Hello, Friends! There’s a hint of fall in the morning air. It must be time to share my Authentique September Desk Calendar Tutorial!
These summer months have flown by. I’ve been busy with family birthdays and planning Button Farm kits. Our little garden produced an abundance of tomatoes. Keeping up with that has felt like a part time job! I’m afraid it’s kept me away from my blog more than I’d like. But the good news is, my freezer is filled with homemade marinara sauce, homemade salsa, and homemade soup base for the cold days that are peering around the corner.
So this month, we are opening the door to my favorite season: fall! The September desk calendar is all about brightly colored fall leaves, crisp and juicy apples, backpacks and books!
Remember the first day of school? There was always a new outfit, and a photo before we walked out the door. Then there was the pack of sharp new pencils, a Pink Pearl eraser and a fresh pack of Crayolas to add to the excitement. The cover of this nostalgic 6×6″ desk calendar hearkens back to those sweet, innocent days.
Follow the video tutorial below and we will decorate the calendar cover together. I’ll link the supplies I used, but you can substitute whatever embellishments and ribbon you have in your stash if you don’t have them.
Don’t you just love the vintage images in the September Calendar collection? And the color palette is perfect for fall! You’ll feel all warm and cozy as we make this desk calendar together, I promise!
YouTube Tutorial
As promised, here is the easy to follow video tutorial for this darling desk calendar. I hope you enjoy!
Are kids going back to school in your neck of the woods? I confess, I miss seeing the moms walking their kids to the school bus stop each morning. Here’s hoping that we get our kids back in school and back to normal soon!
If you’d like to catch up on this calendar series, please click HERE. You’ll find all the calendar tutorials along with dozens of other Authentique projects that I hope you will enjoy.
Hello, Friends! It’s August already? That means it’s time to get ready to go back to school! I’m loving the happy prints, retro images and primary colors of this Authentique Scholastic collection, how about you? It takes me right back to my happy childhood school days.
Authentique Scholastic Back to School Mini Album: The Inspiration
I grew up in an era when each little town had it’s own 2 room schoolhouse within walking distance of home. Ours sat at the top of a steep hill, surrounded by ancient maple trees and a large grassy meadow that was perfect for outdoor play. We had a small playground with old fashioned swings, a merry go round, teeter totters and a large sidewalk where we played hopscotch.
The vintage yellow schoolhouse was a two story box shape, with enormous windows, maple hardwood floors, old fashioned iron coat hooks and green slate chalkboards that covered two walls of each room. Grades 1-3 were in one room and grades 4-6 in the other. A big old fashioned clock hung on the front wall with large framed photos of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln on either side. The Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” was conspicuously displayed for all to see and take to heart.
We started each day with The Pledge of Allegiance, the singing of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” and the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer. And no…I’m not 100 years old! This was 1962…not that long ago…but oh, how things have changed!
Authentique Scholastic Back to School Mini Album: The Base
The base for this project is a 8.25″ x 8.75″ x 2″ G 45 Black Mixed Media Album. I decided to pretty much “gut” the album interior and make it into an interactive memory book.
TIP: Layer elements with varying height chipboard to add interest to the cover display.
TIP: Matting stickers and images on Black Jack and Lemon Drop Spectrum Cardstock makes the layers pop.
TIP: Not all embellishments come from the scrapbooking store! A trio of pencils tied with ribbon look fantastic on the album spine. First, glue the pencil sides together. Then, wrap with black micro gingham. Tie a bow. Then mat the apple image on a double layer of Black Jack and Lemon Drop cardstock. Punch a hole in one corner, string on a metal key and you’ve got a mighty cute embellishment!
Authentique Scholastic Back to School Mini Album: Adding the Waterfall Feature
TIP: There’s loads of room inside the front cover for a waterfall/pocket combo. Here’s how:
First, cut (6) 6 1/2″ x 5″ rectangles from Black Jack and Lemon Drop. (3 each)
Next, score a 1/2″ flap on the top edge of each rectangle.
Then, shape the bottom corner with a corner punch, if desired.
