Just Playing! (with beer mats!!)

I sometimes find that I get so busy creating for everyone else that I forget to find time just to sit and play. It has been a while since I have made a beer mat (that's a coaster for those in the States) book and the other day ... I just got the urge :0) I grabbed some beer mats ... some scrummy Graphic 45 papers ... my favourite Wendy Vecchi and Dark room door stamps and set to work. These little books are cheap to make and a great opportunity to experiment with different techniques ... try out those stamps that you haven't got around to using yet ... you know which ones they are ... the ones that have been tucked away since you bought them :0)

I started mine by covering both sides of 7 beer mats with the papers and then sanding the edges to produce a nice smooth finish. I always paint around the edge with an acrylic dabber at this point before placing the mats in the Bind-it-All. Another great thing about the beer mat book is that they are the perfect size for just one punch on the BIA ... so it just couldn't get any easier. I bind my book at this point too ... and then the playing really starts and I set about decorating the book with all manner of stamping and embellishments.

For this particular book I added lots of ribbons and Tim Holtz doodads stuck to distressed tags down the spine. I used Dark room door stamps for the main images and Wendy Vecchi stamps as accents. These were all made using grungepaper and coloured with aged mahogany and spiced marmalade distress inks.

I added glossy accents to all the words and to pick out things like the bicycle in the image ... just to add a bit more interest and dimension. I can't create anything without a bit of bling and some beads so I added those too. One of Tim's idea-ology frames looks great on any book and pair that with an adage ticket and some crackle accents and you have a really eye catching embellishment.

Have I made it sound simple?

I do hope so ... it was great fun and easy to do ... give it a go ... you know you want to :0)

Zutter Zister DT Member Linda Elbourne

Boom Boom Boom

Gotta get, get – My son (whose only 6) loves the Black Eyed Peas and Legacy (from So You Think You Can Dance) so when we were trying to decide what to do for his 7th birthday party this month he was set on having a Hip Hop ‘Til You Drop party.

One of my favorite things to make every year is my son’s birthday invitations it’s like being a kid again. I wanted to do iPod’s but my son wanted Boom Boxes so I created these mini boom boxes using my Zutter. The lid is hinged with Owires so I could put all the party information inside.

To make these I used silver metallic cardstock and a basic rectangle box template and created the box, then cut a separate piece for the lid and used my Bind-It-All to attach it. For the handle I used the Rivet Hole Punch, Setter, Hammer and Pound-It-All. I made the hole and inserted the bottom piece of the rivet then thread an uncoiled Owire through the hole then added the top piece of the rivet and set it so the handle would stay in place.

For the goody bags I am making some iPod inspired mini notebooks. I used a silhouette of hip hop/break-dancer and cut them from black cardstock and glued them on to some neon colored paper.

Have fun and think outside of the box for your next party!

Zutter Zister DT Member Fleur Smith

Parade your Creations with Pride - with the Display-It-All!

I love Show-and-Tell sessions in school, don't you? So while creating this mini book of animals, imagining all the fun I'll be having when I start teaching my soon-to-be-born baby the ABCs, I realised what a handy dandy tool the Display-It-All will be.

 

For instance, to get my child all interested in reading, I'll have this displayed prominently, on a shelf, table, by the bed, so that he/she can easily see and reach for it. As an additional touch, I'll definitely be placing tools/objects related to the theme of the book by the stand, so that he/she (yup, we do not know the gender yet, it's going to be a surprise at birth, hence the he/shes =)) can make associations between subject matter and objects.

 

Next, because it's a book attached to the Display-It-All, I can pace the speed of his/her learning, choosing to flip a page after the letter has been taught, or the spelling of the word has been learnt etc. Better still, with blank spaces on the book, my child can also add his/her own drawings thoughts to that particular animal!

 

Now, one of my favorite usages - I get to hang my items off the owires on the book as well! So my child's interest will constantly be piqued, and no one page will ever be the same. So besides K for koala, he/she will also know that K is for Kangaroo, without the santa hat=)

 

So if you fall into one of the following categories:

• you're a mummy like me
• an educator
• someone with the desire to start conversations around the home/workplace
• a crafter proud of your creation
• have loads of mini albums around the place
• have a menu to display
• wants to announce a special news
• just enjoys storytelling

 .....then you know what, you'll need a Display-It-All, where your life can be paraded! Have fun!

 

Zutter Zister DT Member Sophie Sim (and proud mum-to-be!!)

More CHA Videos :)

Check out these...more of the Zutter Kutter and Distrezz-it-All from Winter CHA. (Thanks, Jenn for pointing them out to me!) These ones were filmed by Paperclippings.com.

