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Make Something: Basic pop-up card
written by Julie R. Neidlinger 0 comments link this post
::Why make something? Read here.::
What: Pop-up cards, perfect for a season known for massive card sending in which you definitely want your card to stand out.
How: This is a very easy project. All you need, essentially, is paper, scissors, and glue.
Using a heavier paper, like 110 lb. card stock, for the body of the card is preferable. It is also a good idea to use that paper for the pop-up object, since it will hold itself up better and not droop forward. My favorite glue to use is Sobo glue.
Essentially, you'll make two parallel and equal cuts on the fold of your card to create the pop-up item's support base. Then, after folding this cut section forward and back to create a crease for ease, you'll push this section inside the body of the card.
Making sure that your pop-up item isn't too tall so that it sticks outside the body of the card, you glue it on and...that's it!
The key here, of course, is experimenting. Make two pop-up bases of different cut lengths to create two areas of pop-up in your card that pop-up on different planes. To cover up the cut spot on your card created by creating the pop-up base, you can cover your card with embellishments, ribbon, or paper. Or, you could create the base out of other paper and glue it in so that your card cover is never cut. (This takes a bit more time). You can also do a pop-up on a pop-up object, with the same inverted fold idea. Think of a Christmas Tree that pops up inside, with a package under that pops up further to the front. There are lots of possibilities with this basic design.
This year, my homemade Christmas card was, indeed, a pop-up. A very simple one, as you can see from the illustration at the start of this post. You can see my card-making workshop here and here. This is the cover I used on the card this year; the ribbon covers the cut area of the card. Simple as it is, people still get a bit of pleasure over a card that opens up inside, even just a simple layer like I chose to do this year.
Gift It: A great way to gift a friend who likes to send letters and cards is to make a number of basic pop-up card bases, and then use the pop-up inside the card be different for a variety of occasions. Include envelopes with the card set, tie them with a ribbon, and wrap it up!
Links:
- Get the project sheet (PDF)
Labels: make something day
Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger 12/06/2007 08:56:00 PM
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Make Something: Sugar-free hot chocolate.
written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post
::Why make something? Read here.::
Use: Sometimes the best gifts are those you can use up and be done with. Few things are as nice as delicious homemade treats. However, Christmas often becomes a season of sugar overload, which we don't need since our food is already packed with sugar year round. I'm a chocoholic, though, and I love hot chocolate on these cold winter days.
I've created some very simple recipes for making seven different types of sugar-free hot chocolates. They include the Dark Hot Chocolate mix, which serves as your "base mix" which you will add other ingredients to. The other recipes are Vanilla Creme Hot Cocoa, Milk Chocolate Cocoa, Peppermint Hot Cocoa, Mexican Hot Cocoa, Mocha Hot Cocoa, and Chai Hot Cocoa. They are all very simply and use just a few ingredients. I used Splenda as my sweetener.
How: Here are the recipes.
Dark Hot Cocoa (base mix)
- 1/4 C nonfat powdered milk
- 1 1/2 T unsweetened baking cocoa
- 6 tsp (or 3 packets) Splenda
- Mix. Put two heaping spoonfuls in in a mug. Add hot water. Add milk if you'd like your cocoa a bit creamier, or to cool it down.
- dark hot cocoa base mix
- 8 tsp. sugar-free International Foods vanilla creme hot drink powder
- dark hot cocoa base mix
- additional 1/2 C nonfat powdered milk
- dark hot cocoa base mix
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint herb tea leaves (choose a tea like Bigelow, with only peppermint as the ingredient)
- dark hot cocoa base mix
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- dark hot cocoa base mix
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules
- dark hot cocoa base mix
- a pinch to 1/4 tsp of cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg
I realize that there are flavorings on the market that add more of a punch or would be easier to use than, say, peppermint herb leaves. I was trying to keep the ingredient list stripped down and dry, as well as find things that did not have sugar in them. You may find that liquid flavorings are better, and simply let your recipient know that adding liquid vanilla or peppermint flavoring to the plain base mix is the way to go. However, these recipes are all powder and will do the trick for the "just add water" crowd.
I did make these recipes up (today, in fact!) and tried to keep the flavorings from being overpowering. You may want to up the ingredients for a little more zip.
Gift It: I made individual servings of each, and included the cut-out recipe cards that are on the download. That way, the recipient can try the flavors and have the recipe to make the ones he or she likes. I put the individual servings in small snack-size plastic bags, labeled the bags as to what the flavor was, and then put them and the recipe cards in a decorated container. The recipes make enough for one or two cups of hot cocoa. You might want to double or triple them, depending on how you plan on using it as your gift.
Download the recipes here: Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate Recipe sheets (PDF)
Labels: make something day
Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger 11/29/2007 05:22:00 PM
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Make Something: Mini expandable scrapbook.
written by Julie R. Neidlinger 0 comments link this post
::Why make something? Read here.::
What: Mini expandable scrapbook
Use: Use it to store small sketches, letters, envelopes, and other scrapbook-type epherma you may have that you don't want to glue down or may want to have access to later.
How: This is an easy project that has no long list of required materials, but instead, gives you the opportunity to use things you might have lying around.
Rather than give you specific dimensions and patterns to measure and cut, I've provided you with the basic concept so that you can do your own "expanding" and make it a project that is truly yours.
The cover can be made of anything, but it should be as heavy as you can make it since there will be pressure and weight on the spine which might cause lighter materials to eventually tear. I use the heavy cardboard inserts that come in the mail or packaging. Corrugated cardboard would work, but it is actually not as sturdy as the thinner but more solid pressboard type cardboard. Corrugated cardboard is also a little unwieldy to work with.
If you're using some rough-looking cardboard or cardstock for the cover, you'll want to cover and decorate it. In the illustration you see here, I used some antique metallic wrapping paper and shiny Christmas ribbon to hide the rough and glued edge of where the wrapping paper met the faux lizard skin origami paper I used to cover the spine of the book. Inside, I used some decorative paper scraps.
I prefer to use Sobo glue, since it is tacky and dries quickly but is easy to work with and remains flexible. I always keep plenty on hand for all of my projects.
Once your cover is dry, you'll be making two cuts in the spine (please refer to the project sheet available below). I recommend using an Xacto or craft knife; a scissor will make hash of your book.
Once you have the slits in place, you simply need to tie string or ribbon, one piece at a time, around the spine and through the slits. These strings are what you'll "attach" your pages to later.
And speaking of pages...all your page needs to be is a size that isn't taller than the string height inside the spine of the book, and doesn't jut out past the cover edges. Simply fold your page (whether it's a piece of paper, an envelope, an index card, a library card, a post card -- anything) and slide it under the string until the string comes to rest on the fold.
That's it! Fill up your book, rearrange the pages, and have fun.
Gift It: This book is a great gift for writers (provide blank pages or pages with writing or journaling prompts). You can also use it in a way that encourages the recipient to rearrange the pages for creative purposes. It also serves well as a scrapbook or photo album, either blank or filled.
Links:
Labels: make something day, worksheets
Copyright (c) Julie R. Neidlinger 11/23/2007 07:55:00 PM
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