Now, fold the 1/2″ flaps back and burnish.
Next, center and adhere the first flap along the top edge of the inside cover.
Then, line up the folded edge of the next flap beneath the first flap. Continue this process for all 6 waterfall pages.
Now, make a pocket and adhere along the bottom edge of the page. I used an oval die to cut a pretty shape in the top of mine.
To keep the waterfall closed, adhere a length of Light Blue Navy Satin Ribbon along the base of the final waterfall page, then tie a bow on the front.
Authentique Scholastic Back to School Mini Album: Interactive Pages
As you’ll see in the video tour below, I created a number of interactive pages inside the album.
Belly bands and accordion folio inserts are a fun way to display photos.
Pockets with large pull out photo mounts are easy to make.
Make quick and easy pockets by cutting patterned papers 3″ longer than the height of your page.
Score, fold and adhere the sides for an almost instant pocket.
Then cut squares of Black Jack paper to fit the pockets.
Line with patterned paper on both sides.
Mat tab type stickers on cardstock scraps to make decorative pull tabs.
This album is loaded with fun…but everything is very easy to do, as you will see in the video tour.
TIP: Change up the size of your pages to add variety and interest to your album.
TIP: Create flap folios above pockets to add room for more photos. Mine are 6 1/2″ x 9″, scored in half so that each panel will hold a 4″ x 6″ photo with room for the pretty paper to peek around the edges.
TIP: Create a tip in page by cutting your paper 3″ wider than the base page. Then score, fold and adhere the back side to the album bse.
TIP: Hidden pockets with inserts are a snap to make. Cut designer paper 1/2″ wider than the base on the sides and bottom edge. Score 1/2″ flaps, fold and adhere just the flaps to the base page. This makes it easy to slide a folio insert behind the page. Use a circle or oval die to cut a decorative opening, if desired.
TIP: Save the off cut from die cutting the pocket edge and turn it into a decorative tab on a folio.
Authentique Scholastic Back to School Mini Album: The Video Tour with Tips and Tricks
To help you get a better idea for the flow and function of this album, I’ve created a short video tour. You’ll find lots of tips and helpful hints for making your own Back to School mini album.
I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas that you can use in your own crafty adventures. You’ll find a linked supply list below the post.
Authentique Paper Goes Back to School: Mini Album with Accolade, Companions and Frontier
Hello Friends! What a fun day this is! Today’s the day that Authentique Paper Goes Back to School! The Authentique Design Team have prepared some amazing Back to School projects to share with you. You can find them all HERE on the Authentique Blog. For my project share, I’ve created a chunky monkey of a mini album made with the Accolade, Companions and Frontier Collection Kits.
This “from scratch” album measures a hefty 6 1/4″ x 7″ x 2 1/2″. I created a 5 tab hidden binding system inside the covers to hold my pocket pages. (You can find a tutorial for the Valentine’s Day album I made using this same system HERE. )
I used fussy cut images from Accolade along with a Tim Holtz Vintage Globe Die Cut and cute buttons to create this collage style cover. The album is a birthday gift for our dear daughter in law who homeschools our 3 grandgirls. She can record all the wonderful projects, events and field trips inside the album pages.
The spine is reinforced with a canvas binding for strength and durability.
Authentique Paper Goes Back to School: A Peek Inside
There is so much to see inside this album, that I created a video tour for you. But I thought you might like to see a few of the still shots first. This is the inside cover. I’ve used the floral paper and kitty cat border from Companions here. Our son and his wife have 3 kitty loving daughters, so I thought it would be cute to make a pocket with these cute cats on it. Accolade is such a neutral collection that you can pair it with almost anything and it still looks great.
The inner pages are loaded with flaps, fold outs and pocket pages. To stretch my designer paper, I used Authentique Spectrum Cardstock. It’s a perfect color match.
Look how great these papers from Frontier look alongside Accolade and Companions! I had such fun mixing and matching collections!
This double page looks like a flap page, but it’s actually holding two very fun photo inserts.
