for the love of birds

I love birdies - all kinds! Even the male cardinal that keeps pecking my transom windows - he has for the last three years... he pecks at the all the shiny silver parts on my neighbor's car, he pecks at the solar lights along the path out back...but, I do respect what he thinks he is doing (com'mon - after three years you'd think he would know it is his reflection!!) and appreciate him being there, although not at six in the morning... :) I teased him one year and put a fake cardinal bird from Michaels in my front door wreath - he pecked the fake eyes out and pulled it OUT from the wreath - I found the fake bird on the ground! LOL! I've tried putting beanie babies in the transoms (it really made guests ask funny questions - ha ha!....nothing works....I'm going to have to fashion fake cobwebs on the window insides somehow I think.... :) Anyhow, Memory Box has a line of paper just out called Aerial. Size and scale is perfect for a wide range of ideas....well, it arrived and I saw the cover of the 6x6 pad, and I started drooling! I saw these finished ornaments in my mind right away! These finished ornaments are heavy - too heavy to be worn as pendants. So I decided to liven up my door handle of my studio (the rub on 'inspiring' was from an Uppercase Living party). They use two 2" x 3" pieces of beveled glass. I collaged the birdie Aerial paper with 7gypsies papers, vintage dictionary snippets and white mulberry paper. The chandelier pieces are vintage and from an estate auction over in Pennsylvania. May Arts and Martha Stewart ribbon, Swarovski crystals and all sterling silver wire and components. The middle ornament has a Swarovski crystal adhered to the outside of the piece with Glossy Accents. The pendant on the left uses 1" x 1-7/8" pieces of glass. All pieces were created by sandwiching collaged art between two panes of glass, taping, soldering, attaching jumprings. Soldering is addictive for me - I think I could solder for days and never get over how amazing the transformation is. It's like heat embossing! LOL! Thank you for stopping by!

bandana technique

Ellen Hutson told me about a stamping method called a 'bandana technique'. I googled it, and found Robin Beam's blog that detailed how she developed this technique. These monogrammed pendants were created as gifts utilizing this technique. Ellen stated this technique was a hit at the Ranger booth at CHA last week, as they utilized Ranger's new White Opaque Pen (StarLitStudio will be carrying this as soon as it ships!). Using a white gel pen I had here from Signo, I mimicked the technique. The dots were difficult to do with the Signo pen, and the coverage was not consistent. My hopes are Ranger is going to answer wishes for a 'quality, reliable, white opaque pen!'. We'll see once it gets here. I created background paper by dragging the glass droppers from various Distress reinkers (Peeled Paint, Dusty Concord and Scattered Straw) on a non-stick craft sheet, then misting generously with water. Holding a 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" piece of white cardstock (papertreyink.com) I pressed the cardstock down onto the inked craft sheet, and spun the cardstock ninety degrees. Messy? YES! But fun..... :) Next, I lifted the cardstock off and hung on my studio clothesline to dry. I did this three times with three sheets of white cardstock before all the ink was used up. Once dry I ironed them flat. You could iron them immediately or use a heat tool, and not wait to air dry, but it was after one o'clock in the morning when I did these, so I hung them to dry and started again in the morning... ;) I chose Lockhart's Millinery Rose stamp, because I think it is a nice, flowing, whimsical flourish. The rose flourish was stamped with Archival Ink in Jet Black (Ranger), then I outlined parts of the stamped images with the opaque pen: doodling, adding hearts, dots and generally being silly and non-conforming - it was fun, and the effect...dramatic! The monogram (Hero Arts) was stamped with the same ink, then centering the monogram I punched it out using a square punch. I sandwiched the monogram square along with another decorated square for the back (Prima flower and vintage dictionary snippet, and one of the rose flourishes for the Prima center!) between two panes of glass, taped, soldered and added jump ring and crystal embellishments. Soldering how to post here. Thank you for stopping by!

peachy paperweight

What a peach of a paperweight! A detailed how-to for this simple but delightful gift is in this post. Lockhart Stamp Company offers various fruit images - the cherries and peaches are two of my favorites! They are not only fun to color but easy to color - use a lighter marker for the whole peach than a slightly darker to accent each peach - done. :) To create, simply stamp image, color with non-bleeding markers (I used Copic), then dispense a layer of Glossy Accents or other similar adhesive onto the glass disc back. Using your finger smear adhesive completely over back of glass disc and adhere stamped image. I use an old, plastic card (or an old credit card) to squeegie/swipe out any air bubbles between the glass disc and the piece of cardstock, or use your fingers and keep an eye on the image for any bubbles. Use baby wipes to periodically clean your fingers of the adhesive and to wipe the glass. Adhere cork or felt to the back with Glossy Accents or the same adhesive used previously. Done! These also make excellent magnets - Adhere four classic-style magnets (Michael's Craft Store).

