How to make a quick and easy Valentine's Day magnetic bookmark

This quick to make Valentine's Day magnetic bookmark is so easy that you may want to make a bunch and give them out in a Valentine card to your friends and loved ones.  You can easily sign them before you add the contact paper.  You could even give your sweetie a book of love poems and add the Valentine's Day magnetic bookmark with it.  Change the colors and scrapbook paper print to personalize!  

Materials:

Magnetic sheet, one side adhesive

Scrapbook paper in desired print

Tacky craft glue

Small amount of clear contact paper

Glitter fabric paint, red

Pencil, ruler, scissors

1.     Make a pattern of two small hearts, one a bit larger than the other. (To make a heart pattern fold a piece of paper in half and draw a half heart on the fold. Cut out. Open and you will have a symmetrical heart.)  Play around with different sizes and shapes of hearts.

2.     Using the heart pattern, cut out a large one and a small one from the magnetic sheet.  Cut out a small and large heart from the scrapbook paper as well.

3.     Remove the adhesive backing from the large magnetic sheet heart, line up the corresponding large scrapbook paper heart and attach.  Trim around any overlapping edges. Repeat with the smaller magnetic and scrapbook paper hearts.

4.     Cut a strip of scrapbook paper 6 inches by 2 inches.  Fold 2 inches down from one end. On the unprinted side of the scrapbook paper you can write your Valentine a message if you desire.

5.     Cut two pieces of clear contact paper 6 ½” x 2 ½.” Lay one piece of contact paper adhesive side up and remove the backing.  Place the scrapbook strip print side down on top and adhere.  Remove the backing from the other piece of contact paper and place over the strip already attached to the contact paper.  (Like a contact - paper sandwich)  Trim any edges that do not meet.  Refold where you folded it 2 inches down from the top.

Add your message here

6.     Spread some tacky glue on the larger of the two hearts and adhere to the front of the bookmark (short edge)

7.     Spread some tacky glue on the smaller heart and attach to the area of the back where it meets the front heart, thus magnetizing the two together. (This will keep it on the page)  Let dry completely.  When dry you may decorate the front with small dots of glitter fabric paint if desired.

Enjoy and hope you and yours have a Happy Valentine's Day!

How to make amazing dimensional gift bags quick and easy

Black Friday comes and goes.  And you’ve bought a few gifts you will want to come home to wrap them before anyone sees them.  What happens when the gifts are small and hard to wrap?  You grab a gift bag, right?  Well, you can make several dimensional gift bags in minutes that will definitely be a showstopper! 

These dimensional gift bags are quick and easy to make using some elements cut from Christmas cards and then embellished with little extra touches.

I always buy my Christmas cards through the mail and in the months that precede the holiday I receive stacks of samples with just the covers to choose from.  I would never throw them away and that is how the dimensional gift bags came about.  You just need at least two card fronts that are identical.  If you don’t get card samples just use an inexpensive pack of cards that are all the same for your dimensional gift bags.

Materials:

Two Christmas card fronts with individual elements you can cut out

Small sharp pointed scissors

Dimensional foam circles

Gift bags (I purchased a pack of 10 for under $5) or you can even use a plain recycled store bag and cover the logo with your image

Tacky craft glue

Small bows, rhinestones, jewels, pompoms or any coordinating embellishment

Dimensional fabric paint – Crystal sparkle

1.     Gather your supplies. Carefully, cut out both chosen images from the card fronts.

2.     Spread some tacky craft glue on the back of one of the images.  Center the image on the bag and attach. 

3.     Next, remove the paper from the double-sided sticky surface on the foam circle and attach to the image on the bag.  Add them all around randomly.  I like to add a second foam dot on top of the first one for extra height.  You can if you desire, use only one.

4.     Now, remove the paper from the dots and add the second image on top of the first one making sure you line it up evenly.

5.     Then, add the embellishments with some tacky glue and let dry. 

6.     Use the crystal sparkle dimensional fabric paint to accent the image.  Let dry.

7.     Add the gift to your bag and you will be sure the gifted recipient will save it and re-use it for years to come.

We would love to hear your comments and hope to see you again at Make it easy crafts.  Please follow us on Facebook 

Pop up gift card holder

Wondering what to get Mom this year? The perfect gift sometimes turns out to be a gift card but sometimes they seem a little impersonal. So why not make an adorable pop up gift cardholder you make especially for her and present it in style?

Mother’s Day is right around the corner and what do you get the mom who has everything. Maybe you’ve given your mom one too many potted plants or coffee mugs. And seriously how many “Best Mom” T-shirts can one woman have?

There are so many choices for gift cards. Could she use a spa day? Would she like some new duds at her favorite store? Maybe dinner and movie would fit the bill? You can find a gift card for almost anything these days.

