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The Design Inspirationalist

~ Inspiring Ideas | Spectacular Creations

The Design Inspirationalist

Tag Archives: paper

Early Bird + Night Owl = Awesome Deal

13 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in News

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

cards, eco friendly, greetings, holiday, Night Owl Paper Goods, paper, personalized holiday cards, wood

Night Owl Paper Goods, my shop of the month, is having an early bird special of 15% off all their personalized holiday cards that are ordered by October 31st, which are really cute by the way. In addition, they are offering free ground shipping in the United States.

There are over 100 designs to choose from and all are available in paper or wood. The options they offer are endless as well. You can have photos, text, patterns or a calendar printed on the back as well as leaving it blank if thats what you want to do. It’s quick and super easy to personalize the cards and the turnaround times are really fast. Definitely worth taking a look. Support indie businesses!

Early Bird + Night Owl = Awesome Deal

Here are just a few awesome things customers are saying about Night Owl Paper Goods.

Early Bird + Night Owl = Awesome Deal

Tissue Box Cover

30 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Crafty Ideas

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

balsa wood, contact paper, crafts, decorative paper, diy, glue, paper, tissue box cover

I work out of my home office everyday so its important to me that it looks good and exudes smart design. I want to be inspired, not tired. Being that I have allergies, I need tissues everywhere I go. So I thought of a way to make the tissue box look more stylish and came up with this project.

Now I am sure you have seen these in stores and some are quite expensive depending on the materials used. Well, my project is easy, affordable and it looks great. You can even do this with your kids for a craft project. The main reason I love this idea is because you can customize it and the options are pretty much endless. To top it off, it costs under $10!

First you need to get your materials together.

  • 2 strips of balsa wood ( I used 4 x 36 in. with a 1/8 width)
  • X-acto knife
  • ruler
  • pencil
  • crazy glue or cement glue
  • craft glue or Elmer’s glue
  • contact paper or clear label paper
  • box of tissues
Tissue Box Cover
Here we go:

1. Measure the tissue box you are using and cut the balsa wood accordingly.  You will probably have to use two pieces per side, which is fine.  That’s what I did.  Keep in mind that you are making a box so the each end piece will have to connect properly to the other. Remember to leave room at the top for the tissues!

2. After you have everything cut start gluing the pieces together with the crazy glue.  An easy way to do this is to use the tissue box as a guide and connect the pieces around the box. Just be careful not to glue them together! Now remember that this does not have to look perfect. Thats the beauty of this part.  The balsa wood is just the base of the holder so if there are small gaps in some areas its okay. It will all be covered in the end.

Tissue Box Cover

Tissue Box Cover

3. Now that you have the box together its time for the fun part. To design the box you can use just about anything. If you have some cool wrapping paper laying around put it to some good use. Any interesting paper or fabric would work as well.  You can even design your own! Use some watercolor paper and paint up something snazzy or have your kids create an art piece and showcase it for all to see. Either way, it’s going to look great! I chose to use some old accounting paper from the 1920s I bought off Etsy.  I thought since the box was going in my office it would fit right in.  Plus, I love adding that vintage appeal.

4. Now measure the paper and glue it to the sides.

Tissue Box Cover

5.  The last step is to take the contact paper or in my case, the clear label paper, and lay in on each side. This is important to seal the paper underneath so it doesn’t get stained or dirty. Because it already has an adhesive, this part is the easiest. Just make sure you go over the corners as well so you don’t have any rough edges. All you have to do is cut it to fit and bam – you have a stylish tissue box holder that everyone will be talking about.

Tissue Box Cover

Tissue Box Cover

I hope you enjoyed this DIY project and get inspired to do more. You can use balsa wood for a number of things and its really easy to work with. Just get creative and have fun. Remember you can do it yourself if you are motivated to do so. All you need is a good idea and a little bit of time and before you know it you have created something beautiful and unique.

Art Inspired Palette: Jayme McGowan

02 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art Inspired Palette

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

animals, beige, blue, fantastic mr fox, foxes, gray, green, jayme mcgowan, neutrals, paper, pastels, pink, roadside projects, skunk, tan

I am sure you all know I absolutely love paper. If you don’t than where have you been? You can check out my Pinterest board, My Love Affair for Paper, to see why if you haven’t already. But now I have to talk about paper artist and illustrator Jayme McGowan. She has taken the craft to new heights with her 3D dioramas and I must say, I am a huge fan.