Source for jumbo glass discs - www.wholesalersusainc.com.

dragonflies love flowers

This idea idea will be part of a Mother's Day class of mine in April. This idea of a pen with a faux silk flower was inspired from the book Pretty Little Things by Sally Jean Alexander. I adapted her idea to suit clear plastic tubing from Home Depot or any similar store. The size tubing I used, located in the plumbing department, is 3/8" x 1/4". This measurement means the outside of the tubing is 3/8" in diameter and the inside is 1/4". The bundle of tubing was 10 feet total for around $5. I cut the tubing to 5-1/2" - just long enough for a nice, graceful pen. This size tubing allows a Bic stick pen to fit perfectly - nice and snug - into the tube! The beauty of this is, if you are in love with your pen when the ink dries up you can remove the old ink barrel and insert a new one! :) Here's my steps: After cutting the tubing I stamped the adorable Lockhart dragonfly randomly onto white paper - roughly 1-1/4" x 5-1/2". The paper I used was the white backing of a printed decorative paper - not cardstock. Cardstock is too thick and too heavy to curl nicely into a tiny tube. I colored in the little dragonflies with markers, then rolled up the stamped paper nice and tight around a skinny dowel (you could try a paintbrush too) and inserted it into the plastic tubing. Using wirecutters I removed the ink barrel and nib from a Bic Stick pen, and inserted the barrel & nib into the plastic tubing. No need to glue - the fit is perfect. The nib will push a bit of the stamped paper out the opposite end of the tubing. Trim paper flush with tubing using scissors. Next I put a dollop of E-6000 adhesive (you could use any strong industrial cement/adhesive) into the opposite tube opening and inserted a faux flower with stem trimmed to about 1/2". Allow to dry, then stamp the flower petals and add vintage silver glass glitter. Again, the idea for dressing up the petals is from Sally Jean Alexander. I am going to try varying the length - making my next pens longer or shorter, or use plain text weight (think computer printer paper weight) patterned paper like the rose pen below! Thank you for stopping by!

bookmarks - simple to exotic

Bookmarks make great gifts - and if you have soldering materials, great! If not - that's great too! Check this out: use those metal rimmed tags to create unique embellishments and simply wire them onto a shepherd's hook bookmark. Add some beads if you like! The butterfly image (Hero Arts) was stamped onto a piece of white cardstock scrap in black waterproof ink. I smeared a layer of Glossy Accents onto a small, clear, flat-backed marble and mashed it down onto the stamped butterfly. Allow to dry (Glossy Accents dries FAST - like seconds) then cut around the glass marble. Next I used copper tape and taped around the marble, sealing the cardstock backing. I added more tape on the back of the marble, so when I added solder the whole back looks nice and shiny! I added a jumpring when I added the solder. For the monogram L: This piece is what started all of this bookmark business. My husband's co-worker fell and broke her leg, and he asked if I would make her something and send it to her. So I figured a box of thank you notes and a bookmark - her name begins with L, so I stamped an uppercase L (Papertrey Ink - Trajan Alphabet) on a piece of 1" square white cardstock scrap in black waterproof ink, and sandwiched it between two 1" square pieces of glass. Taped edges and soldered, adding a jumpring. Now, if you are asking, "Hey Cindy! I don't solder but like the general idea!" Well, I came up with an idea for using one of the million metal rimmed tags I have (OK it is really not a million, it just looks like a million tags to anyone of the male species that sees them and does not stamp - lol). I love this tiny cupcake image (Lockhart Stamp Company) but wanted it to have a three-dimensional cherry - so sandwiching it between glass was not an option. Stamped cupcake image onto white cardstock scrap, and punched out using a circle punch so it would fit neatly inside the metal rimmed tag. Adhere inside metal rimmed tag and punch attachment hole. Colored in using Copic markers, then used the Copic markers to color a pearl embellishment. Note how I used my fave B31 pale lavender to make the whole stamped image pop. I glued the tiny colored pearl over the stamped cherry using Glossy Accents. I didn't want to rely on the adhesive backing of the pearl knowing this bookmark was going to get knocked around and probably knocked off. So, by using Glossy Accents, it would take a 5yr old a few seconds to peel it off. lol... Thank you for stopping by!

more lavender...a clip this time!

