about all things pink and glittery!

This year, I decided to make each of my boys a little notebook instead of a traditional Valentine’s Day card. I thought it would be fun to include some simple “love notes” within the pages of the notebook – things I love about them, random memories, hopes and dreams for them – personalized just for them. I really think it something they will hold on to for years to come. Who doesn’t love to hear what someone else loves about them?

I started out by selecting standard spiral notebooks that I picked up from Target. They were inexpensive and just the right size! I selected some pink pattern paper and fun chipboard heart embellishments (Smitten line from K & Company) to use on my project. I wanted the background paper to be simple, and couldn’t really find what I was looking for in my scrapbook stash, so I decided to make my own. I simply typed the word “love” over and over, for this fun and simple background paper. Next, I layered up my background paper with a 1/16” Perfect Layer. It seems that every project I do does not seem complete if I don’t add a nice layered border. I love the precision that using Perfect Layers allows me – it just looks so much more finished! I knew I wanted to use the glittery, chipboard hearts I had picked out. So much fun! But they seemed to get lost on my “love” paper. I tried a simple border and it was just the trick. I love using Perfect Layers to help finish a border. It was just what I need to stand out against my background paper – and just what I needed for the chipboard heart to stand out. Easy and effective! Even my title “love notes” needed a little layering to help it stand out. The 1/16” border was just right to use on this small project. These notebooks came together really fast, and I was thinking they would be a great alternative to a sugary treat for my sons’ classmates at school. Something different, and so fun! And I could get my boys involved in the process. The front cover could be personalized with each classmate’s name or a Valentine’s Day quote or saying. Maybe I could make a few extra for my nieces and nephews. Oh, and then I might as well make some for my friends as well. I am going to be covered in glitter, for sure! And for me, that is a good thing!

Last-Minute Gifts……. Easy Handmade Gift Card Holders!

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:25:28 +0000

By Marci Leishman

Christmas. It is only five days away! And yes, there are still a few people on my list that I just haven’t found that perfect gift for yet. It is a good thing I am a fan of gift cards and I think they are the perfect solution for all those “hard to buy for” family members and friends. Especially since we are down to the wire!

Since I decided that gift cards are the way to go this year, I felt that personalizing them by making a cute gift card holder would make them even better. I loved using fun Christmas pattern papers to pull together these great gift card holders. I loved making them so much, I just may do them year round – for any occasion!

To make a gift card holder for your last minute gifts, just follow these simple steps

I used a gift card to make sure I was getting the right fit. I cut my initial piece 3 ¼”x1 ½” my first layer. The next layer was made with the ¼” edge – which allowed me just enough room to put adhesive around the edges to make a pocket, but also giving it enough room at the top so that the gift card could be seen

Add 3/4 inch pattern and then an 1/8 of an inch solid green

Add another 1/2 inch complementary Pattern and another 1/8 of an inch solid Red

Alternate Layer after layer of Paper and or Card stock .....

Add a few embelishments for finishing touch! I ended My layers by mounting it on folded white card-stock, So my gift card DOUBLES as a greeting card where I can write a personal message with my gift! I just used Leftovers from my stash of Scrapbook supplies, which is such a great way to get value for money! AND I was able to personalize my Gift Card Holders with the recipient in mind.

For this gift card holder, I alternated glitter cardstock in silver, gold and black. I think it makes an elegant statement. This gift card holder is great for the holidays, but it would work great for a wedding or anniversary, as well. The photo doesn’t do it justice – the glitter cardstock looks amazing!

For my teenage son, who is extremely hard to pick clothes out for (he has his own style, of course), I made this gift card holder – that is a little more whimsical. It fits his personality, and he will be so excited to pick out his own gift. And I am thrilled he will be able to get more for his money at the after Christmas sales. We both win!

While I was at it, I decided to make a few extra gift card holders. Here is one I made for my sister in law who is having a baby soon. I know she will appreciate a gift card to get the items she still needs, and I’ve made it look so much cuter than the gift card folder in came in.

I am so excited to give gift cards this year, since I’ve dressed them up and made them look great! And since I used scrapbook supplies that I already had on hand and Perfect Layers to help make them quick and easy, I now have time and money left over! And those are GREAT things to have during the holidays! So, yes . . . Christmas is just five days away. And thanks to giving the gift of gift cards, I am ready to celebrate!

Creative Christmas Gift Tags With a Dual Purpose!

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:36:58 +0000

By Marci Leishman

It is hard to believe, but Christmas is fast approaching! And I am all about doing whatever I can now, before the real Christmas chaos arrives.

