This is another easy project.  I used 4x6” clear plastic photo frames (picked them up at the dollar store).  I cut paper to 4x6” (I used Close to My Heart papers – Frosted – which is used on both the blue and pink ones since all the CTMH papers are two sided and Huntington was used on the orange and green ones) and slid it inside the photo frames.  I printed little calendars off the internet and cut them out and mounted them and the post-it notes using heavy duty tape.  Add a ribbon, flower or any other embellishment that tickles your fancy and you have a great little gift item.  Keep on crafting.

Easy Mini Clipboards

Mini Clipboard Instructions

 

I decided to play around with a couple pieces of my favorite Close to My Heart papers (I selected Huntington and Laughing Lola for these) and this is what I ended up with.  They are simple to make.  The mini clipboards can be purchased in any office supply store (I got these at Staples).  I selected the papers a wanted to use and purchased coordinating acrylic paints.  I painted the edges of the clipboards (in about 1”) all the way around with two coats.  When dry I cut my papers to fit, rounded the corners, selected my sentiments and embellishments and started to play.  They came together in no time.

I had some folks wanting to know how I made the Christmas Gatefold Card I posted earlier (the blue snowflake one posted earlier so here you go:

Christmas Gatefold Card – (see photo on 10-18 blog)

Cutting Instructions:

Cut cardstock for base at 8 x 5 ½” and score at 2 and 6” and fold. 

Cut 4 each cream cardstock at 1 ¾ x 5 ¼” and 2 each cream cardstock at 1 ¾ x 1 ¾”, Cut 4 each patterned paper and 1 at 1 ½  x 5” and 1each 3 ¾ x 5 ¼” (frosted cardstock CTMH), Cut 2 each silver cardstock at 2 x2”, Cut 2 each blue cardstock at 2 ¼  x 2 ¼”

Stamping Instructions:

On the 1 ¾ x 1 ¾” stamp (stamps are from the Workshop on the Go Frosted Cardmaking Kit) with snowflake and Peace and Joy (twilight ink).  Distress edges of each using twilight ink and a sponge dauber. 

On the cream patterned side of the frosted cardstock stamp sentiment and snowflake from the stamp set from the Workshop on the Go Frosted Cardmaking Kit.

On a 4 ¾ x 5 ¾” ivory envelope (invitation size) stamp a coordinating snowflake on the bottom right corner (always coordinate envelope and card for a finished look).

Assembly:

Center and glue patterned paper to four cream strips (blue pattern facing up) now glue these to the four gates of the cards (2” fold over inside and outside the card).  Center and glue sentiment (3 ¾ x 5 ¼” piece to inside of card.  Center and glue snowflake and sentiment onto silver cardstock then center and glue that onto blue cardstock.  Place glue on left half of sentiment and glue to left gatefold (do not glue onto right gatefold or card will not open).  Place glue on right half of snowflake and glue to right gatefold.

 

The Frosted Cardmaking Kit from CTMH not only made me 15 beautiful cards I had paper left over to make several more cards.  Check out the kit at www.craftwithronnie.ctmh.com

As I prepare my holiday cards I am becoming obsessed with the gatefold card.  They are easier than you might think. (See the photo below)

Select the cardstock you wish to use for the base of your card (here I selected a nice Christmas red) and cut it to 8 x 5 1/2".  I then used my Scor-Pal and scored and folded the card at 2 and 6". This gives you the basic gatefold card.

Next I selected the first layer for my gates (a nice Christmas green here) I cut 4 each at 1 3/4 x 5 1/4" I also cut a piece of the green at 4 1/4 x 5 1/4" for the inside of the card.

Now the fun, select the pattern paper you want to use on the project and cut 4 each at 1 1/2 x 5".

I then selected the embellishment I wanted to use and the sentiment.  I started with the fact they needed to be no larger than 4" wide but other than that it was pretty open.  I started by stamping my sentiment on a piece of cardstock that was 3 5/8 x 1 1/4 which I then layered onto a piece of green that was 3 1/2 x 1 7/16 which I then placed on red cardstock that was 3 3/4 x 1 3/4 (the key here is to make sure both the embellishment and the sentiment are the same width and look good on the card, the rest of it can be eyeballed).  For the embellishment I selected one I had in my stash and started to build.  I started with red card stock that was 3 3/4 x 2 1/4" layered on silver cardstock that was 3 10/16 x 2".  Now just assemble (for the verse inside I printed one from the computer on a nice coordinating paper that was 4 x 5 1/2") just start layering the project and adhering everything together, the embellishment stack and the sentiment stack should be adhered last.  First glue only the left half of the embellishment to the left side gate, now glue only the right side of the sentiment to the right gate (this allows the gates to be opened and the sentiment on the inside to be read).  And here is the finished project.

Decided to see what else I could create using the stamps and left over paper from the Frosted Cardmaking Kit.  Not to bad if I do say so myself.  (Instructions above)