Via Air Mail

Shopping for office supplies relaxes me.

I always get giddy over the many options available.

New supplies also remind me of fresh starts &

the promise of an organized life.

Look what I found at a stationery boutique:

Air mail envelopes!

I can't help feeling nostalgic.

They're perfect for the handmade cards

I crafted last week & wrote on yesterday.

I'm pretty sure my lucky friend receiving this

will love the "retro" feel when she finds

this in her mailbox.

But wait! Let's add a finishing touch:

Blah: felt remnants from an old blah to TADA! project.

TADA! Easy envelope seals!

Free form cutouts using scissors and

attached with a glue gun.

Can air mail get any better?

My Favorite Writing Instrument

Happy Wednesday!

All this week, I've been telling you about the

basic supplies I keep & recently stocked up on.

This is my favorite pen -- it's a retractable gel pen.

I'm not particular about the brand, as long as it's

in black and writes well. I've met a few bad pens

in my life and what a nightmare!

These ones glide well, don't skip and I use

them from the important {signing documents}

to the mundane {making lists}.

And remember the Tada! handmade cards I've been making

from blah materials?

I like using the same pens to write heartfelt messages.

I use the pens to write on my gratitude journal, too!

I hope you've found your ideal pen...the one

that turns writing tasks from blah to TADA!

Markers are Magic

I went shopping for new supplies & I'm showing off my purchases.

Today, it's these brand-spanking new

black markers.

I don't really need that many, but there was

a deal at the store: six for $2.00!

They always come in handy when

labeling stuff & addressing packages.

I also like to use them to draw.

Wanna see?

Blah: a box from the mail

{it contained a Christmas present}

Tada! Same box but with whimsical patterns all over.

My instant design covers any markings on the box &

adds a little personality -- like it was a gift box.

I can reuse it for a new package I need to send.

On top are spaces for the sender's & addressee's information.

All that's needed is to fill in the blanks, seal the top

and send away!

Stocking up on Supplies

It's a New Year. And when I think of "new", I associate it with fresh office supplies. Do you remember when we were still students and a new school year would come around? We'd shop for pencils {that we'd enthusiastically sharpen} and paper {to be filled with notes & doodles}. Now that 2011 has begun, I promptly headed to the store to replenish some supplies that made an exit together with 2010.

All this week, I'll be sharing with you my new supplies starting with this one:

Watercolor Pencils!

They work like colored pencils but are water soluble.

Let's try them out.

I found these blah business cards -- from an old job,

from contacts who no longer work for those companies

and discount coupons that have expired.

Well, let's make this blah more useful!

Glue two cards together.

Make sure the printed sections are face to face;

this is where you'll apply the glue.

You'll end up with a thicker card that's

blank on both sides.

Draw a picture on the card using the watercolor pencil.

{I drew a necklace}

Then brush some water over the image & slowly,

you'll have a washed, watercolor effect.

Tada! A set of little cards with a girly theme.

I can make new business cards out of these!

Have a great day!

Cool Collage

We've made it to the end of the week.

I hope yours was fun & productive!

I've been having a ball reusing the pages

of this magazine.

The pages are almost like card stock,

the fonts are fancy & the pictures

are in full color.

I've read my entire collection

and it's time to let go of them.

But goodbyes like these are never easy.

Therefore I fashioned this collage using the magazine

cover and made cut outs using the pages.

Add this blah paper bag to the mix, and...

TADA! Instant environment-friendly gift bag!

Have a fabulous weekend folks!

Easy Gift Boxes

Today, I still have gift wrapping on my mind.

As the New Year begins, I want to

simplify & recycle -- less clutter at home,

less trash in the world.

Here's a beautiful magazine.

Made with beautiful paper.

But a stack has been hanging around

my living room, gathering dust.

Time for some blah to TADA!

I turned them into little gift boxes.

TADA!

I used an existing box as a template to make

the bottom and the lid.

I made different sizes.

All that's needed is a gift to be put inside.

You can add some color with markers,

paint and magazine cut-outs, too.

Hope you liked today's craft!

Paper Bows

So nice of you to stop by today!

I've got another idea to turn this

old, blah magazine into a Tada!:

The pages of this magazine are thicker

than a regular glossy.

So I took a black marker & drew a bow on the page.

Then I cut around it.

TADA! I used it in place of a 3-D bow

as a finishing touch to a present!

A small ribbon with multiple bows for a tiny gift.

Or a bigger bow for a hefty present.

The possibilities are endless!