Guest Blog: Looking at everyday objects through "papercraft glasses"

Hi!  This is Maura - one of the "two crafting sisters".  My sister, Sheila
and I love everything papercrafts! We are always challenging each other with new
ideas and projects and have been scrapbooking and stamping for years.
Since we live far away from each other, we often decide on a long distance project
to work on and then mail them to each other-it brings a whole new meaning
to "you've got mail". In July of 2009, we decided to start a blog - TwoCraftingSisters, so we could continue
to share our ideas with each other and also with anyone else who is interested in
crafts.  It has opened up a whole new world for us!

We are very excited to be invited as guest bloggers on this site!  It's a first for us!
  Now the challenge was on - design a project that could be done in a relatively
short time to meet our "deadline".  I love mini albums and have been inspired
by Sheila's re-purposing of Starbucks items in her Etsy shop. So, with the idea of making an album, going through
my stash, my husband's birthday coming up soon, and a little inspiration, I got to work.

Found some great papers and stickers in my stash to put to good use!

I have been trying the new Via from Starbucks and on a recent trip to BJ's bought
a bulk pack.  Over the last few years, I find my mind works in a new and
different way.  I see objects differently now -such as how they could be used in a
project.  So, when I looked at my empty pack, I thought, this would be great as the
base for a mini album.  Always better to re-use than throw away! I took the coffee
out of several more packs, and set to work.

 
It really was simple.  All I had to do was open up the pack, lay it flat on the
patterned paper, and trace the shape and adhere it to the Via pack.  I always like to
ink the edges of my papers for that distressed look, and this project was no different. For
the top section, I just measured the width and wrapped the patterned paper around it.

Perfect opportunity to try out my new Christmas present - The Cinch!

I have to say, I love this for binding books.  It was very easy to use, and as you can
see, it does a beautiful job of punching the holes for binding.  I decided to make
my book so the pages lifted up, so punched the holes at the base.

I measured and made inserts to fit in the middle, added photos and then a tab to make it
easy to take out.

 

Final step - add some cute stickers to the photos.  When the mini book is about

your dog, how can you go wrong?  Shhh...don't spoil my husband's birthday
surprise!

 

Thanks for giving us the opportunity for a new adventure!

Check our blog for more great ideas! TwoCraftingSisters.