By Julie Jones 

Supplies needed:

Paper mache box

Decorative paper (scrapbooking paper, wrapping paper, etc.)

Ribbon

Hole punch

Adhesive

Computer and printer or alphabet stamps and ink

Cardstock

Step 1: Cover your box with decorative paper. I chose a plain pencil box from the craft store.

Step 2: Cut cardstock to a size that fits into your box.

Step 3: Cut strips of left over decorative paper to adhere to pieces of cardstock.

Step 4: Print or stamp the recipient’s initial onto paper and cut out. I cut with scissors by hand, because I liked the whimsical look. Adhere monogram to strip of paper on to the cardstock.

Step 5: Punch small hole into top of box.

Step 6: Insert loop of ribbon into punched hole and tie a knot on the inside of the box to keep it secure.

Step 7: Wrap stationery set up with beautiful ribbon. Don’t forget to include a pen!

This simple stationery box makes a great gift for teacher appreciation, Mother’s Day, or a friend’s birthday.

by Julie Jones

Here I will show you a quick and easy board game you can make with your child that is fun and educational.

For this project you will need:
- 3 sheets of 12x12 patterned paper
- circle punch
- paper trimmer
- stickers, stamps, or a pen

When I was in elementary school, my friends and I would make these “fortune tellers” out of a piece of notebook paper. We would put funny things inside of them, like, “You will grow up and live in a mansion and have fifteen kids and be married to the man of your dreams.” It seemed like the fun would never end with those, we made them all the time.  I thought a “fortune teller” would be the perfect game piece for my game, so I started from there. Here are the steps to making a “fortune teller”:

Step 1: Begin with a square piece of paper. I trimmed mine down to 8x8, but you could easily use any size you like, just make sure it is square. Fold the paper in half diagonally.

Step 2: Unfold the paper and fold it again diagonally, touching opposite corners from the way it was first folded.

Step 3: Unfold your paper. You should see a creased X in the paper now.

Step 4: Place the paper in front of you so that the square looks like a diamond, with one of the points facing you. Fold in the point facing you to the middle of the paper (the middle of the X).

Step 5: Continue folding in all four points so that they touch the middle of the paper (the middle of the X).

Step 6: You should now have a square piece of paper. Turn it over.

Step 7: Fold the points in again as you did the first time.

Step 8: You should now have a smaller square of paper, with a place to put your fingers into each corner. This is your fortune teller. You operate it by moving your fingers back and forth. It looks like a bird’s beak opening and closing.

On the outside of the fortune teller, I placed random numbers. I picked two odd numbers and two even numbers because this will affect the inside choices of the fortune teller. On the inside, I placed short words, like dog and cat. (My daughter is 4 ½, so I am using this as an opportunity to help her learn how to spell these beginning words. You can customize your board game to the needs of your child.) Then on the very inside flaps, I placed colors that coordinated with my game board (pink, green, red, etc.).

To make the game board, I cut another sheet of paper down to 8x8. Again, you can use any size you like here. I then punched circles out of my third piece of patterned paper. It happened to be a sheet that had colorful polka dots all over it, so I used those colors to my advantage for the game. I punched enough circles to cover the game board and adhered them to the background piece of patterned paper. 

The object of this game is to use the fortune teller to quiz my daughter on the words. For example, I will ask her to pick a number that is on the outside of the fortune teller. If she picks eight, we will count together from 1 to 8, moving the mouth of the fortune teller with each number. When we land on eight, I will have her look inside and pick a word. I will ask her to read the word and then spell it. As she spells it, I will move the mouth of the fortune teller back and forth with each letter. When we land on the last letter, I will ask her again to pick a word from the choices that are on the inside of the fortune teller. I will ask her to read the word, and then we will open the flap. Whatever color is written on the flap is the color she can move to on the game board. Making it to the end of the game board is “winning” the game.

Again, you can customize this game to the needs of your child. Also, you could make small flashcards instead of a fortune teller as the game piece.

Submitted by: Becca W. 

 I moved into a new house with several large, blank walls staring at me and knew I could never afford to buy huge pieces of artwork.  This is a great idea to cover a large area for a very small price.  You can make as many or as few as you need for your space.  Enjoy!

For This Project, You Will Need:

• Nine 12x12 pre-stretched canvases
• Black paint (or color of your choice)
• Nine pieces of coordinating 12x12 scrapbook paper
• Paintbrush
• Foam brush
• Craft glue
• Exacto Knife (or paper trimmer)
• Cutting board
• Ruler

Step One:

Paint the edges of the canvases black, overlapping about ½”  onto the front of the canvas.  Let dry completely.

Step Two:

Place a piece of scrapbook paper on the cutting board and trim the edges with the Exacto knife, using the ruler as a straight-edge to cut against.  You will probably need to trim about ¼” from two sides.  It does not have to be perfect.  Even though the paper and canvases are the same size, most paper will still be slightly larger.  Trimming will keep you from having to fold the paper over the edge.

Step Three:

Put the craft glue in a bowl and add water to thin it out.  It should be about one part glue to one part water.  Brush the glue mixture onto the front of the canvas with a foam brush, covering the surface completely.  Place the paper on top of the glue and smooth with your hands.  If you see bubbles start to form, place a flat heavy object, like a heavy wood cutting board, on top to help the paper dry smoothly.

Step Four:

Hang as a series on your wall with small nails.  The canvases are lightweight and don’t require much support.  Enjoy! 

This is a great homemade gift for any pet lover, and it's easy enough for kids to make with a little supervision.

Materials
- Dog biscuits, kitty treats or other favors to represent the animal you will feature in the photo (for a bird, use small seeds, treat bells, or other bird toys)
- 1 picture of your favorite animal
- Acrylic paint- any color
- Fine tipped marker
- Craft glue
- Caint brush- I used a small foam one as they don't leave brush marks
- 5X5 inch piece of cardboard or photo matting- cereal boxes work great
- Craft knife
- Sealer- Design Master Super Surface Sealer clear Sealer and Satin Finish 383 works great
- Ribbon or magnet

Directions
1. Center your picture on top of cardboard and trace around it.
2. Use craft knife to cut out hole for picture
3. Paint the front of the frame in the color of your choice
4. Glue treats on to the frame.
5. On one of the treats or an open space on the frame write the animal's name, plus the dates of birth and death if they are now little angels. 6. Seal with sealer
7. On the back side of the frame glue or tape the picture in place
8. Add ribbon or magnet to the back to hang.