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Paper Magic; Single Sheet Creations
by Tiffany Roberts
(Oct 30, 2008)
Do you have patterns or paper collections that you adore? Aren't you sad when a beloved pattern is out of stock, or discontinued? That recently happened to one of my very favorite patterns from Daisy D's. Knowing I can't get any more of this fantastic paper had me scooping up as many sheets as I could at my local scrapbook stores.
Now my goal is to use up every part of that paper so that I can make it stretch over several projects. The key is preplanning. The old adage, "Measure twice, cut once," really applies here. You want to have a plan and have your measurements handy before you cut into that sheet of paper in order to minimize waste. Even small bits of scraps can be saved for diecutting letters or punching out embellishments. With a little planning I was able to take a 12" x 12" sheet of patterned paper and create two layouts, three cards, and a gift bag. That's six unique projects from a single sheet of patterned paper! Two Layouts
Layout Supplies:
Three Cards
Card Supplies:
One Gift Bag
Gift Bag Supplies:
One Gift Box & Mini Card Set My Mind's Eye also made a patterned paper than I can no longer get my hands on. With a single sheet of this 12" x 12" cardstock-weight, two-sided patterned paper and one sheet of solid cardstock I was able to create a small box and a set of 3" x 3" cards. What a cute gift for a teacher or friend! You could easily create several of these sets to give as stocking stuffers during the holidays.
Supplies:
Directions: To create your box cut a 7 ½" square from cardstock. Score all four sides at 2". Use scissors to create a flap on the top and bottom edges of your square by cutting vertically on the score marks as shown.
Fold and adhere to create your box bottom.
Create your box top by cutting your double-sided, cardstock-weight patterned paper into a 5 ¾" square. My patterned paper had a solid side and a patterned side. I chose to use the solid-rose-colored side for my box top. Score all four sides of your box top at 1". Use your Fiskars scallop border punch to embellish all four sides of the box top. Cut on the score lines the same way you did for the box bottom and adhere the flaps to create your top. You may need to trim your edges by hand a bit to line up your scallops. For a less feminine box you can use a different edge or leave the edges uncut. Trim a second piece of patterned paper from your leftovers to 3 ¾" square. Punch scalloped edges, and adhere to the top of your box with the opposite pattern showing. Embellish with a monogram, ribbons, or any other accent that coordinates with your papers. The 3" x 3" cards were created from the leftover bits of cardstock and patterned papers. I was able to get seven cards folded to make a set of adorable little 3" x 3" cards that fit nicely inside the box. I hope you won't be discouraged by only having one sheet of patterned paper. With some planning and creativity you can create several wonderful projects and make those hard-to-find patterns stretch more than you ever thought possible. |
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