The closest Target store to me is about 35-40 minutes, so I don't go very often...but when I do I have a looooong list! The first thing I hit is their dollar spot - I found a package of two big plastic clips with a nice magnet backing for $1. I'm always looking for nice yet easy and inexpensive gift ideas for teachers, neighbors, friends... and I saw potential to collage the front of these big clips! Lavender image was stamped and colored, edges distressed & inked. A small strip of lavender cardstock was stamped with just the word 'lavender', trimmed with scissors, distressed & inked. The entire stamped image was outlined heavily with Copic marker BV31 to make the image 'pop' (just like the soldered piece in the previous post). Each layer of this collage was distressed with a Tim Holtz paper distresser. It gives a wonderful, raw, aged look to your projects, especially if you ink the edges afterwards! The colored image was matted on a piece of lavender cardstock (edges distressed too). The clip was traced on a piece of taupey-olive cardstock, then cut out. Edges were sanded, distressed, then I crumpled the whole thing up in my hands. Flattened out, then swiped the surface with a Distress pad (Vintage Photo) then blended with Tim Holtz's ink blending tool. Taupey-olive layer was adhered to the clip, then the matted image was adhered with dimensionals. Since I distressed the edges of the taupey-olive layer, the 'fit' of my clip pattern was much more forgiving than if I had left the edges plain and untouched. It looks like a perfect fit when in reality it was not such a neat job before I distressed the edges! :) Olive ribbon was tied into a bow around the clip, then the bow and tails were hit with a heat tool to shrivel the ribbon and give it that nice, vintage look! Thank you for stopping by! Lockhart Lavender image; Palette Noir Black, Distress Vintage Photo; white cardstock - Papertrey Ink, taupe/olive and lavender cardstock - Stampin' up; Target big clip; Copic markers; olive sheer ribbon; heat tool; Tim Holtz distresser; Tim Holtz ink blending tool.

joy of lavender

A window ornament features Karen Lockhart's lovely lavender bouquet. Image was stamped and colored, edges distressed & inked. A small strip of lavender cardstock was stamped with just the word 'lavender', trimmed with scissors, distressed & inked. The entire stamped image was outlined heavily with Copic marker BV31 to make the image 'pop'. Sandwich layered paper art between glass panes, tape and solder. More info on soldering in this post. For soldering inspiration, I recommend Pretty Little Things by Sally Jean Alexander. Glass treasure bottle was partially filled with dried lavender blossoms then capped with a cork featuring a handy screw eye. Swarovski crystals were strung on sterling silver wire, serving as a sparkling detail while connecting the glass vial to the soldered art piece. More sterling wire was constructed into a hanger and soldered into place. Sheer olive ribbon was tied into a bow around the bottle neck and the wire hanger unit, then zapped with a heat tool to create a vintage look. May the beautiful scent of lavender fields fill your world! Thank you for stopping by! Lavender image - Lockhart Stamp Company; Palette Noir and Distress Vintage Photo pads; Copic markers; white cardstock - Papertrey Ink, other cardstock - Memory Box Papers; glass bottle, ribbon, austrian crystals, sterling wire, Silvergleem solder; soldering tools, wire tools; heat tool.

cherries paperweight

Functional and sweet! 2-1/4" diameter, clear, flat-backed, glass discs were found online here. If you are going to create a bunch of these having a 2-1/4" circle punch on hand makes these stress-free. But you can always trim the cardstock and cork easily by hand. Assemble materials. I punched the cork sheet too (or, you could use felt). Color in stamped image with markers. I added a touch of glitter with Atyou glitter pens from Copic. The whole image is outlined in BV31 to make the image 'pop'. If you use water-based markers or stamping ink for this technique they will bleed. Copic markers are alcohol based. Dispense a layer of Glossy Accents or other similar adhesive onto the glass disc back and using your finger smear completely over back of glass disc and adhere stamped image. I use an old, plastic card (or an old credit card) to squeegie/swipe out any air bubbles between the glass disc and the piece of cardstock. Finish sealing cardstock edges to glass disc using your fingers, and keep a few baby wipes handy to periodically clean your fingers and the glass. Adhere cork to the back with Glossy Accents and presto ~ instant gift! These also make excellent giant magnets - Adhere four classic-style magnets (Michael's Craft Store). Lockhart Cherries; white cardstock - Papertrey's Stampers Select; Copic markers & glitter pens; paperweight kit; Glossy Accents - Ranger; cork sheet (Michael's Craft Store).