Jayme lives and works in Sacramento, California where she creates wonderful little imaginary scenes we all would like to travel to. She illustrates unique characters then brings them to life. The final product are hand cut creatures so lovable, you wish you could be transformed as well.

You can find her work at her Etsy shop, Roadside Projects, where 5×7 and 8×10 prints are available. The piece I chose for the palette spoke to me through form, personality and most of all color. From the pastel blues and pinks to the neutral gray tones, I just couldn’t resist. I also love the addition of pattern and detail, which you will find in all of her work. Like I said before, Jayme takes the craft to new heights.

Look to her work for inspiration that brings a unique and whimsy feel to any event or space. Her talent for creating movement and emotion will certainly impress you, as it did for me. I recommend you check out all her work and maybe even send a little “hello, you rock”. You can read more about her process and the latest news on her blog and don’t forget to like her Facebook page too.

Art Inspired Palette: Jayme Mcgowan

Scrapbooking 101

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design

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Tags

art, books, crafts, designs, layout, paper, photobooks, photos, scrapbooking, space

Maintaining, organizing and keeping memories close to your heart is an everyday task. There are plenty of ways to protect and preserve the things that really matter in your life and scrapbooking is one of them. Not only is it a great way to tell your personal story but it is a unique way to tell someone else you care. A handmade or printed scrapbook makes an excellent gift.

There are a few elements to this craft one must know in order to successfully create a collection of keepsakes. Once you are aware of them, the process is much easier. Think of these tips as a guide to inspire, motivate and help carry you down the yellow brick road of scrapbooking.

Imagine
First, you must know why you are creating it. What is this book going to say? What is it about and who does it reflect? Knowing the meaning of the book is the best way to create something honest, personal and meaningful. This will definitely reflect through your work.

Scrapbooking 101
{Create interesting pages by combining the use of text, color and imagery}

Scrapbooking 101
{Allow the pages to also have enough negative space}

The Main Attraction
Now think of what type of book you want to use. If you are going the handmade route, you have lots of options to choose from from. Deciding on the style and size will send you along to the next step smoothly. If getting the book professionally printed is your preferred method than research companies and pick the one that fits your price range and offers a great product. Some I recommend are MyPublisher, Inkubook and Blurb.

Scrapbooking 101
{Experiment with different layouts before you decide on the final design}

Scrapbooking 101
{Arrange items so they are readable}

Collect
Gather up all your materials you want to use.  Whether it’s a collection of photographs, various items from a vacation or mixed media, having it all in front of you can allow you to see the bigger picture. This will help you tell the true story and layout the pages much easier.

Scrapbooking 101
{Collect all your materials together and get ready to create something beautiful}

Get Crafty
Now think of any extra materials you want to include. Decorative paper, special borders, stickers – there are tons of creative ways to add that touch of flair to any project. Think out of the box and come up with items that are not so traditional. Whatever you choose, remember to carry a theme throughout the book and reflect the materials used. Having it  all make sense and show a cohesive look will help it become a piece of art.

Scrapbooking 101
{Add some color or texture to the title page for interest but make sure it matches the theme of the book}

Tell the Story
Layout each page in the order you prefer and play around with some ideas. Think of this as sketching out a drawing. It’s good to design a temporary version before you carve it into stone. Doing this will allow you to make changes as you go and not have to redo something that is permanent.

Scrapbooking 101
{Use color to highlight spreads by adding unexpected borders}

Scrapbooking 101
{Don’t forget to include a title page}

Scrapbooking 101
{Combine imagery and text in fun ways}

If you follow these few essential tips you will be on your way to scrapbooking bliss. I also recommend you do some research to see examples of what other people have done. You can do this on the internet or check out some books on the subject. I always say it’s a vital step to any art form.

Gaining inspiration from the stories of others will help you not only distinguish your own but present it in a way you might have never thought of. Happy Scrapbooking!

{For more inspiration check out my previous projects: custom photobooks}

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