Posts tagged ‘holidays’

engagement party crafting.

By on February 3, 2013

It came to my attention recently that engagement parties are the thing to do these days and since when I am I one to skip out on a good trend?! John and I (okay, mainly I) hopped right on that bandwagon and decided to throw a Valentine’s-themed engagement party in mid-February. It has been SO MUCH FUN pinning ideas to my private Pinterest boards (the timing on those things = clutch), thrifting for decor + serveware, designing the invitations, and the very best part of all, crafting like a madwoman! Here’s a little peek at what I’ve been working on:

engagment party crafting | ann-marie loves paper
engagement party crafting | ann-marie loves paper
engagement party crafting | ann-marie loves paper
engagement party crafting | ann-marie loves paper

BANNERS | A giant pad of construction paper, several yards of baker’s twine, and a stapler filled with gold staples equated three HUMONGOUS banners. It was probably the easiest banner-making experience of my life (cut, fold, staple, repeat) and is totally worth the major construction paper odor currently wafting in my bedroom!

PLATES | I’ve been collecting cheap dishes from the thrift store solely to bring this DIY to life. A gold Sharpie pen + a steady wrist was all it took to create the polka dot designs. Super simple.

I just want to make stuff all day, everyday! Can this please be my life forever?

xoxo

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december daily | part three

By on December 14, 2012

December Daily Part Three | Ann-Marie Morris
December Daily Part Three | Ann-Marie Morris

PINK PAGE // If this page looks an awful lot like the previous page, then you would be…correct. Ha! Originally, I planned on inserting a different colored paper in the backside of the glassine bag, but I loved the way the hot pink looked so much, I decided to keep it as is. The pink patterned paper on the outside of the bag is actually a postcard I purchased from Cotton + Flax at Renegade and the gold screenprint on top of that is from Life Love Paper. I also bunched up a little bit of this faux-tinsel yarn (I’m obsessed with this stuff!) and secured it to the underside of my photo with a gold paperclip. (Additional supplies: date stamp | StazOn Ink | Sharpie Ballpoint Pen | washi tape | snowflake printable that I designed – link to come!)

TEAL PAGE // First of all, I was so psyched when I saw this free printable on Pinterest (from the new-to-me and super inspiring blog, A Pair of Pairs) because I knew instantly that I wanted to print it on teal vellum for my book! Love when that happens. To preserve as much of the printable design as possible, I kept my embellishments to a minimum: a photo, a few strips of washi + American Crafts Glitter Tape, and my trusty date stamp. Easy enough to finish in less than ten minutes. Just how I like it.

Random sidenote: I feel like I’m always chasing daylight when it comes to photographing my projects these days – I just can’t seem to stay on top of it! And the thing is, I love more nighttime than daytime in the winter, but I have totally been struggling with it over the past few weeks. These photos were shot on the end of the driveway (of all places) with approximately five seconds of natural light to spare – gah! When and where do you shoot your photos?

xoxo

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diy gift wrap | using books as packaging

By on December 13, 2012

Using Books as Packaging | Ann-Marie Loves Paper
Using Books as Packaging | Ann-Marie Loves Paper
Using Books as Packaging | Ann-Marie Loves Paper
Using Books as Packaging | Ann-Marie Loves Paper
Using Books as Packaging | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

As wonderful and foolproof as gift cards are, their tiny size sure does tend to spoil the surprise factor when it comes to packaging. I am always looking for ways to “throw off the scent” and using books from thrift stores is my definitely my favorite option. Not only does the recipient receive store credit to their favorite shop (if you play your cards correctly), but they get a free book out of the deal! And we all know how many awesome things a person can do with a book: use it for decor, rip pages out for crafting purposes, upcycle it for another gift, or heck, maybe even read the darn thing! Plus, if the cover art is well-designed (I, for one, always judge books by their covers), it can take the place of decorative gift wrap <—-there’s the recycling fiend in me again!

The packaging process is super simple. For my gift, I used a book I found at the DI last year in Utah (chosen for it’s aqua hues), yellow felt trimmed on one side with pinking shears, and faux-tinsel yarn. The letter “A” was cut out with my Cameo + adhered to the cover using washi tape. I like to create my own envelopes for the actual gift card using kraft butcher paper (or any paper that folds well), a few stamps, and a little bit of tape, but that’s completely optional. Pretty much as simple as simple gets, right?

xoxo

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workspace wednesday | under the tree

By on December 12, 2012

workspace wednesday | ann-marie loves paper

Every night you can bet I’ll be setting up shop under the tree, working away on my laptop, listening to holiday music or a podcast, drinking tea (or wine, depending on what the night calls for) and making the very most of this month. As long as this tree sticks around, I’ll be around.

xoxo

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december daily: part two.

By on December 11, 2012

As usual, I have fallen behind with my December Daily. No surprise there.

Luckily, I’ve learned over the years that if I write down the highlights + corresponding photos for each day, I can catch up in no time at all! So here’s a spread from what I completed this afternoon:

December Daily Part Two | Ann-Marie Morris
December Daily Part Two | Ann-Marie Morris
December Daily Part Two | Ann-Marie Morris

LEFT PAGE // I used a journaling card from Kelly’s kit (which my good friend Sarah designed!), a ledger paper from one of Jamaica’s Duly Noted installments, and washi tape from Freckled Fawn. The floral paper is (I think) by Heidi Swapp + I am obsessed with that shade of yellow! If you haven’t already guessed, I am a big believer in making the holidays whatever colors you enjoy! No need to go red + green all the time (unless, of course, that’s your thing!).

