Protect your memories with a personalized mini album deflecto

Joy embroidered letters are perfect for adding a personal touch to just about anything.  I created a mini album using plastic pouches, memory papers, binder rings and ribbon!  The embroidered monogram letters added a touch of class to my album.  The letters are available at Michael's stores and on the Joy website!

I liked the papers best in a landscape configuration for my mini album.

However; portrait looks good too!  It is up to you.  Your photos and journaling will determine how you want to proceed.

Materials:

JOY embroidered letters:  1-1/2" monogram   Website:  http://joysa.com/

pad of coordinated memory cardstock

deflecto plastic pouches:  6" x 7"    Website:  http://www.deflecto.com/craft/

offray ribbon:  pink and cream sheer; 1-1/2" wide

metal binder rings

adhesives

scissors

paper trimmer

photos, ephemera, pens, etc.

Photos of materials

Instructions:

1.  Cut the papers to fit the plastic pouches.  Decorate each side of the paper with journaling, ephemera and photos to your satisfaction.

2.  Insert the finished page into a pouch and repeat for each one.

3.  Prepare the pages for binding by punching a hole in the same place on each side of the middle hole.

When pouches are all finished; line up the punched holes for binding and insert a binder ring in each one.

4.  Cut ribbon in 3" lengths and tie one pink ribbon around the binder ring. Repeat with the cream sheer ribbon.  Rotate colors of ribbon and fill each ring with ribbons.

5.  Adhere the monogrammed letters to the front of the album using an all-purpose glue.  Use a toothpick to apply adhesive to the wrong side of each letter and be careful not to get any glue on the plastic pouch!

There are a plethora of paper patterns and matching embellishments.  Have fun choosing patterns and colors to really make your mini album personal!

Make sure to take time to enjoy the small blessings along the way and,

Live Life with a Flourish!

Marilyn

I am compensated with free product

in exchange for sharing my creativity on

my blog.

Fall & Halloween Treats!

T'was the night before Halloween.....and all through the house...there was a whole lot of stirring....but not by a mouse!

We like to "Boo" our friends and neighbors anonymously with treats every year.  Here is an inexpensive treat bottle that can be decorated and filled with candies for that special friend to enjoy and display.

You will need:

Joy Embroidered Letters:  1" orange letters spelling BOO      Find online here:  http://joysa.com/

etchall(R):  dip'n etch etching liquid

Smoothfoam:  1-1/4" ball

plastic liter bottle:  Cut off the top

acrylic paints:  DecoArt Americana in Persimmon, Flesh Tone, Milk Chocolate, Lamp Black, White

paintbrush:  3/4" flat, #3 round

cardstock:  scrap of green

jute string

adhesives

green embroidery floss

Tools:

scissors

paper punches: 1-3/4" circle; 1/2" circle

hot wire foam cutter or knife

permanent marker:  black ultra fine point

Water bucket and paper towels

Instructions:

1.  Head:  The smooth side will be the face.  With that in mind; cut a small rounded portion from the bottom of the Smoothfoam ball.  Adhere the flat side to the top of the bottle cork.  Set aside.

2.  Fill the bottle with something to weight it.  I used smooth decorative round stones.  Set the bottle in the open part of the 2 liter bottle.  Fill up to the bottle neck with water.  Remove the bottle. Using a black marker; mark the water line on the outside of the bottle. Pour out the water. You will fill up to this line with dip 'n etch liquid.

3.  Insert the clean bottle into the dip 'n etch.  Set the timer for 15 minutes.  When time is up; remove the bottle from the plastic liter bottle and rinse.  Pour the etching liquid back into the original bottle.  It will be good for many uses.  If it turns a dark color, that is OK.  It is still good for another use.

4.  Paint:   Paint the head and cork Fleshtone.  Allow to dry.  Refer to the photo given and paint 2 small White circles for the eyes.  Let dry.  Apply a tiny Black dip dot to the center of each eye.  Use the black pen to outline the whites of the eyes, draw the nose and the mouth.  Draw the teeth; then paint White.  Paint the bottle Persimmon.  Allow to dry and then shade using the Milk Chocolate.

5.  Hair:  Wrap jute twine around one hand about ten times.  Slide off of hand and cut the loop at each end.  Tie an extra piece of twine around the middle and knot to secure.  Glue to the top of the head.

5.  Hat:  Punch a 1-3/4" circle and a 1/2" circle from the green cardstock.  Cut a 1-1/2" x 3" rectangle of the same cardstock.  Roll it into a 1/2" x 3" cylinder.  Adhere the small round punch to the top of the cylinder. Glue the opposite end to the top of the circle.  Glue the hat to the top of the hair.

6.  Finish:  Tie embroidery floss around  the top of the hat crown as shown.  Tie another piece around the bottle neck and finish with a shoestring bow.  Adhere the letters to the front of the bottle.  

7.  Have a spooky good Halloween!

Note:  I receive a small stipend  in return 

using my creativity to show embroidered

letters by Joysa.

