Cord Scrapbook Studio

School Spirit

Can you believe yet another school year is about to wrap up? I've said this before (like a million times, I know)... but I'll say it again. MY HOW TIME FLIES!!

Maybe be this year is your last--your senior student is about to matriculate and you're busy wrapping up his/her graduation scrapbook album. Or maybe this year was your first, and you're a little overwhelmed by the mountain of photos, artwork and memorabilia your kindergarterner accumulated in just a year's time.

Wherever you fall within the school years spectrum, the bottom line remains--there's a lot to documenting K-12 and whether or not you're a packrat who wants to save everything or a minimalist that's in it for the highlights--you're going to need a system!

I shared this video by Becky Higgins on our Facebook page this morning. It's about half an hour long, but if you know Becky at all or have followed her work over the years, you know she's big on details. And in this clip, she shares her process for staying on top of all of her kids "stuff". There's a lot of good tips and suggestions included--take with you what you can use and/or adapt to your family's situation/lifestyle and then be prepared to tackle that mountain of photos and papers from the dear old golden rule days!

 

When it comes to documenting your child's school memories, we've got the materials you need to share your school spirit--from custom patterned papers and die-cuts to heavy-duty leather albums in your school's colors with photo sleeves and page protectors that allow you to mix-and-match your album pages to suit the different certificates, photos, report cards and more that you collect throughout the year!

 
And speaking of custom papers... because there's such a wide variety of Elementary, Intermediate and High Schools in the area, we recognize that it's impossible to stock each one on a regular basis. So to allow you the freedom to order patterned papers that suit your specific needs in the colors, styles and patterns YOU want--we do offer Special Orders!

Just choose your color(s), your wording and pick one of SEVERAL different templates available! Custom papers are perfect for team pages, coach's albums and cheerleaders--not to mention special events!

There are basically two times in a year when school spirit is at its peak--In August/September when it all begins and May/June, when it all ends! So take advantage of your renewed spirit and get those school memories organized! After all, TIME FLIES!!

Holiday Lights Garland

We've got a special treat to share with you today, courtesy of our Scrapbooking Coordinator at the Graceland store--Ruthie! She whipped this up for display during our Holiday Open House and we had so many inquiries as to how it was made, we figured it just HAD to make it to the blog someday! So Ruthie came through for us with this step-by-step tutorial...

Supplies Needed:
LYB Wonder & Wishes Joy & Peace Paper
LYB Wonder & Wishes Christmas Plaid Paper
LYB Wonder & Wishes Festive Red Paper
Basic Grey Nordic Holiday Halfpipe Paper
Echo Park Holly Jolly Chrsitmas Snowy Tree Tops Paper
Echo Park Dots & Stripes Snowy Pine Small Dot Paper
May Arts 1/4" Sheer Ivory Ribbon
Vellum
1/8" Scor-Tape
1-3/8" Circle Punch
Ellison Die (Available in Stores) - Box #6
Miniature Tea Lights

 
Using the store's Accucut machine and the Box #6 Ellison die, cut out one box from each sheet of patterned paper. If you're new to the Ellison/Accucut die-cutting systems we have available in stores, please don't hesitate to ask! We'd be more than happy to help!

When the die goes through the machine, it cuts the outside lines to create your overall shape and then it also puts in your score lines so you know exactly where to fold. Carefully fold and unfold each box so your lines are easier to see and set them aside.

Working with one box at a time, hold an opened box in your hand with one side folded under. Center a circle punch upside down in one of the side squares. Holding the punch upside down helps you double check to make sure everything's aligned properly.

After the first punch, unfold the flap and turn the box 1/4 turn and fold in the next side to punch. You'll continue in this fashion until all four sides of the box has had circles cut out of them! You'll notice that with each punch, you were cutting through two layers of paper and that the end result added another partial circle to be punched out from your box shape. This is done to allow more light to come in through your vellum windows!

 
Once all four sides have been punched, use some Scor-Pal tape to adhere a 2" x 2" square to the inside of your box, covering each circle. This is what you should see once everything's done...

You'll repeat these steps for each box added to your garland. (Remember, you can increase or decrease the number of lanterns you make easily. After all, that's just one nice thing about handmade decor--it's totally customizable!)

 
Now comes the fun part... folding your little box lanterns!

But wait!! Don't forget to "turn on" your lantern!
Note: Naturally, real candles + paper make for a DANGEROUS combo. But those little battery-operated tea lights you can find just about anywhere--inexpensively--these days? They make for the PERFECT worry-free alternative!