RIGHT PAGE // I used a large glassine envelope that I received as the packaging for a gift bag from Urbanic (but you can always find more here). Originally, I was just going to leave the bag as is, but then I decided to place a sheet of hot pink cardstock inside the envelope to give it a little bit more visual interest. (You know I had to sneak some neon in there!) The awesome hexagon overlay behind my photo is from Life Love Paper and the date stamp is from Oh Hello Friend – both ladies run equally fantastic shops! I also used these Amy Tangerine Thickers and my most favorite pen of all time (seriously). Sidenote: To make sure the date stamp didn’t smudge, I used my trusty StazOn black ink pad and let it dry for a few minutes longer than I would have with regular paper. So far, so good.

I have to say, it’s pages like these that make me want to return to this hobby over + over again. I love being able to repurpose things (such as the glassine bag) + find new ways to document my life. Cue the happy scrapbooking feelings…

How are you guys doing? Are you staying up to date or are you falling behind like me?

xoxo

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tote bag diy.

By on December 6, 2012

Reusable tote bags are a big thing around these here parts. They’re so big, in fact, that when I went to NYC last March, I excitedly bought my mom a canvas grocery bag from the Zabars featured in You’ve Got Mail (“get in another line”) because I knew she would appreciate both the reference AND the usability. So in the spirit of recycling + good packaging (no longer mutually exclusive!), I decided to create a few tote bags for myself and for others this holiday season. Here’s how to create your own tote bag design:

Tote Bag DIY | Ann-Marie Loves Paper
Tote Bag DIY | Ann-Marie Loves Paper IMG_3938
Tote Bag DIY | Ann-Marie Loves Paper
Tote Bag DIY | Ann-Marie Loves Paper
Tote Bag DIY | Ann-Marie Loves Paper

Instructions

1. Make a stencil. I designed mine in Silhouette Studio and had my Cameo Die-Cutting Machine do the hard work for me. If you don’t have a machine, fear not! You can always use an xacto knife to achieve very similar results.

2. Place a sheet of chipboard / cardboard / heavyweight paper inside your tote. (Note: If your bag needs ironing – ugh, ironing! – do this beforehand. It’ll be worth it, I promise.)

3. Position your stencil over the area you would like to paint and adhere it to the bag with removable tape.

4. Using a multi-surface craft paint and a foam paint pouncer, dot over your stencil gently yet firmly until the whole area is covered in paint. I only applied a single coat because that was all I needed. Apply as many coats as you deem necessary.

5. Let dry. Slowly lift your stencil and check for any areas that may need a touch-up.

6. Bring your tote everywhere you shop and let the compliments roll in!

Supplies

Martha Stewart Gold Metallic Paint // Martha Stewart Crafts Foam Pouncer // Tote Bags  //  Silhouette Cameo

xoxo

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december daily: part one.

By on December 4, 2012

December Daily season is finally here and I am so psyched about getting back into paper + glue again. Here’s what I’ve been working on:

December Daily 2012 | Ann-Marie Morris
December Daily 2012 | Ann-Marie Morris

COVER. The original state of my book was an old leather day planner that I found at a thrift store for a dollar. To make it my own, I stripped off the leather covering right down to the three chipboard sheets (two covers + one spine). I then re-covered each chipboard sheet with woodgrain contact paper, attached the three components with two strips of lightweight paper, added even more contact paper over that, and finally hot-glued the binder mechanism back in. It definitely took a good chunk of time, but in my opinion, it was totally worth it. As for the embellishment, I just added a few strips of washi + glitter tapes to both covers, a 2012 flair button from Kelly’s December Daily kit, and an Instagram pic with photo corners.

December Daily 2012 | Ann-Marie Morris

INTRO. I knew I didn’t want the first page of my book to feature the first day of month, so I used one of the awesome vellum screenprints from Kelly’s kit in front and placed this sheet of paper from Freckled Fawn behind it to create the sunburst effect under the phrase. And of course, all three of my favorite washi tape colors made it on there. (Nothing says “Happy Holidays” quite like hot pink, am I right?)

December Daily 2012 | Ann-Marie Morris
December Daily 2012 | Ann-Marie Morris

DAY ONE. Clearly I am out of practice when it comes to scrapbooking for myself because this simple spread took nearly two hours! However, in those two hours, I was reminded of how much I miss this hobby + how grateful I am for all the fun (omg, so much fun) supplies that I still have on hand. The little kraft envelope on the right is part of the packaging from Tina’s screenprints that I ordered last week – love when I can recycle! It was also fun using the stamp set that I designed for SC’s 25 Days class (as seen on the righthand page). Lots of good things going on. I am so excited to see how the rest of the book unfolds…

xoxo

Supplies:
American Crafts Brown Sugar Glitter Tape // American Crafts Aqua Glitter Tape
// Adhesive Photo Corners // Kikkerland Paper Clips // Woodgrain Contact Paper // Oh Hello Friend Number Stamp //

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