Pear Pen

t!m Holtz outlines this tutorial in his book, distressables 2. Using strips of cardstock around toy block beads, then gluing into a stack and inserting a bic stick pen...viola! A clever gift you won't want to give away! Step 1: assemble materials.

Step 2: Stamp Lockhart Pear repeatedly on a piece of white cardstock.

Step 3: Color in some pears with the gold leafing pen, layer others with brown Copic markers.

Step 4: Continue coloring using the green Copic markers. Outline all pears in BV31 (pale lavender) to make them 'pop'. Step 5: Cut colored, stamped cardstock into 2-1/2" wide pieces by approx. 5/8". Fold around blocks, adhering with a strong adhesive, leaving drilled holes open. I used Crafter's Pick Ultimate! glue - it is a waterbased superglue. You could use Mod Podge or Elmers too. Ink all edges of covered blocks with a Distress pad. I alternated two Distress pad colors here (Antique Linen & Peeled Paint). Step 6: Adhere all covered blocks together with adhesive, aligning holes, and allow to dry. Use a pair of wire snips to carefully remove the ink barrel from the Bic Stic pen. Use the wire snips to remove the open end (about 1/4") of the barrel without ink. This will allow the pen to fit nicely into the altered block sheath.

Step 7: Cut a square of stamped, colored cardstock to approx. 5/8" square to cover the hole in the top of the pen and ink edges. Affix with glue.

Step 8: Stand pen upright and ink wood opening with Distress pad. Paint inside open hole with glue and insert pen barrel, pushing firmly into glue and allow to dry.

Step 9: Coat pen with a thin coating of MicroGlaze. MicroGlaze makes the entire pen (both wood and cardstock) waterproof, impervious to fingerprints and so forth! Find a spot for the pen to dry - the inside of a ribbon spool works great - once dry buff with a clean, soft cloth. I had a bit of leftover stamped & colored cardstock, so I created a card to match (see pic at top of this post). This pear image from Lockhart is one of my favorites. I created an oval mask from cardstock and used a Copic airbrush system to create the lime halo. Stamped image, colored with Copic markers. Gift and card? check! :) Thank you for stopping by!

Lockhart Pear image; white cardstock (Papertrey Ink); Archival Ink in Jet Black (Ranger), Distress ink pads in Antique Linen and Peeled Paint (Ranger); card uses Pears in bowl image from Lockhart, Memory Box card in Granny Smith, black cardstock (SU), Nestabilities dies, black brads, Copic airbrush system.

altered clothespin

This clothespin lives on my kitchen desk - it sits upright just like in the photo - and it holds coupons that I or my dear husband might use - like Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks gift cards, and so forth. I put them in here so I can find them quickly if my desk is piled with papers. :) I covered the clothespin with the patterned paper cut to size, and adhered with Mod Podge. Sanded the edges with a sanding block then swiped a Distress pad in Vintage Photo along the edges, then blended. All elements were securely fastened with E-6000. Since the photo (mounted on a black cardstock mat) can be changed out at a whim, one could also insert a poem or favorite verse in the silver binder clip. Teeny heart inside silver mini frame was hand cut and tied to the skeleton key above. The silver frame unit is stabilized with a dimensional. Thank you for stopping by!! 4-3/4" high wooden clothespin; 7gypsies Somme Blanc script paper; silver frame; silver binder clip; E-6000 industrial cement (Michaels); brown linen twine, skeleton key, pearl droplet, Vintage Photo Distress pad, Mod Podge, sanding block, blending tool, dimensional.

