Tassel Bookmark from Fan

 I bought a few fans at the Dollar Tree. 

After taking them apart I was able to use the frame work to

make these cute tassel bookmarks. 

The two ends pieces of the fan are thicker, and won't bend when you

take them in and out of a journal, or book. 

The other fan blades are really thin pieces so I had to glue two of them back

to back. I actually used Fabric-Tac to glue them together and it worked great. 

I also used goo-gone to clean the glue from the fan blades. 

At the top of the fan blade I added a large jump ring. 

To that I added a clip. Next step was to 

pick out some strips of ribbon, and fibers. 

These were threaded through the clip then folded over.

I used thread to wrap around the top to hold the tassel in place. 

Beads were also added to the ends of the thread. 

I was also able to find a fan that had white blades. 

Love this little elephant charm. 

This was a fun, and pretty simple project. If 

you make some just remember to have the tassel on the left side of the fan blade. 

If you don't then you the tassel won't be able to hang down the spine of a book. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Rose Cover Ephemera Holder

 This beauty is a ephemera holder that I made for my friend Kathleen. 

She has received it now so I'm safe to post it. 

I just love the pattern paper I used for this project! 

Goes so well with the Tim Holtz pink rose ephemera. 

The spine was covered with lace. 

As we open the book we find a fold out section with large pockets. 

These will hold taller pieces of ephemera. 

I used card stock weight vellum to make the little pockets

on the pages to hold different sized pieces. Art Glitter Glue

used to secure the vellum strips. 

In this photo you can see how the ephemera fits into the pockets. 

I did have a bit of trouble with the glue showing through the vellum

on the darker pattern paper. To cover it up I cut down small strips of

pattern paper and glued it over the edges of the vellum. 

The back page of the holder also flips out to show two

more large pocket pieces. 

I used a piece of ric-rac to edge the piece

of lace that I used on the spine. 

Needless to say Kathleen loved her ephemera holder. 

I have to make one for me, as I really wanted to keep this one! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Decorating Large Glassine Bag

 A few weeks ago while visiting Hollo's a local paper

store I came across some very large glassine bags. 

I thought they would be fun to decorate, and use to package

up my swaps. 

While playing around with the bag I had

the idea to fold up the bottom to form a pocket. 

Took it one step further and folded the bag in half. 

I ended up with four large pockets. 

Front and back were decorated with pattern paper. 

Also edged it with black script washi tape. 

Here is what it looks like open. 

Continued to use the same washi tape on the inside. 

I can see myself making a few of these and putting them

together for an embellishment book. 

Not to shabby a project considering the bags are only .10 cents each. 

Oh how I love that store! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Decorated Glassine Bunny Bag

 I was recently in a bunny swap. Players were

to decorate a bag, and then fill it bunnies. Well

bunnies do multiply so my bag was pretty stuffed by 

the time I was finished. 

I decorated a glassine bag with a book page from Watership Down. 

I found it at the library sale, and got it for .50 cents. 

Added some silk flowers, glitter centers, and grass along the bottom. 

Used a die for the grass. 

The bag I got at Hollo's. They are selling them for .10 cents each. What a deal! 

Size of the bag 9 3/4 x 12, so it is a pretty large bag to fill. 

Made this 5 x7 envelope then decorated it with this cute little bunny. 

Also found at the library book sale. 

Pocket made with a book page. 

Made some bunny die cuts and embossed with a folder. 

Some of the other stuff I put in the bag I've already

have been posting on the blog. 

Not going to post every thing here, but my partner

has already received the bunny bag, and loved it. 

I have to say I enjoy swaps like this one. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Vintage Singer Sewing Machine Pin Cushion

 This little vintage Singer tin box I've had in my collection for 

a very long time. It use to hold buttons, but I never used them because

they were not close at hand. Recently I moved the buttons in with the rest of the

"group" which left me with an empty tin. What to do? 

Since I signed up for yet another swap (this one requires you to make a pin cushion)

the tin found a new purpose. 

To make it I used a large handful of poly-fil. Wrapped it with natural batting. 

Last step was to wrap the entire thing with a vintage doily. 

That vintage doily was hand crocheted by me 38 years ago. Glad it 

also found a new purpose! 

Last step was to add the ruffled lace border, and the vintage

looking necklace piece to the front. 

What is a pin cushion without some fancy pins to go in it? 

Raided my bead box, and used glossy accents to glue the 

beads in place on the pin. 

Which brings me to the last part of this project. 

That vintage tin has a very pretty lid that I also wanted to use. 

I got a piece of magnet sheet, and cut it to fit on the inside part of the lid.

Perfect place to hold needles! Used the crop-a-dile to round off the corners of the magnet sheet. 

I'm so please with how this project came out that I really don't want to swap this piece. 