To create the garland, you'll need one LOOOOOONG length of ribbon. To that ribbon, you'll need to tie a series of bows approximately 10" - 12" apart. These bows are what you'll use to attach your garland to your tree, your mantel, your banister, what have you.

Now, in between each of those bows, once you get everything spaced out as you want it, you'll tie your lanterns using approximately 8" of matching ribbon that's looped through the eyelet hole on each lantern and then secured to that base/banner ribbon. (Kind of hard to see against slat wall, eh?)

There, that's better.  Pretty!

These little lanterns display beautifully as a mock-candlelight garland, but also individually as lighted ornaments! Customize them for any event--birthdays, weddings, etc--and vary the shapes of the "windows" if you'd like for a truly unique look!

Thanks so much for sharing this fabulous tutorial with us, Ruthie!

Scor-Pal + Jillibean Soup Mashup

So... what happens when you combine really great tools with really great products? Well, for starters... a week-long blog event filled to the brim with projects sure to tickle your creative fancy!

At least, that's what's been going on all this week between the Jillibean Soup and Scor-pal blogs. If you haven't visited either all week, now would be a great time to catch up!

You'll find a Gift Box Tutorial by Nicole Nowosad here:

And over on the Scor-Pal blog, you'll find yet another gift box tutorial from Designer Virginia Nebel--complete with a window--here.

But just to show you that there's more to a score board than just cards and boxes, here's a few new ideas I know will "score" a few points with the creativity center of your brain...
This ADORABLE miniature Christmas Tree is by Jillibean Soup Designer (and blogger) Jenifer Harkin. Now tell me that's not one of the most innovative uses of a paper pinwheel you've ever seen? The same post where this tree is featured, you'll also find a Decorative Lights Tutorial by Summer Fullerton that's a-maz-ing!

And how about this Holiday Mini Book from Julie Bonner?
I'm tellin' ya... this is one of the best cross-promotion series I've seen all year! The talent each of the Designers from Jillibean Soup and Scor-Pal have is nothing short of fabulous--and inspirational!

I know you're itching to check out the rest of the ideas and tutorials you'll find on these two blogs starting with this past Monday and going through today, so I won't keep you. But I do have three more Holiday Wish List winners to announce!

Becca Evans
Temple VanCuyk
Tina Kotzan

Congratulations, ladies! Be sure to contact your local Cord Scrapbook Studio TODAY to claim your 30% discount off ONE regular-priced scrapbooking item from your wish list!

And if that item just happens to be a Scor-Pal, you just might want to tell the store to set one aside for you--I have a feeling we'll all be snatching one of these up this Christmas!

Simple Stories 25 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar

I'd seen a project online somewhere (and am kicking myself for not having "pinned" the source on Pinterest at the time), but it looked so simple--old frame, some twine, and hanging cards. I'm sure you've seen projects like these posted before, too...

Well... I'm here to tell you firsthand that the project is just about as simple as it looks! (Taking a picture of it up against stark white slat wall in the store, however... is not!) Anyhoo... I started with a 20x24 frame we happened to have on clearance a few weeks ago. I enlisted the help of my husband and his drill and on the backside of the frame we drilled in 10 short screws--5 on each side--to which I tied some hemp cord/twine.

Making the cards was the fun part--25 ATC-sized pieces decorated with patterned paper & cardstock stickers from the Simple Stories 25 Days of Christmas collection with a little bling, some dimensional adhesive and Core'dinations sand-able cardstock (the Jillibean Soup pack) thrown in for good measure.  ATC cards are generally 2.5" x 3.5", but since the Flash Cards paper (pictured above) came so conventiently designed with twelve 3" x 4" rectangles already as-is, I bumped up the size a bit so I wouldn't have to cut those pieces down too much. Plus, the bigger cards helped fill up my large frame a little more, too.

 
I haven't decided yet what we'll do with the cards to make them function a little more as a traditional advent calendar, but right now I'm thinking I'll add some quotes, verses, proverbs or some sort of encouraging word, note, etc to the backside--one for each of the 25 days of December.

This was one of the first holiday home decor pieces I made this year and I think I'm hooked on the whole make-your-own-decor craze! There's a lot to be said for putting in an old Christmas movie, pulling out a few pieces and parts that inspire you and then assembling them all together to create something you can use year after year!

