School Books!

We are quicly approaching the end of summer vacation. As a homeschool family, we never really quit schooling, just the book learnin' so to speak. We have started getting the older kids school books in already and my 3 year old keeps asking for her school books. So for my back to school challenge I made her a colors and shapes book.
These little books were really easy to make, and she has been carrying them around the house informing everyone they are HER books. I love it!
I used 3x5 index cards for the base pages. Using my gypsy I laid out each page with the words and object. I also cut out a rectangle in the color to cover the lined side of the index card. I put eyelets in the corner, threaded ribbon and it was a book.

The shape book was done generally the same way, except I used a hole punch and a binder ring instead of eyelets and ribbon. Her favorite color is green so I used green ink around all edges to take away some of the starkness of the white. I also dotted all I's with a green self stick gem.

I hope that back to school is as fun and exciting for everyone reading this as it is for my 3 yr old.
*recipe*
DCWV The grade school stack (red with dots)
misc. scraps
cricut cartridges:
doodlecharms- lady bug, popsicle, teddy bear
gypsy wanderings- jack o lantern
new arrival- duck, butterfly
live simply- turtle
george- rectangle, triangle, square, star, diamond, circle
plantin schoolbook- all wording and shadows
self stick gems
3x5 index cards
silver eyelets
binder ring
ribbon
ink

Live Simply Grasshopper!

This week's challenge at SweetSassyDiva's Blog is to select a cartridge (that she has not already used yet) that starts with the first letter of your name.  I am Lori (from ScrappinMyStressAway) and I chose the cartridge Live Simply.

I have seen a couple of these boxes lately and tried to figure out how to make them.  Here is what I figured out!

I started with a 12 x 12 piece of paper from my "yucky paper" collection.  I have a ton of this bright yellow (school bus yellow) and I use a lot of it for my test cuts and templates.  I scored both sides at 4" and 8" and then diagonals on the corners.

You will need:

1 - 12x12 solid color cardstock for your base (I used green)

2 - 12 x 12 solid color cardstocks in a contrasting color (I used orange) 

3 - 12 x 12 patterned papers that coordinate (see below)  The paper is Me and My Big Ideas "Boy" paper pad.

The 2 pages of solid colored papers need to be cut into 3 14/16" squares.  You will have 18 squares total.  Cut 8 of them into triangles.

The 3 pages of patterned papers need to be cut into 3 3/4" squares.  You will have 9 squares of each paper.  Pick 2 papers and cut 4 each into triangles. 

Note ~ you will have 10 of these squares left over.  I made mine into cards.

I used my ATG gun to adhere the patterned squares and triangles to the solid squares and triangles.  I also used my ATG gun to adhere them to my box base.

This is the inside of my box

Here is the outside (bottom) of the box.

Put the box right side up and fold in the triangles.  I used my Big Byte to punch through the folds.

I used beading elastic to string through all of the holes.

Here is the view from the top.  Then you can tie knots of ribbon over the elastic.

Here are the bugs, turtle and frog that I cut from Live Simply.  I cut the grasshopper at 4.29w x 3.47h, the turtle at 3.94w x 2.41h, the snail at 3.84w x 2.39h, and the frog at 3.51w x 3.47h.

I added some Stickles to give them a little sparkle!

I added some ribbon to the elastic.

This box will make a great gift box for a little boy in my daycare who has been telling me since Christmas that his birthday is coming up!!  He  has about 6 weeks left until he turns 3!!

This was such a fun challenge!!  I have only used this cartridge one other time (so far)!!!  Thanks for having me on your blog today SweetSassyDiva!!!