Love to keep it for myself! But that wouldn't be right. Would it? 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Bunny Shrink Plastic Charm and Pencil

 I broke out the shrink plastic this week. 

Can't remember the last time I played with this stuff. 

Forgot how much I liked working with it! 

The bunny stamp was gifted to me by my friend, and this was the first time I inked it.

The plastic has to be lightly sanded in a crosshatch fashion. 

The bunny stamp was inked with jet black Stazon ink, then

the image was colored with prisma pencils. Used a small

hole punch in the bunny ear, so I could use the finished piece

as a charm. 

I used a metal eye screw on the side of the pencil.

After shrinking the bunny with a heat tool I threaded

it with some beads onto a bulb pen then attached to the pencil. 

So cute! 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Easter Themed Junk Journal

 This is a Easter themed junk journal I created for my crafty friend Kathleen. 

We have been swapping monthly journals since last September. 

Love how the cover came out. The lace egg dies, and bunny I purchased

from cozyscrapbook. 

Inside cover, and first page. Those large eggs are also made from a die. 

I ran them through embossing folder after I cut them out with the egg die. 

This page was created using mixed media. Bottom

bunny egg, and carrot is from a paper napkin that I adhered using modge podge. 

Other things used: Tim Holtz distress oxide inks, stamps, ribbon, paint.

Pockets add some fun to the journal, and provide extra spots

for journaling. The page on the right was made using a business size envelope that

was folded up to create the pockets. 

Lace bunny die with purple cardstock on the left. 

Found a bunny book at the used book store sale at the library and used one of the

pages. So sweet! 

added more die cuts, and strips of pattern paper to decorate the page. 

The bunny image on this pocket was drawn using the cricut air 2 machine. 

I colored it with Prisma pencils. 

When I found a Easter themed coloring book at Marc's for 49 cents I knew

I had to add a page to this journal. 

I also made some hidden paper clips to attach to the pages. 

Side pocket.

Cute little bunny sticker! 

For some of the pages I used color stationary that I got from Hollo's. 

Double belly band that holds little notebooks. 

The page on the left has extra pages for journaling. Added a tab

to the bottom to make it easier to lift the pages. 

Last page! 

Here is a view of the tags, and hidden paper clips I made

for this journal. 

Stamping trails

Karen 

Vintage Lady Box using Old Calendar

I just had to recycle the beautiful calendar I used last year. 

Picked it up at Joann's. Vintage models showing off some lovely dresses. 

The images on the back of the calendar that shows what each month looks

like was a perfect size to fit in the compartments of this

plastic box I picked up at Marc's for only .49. Wish

they had more, but I only found one. 

For the outside lid I trimmed down one of the calendar pages

to fit the recessed area. Did some sponging around the edges

with vintage photo ink. 

Added some lace, beads, and buttons. 

I also stamped the words. 

Inside view of the compartments. I'm going to use

this organizer to hold misc. sewing embellishments. 

To cover the inside lid I used a piece of actual instructions from an old pattern. 

I may go back, and add a few buttons to it, or maybe some lace to

dress it up a bit. For now I'm quite pleased how it came out. 

Took at walk yesterday, and froze my butt off! It was only 28 degrees out. 

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I'm going to have to bundle up a bit more to take my daily walk. 

Planning on making a pot of soup, and maybe some muffins. 

Also plan to mop the kitchen floor as it really needs it. 

Krafty trails

Karen 

Altered Butter Cookie Tin

 This is the second tin of cookies my friend Kathleen sent to me in 

my Christmas box. Her challenge was for me to repurpose the tin. 

I forgot to take a before picture, but this was a small butter cookie tin. 

Remember the ones, grandma, and mom used as a sewing kit? That's the one! 

Anyway....I used pattern paper to cover the lid, and side of the tin.

Used a blue theme as I knew part of the blue tin would show. 

Modge Podge was used to adhere the paper to the tin. 

After hubby added the knob for me I embellished the lid

with cheesecloth, a stamped teabag, cancelled postage stamps, flowers, 

and a paper doll by Tim Holtz. 

I also added crochet trim around the top of the lid. 

Edges of pattern paper was inked with vintage photo distress oxide. 

I did add a bit of color to the ladies hat, and belt

with a red, and blue primsa color pencils. Wanted 

to tie the colors of the paper in with the embellishments. 

Had fun with this one. Happy that I have been able 

to use some of the drawer knobs that I got at Michael's a few 

years ago. The drawers to the library filing cabinet I have are stuffed

full, and I really need to work on thinning them out as I have

no more room for new stuff. 

Me, and hubby got to take a long walk yesterday morning. 

It was 36, and sunny. So nice to get out!!!! Later we ordered pizza,

and watched the Browns game. They beat Pittsburg!!!!!! So happy to 

see them go into the playoffs. Currently they are 11-5. Can't wait 

for next week's game! 

Krafty trails

Karen