Sewing Notions Album by Shelley

Here is a quick and easy little sewing kit you can make using some awesome Zutter products. It's a cute way to store frequently used sewing notions! Here are the supplies you will need:

• Zutter Bind-it-All
• Zutter 4x4 Acrylic Covers x4
• Zutter Perfect Closure and Rivets
• Zutter 4x4 Chipboard Covers (white)
• Zutter Owire
• Ribbon, hole punch, adhesives, sewing notions, chipboard letters to trace, 1 piece of thin 4x4 piece of clear plastic

 

To make this album first take your chipboard letters and trace them with pencil onto the thin piece of plastic. (This could also be done on the white chipboard covers instead) Now using a paper piercer punch small holes along the pencil line. Now with floss and a needle stitch the letters.

Next we will make the pages. Cut 4 4x4 pieces of patterned papers and cover your white chipboard pages. These will be your outer pages. Now with your 4 clear 4x4 acrylic pages take two of them and wrap ribbon around them. These will hold your pins and needles. I also covered the ends of these pages by wrapping a folded piece of paper (2x4) and adhering it to the page.

For the 3rd clear page I simply superglued 6 bobbins right onto the page. Another idea is to place a brad through the bobbin, punch a hole into your acrylic and ahere the bobbins to the page.

The final clear page I cut a piece of patterned paper 5x4, fold it in half, and place two Zutter Rivets on the outer edge to make the pocket. The inner page will stay in place once you bind your album.

Now you are ready to add your sewing items to your album. Pins, needles, scissors, etc. I also used the Zutter Perfect Closure but substituted measuring tape for the actual leather strap. This makes a cute little way to keep your album closed! Here is my little album completed!

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you are inspired to make one of your very own! Happy creating!!

Zutter Zister DT Member Shelley Haganman

Zutter's Mini-Luggage is too cute to resist!

Zutter’s Mini-Luggage is too cute to resist! This little luggage measure 4 ½ X 3 X 1 ¾ inches and packs a big design opportunity. This is a unique way to store a mini-album and tiny ephemera. It’s perfect for many occasions; this white patent looking luggage is embellished with black pattern papers by Melody Ross, bold yellow Prima Flowers and butterfly cut-out designs from Melody’s papers. The possibilities are endless.


Supplies Used:
Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive
Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots
Zutter Mini-Luggage
Zutter ½ Antique Brass O’wire
Melody Ross Designer Collections artsy Urban Papers
Prima Flowers
Offray Ribbon


I covered outside of the luggage, top and bottom with Melody Ross Designer Collections artsy Urban Papers. I applied all of the papers using Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive. I added some butterfly cut out from Melody’s pattern papers and applied to the outside using Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots. On the inside of the luggage, I embellished with another butterfly cut out using Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive. For the album, I cut up pattern paper from Melody Ross Design Collections artsy Urban Papers. The album is bound together using the Zutter Bind-it-all ½" Antique Brass owire. The set is complete and ready to fill with your photos and special memories.

I know the Mini Luggage is only available until the supplies run out.  The white color would be cute to decorate for baby shower or wedding favors....not to mention just a special memory box for someone special.  There are other color available too. :) Have fun!

Tish Treadaway, OZZ Zutter Design Team Member

In a "BIND" with Love Letters

Hi, everyone. It's me, Sarah. Today, I thought I would write about LOVE.

There's so much to write about LOVE. Quite honestly, it would take me years and years to write about it, so I thought I would talk about the most timeless and most treasured way to express LOVE... a simple LOVE letter, whether it be from a significant other, a best friend, a family member, or just someone that you hold dear to your hear.

Personally, I love to receive handwritten notes and letters from the people I love. ...and just like photographs, I want to treasure them. Well, to get them all organized, I thought that my Bind-it-All would come in handy! Yup, you read that right... I bound the treasured keepsakes together.

Great idea, don't you think!? Now, all of the letters won't get lost! It's all in a book for me to look back on.

...and I'd love to show you the inside of this project, but unfortunately, those notes are for my eyes only. ;)

Hugs,
sarah

Zutter Zisters DT Member Sarah de Guzman

Be Mine Card

Do you want to make a quick and darling Valentine card that will be remembered? Try making a card using some of the smaller diameter Owire. I used the 1/2" Pink Owire, but you could also use an even smaller size if you wish.



To create my card I gathered some of my favorite tools together. Of course my Pink Bind-It-All was the first tool I grabbed!;) I also picked one of my favorite and versatile Spellbinder Dies, a border punch, decorative edged scissors, and a cute little bird stamp.

