Month: August 2015

Chalkboard Menu Vinyl

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Hi Guys! Many times, things are out of our control, so I try to keep my day-to-day life as organized as possible. One thing I do in an attempt to make that happen is make a weekly menu so the family knows what we are eating for dinner. It keeps me accountable for meals – and there’s no “I don’t know what to make for dinner!” at 5pm. I find that when I write it down, 9 times out of 10 that’s what we eat.

I used my awesome Cricut Explore and Design Space to create a menu that I can put on the wall in my kitchen. I used the Cricut Chalkboard Fonts cartridge.

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I ordered this Chalkboard vinyl from Amazon for $16.77. It is removable and if you use a non-permanent chalk marker, it is also erasable!!

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I used an American Crafts white chalk marker (these markers are permanent, NOT ERASABLE!) I got at Target in my Chomas Explore adjustable marker holder.

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Here it is on the wall – this project took me about an hour from design to completion and I use it every day.

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

Wedding Card

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Hi Guys! We haven’t been to a wedding in . . . well . . . it seems like forever. So, this week, my Cricut and I got to make a wedding card. Yay!!

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This is the inspiration for the card and I got it from splitcoaststampers.
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The wedding colors are coral, turquoise, and slate gray. For my card, I used Close To My Heart Slate, Sunset, Lagoon, and White Daisy.

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Here are the cutout pieces. I chose a quote by John Donne for the inside sentiment. I cut one white heart down to look like a tuxedo shirt.

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I used a stamp from the Close To My Heart “It’s the Little Things” stamp set. The Congratulations stamp has “on your exciting news” attached to it, and I didn’t want that part of the stamp on my card. So, a simple technique I used is to place a sticky note over the part you don’t want to ink, ink the stamp, and remove the sticky note before stamping on your cardstock – works like a charm, oh yeahhhh!!

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Here it is stamped on the card layer. I used CTMH Black ink for the sentiment.

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As you may know, I LOVE the embellishment part of creating cards. I especially love misting the card pieces. I used Perfect Pearls mist (my favorite go-to mist) and misted some of the pieces.

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I ran one of the White Daisy hearts through my Cuttlebug with an Anna Griffin embossing folder called Paisley Rose.

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I added three CTMH light gray Epoxy Bubbles to the embossed heart.

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I cut one of the White Daisy hearts down, added a black ribbon, tied in a knot, and popped the hearts up with dimensional foam stickers.

Here is my finished card, what do you think? Not sure about the color scheme for the card, I’m thinking the black and white may be better – it’s a classy look. I was trying to go with the wedding colors, but black and white may be a classic for weddings I shouldn’t mess with???????

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

60th Birthday Card

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Hi Guys! Recently, I hung an inspirational card that says “Do more of what you love” on my office wall. Well . . . making cards is what I LOVE TO DO!!! They’re like mini art projects that almost always come out AWESOME – you can use so many different techniques with cards, creating such unique final products. It’s funny how you start with one idea and it just changes into something totally different. So here we go with my most recent project, lol.

So . . . wow . . . my oldest brother is turning 60 this year. Seems like just yesterday he was throwing mud at me, making me cry, and singing his silly made up songs, making me laugh . . .

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This is my inspiration for his card and it is from Stamping with Serendipity.

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I used Tim Holtz Paper Stash – Kraft Resist. Really . . . there is something about the vintage Tim Holtz look that I go back to time after time.

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I used The Paper Studio Kraft cardstock for the base and the tags.

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I designed the card in Cricut’s Design Space and here are the cutout pieces. The black numbers are from a piece of black scrap paper I had.

I ran the top layer of the numbers through my Xyron X to put adhesive on the back. The Xyron makes adhering paper to paper soooooo easy. It completely covers one side of the paper, there’s no mess, and no trimming.

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I used a brad (not sure where I got them) for the “Love” tag.

I used Close To My Heart Black ink on the edges of some of the layers to add dimension, which makes it stand out from the other layers.

AND some brown Sparkles for a little bling (hey . . . guys appreciate a little bling now and then . . . right, Dave??).

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Here is the finished card. Same design and yet it looks totally different from my inspiration. I think it looks better, of course, lol.