Now I just have to decide what to display on my frame post-Christmas! Any ideas?!

Happy Scrappin'!

Wonder & Wishes: The Holiday Decor Edition

In lieu of offering a Tuesday Tutorial this week, I wanted to share with you a little holiday inspiration to help get you in the mood to start thinking about all your upcoming holiday projects! I know we've just stepped into November and that we're still in the midst of all things Autumn, but it can't hurt to look ahead, right? Besides... holiday projects are fun! (And fun is good!)

Here's a project that can be adapted for just about anything--a topiary. You can buy plain, undecorated topiaries just about anywhere you'll find your standard floral supplies. Find one in the size/style you like and choose an inexpensive pot it can rest in--don't worry about the color as you can always paint it to match your project as you go along! 

To decorate the top, simply pin your flowers, ribbons, or whatever into the "ball" using brads or stick pins. Embellish the "stem" with a festive, coordinating ribbon and then fill your pot with a little "grass".  Voila!

I love projects like these because they utilize the everyday "hum-drum" products and supplies we may already have in our possession in combination with some of the new-and-exciting things we see on the store shelves today.  Using both the old and the new together breathes new life into the craft and gets us a little more bang from our buck!

How about dressing up a few paper mache stars for a totally custom, make-to-your-tastes holiday decoration?! Cute, right? Well let's take things a step in a different direction... Paper Mache stars (which you can find at a craft supply store) + sports themed patterned papers and accents = the PERFECT home decor accent for your little athlete's bedroom! Or mix it up a little, put a little fairytale spin on it and you've got a mighty fine accent for a little princess!

Decor like that would make a mighty fine Christmas gift, don'tcha think?

Next up... paper wreaths. We've all seen them. We've all swooned over them, googled them, and downloaded tutorials for them (of which there are plenty of variations out there!) And paper wreaths are so popular because you can make them for just about any theme, with any color palette and the result is both simple and stunning.

Putting those papercrafting skills to good use for the holidays is exciting, no? Thinking outside of the box... using old supplies in new ways... making things for your home (or to give away as gifts) simply because this is what you love to do! Sure feels good, doesn't it?

You're probably wondering why I threw in a Christmas layout in a post about holiday home decor. But make no mistake... what better decor exists than the kind that's both crafty and sentimental? Why not have your family members help you choose a layout made using last year's holiday photos and then put it on display in a simple, 12x12 frame? At the end of the holiday season the page goes back into your scrapbook album and next year a brand new layout appears in the frame for display. (Sidenote: This is where I would normally start singing the Fiddler on the Roof's "Tradition.... TRADITION!!" song. But don't worry.... I'll spare you the outburst.)

I hope this post gave you a least a little taste of holiday inspiration for the upcoming season. If you'd like to tackle any one of these projects and are looking for a cheering section to help you out and encourage you along the way--remember, we're here for you! Whether you need advice on which project(s) to tackle, what patterns & colors to choose, or you're just looking for a little nudge to help you get started... give us a call, post on our wall, or stop in to see as at our Holiday Open House! We'll have a variety of different decor items on display using some of the products and supplies available in stores today!

Here's to a CREATIVE holiday season!

  

Tuesday Tutorial: Post-It Note Cover

 
Today's project comes to you from Vicki--our Scrapbooking Coordinator at our Indianapolis (Nora) store. With just a few quick steps you can turn a simple, everyday item into something special! We're making Post-It Note covers!! These are great for teachers, co-workers, neighbors, friends...

Here's what we used:
Double-Sided Patterned Paper
Coordinating Cardstock
Chipboard
Scor-Pal/Scor-Buddy
EK Nesting Scallop Circle Punches
Fiskars Border Punch
Black Journaling Pen
Trimmer

You'll also want to grab a new pack of Post-It Notes, some velcro and your favorite adhesive. Ready? Let's begin!

 
Cut your double-sided patterned paper of choice to 3" x 8". (Vicki used Echo Park's Country Drive Collection--Just Dandy--in the example shown.)

Using a scoring board, score the paper at 1", 1.5", 4.5" and 5". (We recommend the Scor-Buddy--it's great for small projects like these!) 

Cut a thin piece of chipboard to 3" x 3". Peel off the backing paper on your package of Post-It Notes and adhere the notepad to your chipboard piece.