"YOU ARE MY SUPER HERO" Refrigerator Magnet

I have a Super Hero!  My husband!  I think he needs to be reminded once in a while.  Do you have someone you would like to honor?  Here is a project you might enjoy.

You will need:

Joy(R) embroidered letters:  3/4", 1", 1-1/2", 1" star.  Here's the link: http://joysa.com/letters.html

deflecto magnetic sheets:  #5901

acrylic paints:  Blue and Yellow

paintbrushes

scissors

electronic die-cut machine (set on high pressure with deep cut blade)

die of choice

water bucket

paper towels and paper plate

Instructions:

1.  Adhere the magnetic sheet to die-cutter mat.  Set the dial to maximum pressure and preferably use a deep cut blade.  After cutting, fold the sheet on the cut line until it breaks open.  Then, carefully punch out the shape.

2.  Paint the first layer blue.  You don't need to paint the entire surface; just the border.

3.  Paint the top layer yellow.  Allow both to dry thoroughly.

4.  Adhere the top layer to the bottom layer.  You won't need a lot of adhesive.  Just enough to keep them from falling apart as the magnetic surfaces will stay together when applied to metal surface.

5.  Position the letters on the yellow layer.  I used a long tweezers to help pick up and place the letters.

Remove the release paper on the larger letters.  Use a strong holding tacky glue for the smaller letters.

6.  Once you apply all of the embroidered letters, the magnetic plaque is ready to hang on the refrigerator!

Let's celebrate the Super Hero's in our lives!

Bag up some JOY for the bride!

Wedding season is upon us and we have one coming up in our family.  Our daughter is the bride and we are going all-out with a DIY wedding.  Joy letters are perfect for personalizing shirts, bags and gifts for the bride and her attendants. 

I found everything I needed to make the bag at my local Michaels store.  This is a quick and easy project.  

The letters have a release paper on the back that when taken off reveal a tacky surface.  This allows you to place the letters where you want them.  It is sticky; but not permanent.  To make the letters adhere permanently; follow the manufacturer's directions and apply heat to the letters using an iron.

Supplies you will need:

Joy embroidered letters:  1-1/2" Lettershop to spell BRIDE.  The star is sold by itself.

Canvas bag:  black

Rhinstone:  clear

Tacky glue (for the rhinestone)

You will need an iron, ironing board and pressing cloth.

I also purchased a bandanna in one of the wedding colors.  It serves as a liner for the bag to hold other gifts and the bride can use it to tie her hair back or as a neck kerchief.  

I will be making bags for the bridal attendants but using smaller letters and in different colors.  Maid of Honor and Bridesmaid take a little more room on the bag!

I hope you got some inspiration here today, if you would like to leave a comment or question I love getting them.

Make sure to take time to enjoy the small blessings along the way and,

Live Life with a Flourish!

Marilyn

Deflecto for DIY Wedding Table Markers

We have a wedding coming this summer! I get to be the DIY wedding decorator and I am so excited. My daughter has chosen her colors and now I get to put my hand to the task of creating table decorations and more! We have lots to do and this is just the beginning...you'll see more of my wedding projects in some other blog posts.....

For the table markers I put together the following supplies:

Deflecto: 3" x 4" mini sign holders 
Joy embroidered numbers
Cardstock -  teal, black, black/ivory stripes, gold glitter, turquoise glitter
Rhinestone trim
Pearl embellishments
Adhesives, scissors, paper trimmer, glue gun

Instructions:

To make one of the flowers, cut the teal cardstock (12"x12") into nine equal squares. Cut off the four corners of one square making it round - it doesn't have to be perfect. Cut it into a spiral shape, about 3/8" thick. Leave a little circle in the middle. Roll the spiral into the form of a rose. Adhere the circle on the bottom to the rest of the flower to secure. A glue gun works best for this step, especially if you have multiple flowers to secure.  I use my fingers and thumbnail to distress the edges of the rose.  Repeat for each flower. Cut smaller squares of cardstock for smaller roses.

Cut out leaves by hand or with a die-cutting machine. If you cut out a heart and cut it in two; you can more easily shape each half into a leaf. Add the leaves after gluing the flowers to the frame.

To frame each table number, cut mattes from the cardstock as follows:

Stripe/teal:  3" x 4"

Gold:  2" x 2-1/2"

Black:  2-1/8" x 2-3/8"

Center and adhere the gold paper to the slightly larger black paper.  Center and adhere to the background paper 1/2" up from the bottom edge. Insert into the frame.

Embellish the outside of the frame with the faux rhinestone trim, flowers and leaves. Glue one pearl into the center of each rose.

Remove the backing from each number; center and adhere to each frame as shown in the photo given.

Thanks for taking time to stop by today.  I hope you got some inspiration for your next event.

Make sure to take time to enjoy the small blessings along the way and,

Live Life with a Flourish!

Marilyn

To make a matching wedding sign for the Mr. & Mrs. click here!  http://marilyngossettdesigns.blogspot.com/2016/05/deflecto-for-diy-wedding-table-markers.html