41st Project completed - A toilet roll mini album

Hi!


Right, I have decided to have a go at a paper craft project this week, as you will probably have gathered my field is much more of a textiles related one so please excuse the basic nature of my paper crafting!


So what did I make with my toilet roll inners?

A mini album


Materials

• 3 or more toilet rolls
• patterned papers to cover them (I used photocopies of some of my artwork)
• Some card (white or patterned )
• Ribbons or chunky threads
• A hole punch
• Glue
• Paint
• Paper trimmer or scissors
• Optional - Some decorative brads and other bits and pieces

Instructions

1. Take your clean toilet roll inners and fold so they lie flat.

 

2. Carefully cover your rolls with patterned paper. I then put a colour wash over my papers to make them more subtle.

3. Measure out a card Tag to fit into each roll they should be roughly the same length as the roll as after you have bound the rolls together they should still protrude from the pockets. You can decorate these however you like. I used some angel hair paper and paint. Punch a hole at the end of each tag and thread through some ribbon or chunky threads.

4. Bind your rolls together by punching two holes at one edge and thread them together using some ribbon or threads. Knot on the top. And add a space for a title. You can now decorate your tags and folder with decorative brads etc. and add photos, samples or whatever you like!

19th Project completed: A shabby chic thread / momento box

Hi all!

Well this week seems to have been a really long one. My Step-son has been doing his AS Level art exams this week so alot of the week has centred around keeping him working. At last here we are, Saturday. Time to see what I have been up to this week.

As you know I have been trying to sort out the workroom over the last couple of weeks. I have been grabbing a bit of time here and there to do small sections in between working on the websites, answering customer's queries and housework looking after the kid's etc. I am nearly there now and the room is already easier to use and hopefully keep tidy in the future.

Like most embroiderers, I have a few favorite threads that I use all the time and I like to keep them handy. They need to be kept dust free and not be allowed to 'spool off' the reels and get tangled. So I have decided to try making a small box which I can leave out handy for the sewing machine to store them in. This type of box could also easily be made to hold momentoes or jewellery instead.



Materials needed:

• Strong cardboard boxes
• A newspaper
• Paint
• PVA Glue
• Hot Glue Gun
• A Laminator sheet
• Laminating machine
• Craft Knife
• Packing string

Instructions:

1. I decided to use a small washing powder box as the main box. The first step is to stick down any flaps so you have a solid box without any openings.

2. Cut around one side of the box to form a lid (as shown in picture above). Leave one edge attatched to make a hinge.

3. Cover the entire outside of the box and inside the lid with a layer of newspaper to add strength and create a better surface to paint on.

4. Leaving a frame around the edge. Cut a design into the lid to reflect the items it is designed for - mine says threads.

5. Make compartments using strips of card taken from another box. Glue them into place with a glue gun. I made the compartments the right size to hold 1000yd cops of thread and some sundries, but the size of the compartments you create is up to you.

6. Paint the box inside and out. I used an old blue matt emulsion test pot that I found in the shed but you could use acrylic paint. I found that using the emulsion over the PVA glue created a crackle effect similar to that found on 'shabby chic' type furniture which is ideal for this project!

7. Run an empty laminator pouch through the laminator and stick it to the inside of your lid as a window.

8. Thread a piece of packing string or ribbon through the lid and another piece corresponding to it on the front of your box and tie to close.

There we have it a recycled box for momentoes or in my case threads!

See you tomorrow night for the announcement of next week's materials.