Using a good, strong adhesive, adhere the chipboard + notepad piece to your patterned paper between the 1.5" and 4.5" score lines. Make sure you're adhering the Post-Its to the paper side that exposes the pattern you want to be on the inside of your folded project.  

Fold paper along the crease lines to create closure.

Punch a 1-1/2" scalloped circle out of coordinating patterned paper (you could use a scrap piece for this step!). Next, punch a 1" scalloped circle out of coordinating cardstock.

With the same color of cardstock, cut a 1" x 3" border and punch with a Fiskars border punch. (Vicki chose the Lacy Days design!) Adhere this border to the underside of the top flap that folds around your notepad.

Cut a thin, 1/4" x 3" border from coordinating patterned paper and adhere to the top of the flap. It's hard to see in the photo, but this little strip covers the edge between your patterned paper and the border-cut edge for a more finished look.  Again, you can use a small scrap to acoomplish this!

Layer your punched nesting circle pieces and adhere them to the top flap of your project and embellish with a handwritten or stamped sentiment of your choice! A little velcro added to each end of your folded enclosure will help keep things closed up all neat-and-tidy-like.

When all is said and done, you'll end up with a cute little gift item like the one pictured here! It's just one more way you can use some of the tools & supplies you already have on hand to give a little somethin' that says "I care!"

We'll be making Post-It note covers similar to the one you see here all these week at the Graceland & Nora stores as a FREE Make-n-Take you can participate in during any of the hours we're open (no appointments necessary!)

See you in stores!

Technique Tuesday: Simple Bag Toppers

 
It's Technique Tuesday! And today I have a simple bag topper idea for you--something you can put together on-the-fly using your "leftovers"--paper scraps, miscellaneous embellishments, etc.

Here's what you'll need to complete this project:
 - Paper Trimmer
 - Paper Scraps 
 - 2" Scalloped Circle Punch
 - Die-Cut Embellishments
 - Black Journaling Pen
 - Stapler 
 - Baggie of Treats

 
For starters, gather together your scrap papers. For this project, you'll want 2-3 different coordinating patterns. In this example, I've used paper scraps from the Echo Park Happy Days collection (which you might recognize from yesterday's Sketch of the Week post!) You'll need one paper cut roughly 6.5" x 4" and folded lengthwise (to stretch across a standard sandwich baggie) that will be your topper background, one paper cut 6.5" x 1" for an accent strip and another small piece we'll use a little later.

Your first step is to fill your sandwich baggie with treats. (This is the fun part!) I happened to choose baked goods for this example, but you could throw in just about anything from penny candy to small party favors--basically, whatever will fit inside your little baggie of choice.

To create my topper, I sealed the baggie, folded it over (to the top of the cookies and then tucked the baggie inside my folded topper piece. I used one standard staple on each side to hold the topper and baggie together in place.

Your little 6.5" x 1" strip is going to cover up those pesky staples on the front, so just glue it down over your staples and prepare to embellish! I used my third scrap of paper and punched a 2" in scalloped circle. On top of that, I layered a corrugated chipboard piece (from Jillibean Soup) and a leftover paper flower I'd found buried in my stash.

A little note about corrugated shapes--Jillibean Soup has several colors of PLAIN corrugated paper available now that is incredibly easy to work with! Use your existing punches (or use papers with our in-store die-cut center) and cut custom embellishments to fit whatever project it is you're working on! The corrugated shapes add an extra handmade look to your pages and projects and now the possibilities are literally endless!

To finish things up, I simply layered all of my embellishments together and adhered them to my topper using Glue Dots and foam tape. With my black journaling pen, I added a simple sentiment across the top and added a to:/from: message on the back. You could also stamp your sentiment of choice here if you're not comortable using your own handwriting.

The end result is a quick & simple little gift you can make to toss into school lunches, to give to co-workers or teachers, to use as birthday party favors, etc. And, the same technique can be used for handmade gift-giving this holiday season, too! They're cute, economical and completely customizable--win, win, win!

 
All this week & next, we'll be hosting a FREE make-n-take at our Graceland and Nora stores! We'll be working with corrugated papers, punches, and a variety of "leftover" style supplies to make simple gift bags you can take home, fill and give to a friend! If you're in the neighborhood, stop by for a chat and join us!

A Few Tips for Back to School Scrappin'

"School days, school days...
Dear old Golden Rule days..."

The Back to School season is an exciting one (for some!) It's all about new beginnings and a fresh start! Our kids are growing up right before our very eyes and it's important that we take time to notice before it's too late!

