Category Archives: Policy Envelopes

Decide to Be Yourself Easel Album with G45 Portrait of a Lady

Decide to Be Yourself Easel Album: Graphic 45 Portrait of a Lady CHA Project

Hello, G45’ers!  I’m excited to be sharing another project that graced the Graphic 45 Booth at CHA/Creativation last month.  Portrait of a Lady is such an elegant collection filled with gorgeous colors and patterns.  But it’s also loaded with inspirational sentiments like the one that inspired me to make this Decide to Be Yourself Easel Album.  Go grab a drink and a snack as there are loads of photos, a video tour and some designer tips that I’d love to share with you today.

The easel album measures 8″ square and comes with 12 kraft pages in a spiral binding.  I used the signature image on the cover along with a row of pretty little banner flags, some fussy cut perfume bottles, Petaloo flowers, ribbon, twine and vintage buttons.  To age the papers, I spattered them with diluted white acrylic paint.

Are you swooning yet?  Oh, how I love these papers!

Highlight small elegant images by framing them.  Bring out the design in an ornate frame by tapping raised areas with Tattered Rose Distress Paint. Dig into your stash of vintage lace, trims and vintage style buttons because this collection fairly cries out for such additions!

Here is a side view so you can see the easel that allows the album to stand upright for display.

A Peek Inside

Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.  That’s the quote that inspired this project.  Such wisdom!  The thought process behind the design was to create an inspirational decor piece that could be changed out as time passes.  And you knew there had to be a pocket somewhere, didn’t you?

Here are a few of my favorite interior pages.

Portrait of a Lady Easel Album Video Tour On YouTube

If I sound a little “off” or tired in this video it’s due to a horrible virus that hit me during the Christmas holiday.  I was still recovering when this video was made.

Thanks so much for letting me share this album with you today.  I hope you are inspired to go and create something beautiful!

Cheerio,

kathy

Supply List

  • Portrait of a Lady 12×12 papers
    • Portrait of a Lady
    • Diana
    • Josephine
    • Catherine
    • Sophia
    • Grace
    • Isabella
    • Elizabeth
    • Blanche
    • Victoria
    • Maria
  • Graphic 45 Staples 8×8 Easel Album
  • Graphic 45 Staples Regular Black Policy Envelopes
  • Graphic 45 Staples ATC Black Policy Envelopes
  • Staples Kraft Alphabet Banner Tags
  • Cardstock (several sheets each for photo mats) pink, green, kraft, white
  • Petaloo Flowers
    • White Botanica Blooms x4
    • White Hydrangea Blossoms x24
    • DIY Ivory Burlap Picks

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Love Sweet Love Policy Envelope Wallet Tutorial

Graphic 45: Love Sweet Love Policy Envelope Wallet Tutorial with Nature Sketchbook

Hello, Friends!  I’m up on the Graphic 45 blog today where I’m sharing this Love Sweet Love Policy Envelope Wallet Tutorial.  It’s just the perfect little gift for Valentine’s Day.

Look at alll the darling little bee images in Nature Sketchbook.  I decided to riff off that idea and turn it into a Love Sweet Love theme…complete with a honey spoon!  Tea with honey is one of my favorite things!

These metal pieces are painted with Black Soot Distress Paint to match my yellow, black and red color palette.  For the keyhole, I let the paint set for about 1 minute, then I wiped off with a barely damp paper towel.

Just as bees love to cluster around the hive, cluster your embellishments around a focal image to create a real visual impact.

Sweet Surprises on the inside

Join two policy envelopes together and what do you get?  A really fun wallet/pocket combo.  I altered the red policy envelope to create the pocket, and I’ll show you how in the Snapguide tutorial at the end of this post.

The pocket is filled with pretty ephemera cards, a post card and a delicious herbal tea bag to go along with the honey spoon on the front of the wallet.

Don’t you just love these gorgeous images?  To create a custom string tie opening, simply glue chipboard buttons on top of the black discs .  It adds a great pop of color!

Wanna see what’s in the pocket?

Happy to oblige!

Would you like to know how to make your own Love Sweet Love Policy Envelope Wallet?  Then please enjoy this Snapguide Tutorial.

Snapguide: Love Sweet Love Policy Envelope Wallet Tutorial

Check out How to Love Sweet Love G45 Policy Envelope Wallet & Tag by Kathy Clement on Snapguide.