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

 

Using the September Cocoa Daisy Day Planner Kit

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The September Cocoa Daisy Day Planner Kit has a reading/travel theme. The dashboard has a world map design in watercolors.

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The kit comes with several inspirational Project Life type cards. I use them as markers between the weeks – making it easier to find each week. I also clip past and future weeks together with the various clips that I have from present and past kits. Honestly . . . planning has to be quick and easy to access or else I won’t use it.

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The bird stamps that came in the regular kit, and the add-on kit, are just awesome!! There are so many to choose from and you can put them wherever you have space, large or small.

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The sticky notes look like an open book and are perfect for list making and to-do’s.

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Here’s my 1st week. There are tags on the pages and I thought they were the perfect place to stamp some birds. You could also stamp words on them – prettttttyyyyy cooooool!!

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So, here’s the completed first week. I added some of the stickers from the Basic Grey South Pacific Tickets Sticker Sheet and some of the Evalicious This Way V2 puffy stickers.

The giant magenta paperclip is functional as well as pretty. I used an AC Whittles Maps clothespin to clip some pages together. I find that I never have too many clips.

However, the planner charms are another story — not sure what to do with all of them — I have quite the collection, now. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

Cocoa Daisy September Day Planner Kit Unboxing

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Hi Guys! I am showcasing the Cocoa Daisy September Day Planner Kit – and it is, once again, AWESOME!!

Ooh, look how pretty the tissue paper is when I opened this month’s box. I am telling you, this is worth the entire month’s price right there, lol! Black and white polka dots are my absolute favorite design element!!!!

And the card, “Spontaneous Joy”!!!! Oh, yeah . . . Spontaneous . . . Joy . . .

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Here’s the bag inside the tissue paper – again, soooo awesome! Another reminder to “Enjoy Every Day.”
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The September kit includes:
• 32 double sided daily to do pages
• 1 double sided month tab page
• 5 double sided week in review pages
• 5 double sided weekly overview pages
• 1 3×5 Exclusive notepad
• 1 5×7 Exclusive planner sticker sheet
• Cooca Daisy Early Bird stamp set
• Camera/script Pencil Pouch
• Cocoa Daisy Planner Girl Planner Charm
• Notebook Designed post it notes pad – assorted*
• Gold Script Washi Tape
• Extra Large metal paper clip – assorted colors*

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Here are the planner pages. I love the inspirational words and the colors – they make me think about travel and the colors on the globe – water, grass, ocean, heat, air.

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Loving the GIANT pink paperclip – how can you get better than pink?? Did I say pink? Ohhhhh yesssss . . . pink!!

Not sure what’s up with the hedgehog “planner girl” planner charm . . . is it traveling???? But it sure is cute, lol.

Annnnd, I just looooove washi tape – with script – and in gold and cream – and it is just plain classy – LOVIN’ IT!!

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This month I also got the add-on, which came in a paper bag with a lovely daisy sticker on it (giggle). Btw, daisies are my favorite flower – they’re just so happy!

It contains:
• Metalic Sparkle and Shine” Pencil
• Journey Art Dashboard set – A5 & Personal sizes included
• Project Life Travel Cards 20 per kit
• AC Whittles Maps clothespins 4 per kit – assorted*
• Heidi Swapp Wanderlust charms with clasp 2 per kit – assorted*
• Evalicious This Way V2 puffy stickers
• Pretty Little Studio Clematis Tabs 6 per kit

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They put some of the pieces in cellophane bags where you can kind of see them – they add to the experience in that you can partially see what’s inside and yet you can’t. It extends the anticipation and gives you a chance to savor the experience.

Just look at that gold metallic pencil – somethin’ classy about gold!

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Here are the chunky clothespins – aren’t they incredible?? And the heidi swapp charms – ya know, I really like charms, but I am getting quite the collection – not sure what I’m going to do with them – maybe put some on my keychain, my purse, my shoes . . . so many possibilities, lol.

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The Project Life cards are all travel related with travel quotes and graphics. Inspirational cards give us something to focus on and inspire us.

Sometimes I need to turn my focus outside myself, and be reminded to live right now, in this moment. This can be difficult to do, but I keep trying . . .

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These are the dashboards and the Evalicious This Way V2 puffy stickers – the colors go really well with the rest of the kit – again, the globe colors of green, blue, gray, and orange.