One way you can capture the School Days in a way you'll be able to look back on them and reminisce later, is with scrapbooking! Unfortunately, the entire task can be incredibly overwhelming! Here are five simple tips to organizing your efforts this year so you can stay on top of your scrapbooking and be well on your way to documenting a lifetime of school day memories!

 
1. Designate a spot in your home to collect assorted paraphanalia your kids bring home: Art projects, notes from their teacher, report cards, sports schedules, etc.  You can use an 8.5x11 binder with clear pages to temporarily store these items as they come to you or even a file box with a folder for each child and/or event inside. As you take pictures and print them, they should be stored the same way (preferably in the same sleeve or folder as the collectibles that go with them!)

When it comes time to scrapbook, you might not put everything you've collected into your album, but you'll have a variety of ephemera to choose from as well as a few cultural references your kids might find interesting later on in life, like... who used to coach the basketball team and how much a hot lunch cost. (I remember back in my day when it was $1.25!) Sometimes it's those minute details we get the biggest kick out of years down the road!

2. Get in the habit of taking photos--and it really is a habit you have to force yourself into... especially with as rushed as things can be at times! So be prepared!

Consider the camera a crucial part of the equipment you need to take with you to chaperone field trips, to cheer on your athlete at sporting events, or to simply assist them with their homework at night!  The equipment you choose is up to you--be it your digital SLR, your point-and-shoot or even your phone! Having a camera on your person at all times will make it easier to capture those candid, spontaneous moments you witness at the most unexpected times!
 
 
3. Have a plan! We all have different traditions or moments we hope never to forget, like a special first-day-of-school breakfast or the traditional on-the-way-to-school mug shot. So you don't forget anything, take a moment at the beginning of the school year to write down the memories/events you hope to collect and/or capture throughout the year--a classroom photo, a photo with your child and their teacher, their end-of-the-year grade card, photos and programs from recitals or theatre productions, etc...

If you're aware of the memories you want to track, you're more likely to remember to snap the photos you want and to hang on to the paraphanalia you need.

4. Set aside a little bit of time each month to focus on your album for the school year. How are you doing with taking photos? Have you collected all the bits and pieces you need? Measure your efforts so far with your end goal and adjust where needed.

If you've got enough to get started scrapbooking, by all means--don't wait!! Take the project in stride, starting with the first day of school and working your way into the extracurriculars that take place later on. If you pace yourself, you'll be less likely to become so overwhelmed you don't know where to start and on the flip side, you don't want to get burned out on the project, either!

5. Collect inspiring ideas while you can! With the back-to-school theme being a popular one among scrapbooking bloggers nationwide, start sketching out and collecting your ideas for various pages and projects now! If you see a page or a project that inspires you, pin it to a Pinterest board you've designated for your school album or save the image and its link to a file somewhere you'll remember on your computer.

If you print out the page or post you found, save it among your photos and ephemera so you have it at the ready when it comes time to complete those pages! When you're knee deep in mementos later on this year, you'll appreciate having stored those ideas somewhere so you won't have to totally re-invent the wheel!

With all of the activities that take place during the school year (both on and off school grounds), scrapbooking the School Days is definitely a huge undertaking! But with a little planning and a few new [good] habits, you'll find it's not nearly as daunting a task as you may have feared! Take things one page at a time this year and enjoy the process, keeping in mind the importance of savoring the moment while you're in it.

The layouts pictured throughout this post were created using a variety of school-themed collections available in stores now (or coming soon!) From top to bottom: Simple Stories "Elementary", Imaginisce "Geek is Chic", Basic Grey's "Oxford", and "Head of the Class" by Little Yellow Bicycle. School themed product lines, along with a selection of custom school papers are available on our website, here.

Technique Tuesday: Creating Patterned Paper Pinwheels

 
There are so many tips & techniques out there to try and knowing we can't possibly cover them all, we take turns picking a different technique to share every other Tuesday here on the blog. This week it was my turn and I wanted to show you how to make paper pinwheels because they're really fun (and easy!) to make and, well... I think they're darn cute.

But would you believe it's kinda hard to type out step-by-step instructions for something as simple as making paper pinwheels? So, I turned to youtube (naturally) and stumbled across this little gem from KI Memories' designer, Shannon Tidwell...