This year, I decided to make Gift tags that can double as cute ornaments after the gift has been opened. I just love a “two for” gift! And I actually feel somewhat ahead of the game now that my gift tags are complete and ready to go!

I started out by looking for a simple design that I could just print from my computer for the tags. That way, I could print as many as needed and the cost was minimal. I found this darling subway art style Christmas tree from the Betty Crocker Wannabe blog.

It was a free printable (nice!), and was the perfect choice for my budget friendly gift tags! Here is the link http://adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-scripture-word-tree-printable.html. I fell in love with the unique Christmas tree design! I found that there are actually many generous people who are willing to share their designs for free, for personal use. Awesome!

It was easy to copy and paste the design, nine to a page. I printed the trees on white cardstock – I needed the gift tags to be as sturdy as possible, so they can be enjoyed as ornaments for years to come. Plus, adding layer after layer really makes them strong!

I then chose red and green cardstock, and polka dot pattern paper to layer my gift tags. I was able to complete each tag quickly, thanks to Perfect Layers! And I think they look like I spent a lot more time on them than I actually did.

I always seem to use the 1/16” size layer at least one time whenever I am layering. I just love how precise it is and it allows me to cut a thinner layer than I could ever do with my paper cutter. I absolutely love it!

For the “to and from” on the back of the tags, I simply printed them out with a fun font (CK Typist available from Scrap and Paper Shop website http://www.scrapandpapershop.com/product/ck-font-design-typist/CK_Fonts

It would be fun to include a personal message to the recipient. It would also be good to include the current year on either the front or the back of the tag. I chose to keep it simple, but the possibilities are endless!

It would also be so great to get the kids involved in this project. Imagine how cute the gift tag/ornaments would be with a child’s artwork, precious photograph or maybe even his or her handprint. Surely that would be a keepsake to be enjoyed for many years! I also thought a print out of a vintage Santa or Christmas quotes would be fun for these simple gift tags. There are so many possibilities! Hmmmmm . . . I may just have to make this a new holiday tradition and do these gift tags/ornaments every year!

A Whole New Way To Mat & Frame Your Photos Using Scrapbook Paper!

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:05:52 +0000

I selected a 4x6 photo, pattern paper, and solid cardstock and went to work cutting with my favorite tools – my cutting knife, and my Perfect Layers. This entire project was done by simply cutting layer after layer until my photo mat was the right size to fill an 8x10 frame. There are seven layers in all! Starting Layer

By Marci Leishman

Ahhhhh. Fall. The crispness in the air, the changing leaves, the attitude of gratitude that comes with this time of year. I just love it!

I also love fall decorations, and decorating for the season. It is so much fun to change out the décor with the changing holidays, but sometimes Thanksgiving gets skipped over! I decided to make a quick and easy project with Perfect Layers to highlight one of the things I love most about this time of year – gratitude.

I like the boldness of brown, so I started with a 1/8 brown layer to mat my photo. I then alternated with pattern paper (cut at 3/4"). I repeated layering with cardstock and pattern paper until I had layered myself to an 8x10 mat to fit my frame.

The layers I used:

Brown cardstock: 1/8”

Pattern paper: 3/4”

Orange cardstock: 1/16”

Brown cardstock: 1/8”

Pattern paper: 3/18”

Orange cardstock: 1/8”

Brown cardstock: 3/18”

Check out how precise using Perfect Layers is! I was using a scrap piece of brown pattern paper, and just needed to trim a slight edge off the bottom.

Can you see how narrow the paper is that I cut off – it even curled! I could never get that precision with any other tool

Have you tried this? Place your alphabet stickers on a ruler, with barely the bottom edge attached to the ruler. This way, you can move it around your page (or in this case, frame) until you know right where you want your lettering placed. Then you press down the top of the letters, slightly lift the ruler until the letters are no longer attached, and press to the page. It makes attaching letter stickers to much easier!

Few embellishments (I love those fall leaves by Bazzill), a simple title and my fall frame mat was complete. I love the result! I think the matting looks professional, but the scrapbook papers give the project a homemade flair – which I love!

I was excited with how fast this project came together! This just feels like a whole new way to mat my photos! I can see doing these fun and easy photo mats for my kids’ bedrooms, a baby shower gift, a teacher gift (with a quote or photo of the class), and many more! I know it will be so easy to switch out my frame with each holiday – or even other special occasions such as birthdays. And later, when I am done with my fall photo mat, I can add it to my scrapbook for an instant scrapbook page.

Fast, easy and professional looking. Now those are things to be grateful for!

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