I cut my cardstock to the size I wanted my card to be (make sure you measure the envelope you want to use first, that will let you know what size card to make). Next I cut an additional 4 layers of plain cardstock in gradually smaller sizes. I used a border punch and pair of decorative edged scissors to create interest, then inked the heck out of all the edges. Next I layered and adhered the cardstock. I decided to layer everything on the front of the card to the left edge of my card so it would be sturdy. Once I had my cardstock all cut, inked, and layered, I used my pink BIA to punch the edges of the left side of my card (front and back). Next I attached the front and back of the card together using the pink Owire. You can see in this pic that I glued a white piece of cardstock to the inside of my card before I punched and inserted the Owires. Now I can write or stamp a message and it will already be matted. I could even add a picture if I wanted to. Use your imagination and customize your card to fit your personality or that of the recipient.



Now I was ready to add my decoration. I punched a flower using a Nestabilitie die by Spellbinders, then crumpled the pieces all up, uncrumpled them, and Glimmer Misted the layers in two different colors. I took a small doily, crumpled it up, uncrumpled it, then Glimmer Misted in with Gold. I layered the doily and flower parts, and adhered them to my card. I stamped and embossed a little bird stamp onto white cardstock, then Glimmer Misted it in Turquoise Blue. I cut it out and adhered it to the flower, as well adding a pink glittery chipboard heart in the center of the flower.



Next I adhered a piece of vintage cotton lace near the bottom of the card,and topped it with a strip of sentiment patterned paper that I had inked. Voila, a quick and easy, yet special card for my Valentine!!!

Zutter Zister DT Member Pam Sandy

Line it Up!

With Valentine's Day is just about here!

Wouldn't it be lovely to add some form of decor to the home? I love doing that - ushering in the different festivals with simple touches of love, all around our place. So today, here's a tutorial on how to create shelf liners using the BIA!

Materials Needed:

• 1-2 Sheets patterned paper / cardstock
• Bind-it-All
• Glue
• Ribbon
• Decorative punches
• Stickers/embellies

 First up, grab a sheet of 12x12" patterned paper / cardstock. Something to match your home, as well as the theme. Cut the paper into three equal sections. You may need more paper if your shelf is very long.

Next, you'll need to fold about an inch lengthwise on each piece of paper. This can also be done with a scoring tool like the Scor-it-All.

Now comes the precise bit. Lay all three pieces on the shelf that it's intended for to get the length needed. Of course you can measure the shelf, but I like to eyeball my projects=). Once this is done, attach all three pieces, or more if you have a super duper longggg shelf, to form one piece of liner. See the markings on the back of my liner? I drew a solid line right done the middle of the entire liner, before measuring the rest of the liner to help guide me on where to punch my butterflies later, so that they all line up. This measurement will depend on the size of punch used. Punch out where you'll like your butterflies, lace etc. to be.


Once this is done, we'll run our liner through the Bind-it-All, on the side which is folded, as one continuous line. See, there's no limits to the project length a BIA can take! Part of its beauty=) You will also notice in this picture how I used my dotted lines to guide me in punching the butterflies, i.e., right down the middle of the butterfly.

So here we have an almost completed liner, with the holes punched out beautifully using the Bind-it-All! To add ribbons to this project, we'll weave the ribbon through the holes, tying the ends with a butterfly knot each.

As a final touch, you might like to add some stickers of embellies of your choice. And there you have it - a completed shelf liner to don your home with. Here's wishing you and yours a Valentine's Day filled with hugs and kisses!

Zutter Zister DT Member Sophie Sim

My Sweeties by Fleur Smith

I wanted a fun and special way to celebrate my Sweeties for Valentine’s Day and came up with an idea to do a box of sweeties. For the box I used the Zutter 6”x6” chipboard covers. For the top and bottom I covered the chipboard with cardstock and inked the edges. For the sides I took another 6”x6” chipboard cover and cut it into 4 pieces 1.5” long. Then I bound the four side pieces together using the Bind-It-All and pink Owires.

I then glued the sides down to the bottom piece of chipboard. For the lid I covered it with Basic Grey patterned paper and used the Rivet Hole Punch to make a hole in the centre of the lid so I could thread some ribbon through a bead to make a little handle.

For the inside I created little sweeties with paper and added pictures of my sweeties.


Have fun celebrating your sweeties this Valentine’s Day!

Zutter Zister DT Member Fleur Smith

Valentine's Matchbook Album

This is a little matchbook album that I made for my parents for Valentine's Day. I hope they like it!

