Tuesday Tutorial ----- Popcorn Box Journal

Today we have a guest poster, Carmen from Roca and Company.     Carmen made this for a teacher gift but anyone would love to receive this.

Popcorn Box Journal

Not only is this gift delicious, it is also EARTH friendly because instead of throwing away your box of cereal, mac-n-cheese or POPCORN, you turn your box into a one-of-a-kind journal.

For this journal I used a box of popcorn but you can use any box really.


You will need the following:
-1 box of popcorn, or cereal, or granola bars
-31 single sheets of copy paper (8 x 11)
-1 single hole puncher (makes holes one at a time)
-3 small birthday candles (huh? trust me...get the candles)
-clear tape
-3/4 yard of thin ribbon
-a credit card (again, trust me)


First, fold all of the copy paper "hot dog" style (long style) and run your credit card on the fold to make sure you get a nice, smooth, thin crease. Make sure that all your folded sheets look nice and even. Now, get one sheet from your stack and hole punch several evenly spaced holes about 1/4 of an inch from the folded edge. This sheet you will use as a template for the other 30. To give you an idea, I hole punched 22 holes into my template. Now use your template to hole punch the rest of your 30 sheets. Make sure that you line up your folded seams.

Once done, have your significant other massage your hole-punching-hand...you're welcome.
Now carefully cut the box in a manner that gives you a "front" part of the box and a "back" part of the box. 

Gently pull apart all the flaps until you have two flat pieces of cardboard. Lay a folded sheet on top of the front of the box and do the same for the back. This gives you a good idea of how big of a cover to cut out. Use the folded seams of the box to guide you as you cut out the covers. 

Leave about a 3/4 inch ONLY on one side of the front and the back covers. Using a folded paper as your guide, fold or bend the 3/4 inch for each cover. Once the journal is assembled, these folded/bended flaps will nicely fold into each other and give the journal a polished look as seen in the first picture.

Again, use your credit card to smooth out the crease. Use your template to hole punch both covers. 

Now sandwich your back cover, the copy paper and the front cover together making sure to line up the holes you punched out. Count 5 holes up from the bottom and insert a candle right through all the holes. Holes 1 through 4 should be lined up. Now count 5 more holes up from the first candle and insert another candle. Holes 6 through 10 should be lined up. (Sorry for the non pictures here.)


Now you are ready to thread your ribbon. Tape one end of the ribbon to the 3rd birthday candle. You will use the candle as a "needle" to thread your ribbon through the holes of the journal. 

Starting at the bottom, insert the candle through hole 1 and leave double the length of the journal in ribbon. This tail will be woven into the spine of the journal and wind up at the top of the journal. It will serve as a "book" mark. Now go over the spine and around to the back of the journal and insert candle into hole 2; up and through the hole and over the spine and around to the back of the journal and insert candle into hole 3; repeat until you reach the top. Make sure that the ribbon tail is nicely tucked underneath your ribbon threading and that your threading isn't too tight or loose. AND remember to continue moving candles 1 and 2 up to keep your holes lined up.

Once you get to the top, measure and cut another ribbon tail to match the first one. Tie the two tails together into a knot. Now these can be used as book marks. 

And please, please don't forget to give the gift recipent the bags of popcorn that came in the box now turned spiffy journal.

Be sure and stop by and visit Carmen's blog and say hello.   She has more great tutorials on her blog.   
http://rocaandcompany.blogspot.com

Thanks,  Carmen,  for sharing with us today.

Tuesday Tutorial - Sew Sweet Stitched Packaging

Today, we have a guest poster, sharing a tutorial on how to make this darling bubble mailer envelope.


Please welcome, Melissa of www.sewsweetstitches.blogspot.com


We'll be talking about how to make homemade packaging and shipping supplies. Recently Etsy had a great series in the Storque about spiffy-ing up your packaging before the holiday rush that inspired me to find cheaper and more unique solutions to shipping. I've only had the opportunity to package a few sales, and I'm disappointed in myself for how boring they were! So I went to the scrapbook store (a very dangerous place!) and brainstormed. Here's what I came up with- I hope you find it helpful!

To start off, pick up some cool scrapbook paper. It's usually cheapest at the big-box craft stores, but if you're fortunate enough to have a local scrapbook specialty store, they're more likely to have the best selection. To match my nostalgic-themed shop, I chose some whimsical-patterned paper with cheerful colors. You'll need one sheet of cardstock for each bubble mailer, and if you can find a matching paper pad grab it too for the matching packaging and gift tags.

Card stock sheets: 65 cents

8" x 8" paper pad: $7

You'll probably be able to round up all the other supplies from your craft room- paper punch, tape, scissors, etc. Also pick up a roll of bubble wrap. I got mine at the dollar store.

To begin, choose a sheet of carstock and cut a piece of bubble wrap to match, leaving about 4 or 5 inches on one side. You'll want to make the fold-over flap now, so cut out a sqare half the size of the cardstock sheet.

When you fold the sheet in half, you should have this:

Now you can secure your bubble wrap if you want. I used a couple pieces of looped tape, just to keep the plastic from slipping when I sew the envelope.

Using a separate needle, (it will get dull after punching through paper!) stitch up and down both long sides and the short side without the flap.

Now, fold the flap over and stitch a line down the raw edge. This is optional, it just gives it a more finished look when you fold it over.

Now you're ready to stuff the envelope with your product and packaging!

If you chose a patterned or bright paper for the envelope, it's best to add a plain address label. I made mine with spare cardstock and decorative-edged scissors. You can get those at the craft store for about a dollar.

I love the look of hand-written postage. Slap it on with some shipping tape, and you're done!

If you need a larger envelope, you can get up to about 10" x 10" by sewing 2 sheets of carstock together instead of just folding one.

I haven't heard any feedback from this customer yet, but the postal worker who took the package went crazy over it! I hope my customer does too!
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We hope you've enjoyed, Melissa's tutorial as much as we have. You can visit Melissa at www.sewsweetstitches.blogspot.com