I hope this has given you some “sweet” ideas for your own Valentine’s Day (or any day!) creations.  It’s always the right time to share a little love!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

 

Love Sweet Love Policy Envelope Wallet Supply List

 

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World’s Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial with Graphic 45

World’s Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial with Graphic 45 Policy Envelopes

Hello, G45’ers!  Happy Monday!  Summer is finally winding down. Are you ready for fall?  I sure am!  It has been a long, hot summer here in North Carolina!  I’m yearning for crisp, cool mornings and vibrant fall colors.  Since fall is not quite here yet, I created my own taste of autumn in the studio by putting together this World’s Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial.  Let’s dig in!

World's Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial, World's Fair, Policy Envelopes, by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 1Oh, how I love this collection!  It’s like a paper dose of happy,  You will be glad to know that these sweet treat bags come together in a snap, thanks to the G45 Policy Envelope bases.  Add a little fussy cutting and you’ve got a beautiful little gift ready for the giving.  These are great for teacher appreciation.  And can you imagine how happy you’d be to find this pretty package tucked into your lunch box?  With kids heading back to college, these would also be great to sneak into a suitcase with a loving note of encouragement. I think you’ll find LOTS of ways to use this clever design!

World’s Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial for the Gents

World's Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial, World's Fair, Policy Envelopes, by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 2I love the way the World’s Fair color palette POPS against the black background of the policy envelope!  Use a 12mm ball stylus and foam pad to round out the centers of the balloons.  Add a double layer of foam dimensionals (or waste chipboard) to the balloon centers.  Then, run a fine bead of “dries clear” adhesive just around the edges of the rounded balloon shapes.  Gently hold in place for a second or two, then glue the gondola in place.

The inspirational quotes found in the World’s Fair collection are perfect  for a project like this.  The border strips anchor and unify the design.Anchor and unify the design by adding border strips to the base of the envelopes.  Fish tail banners can be made with paper scraps. Fold the strips in half lengthwise then cut the ends at a 45 degree angle.  Layer several of these together in a corner for a fun, easy embellishment.

World's Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial, World's Fair, Policy Envelopes by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45 Photo 3Too hot, or no time to bake?  A packaged treat from the health food section of my local Kroger was the solution to this dilemma.  But a homemade cookie or brownie would  work just as well and provide a welcome taste of home.  Write some heartfelt words of encouragement on the back of the ferris wheel ephemera card and tuck inside with the treat.  Nothing cheers the heart more than a handwritten note,

World’s Fair Sweet Treats Bag Tutorial for the Ladies

World's Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial, World's Fair, Policy Envelopes, by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 4 jpg Fussy cut this floral spray from the 12×12 title page of the World’s Fair collection.  I left the white highlight edge on because in this case, I felt it helped define the flowers.   Add a ribbon tied with poppy red taffeta ribbon and a jet black Petaloo mixed textured blossom to pull all the elements together.  Besides, what girl doesn’t like to get a ribbony flower on her treat bag?

World's Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial, World's Fair, Policy Envelopes, by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 5This is simple, fun project that can be put together in an hour or less.  Change the design a little, and you have a birthday treat bag, a Halloween treat bag, a get well treat bag, a wedding treat bag or a welcome baby treat bag.  How great is that?

Snapguide Tutorial for World’s Fair Sweet Treat Bags

 

 

Check out How to Teacher Appreciation Treats W/G45 Policy Envelopes by Kathy Clement on Snapguide.

I hope you’ll give this World’s Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial a try.  I’ve already given one bag away, and it was received with great joy and gladness.  (The word on the street is that the packaged brownie was yummy!  Yay!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Supply List for World’s Fair Sweet Treat Bag Tutorial

  • Graphic 45 World’s Fair 12×12 papers
    • World’s Fair
    • Wonder Works
    • Balloon Bouquet
  • World’s Fair 8×8 papers
    • World’s Fair
    • Wonder Works
    • Balloon Bouquet
    • Scraps from 6×6 World’s Fair Prints and patterns
  • World’s Fair Ephemera Cards
  • World’s Fair Chipboard
  • G45 Staples Square Black Policy Envelopes

Other Products:

  • Red Taffeta Ribbon
  • Petaloo Black Textured Elements
  • Foam Dimensionals
  • Vintage Photo Distress Ink
  • Art Institute Dries Clear Adhesive with fine point tip

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