These 4″ x 6 1/2″ photo inserts slip neatly behind the page. To do this, just place adhesive on only 3 sides of your paper.
Authentique Paper Goes Back to School: The YouTube Video Tour
There are too many pages in this album for me to share all the photos here. So I created this 10 minute video tour. I’ll show you how all the mechanisms work and share tips and tricks that I used while creating the album.
I hope I’ve shared some tips, tricks and ideas that you can use in your own crafty adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
I’m sitting in the corner with the dunce cap on my head! The date for the Authentique group share post was changed to FRIDAY, but I missed the memo! So pop on by the Authentique blog tomorrow, Friday August 31, to join in the fun!
Tammy Tutterow Designs Creative Crew: Shine Back to School Lunchbox Surprise
Hello, Friends! Day by day, summer is slipping away. I heard the first migrating geese calling as I was walking the other evening, and the days are definitely getting shorter. Both are sure signs of fall. Another sure sign is all the back to school sales! Everywhere I look I find notebooks, pencils, erasers and glue being advertised. This inspired me to create this bright and cheery Shine Back to School Lunchbox Surprise.
Let’s face it: the first day of school can be a tough one. Tears and fears and new surroundings call for a little lunchbox surprise. Imagine how fun it would be to open your lunchbox to find this cheery card and uplifting sentiment!
Shine Like the Star that You Are
This is such a fun card to make, and I think that (maybe) I’m getting the hang of making these clean(er) and simple (er) cards! LOL Here’s how I put this one together:
Create a 5″ x 7″ top fold card base from primitive white cardstock. Be sure to add a 1/4″ spine to accommodate the surprises on the inside.
Sunshine Print: 4 7/8″ x 6 7/8″ (NOTE: I stitched my paper panels to the primitive white cardstock, but that is not required. I do like the look of the contrasting stitching, though.)
Stripe: 3″ x 6.75″
Green Quatrefoil Print: 3″ x 5.5″
The Sentiment Panel
Cut an additional 4 7/8″ x 3.75″ panel of the sunshine print paper.
Stamp the Shine Cling Stamp sentiment directly onto this panel, using Jet Black Archival Ink.
Heat emboss the stamped sentiment with clear embossing powder.
Stitch the stamped sentiment and the rays of sunshine on the sewing machine
Color the image. I am not a colorist! This is an area I am working hard to improve, but it sure does take a lot of time and practice. I used Zig Writer markers to color, as I seem to have the best success with them at present. I am personally in awe of all you Copic gals!
Fill the open letters and the large sun rays with Glossy Accents.
Lightly dust the open letters with superfine Gold Glitter. I used Lion’s Mane Glitter from Art Institute. I also added a little litter to the sun.
Set this aside to dry overnight. Do not even think about rushing the time frame. One tiny touch on Glossy Accents before it is fully set will ruin all your hard work.
Finishing Touches for this Shine Back to School Lunchbox Surprise
The next morning…because, remember…you let the sentiment panel sit overnight, right… stitch a large yellow button into the center of the sun.
Add a small star button above the letter “i” in Shine.
To give the sentiment more dimension, adhere with foam tabs or a panel of waste cardboard from a Priority Mail package.
Cut the scalloped blue felt layer in half. Glue half above and half below the sentiment as seen here. This is a great substitute for a doily, only with more texture.
Add school themed novelty buttons and star stick pins.
Shine Back to School Lunchbox Surprise: The inside scoop!
The fun continues on the inside of this back to school lunchbox surprise!
Chocolate makes everything better…even the first day of school! After layering the last little bit of sunshiney paper with a sunflower seed packet, I added this mini chocolate treat with repositionable glue dots.
And don’t you love the sentiment strip? It’s like getting a hug on paper! Authentique always adds a fabulous sentiment to the header of each paper in a collection. I never throw these away.
Here’s a pocket full of sunshine! I’ll talk more about the bookmark in a second, but let’s look at the tag first.