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This bag has the other extras I ordered this month in it – isn’t it cool how they wrap each set of items in their own packaging and you get to open more than the initial box they come in????
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The extra extras I got are:
Basic Grey South Pacific Tickets Sticker Sheet
Basic Grey South Pacific Alpha Stickers
Little Birds Stamp Set

Again, the colors of the extras go perfectly with the Cocoa Daisy Day Planner kit.

I haven’t mentioned this yet (a set of bird stamps come with the day planner kit), but the bird stamps are sooooo CUTE – you can even customize a conversation between the birds (spoiler alert!)

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

Ink Organization

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Hi Guys! I have more ink than I could ever possibly use and it’s stored in different places, and honestly, it’s hard to tell what a color looks like on the label or pad. So . . . today I am tackling my ink organization!

Jennifer McGuire ink has an ink organization system and free downloadable cards. If you want all the details, go to her link, read her blog, and watch her video. It certainly seems to make sense – which doesn’t always work for me. However, I am always trying to organize my stuff!!!

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I printed the files, and, really, I am not kidding, if you follow the instructions on the pages, it will save you A LOT OF TIME!! Not to mention unnecessary tedious cutting.

In case you have ink not in her download files, she has an editable version as well.

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Here are the cards all cut out.

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I ordered these Swatches stamps from Simon Says Stamp! And the solid one worked great!!
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I only stamped each color once, and it didn’t seem to cover that well, but when I’m stamping, I only do it once as well, so – once it is (yeah, I just had to go back and watch the video again to see exactly what she did, lol). She also uses a different process with Distress Inks that shows the ink in the different ways she uses it. Hmm, good idea!!

In the picture you can see my stamp scrubber (upper right in picture). You can get one at any craft store. There are two sides – one side you spray some ink cleaner – rub the stamp on it – then rub the stamp on the other side to dry it off. Normally, I use baby wipes to clean my stamps. However, this cleaner saved a lot of time cleaning the stamp off between ink colors.
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I went through all my ink pads and stamped each color onto the appropriate downloaded card with the Swatches acrylic stamp. Here they are . . . aren’t they soooooo pretty??

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These are the coin pages I used. I ordered them from Amazon @ 20 for $5.98.

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And here is a finished page of my red and pink ink colors. I am organizing them using the ScrapRack Rainbow ROYGBIV system, and they are stored in my ScrapRack. Jennifer McGuire used rings to attach the pages together and hangs them on a hook for easy access.

I’ll recap my organization adventures in the future – I keep trying new ways to organize, hoping to find the perfect one for me. I really don’t like wasting my stuff . . .

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

Sticker Organization

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Hi Guys! Organization is my unattainable holy grail, BUT I KEEP TRYING!!

I hate knowing I have something and not being able to find it! Or not knowing I have something until the moment has passed when I could have used it. So . . . today I am tackling my sticker organization . . . again! I just have not found a system that works for me yet!!

The picture above is what my sticker pile looks like, lol. Some stickers are in my Planner pockets (I have 3 planners), some are in a big pocket folder, some are in my Planner case, some are here, there, and everywhere!! Arrgh!!

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So . . . I went to Target and got some 4×6 expandable file folders, and I am organizing my stickers according to the ScrapRack theme and rainbow groupings. I would use my ScrapRack (and I do), but I want my Planner stickers to be portable.

One file folder is for theme stickers and the other two are for the colors of the rainbow – one for ROYGBIV and one for black, white, silver, gold and brown.

I originally thought I would also need one for calendar stickers, but it turns out I only had one small sheet for St. Patrick’s Day, so I put them in the color green file.

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I labeled the dividers by color – two for each color – one for small stickers – one for larger stickers.

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This is what is in the small pink/red sticker folder.

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And . . . this is what is in the large pink/red sticker folder.

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Still, some stickers are too big for my folders – such as washi tape sticker books and stickers that are in tablet form. So I got some mini page protectors and a mini binder for them.

Here are the filled pages.

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Here is what the mini binder looks like.

Crossing my fingers that I can find AND USE more of my stickers in my planners. I’ll let you know . . .