Click on the photo to visit Bowdabra blog for the full tutorial. Make this Mother’s Day pop up gift cardholder in minutes with things you already have on hand. Make a pretty ribbon loop with a Bowdabra bow attached to hold your card closed. Remove the ribbon closure and the gift card pops up!

Horse lover free printable Valentine's Day card

Valentine's Day is almost here and I thought it would be a nice gift to my readers to offer a free download for a Valentine's Day card of my original art. You can also download the hand-lettered sentiment to add to the inside of your card.  Decorate it with rhinestones, bows, and other baubles to personalize it even further. And don't just use it for Valentine's Day they make great note cards to send to all your horse loving friends! Print your card on card stock paper sized 8 1/2" x 11" in your home printer.  Fold in half.  You can either purchase 6" x 9" envelopes at your local party store or make your own.

If you download the hand lettering, print it on tracing paper in your printer and attach to the center with a glue stick.

Loving horses Valentine's Day card

Happy Valentine's Day text

You will need:

Download the free printable

Home printer

Card stock paper cut to 8 1/2" x 11"

Tracing paper

Glue stick

Various rhinestones or other additional bling

Recycled gift card bookmark - Mustache man...or is it a bald eagle?

Or am I a bald eagle?

I read a lot of books.  As a result whenever someone decides to give me a gift they usually opt for gift cards so I can choose my books.  I load them on my computer, iPad or kindle app and then they are done.  Throw them away? I just can't bring myself to add something to the trash that will remain there long after I am dust!  So what to do?  There are lots of things one can do with used gift cards.  Since they were originally for books I figured why not make a clip type bookmark. And that, dear readers, is how the Mustache man bookmark came to life...or is it a bald eagle?  You decide with this fun optical illusion style clip. You can make one too.

Click on the link to download and print the pattern, then follow the easy steps to create your own Mustache man!

Mustache man pattern

You will need:

·      Glue gun and glue sticks

·      Used gift card or junk mail card (The kind they send with “your name here”)

·      Mustache man pattern

·      Small pointed scissors

·      Tracing paper

·      Pencil

·      White pencil to mark on dark felt

·      Sharpie marker

·      Ruler

·      Stiffened felt in dark brown/black and pink

1.     Make sure you clean off all of the glue from the back of the gift card.  If you can’t remove it easily, spread a bit of peanut butter (Yes I said peanut butter) on the sticky part, wipe it off and wash it.  The glue magically disappears!!

2.      Download the mustache man patterns and print.  Trace the mustache pattern onto the brown or black felt and cut out.  Trace the head and nose patterns onto the pink felt and cut out. 

3.     Follow the guide to mark the cutting lines on light colored back of your gift card with a sharpie marker.  Use the pointed scissors to start an opening and carefully cut all around using the guidelines. 

4.     Use the glue gun and glue sticks to layer the head on top of the mustache piece.  Fold the nosepiece in half and glue the two sides to the headpiece. 

5.     Cut a 1” x ¼” strip and angle the ends.  Glue under the mustache. (Lips)

6.     Glue on two google eyes. 

7.     Attach the entire head and mustache to the top of your gift card clip with hot glue and let it set.  Use the clip to attach papers up to 10 pages of papers or as a fun bookmark!

Christmas personalized memory book ornament

Every Christmas is different in it’s own unique way.  So why shouldn’t your ornaments be as special as each family member?  These little books have pages where you can write a date, a thought, a memorable gift or blessing and hang it on the tree.  Then every year you can add to it. The mini books have ten little pages but you can add more if you’d like.  Personalize them by embellishing them with each family member’s initial and a bit of flair.  They are sure to be a fun tradition for years to come.  This is a great kid's Craft too!!

You will need:

·      Lightweight cardboard or poster board

·      Felt in desired color (Felt even comes in sparkle)

·      All purpose computer paper

·      Ruler

·      Scissors

·      Stapler and staples

·      Tacky craft glue

·      Gold or silver cord

·      Felt or fun foam letters

·      Felt or fun foam small Christmas motifs (Snowflakes etc.)

1.     Gather your materials

2.     Cut a piece of lightweight cardboard or poster board 2 ½” x 4 ½”.  Cut five pieces of all-purpose computer paper 2 ¼” x 4”.

3.     Fold the cardboard in half width wise.  Stack the paper on top of the cardboard.  Center so that the border is even all around.  Fold the paper and cardboard in half again.  Use the fold line to place two staples right down the center.

4.     Turn the book to the back.  Cut a piece of gold or silver wire 8 ½” long, fold in half and glue to the back cover leaving a loop at the top for hanging.

5.     Cut a piece of felt 2 ¾” x 4 ¾”.  Spread some tacky glue on the entire back cover and attach the felt making sure it is even all around.  Let dry. 

6.     Use tacky glue to attach a letter to personalize and add some extra motifs if desired.

7.     Write the date on the first page and add to the book as desired.