Primrose & Lavender pendant

I read somewhere that if you can use a hot glue gun you can solder. I can attest this is true. I have fond early childhood memories of my father, bent over a circuit board with a soldering iron in his hand. I remember the smell, and his arcane ability to mend and create. I treasure that. If you are just starting out soldering, I recommend Simple Soldered Jewelry & Accessories by Lisa Bluhm. This post will show shading using Copic markers, soldering and attaching jewelry components! Being able to incorporate soldering with rubber stamping and paper arts produces objects of affection for me. Here are the steps I took to create a simple pendant. Copic markers: 0 - colorless blender, R00 - pinkish white, R02 - flesh, R05 - salmon red, V17 - amethyst, BV04 - blue berry, BV31 - pale lavender, YG95 - pale olive, YG97 - spanish olive, E15 - dark suntan, Ranger foam blending tool, Lockhart Primrose and Lavender dress image; Palette pad in Noir, Distress pad in Antique Linen, paper distressing tool. The next 3 photos will show how to shade using Copic markers: Step 1: Stamp image with Palette Noir onto white (Papertrey Ink) cardstock. Cardstock piece measures just shy of 1" x 3", which is the measurement of the microscope slides I'll be using later. This particular Lockhart image is a breeze to color - I just dotted the lavender with BV04, and lined the stems with YG95. Colored in the Primrose with the very pale R00. Step 2: Take R02 and add near the base of the primrose. Step 3: Swipe YG97, R02 and E15 onto a CD or other non-porous item to serve as a palette. Use 0-colorless blender to pick up these colors and add a hint of the hue to the stamped image. This technique is done the same way one would use waterbased markers and a blender pen. Step 4: Stamped image complete. Blender pen and YG97 were used to fill in between the stems. E15 & blender pen were used on the hanger. Note the BV31 that outlines the whole image - making it pop. Step 5: Small scale patterned paper is a must - I used a sheet from 7gypsies Maison 6x6 paper pack - picked words I liked on the paper and trimmed from sheet, tore edges, used the paper distresser & inked with Antique Linen and a foam blending tool. Adhere to stamped image and ink edges too. When inking the edges, don't forget the copper tape will conceal the immediate edges, so when blending, blend inward quite a bit so it shows in the final piece. Step 6: Don't forget the back! Sign the (just shy of) 1" x 3" sheet of decorative paper and date. I inked the edges here too. Step 7: Gather your soldering items: soldering gun/iron, jumprings (I use soldered closed jumprings, sterling silver metal, from firemountaingems.com), 2 clamps, lead-free solder, waterbased flux, two 1x3 microscope glass slides and copper tape. With exception to the jumprings, these items are inexpensive and available at stained glass shops and at major home improvement stores. I use a very moist sponge to clean the soldering iron tip and as a barrier to prevent the tip from accidentally slipping through the holder and burning my worksurface. I used 1/4" wide copper tape for this project. You can use a wider tape if you prefer; it will simply cover up more of your art. For thicker glass I use a wider tape. Step 8: Using a cleaner (I'm a big Method fan) and a clean paper towel, clean the glass very well. Touch the glass sides minimally until the copper tape is on, and do not touch the glass surface. Sandwich the stamped artwork (front and back) between the two glass panes, and apply copper tape. Step 9: After copper tape is applied I burnish with my fingers. I do not use a bone folder, as I've cracked the glass doing it this way - I'm too rough and push too hard. Make sure the copper tape is well affixed to the glass slides. This is key, so the flux does not creep underneath, causing the tape to pull away. Step 10: Apply flux (I use a cotton swab) and set up the slide using the clamps to hold it upright. You'll need this setup to apply the jumprings. Step 11: Continue and finish soldering attaching jumprings (see step 12). When I first started soldering, I used the tinning technique - which means you pick up a bit of solder with the iron and 'paint' the solder along the flux-lined copper tape, touching the soldered-covered iron to the art piece. Tinning produces a very fine, thin line of solder. What I like to do now, to achieve the chunky look, is to hold the solder coil in one hand and the iron in the other, and form a 'bridge' of solder onto the art piece. The same 'bridge' can be achieved by getting a big chunk of solder on the iron and swipe the piece, but not letting the iron touch the piece - there will be a 'bridge' of solder between the iron and the piece. Not gonna lie here - it takes practice. But heck, it is FUN!! Step 12: When mounting the jumprings, remember the bottom jumpring should be applied like this one - facing you. The charms will lay better. The top jumpring, that houses the cording, chain, etc., should be the opposite of this - so the cord will lay flat. If this does not make sense look at the jumpring placement of the finished piece. Step 13: Wash your piece with Oxy Stop. It will stop the oxidation of the solder and generally clean your piece. I go over it with Method cleaner too, and wash my hands. Next step: jewelry! Step 14: This pendant incorporates simple jewelry-creating techniques. I learned these online and from books. Here is a good site for the simple wrapped loops I created here. If you are starting out, you'll be confronted with a ton of tools. All you really need is a pair of wire cutters, flat-nose pliers and round-nose pliers. Sure you can get the other fancy tools later but for starting out these are what I recommend. I used sterling silver headpins; all jewelry components and tools were purchased from http://www.firemountgems.com/. Finished pendant. I left the resolution high on these pics so you can see details. Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did creating it!! :)