I used my absolute favorite Shortie Tag Die to create this happy tag. This would be so cute as a locker ornament, don’t you think? I used some stamping and masking techniques to get just the “Shine” portion of the sentiment stamp and the sunshine rays on the tag base. Then I stamped the sunshine on sunshine paper, coloring it in with a yellow marker. And this is where the yellow flowers were planted.
Using the Mini Tag Book Die to Make a Shine Bookmark
One of the things I love the most about working with Tammy’s stamps and dies is their versatility. You can tell that Tammy has been creating for years, and knows first hand what crafters like, want and need.
I’ve used this Mini Tag Book Die more than a dozen times in lots of different ways. This time, I turned the cover into a fun bookmark.
This is such a quick and easy process, that I know you’re going to want to make a bunch of them. Here’s how:
Fold patterned paper in half
Lay the Mini Tag Book Die so that the straight edge is at the fold line.
Position the die so that the folded paper is just below the cut line.
Run through your die cutting machine. The cover will not be cut into two pieces. You should have ONE piece that you can fold in half.
Add a large paper clip to the center of the Mini Tag Book Cover
Die Cut green felt leaves from Pom Pom Posies and hot glue in place.
Hot glue Floweret Posie Layers together.
Add a button center to the flower.
Glue over the paper clip.
The paperclip provides just enough tension to hold the bookmark in place, but has enough “give” to allow you to slip it over a book page to mark your place. If you used an assembly line approach, you could make dozens of these in no time flat! And aren’t they cute?
So that’s all for me today. I know this was a long post, but I wanted to be sure you got all the details so that you’d have all the info you need to make this Shine Back to School Lunchbox Treat for someone you love,
Back to School with Petaloo: World’s Fair Desk Organizer Set
Hello, Friends! Is it really August already? Seems like we just got our flip flops out of the closet and now it’s time to buy new backpacks! Sometimes it’s hard to get the kids revved up and ready to head back to class. It’s nice to ease them back into classroom mode with a little creative endeavor. This Back to School Desk Set is a project that is kid friendly and earth friendly because it uses upcycled tin cans. You can let the kids get in on the creating, and who knows…they might even get excited about going back to school!
The cheerful bold colors of Graphic 45’s World’s Fair collection is filled with inspirational sentiments that work perfectly for a back to school theme. I repurposed two black bean cans and a small tea tin by covering them with patterned papers from the collection.
I added ribbon or sticker borders along with loads of cheery Petaloo blossoms. Isn’t it fun?
I used Matte Multi Medium to decoupage this ephemera card to the front of my pencil tin. The sentiment reads “Creativity is Intelligence Having Fun.” It’s just the inspiration needed to get started on a report or term paper.
Each side of the image is framed by gorgeous Petaloo blooms. The Black Burlap Blossoms, Yellow Dahlias, and Antique Gold Mixed Blossoms are a match made in heaven for the World’s Fair papers.
Tiny black buttons make everything POP!
This tiny tea tin holds paperclips. It’ had a black base to begin with, so I just wrapped it with designer papers, and topped it with a blue bow and a Black Mixed Textured Blossom. Quick and easy!
I’ve loaded this cute tin up with all my shaped scissors, but you could put pens or markers or assorted desk tools in here as well. This sentiment reads, “Logic will get you from A to Z, but Imagination will get you everywhere.”
Here’s a neat way to alter your Petaloo Dahlias. I gently heated the bottom two layers on each flower, then separated them from the top. Then I mixed and matched top and bottom layers to create these pretty custom blooms. The edges were lightly inked with Vintage Photo Distress to give them an antique look.
This burlap butterfly is part of the Burlap Blossoms pack. It offers a great contrast to the soft yellow flowers. These little ribbon pennants are topped with the smallest burlap blossoms in the pack. So cute!
So break out some tins from the recycle bin, let the kids choose some colorful, fun papers along with their favorite Petaloo blossoms. Give them a budget to purchase supplies and spend some time creating a little back to school project. Throw in some cookies and milk, and you’re the hero of the day!
I used fussy cut images from Accolade along with a Tim Holtz Vintage Globe Die Cut and 