Supplies:

Zutter O-wires
Zutter Bind-it-All
Cardstock and patterned paper
Velcro
Baseball card protectors
Embellishments

First you will need to cut a piece of cardstock 10 x3 1/4. Score at 1 inch and at 4.5. Fold. With the bottom 1" fold folded up (Do not include the top 4.5 folded part to this step) punch with Bind-it-all. Add your photos to your card protectors and punch. To bind, fold the 1" bottom piece to touch the back of the album and your photos on the inside of the album. Add your o-wire and then fold bottom piece around back to the front. It should cover the bottom portion of your photos. Now just embellish your album. I used rhinestone strips and hearts on my cover. On the inside I used Glossy Accents and glass microbeads by Martha Stewart by drawing a heart with pencil, tracing with the Glossy Accents and then adding the beads.

A very simple but sweet album to give to loved ones! Why not try one for yourself! Happy creating!

Zutter Zisters DT Member Shelley Haganman

Sweet Candy Box from "odds and ends"

Would you like to recycle some things you might have around the house into a darling little candy gift box? If so, grab a gift box you may have left over from the holidays or a birthday or some other packaging cardboard, a wee bit of clear packaging, and some pages from an old book. With the help of some smaller diameter Owires (I used 1/2" but smaller would work even better) your Bind-It-All, the Zutter Rivet Setter and some of the fabulous Zutter Rivets, we are going to create a sweet candy gift box.

First, decide what size box you would like to create. If you are using a gift box that isn't very thick, you will want to make a smaller candy box. If you are using thicker materials, then you can make a larger box. I decided to make my box out of 4" squares, it was the perfect size for me. Begin by cutting 5 squares the same size. These will become the sides and bottom of your candy box. Next cut a square that is 1 1/8" larger for the top. (If you are using thicker materials, adjust that size up a bit.) For me, since I was using 4" squares, I cut the square that would become the top 5 1/8". After you have everything cut, either spray with a color mist, paint, or adhere patterned paper to the outside. Then take one of the sides and cut out a small decorative hole. (I freehanded a heart shape.) If you have an interesting die, feel free to use it to cut out the hole. Cut a small piece of clear packaging and cover the opening on the area that will be the inside of the box. Next take the four sides of your box, and using your Bind-It-All, punch holes on three sides of each square. (Make sure you leave the top unpunched on the side that you cut a shape out of.) Set those punched pieces aside. Next punch holes on all four sides of your bottom square. Make sure you match your holes up to the sides, take a peek while you are working on it. If you need to do a practice punch on squares of plain computer paper, do so before punching your "real" squares. Frequently when I am creating something new, I like to make paper templates for myself. Then if I goof somewhere, it is no big deal! :) Next, bind your sides together, one at a time. (I am sorry I don't have pics of each side as it was attached.) Next, attach the bottom to the sides. I had to use my fingers to close three of the sides I attached to the bottom, since I couldn't fit it in the BIA. This is easy peasy to do with the smaller diameter Owires. Just close them one by one and be gentle. Now the bottom of your box should be assembled and look like this -

Time to work on the lid of your box. If you have a Score-It board, use this to make crisp fold lines. If you don't, carefully crease your lid 1/2" from each side. Make a snip on ONE of the crease lines on each side. You are going to fold the flap around the outside and use the fabulous Rivet Setter to set a rivet that will hold each corner together. Here is a picture from the inside of the lid. Notice each corner has a rivet holding the flaps together -

A view from the outside (lid is already decorated)-

Now you are ready to decorate your box however you wish. I attached some odds and ends I had in my stash, as well as made some flowers out of pages I had cut from an old book. I used some of my Nestabilities dies to do so, then crumpled and misted the pieces before assembling -





Then I put some candy hearts in a plastic bag, tied it with lace, and put it in the box -

I popped the top on, and now it is all ready to give to someone in need of a wee bit of candy or cheer. It's a great idea for your sweetie on Valentine's Day or any other special occasion!

Have fun creating your own candy gift box!!!

Zutter Zister DT Member Pam Sandy

Distrezz-it-All - as introduced by Donna Salazar

Here is a great video by my good friend Donna Salazar...she shares a bit about how the Zutter Distrezz-it-All came to be and shares some of her awesome style and projects.

The Zutter Distrezz-it-All will be shipping to stores and available at Bind-it-All.com by late February/early March.  You can pre-order it NOW and be one of the first in line to receive it.....  click here to order it now.

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Distrezz-it-All and Zutter Kutter Available for Pre-Order Now!

Zutter is now taking pre-orders for the new Winter CHA releases - including the Distrezz-it-All, the Zutter Kutter, 13X13 Corrugated Cardboard, and the fabulous Hang-it-Alls.  Click here to order and get the pre-order scoop.

We are anticipating a limited initial supply, so a pre-order will guarantee you receive your order by the first week of March.

Happy Anticipatin'!