Handmade Envelopes

Hi there! If you're a new visitor to my blog, I'd

like to say welcome. And if you're a regular

reader, I want to say thank you. Your

presence & comments encourages

me to blog regularly & think up of

more blah to TADA! ideas.

This week, I'm destroying an old book.

I know, it's cruel. I don't really do it on

a normal basis. I take good care of

my books, I promise.

But if you have unwanted books, you

can give them to a friend, donate them

to charity or use them for crafting.

Which is what this book encourages.

Its pages contain easy crafts &

many inspiring artists' work like

paper sculptures & installation.

One simple & practical project

are envelopes made of

book pages:

You'll need pages torn from a book,

a small envelope to be used as a

template, a pencil, scissors & glue.

Trace the shape of the envelope on the book page &

cut it out. Glue the two edges to form an envelope.

Embellish with magazine cut-outs or stickers.

Add a section in which to write the

recipient's name {and address}.

I used pink & white stripe tissue

left over from this TADA!

Use it for small notes or packaging for gift cards.

They're handmade and handy!

Paper Ornaments

This week, I'm shining the spotlight on this book:

It's filled with many ideas to turn lonely books

from blah to TADA!

Start with a book that you're willing to tear up.

Make paper circles with a circle puncher.

You'll need 20 pieces.

Using a piece of cardboard, make a triangle template.

Put the triangle in the middle of the paper circle and

fold the three edges around it.

Do this for all 20 circles.

Make two domes {for the top & bottom of the ball},

by gluing the edges of 5 circles together.

Make a strip by gluing 10 circles together,

alternate the orientation of each triangle

as you go along {use the triangle

images as a guide}.

Here's what it will look like.

Make sure you have 2 domes & 1 strip.

Attach the two ends of the strip with glue, like so:

Then attach the top dome & bottom dome.

Leave to dry for a few minutes.

TADA! A 3-D paper ornament.

Add some string and glitter, and you've got

ornaments for the holidays!

Playing with Books

Happy new week everybody!

Today, I'd like to share with you a

lovely book that I discovered.

It's "Playing with Books" by Jason Thompson

who learned the art of bookbinding by accident.

He did not only fall in love with the process,

he fell in love with the person who taught him!

They are now married and own Rag & Bone

Bindery in Rhode Island.

In this book, instead of teaching us how to

make a book, he provides ideas on how

upcycle, deconstruct and re-imagine

books that we no longer want.

I've seen this flower on different blogs & I've always

wanted to make one. Well, this book provides the

instructions!

I found a blah book from a library sale.

It was a good thing it was old and

my small donation made me less

guilty to tear it up & use it to craft.

Go ahead and use a book you no longer

read or need.

Ready to make a Kusudama flower?

You'll need 5 book pages.

Cut each page into 6" x 6" squares.

Fold 1: Fold the square into a triangle.

Fold 2: Fold the two creased corners down to

create a smaller square.

Fold 3: Fold the two triangular flaps in half.

Fold 4: Open the flaps up, then re-fold them flat,

so that the inner crease you made in Fold 3 falls

to the outside.

Fold 5: Fold the tips upwards.

Fold 6: Fold the triangular flaps in half inward.

Fold 7: Make the ends meet & secure with glue.

Use a binder clip to hold the ends together

as the glue dries.

Repeat with the remaining 4 paper squares.

Once you have the 5 petals, glue the ends

together. Again, use a binder clip to hold

them in place while the glue dries.

TADA!

According to the book, Japanese Kusudama were

used like incense or potpurri to dispel evil spirits

or disease. These days, they are used as gifts or

decorations.

Attach a nice note and leave it on your partner or

roommate's bedside table. Or leave one on

a coworker's desk for her birthday.

I think that's thoughtful and TADA!

Blue Ribbon Special

Well hello there!

I have another plastic bag make-over

for you today and I'm using this blue beauty.

Cut off the handles so you are left

with a rectangle.

Now make some strips. These are

approximately 1" (width) x 17" (height).

Then cut these in half, approximately

1" (width) x 8.5" (height).

Then fold each strip into a figure-eight,

secure with staples where the ends meet.

Here's a different angle -- they look

like a canoe. You'll need to make four

of these.

Stack them on top of each other in crisscross fashion.

Attach each layer with double-sided tape

or hot glue.

Top it off with a barrel-shape made of the

same material. Now you have a ribbon

similar to the ones you can get at a store.

Then add double-sided tape at the bottom.

I think I need to start making a lot of these

so I'm ready to wrap for the holidays!

Why buy ribbon when you can make your own

using colorful plastic bags?

May you have a rip-roaring weekend!

Plastic Confetti

Have you been liking our blah to TADA!

transformations this week?

What started out as plastic bags...

...ended up a gift toppers that can be used

over and over again.

Why would you want to throw these away anyway?

All this cutting, twisting and flower making

has left me with plastic remnants.

What you might see as trash, I look at as a

potential for another blah to TADA!

Cut these up into itty-bitty pieces and turn

them into confetti!

Then glue the confetti onto a plain paper bag.

{I drew the heart shape using a bottle

of all purpose glue, filled in the spaces

with more glue and gently added the

confetti, making sure there were no

bald spots}.

An easy & fun project that anyone can do!

Today's blah to TADA! transformation

was inspired by this photo:

via Tokketok

I wish you a fun & colorful day!