 Not only does she walk us through the simple process of creating pinwheels (easy, peasy lemon-squeezy, right?), she's showcasing a layout she made putting those little dandies to work! The result? Multi-dimensional, whimsical cuteness! Wouldn't something like that look absolutely adorable framed (sans glass) and displayed in a child's bedroom or playroom? See? I told you pinwheels were cute. :-)

With pinwheels, double-sided patterned papers work best, but if you don't have any available in your pattern of choice, you could always adhere two backsides together so you can still achieve the same look. I like using papers from Echo Park, Jillibean Soup and Bo Bunny as their papers have a lot of character to them and the result is fabulous!

To adhere, you can use a small tape runner (as shown in the video), but I actually prefer glue dots. They're a little stronger and with heavyweight papers, they're almost a must!

And to embellish the centers, brads are often the obvious choice (and glazed brads look especially nice)--but, think about buttons, flowers, layered punched shapes, or beads! The options are endless when it comes to achieving the look you're going for!

So, the next time you're looking for something to spice up your home decor, a fun accent to add to a page layout or card, or something perfect for topping cupcakes or for use as simple, customizable party decor... think pinwheels. Simple, fun and you're done!

A Mini Copic Project for You...

 
Well, hello!! It's time for another installment in our Tuesday Tutorial series! See the techniques used here on the blog, try them out all this week and next with an in-store make-n-take at Graceland or Nora and then make a few projects of your own at home, applying the techniques you've learned! Let's get started...

 
First up, we need to gather our supplies. Here's what you'll need:
Bazzill Cardstock (Pacific & Pollen)
Copic-friendly Cardstock (We used Couture One Sheet Wonder)
Bo Bunny Double Dot Paper (Powder Blue)
Bo Bunny Double Dot Ribbon (3/8" Brilliant Blue)
Large Die-Cut Tag Shape (We used our in-store Ellison Die Cut Center)
Stampendous Cling Stamp (BlockArt Single Daisy)
Copic Markers: B000, B12, B16, E21, G12, Y04, YG23, YR30
Black Memento Ink
Black Journaling Pen (We used the American Crafts Limo Black Marker)
Foam Adhesive/Pop Dots
Adhesive Runner

 
This is the tag we're making today and as you can probably see, it's relatively straight-forward. You're going to layer your Bazzill Pacific, Pollen and Bo Bunny Powder Blue papers (as desired) to create the base for your tag. Using a journaling pen, you can add a little detail by creating a line of tiny dot borders as shown.

The part we'll be focusing on here on the blog is the actual coloring of the stamped image and the steps you'll take to achieve this look.

Step One
 
Stamp the BlockArt Daisy (or image of your choice) onto Copic coloring-friendly cardstock using black Memento Ink. Memento Ink works very well with Copic Markers as it leaves a clean impression and doesn't smear once your Copic colors are applied. One the ink has dried, you're ready to color!

Step Two

Using the lightest blue (B000), start coloring the petals of your flower.

 
For the center of the flower, you'll use your lightest yellow (YR30) and fill in using small, circular strokes. Go over that with a bright yeller (Y04), blending as you go.

 
Add a touch of orange (E21) around the left side of the flower's center and then go over it again with the lighter yellow, blending the edges where the colors meet as you go.

 
To finish off your flower's petals, take a medium blue (B12) and blend in around the edges of the petals. Then take your darkest blue (B16) and color around the outer lines of the petals.

 
You'll take your lightest blue again and go over the blue to shade the left side of the flower. Finish off the flower by using two greens (YG23 and G12) to color in the leaves, blending lightly where the two colors meet.

Step Three
 
Once you've got your flower colored & shaded to your liking, you'll cut it out, add foam adhesive and add your custom-created accent to your tag. Tie the tag with ribbon and voila!

 
So, now that you've seen these markers at work, perhaps you want to give 'em a go! All this week and next, our Graceland and Nora stores will be offering a $2 make-n-take where you'll create the card you see here utilizing the same Copic-coloring technique we showcased today on the blog! There's no appointment necessary--just stop in the next time you're in the area!

 
You can alter either of these projects to work with the colors you already have on hand at home. Color your stamped images to coordinate with your patterned papers and cardstock colors for a truly unique design! There's a world of possibilty with Copics and after you've tried them, we're almost certain you'll be hooked--like we are!

*Special thanks to Ruthie from the Graceland store for putting together this week's tutorial and make-n-take. Ruthie is one of our certified Copic instructors and would be happy to answer any questions you might have about using your markers or how to get started with a Copic-coloring system!