Butterfly tag trifold

I have a neighbor down the street named Alice that just loves butterflies. I admire Alice greatly - Alice runs. Not jogs - but RUNS. She ran the NYC Marathon this year - and came in 23rd for her age group. She is amazing to me! Alice has these bushes called 'butterfly bushes', and in the warmer months here in NJ they attract some incredible butterflies...and often they flutter down to my house - sheer enjoyment! The bushes are pretty too - I should plant some in the spring! Every time I see a butterfly stamp or image, I think of Alice! This card is an A6, measures 4-5/8" x 6-1/4" when folded. Opened it measures 11" wide and 6-1/4" tall. To make it easy, I take a 12x12 sheet of cardstock (patterned MME used here) and cut it at 6-1/4". Then I chop off 1" from the 12" side to make it 11" x 6-1/4". Then, along the 11" side I score in 3" on one side and 3-1/2" on the other side. Added a distressed edge band using the leftover 12" x 5-3/4" MME paper (trimming to height desired). Then, since I love creating a mess, I spritzed a walnut ink solution onto a shipping tag. Allow to dry. (and clean up...lol) I used a JulieHRR technique, of taking a new pencil, with a new eraser head, and using the eraser head as a stamp to create the neat, little stamped circles in Adirondack Ginger. The little butterfly image is from Papertrey Ink (stamped in Pesto). Large, script butterfly image (My Sentiments Exactly) was stamped (Vintage Photo Distress), cut out and edges inked (Peeled Paint Distress). Wings were mounted with pop-dots but body was firmly adhered to the tag. Domino body was created using Tim Holtz's Alcohol Inks (Pesto, Ginger, Lettuce, Denim), stamped with a collaged image (Stampers' Anonymous - Artful Mosaic) in Archival ink, then edged with a Krylon 18kt gold leafing pen. Swarovski crystal dotted the center. Adhered domino to butterfly body area with E-6000. I left the resolution on the photo pretty big in case you want to view the domino in more detail. These are so much fun to do, and fast too. If you wanted to, you could put a pin-back on the back of the domino, and mount it with a glue dot to the butterfly body. The recipient would have a gift and a card... :-) Thank you for stopping by! Hope you are warm where you are - it's supposstah snow tomorrah! :-)

Keepsake box

Keepsake box for this project is from the folks at Prima Marketing - makers of those famous Prima Flowers. (One can purchase one here). School photos came home this past week, and they turned out better than usual. Our school takes two sessions of photos - one at the beginning of the school year for the yearbook, and a traditionally nicer photo (and subsequently more expensive - lol) closer to the close of the school year. I had wanted the children to all wear red, but alas, the eldest child, the fashion-conscientious ten-year-old, had other ideas. I do like her black shirt though, so from now on mom is conceding - she can pick her outfit. :) This particular box has a nifty feature - when one views the inside of the box lid, it is flat - if one pushes through one of the windows at the top of the lid the MDF insert cut to size pops out - very nice idea that speaks of quality in the piece and the manufacturer's consideration for a finished look (thank you Prima!). Measuring this lid insert, I cut a piece of ivory cardstock (Neenah brand, exceptional quality, from Ellen Hutson's store) the same size as the insert. Inserting the ivory cardstock in place inside the lid I traced the triple window openings in pencil, then adhered the school photos over the marks. I then measured each side of both the box and lid and cut 7gypsies papers (Montgomery and Veneto) to these measurements. Adhered with USArtQuest's Perfect Paper Adhesive and allowed to dry. Then the edges were inked with Distress Vintage Photo and blended with a piece of Ranger's Cut n' Dry foam. Mounted Provo Craft's photo box feet in place. For the lid, I cut a clear transprency to size, and placed it on top of the photos prior to inserting, to protect them from dust, fingerprints and juice from sippi cups....lol...