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

1-2-3 Punch Board String Box

 

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Hi Guys! I am back again with the We R Memory Keepers 1-2-3 Punch Board.

Today I am using 3 again and making the String Box.

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Box instructions are in red – anywhere you see red on the Punch Board will pertain to creating a box.

I used the Close To My Heart Summer Sensations cardstock pack.

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Follow the instructions for steps 1-6 – which are on the board and from my previous blog 1-2-3 Punch Board Box.
First you choose the box size you want (I chose 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 3 1/4), cut the paper to the indicated size (9” square for mine), align on the Box Start Line (M for my box size).
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Punch and Score Box Score Lines A & B, Score Box Score Line C (L for my box size), rotate the paper 90 degrees and repeat for all sides.
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Flip the paper over, line the paper up with the Start Line and punch all four sides.

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Cut one corner of paper along the vertical score line on each side of the corner tab. Flip the paper 180 degrees and repeat the cuts along the score lines.
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Cut along the score line on each corner to reduce the bulk when you fold your box (the instructions DID NOT say this, however, I don’t like all that paper hanging around inside the box).
Assemble the box and glue the sides together.

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Use a hole punch (I used a 1/4” hole punch) and punch a hole in each flap for the string.
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Lace the ribbon or string through the holes in this pattern (it is a Z configuration) to close the box.
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And there is another style of box made with the 1-2-3 Punch Board.
Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

1-2-3 Punch Board Box

 

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Hi Guys! I am back again with the We R Memory Keepers 1-2-3 Punch Board.

Today we are moving on to 3 – the Box.

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Box instructions are in red – anywhere you see red on the Punch Board will pertain to creating a box.

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I am using K & Company edamame Designer Paper for this project.

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Next I selected my Box Size (1 3/4 x 1 3/4 x 1 3/4) and trimmed the paper to the indicated Paper Size (6” square).

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Then I aligned the left side of the paper to the Start Line (S) – remember Box instructions are in Red.

Punch the punch. Score Box Score Line A – which goes to the right.

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Score Box Score Line B – which goes to the left.

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And C – which happens to be S for the box I chose.

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Rotate the paper 90 degrees counterclockwise and repeat, punching and Scoring Lines A, B, and C for all four sides of the paper – it should look like this.

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Flip the paper over and align with the Start Line again (S for my box) and Punch another notch on all four sides of the paper.

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Turn the Punch Board around and using the left side of the Punch (Corner Slitter), create attachment slits on all four corners of the paper.

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Use the bone folder to crease the side score lines, and the flap score lines.

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Pinch and crease the diagonal score lines inward and connect the first two attachment slits.

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Overlapping the first two attachment slits, connect the second two attachment slits.

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Look at this sweeeet little box.

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AND THEN ADD THE BOW I MADE BEFORE with the 1-2-3 Punch Board!!! This is the easiest, cutest little gift box ever!

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

1-2-3 Punch Board Folders

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Hi Guys! You can also use the 1-2-3 Punch Board to make folders. I don’t know about you, but there are many, many times when I would like to make my own folders – I like pretty, so I can make folders out of any pretty paper I find. I’m going to use these folders to organize my stickers.

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I used K & Company edamame Designer Paper – and YES, it is PRETTY!!

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I cut the papers to 6 3/4 inches.

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I used my Scor-Buddy (isn’t it so darn cute???) and scored down the center of the paper – making sure the design on the paper was going the right direction. Also, this scoring tool tears the paper easily – so, a light touch. You can always go over it again.

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Then I cut 3/4” off the front end of the papers to make the folds offset.

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Then I lined the left edge with the Bow Guide and punched.
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Next, I lined the left edge to the 3” measurement and punched.

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Then I lined the bottom of the second punch groove with the cut line on my paper trimmer and cut to the end – this creates the tab.

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Next, I turned the paper around and cut the other side as well, and this is what it looks like – the tabs are on opposite ends of the folder.

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Then you fold them along the score line and . . . Voila, you have AWESOME folders.

If you need larger folders, you can use poster board – which you can order online for a bigger variety than found in craft stores.

Hey, if you’d like to see some of my other projects, check out my Instagram and Pinterest board, and I would LOVE it if you would follow me.

As always, I’m Livin’ the Moments . . .

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