4th of July Treat Holder

Recently I received the sale email from I-Crafter on their dies. I ordered this Apron Card die set by Lori Whitlock:

This die set makes an apron card and not a box but I figured I could easily turn this into a treat holder for the 4th of July. This die set also is more for baking than cooking out so I used this die set along with an Apron die set from Divinity Design. Here are photos of each die set I used for my box:

Here is the treat holder I made:

For the oven mitt and utensils I used the dies from the Divinity set and for the apron front, back, and pocket I used the dies from the Lori Whitlock Apron Card die set. Here is a closer photo of the oven mitt that shows the details on this die:

To turn this card die into a box die first I used a yellow sheet of card stock - left on the work table from another project. I used scrap white card stock to make my box insert. I did these two in different colours so it was easy to see how they fit together. Here is a photo of the sample box I made showing the white box insert bottom to the box:

First I die cut the yellow front and back apron pieces and put them together using tear and tape. With that done I measured the actual size this made - front and sides. For my box bottom insert I wanted to add 1/2 inch to all four sides so my box bottom insert measures: 4 1/2 x 3. With that cut I scored all four sides at the 1/2 inch mark. Creased the scored lines well with the bone folder. Clipped the corners and used liquid glue to put the box insert together. With the box made I went onto my blue treat holder:

I die cut the front and back pieces for my apron box using royal blue card stock. I also used a rectangle die in the Apron Card die set and cut two side panels for my box from printed card stock. I used the front panel die piece to cut the printed card stock for the front and back of my apron. I used liquid glue to put the printed card stock pieces onto the blue apron front and back pieces. With the plaid card stock on the blue apron pieces I then creased all score lines on the apron pieces.  I used tear and tape to put the front and back pieces together. 

I cut my 4 1/2 x 3 box bottom insert piece and I scored and put that together. To put the box insert inside the apron I used tear and tape. I kept the tape backing on the box insert piece and dropped this box piece into the apron piece. Once in place I used a pokey tool to pull the backing off the tear and tape on the front, back, and sides of the apron. Here is a photo looking down into the apron box showing the box insert piece:

For the front pocket - I wanted to add a white scallop trim to the solid blue pocket so I pulled out my rectangle dies and I have a rectangle scalloped die set by Spellbinders and I used a small die to cut out a white scalloped rectangle. I trimmed off the top scallop from this piece so it would fit the blue pocket piece. From scrap red card stock I die cut the oven mitt and I used liquid glue to put the mitt onto the back of the blue pocket piece. From scrap silver card stock I cut out the fork, spoon, and spatula and used the liquid glue to put these on the back of the blue pocket piece. With those in place I used tear and tape and put the pocket piece on the white scallop piece. Then I put this on the front of the apron using more of the tear and tape. With the plaid card stock I wanted a scallop piece behind the pocket to give it more dimension. 

Also since this is plaid card stock for the sides of my box I die cut the plaid pieces on an angle so I would not have to match my plaids on both the front and back of the box:

I used an older patriotic stamp from my stash and I stamped that onto white card stock using royal blue ink. Used a circle punch to punch that out. Punched out a larger red circle to put behind the greeting piece and I put this circle greeting on the front of the apron pocket.  Easy die set to work with and easy to turn it into a treat holder for the holiday. I can fill the box with treats or use a clear bag and put the treats in that. Also like that it is free standing so can use it as a table marker as well. Fun treat holder to put together for the holiday ahead. More photos of other treat holders I made:

Used red and kraft card stock for the box and bottom. For the printed card stock I used a flag print for the front, back, and sides of the box. . For the utensils I used brushed silver card stocks. 

Mini BOO Book

Recently saw a video on YouTube by Crafting with Paula showing her Tiny Notebooks she made using index cards from the Dollar Tree and her mini Cinch machine. I own the full size Heidi Swapp Cinch machine so I thought I would give these mini notebooks a try. . . But for my notebooks I also used the cutting mats from the Dollar Tree for both the front and back covers. Here is a photo of the index cards I picked up at the Dollar Tree by Jot:

As she explains in her how-to video Paula cuts these index cards in half - so you would have cards that measure 3x4. To start my notebook I cut the whole package of the index cards in half for my 3x4 pieces. Then I cut my cutting mat also to a 3x4 size cutting two pieces - one for the front cover and one for the back. Here is a photo of the cutting mat packaging from the Dollar Tree:

These cutting mats come in a package of 2 so you can get a lot of covers out of the one package that they sell for $1.25 now. With the index cards cut and the cover pieces cut I counted out four sets of  9 index cards -- 3x4. I decided I wanted to have pocket pages dividing up the index cards in my notebook and she suggests 40 pieces in her notebook so with my 9 index cards and one pocket card in my sets that would equal the 40 pages. Here is photo of the Mini BOO Book I made:

For all the Halloween prints I used for my notebook I used double sided papers from 6x6 card stock pads I already have in my stash. Here is a photo without the cutting mat cover to show the glittered black card stock used for the witch --

For the "Oct 31" ticket I used my date stamp and a mini ticket die set from MFT Stamps. The Witch die is by Anna Wight for Impression Obsession (IOStamps). All washi tapes are from the stash and I tore pieces of those for the cover and used liquid glue to add those to the cover. First page:

The dotted card stock is the back of the front cover and I have a printed paper with washi tape as the first page to the notebook followed by the cut index cards:

Here are the three pocket pages I made to separate the index card page groups -- each pocket page has a scrap piece of card stock to show how the pockets open but they are not decorated or holding anything yet:

The inside of the back cover:

The outside back cover:

and with the cutting mat piece over it:

Used the Cinch and black wire for the spiral for my mini notebook. Tied some sparkled tulle on the spiral coil and made a charm dangle for the front of the notebook:

To make this - 

4 x 6 index cards cut in half so your index cards are 3x4

Cutting mat - cut 2 pieces 3x4 for front and back covers

For front/back covers - I cut scrap cardboard (card stock pad backing) for 2 pieces - 3x4

Printed card stock for front and back covers - 2 pieces 3 3/4 x 4 3/4 (I used liquid glue)

To make covers lay your cardboard pieces on backsides of your front and back covers and use liquid glue to adhere. Trim corners off and fold printed card stock to backside of cardboard piece - again using liquid glue to adhere. For the inside cover piece to cover this I cut two printed card stocks for both front cover and back cover - these pieces were cut to 2 7/8 x 3 3/78. This photo shows this inside cover piece on my back cover - 

The dotted piece with the black cat on it is the liner to the back cover and you can see there is very little of the inside back cover that shows using that printed card stock for the inside of the cover.

This is an easy mini notebook to put together using the tips from Paula in her video. A big thanks for her sharing her idea and how-to's for this project! These mini notebooks will be good to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas and perfect to toss in a purse to jot down a list or project ideas, etc.. The Cinch machine is very easy to use and my only suggestion would be to use scrap pieces to punch out your holes for the spiral first so you are happy with the placement of the holes on your project. Easy machine to work and having the regular size machine I can make these mini notebooks or larger journals if I need to.