Chewing Paper - Confessions of a Paper Addict

Wooden Alphabet Fun

Hi guys,

This is my third attempt writing this post today - Typepad does not make things easy sometimes!!  I just had to tell you though - we got our own stash of fantastic Wooden Alphabets in - just perfect for you to alter!!  They're perfect for decorating a child's room, your craft room - anything at all.  Each one is 17.5cm high and made from MDF and great value too.  I've already done my first project!!  See above.  My lovely friend in the USA just had a new baby - a little girl called Rory (the name is used that way over there :).  I kept them simple as I was a little short for time, but I'm really happy with how they turned out. Here's how they look before altering:

Altering them couldn't be easier.  Here's what the manufacturer's recommend, and also check out my earlier blog post all about it.  With these ones, it's even easier than that though. Simple paint the front with PVA or another craft glue (don't use too much or the papers will bubble).  Then press down any patterned papers you fancy, and leave to dry.  When dry, cut around the outline using a cutting mat and paper knife or blade.  Voila!

Next comes the really fun bit.  Raid your craft bag and find whatever blossoms, brads, buckles, buttons, gems or ribbons you can find and get decorating!!

I did mine in just over 2 hours, but I kept them simple - how long it takes is entirely up to you.  If you make some, please do send us in a photo - and we'll post it up here!!

They're great as a gift for a baby or child, in a craft room, in your child's room, anything at all.  We also got in some great wooden tag books for altering and a super ribbon holder and organiser.  Put your stamp on them all and have great fun doing it!

Project #1 Gatefold Indian Cotton Booklet with Calla Lillies

Well hello.  I'm back after a short hiatus to move house, go on holiday to Cornwall and now return with the first project for the blog!  Our aim is to make this a "Really Useful" blog, so hopefully this helps us get one step closer to that :)

This project is to show you how to make the wedding invitation below - one of our most popular and original invitations.  It's called the Gatefold Indian Cotton Invitation with Calla Lillies and it uses some beautiful Indian Cotton Rag Papers, made with leftovers from the Indian Rag Trade in a fair-trade mill, raffia and miniature paper calla lillies.Below are step by step instructions to make the invite with lots of pictures to guide you as well.  We sell this invitation in a readymade kit to purchase, or you can buy items individually to make it up.  The links below are all for our UK site . To purchase this kit for Ireland - Click HERE.  This invitation would retail for at least 2 or 3 times the price if made by a professional invitation maker. 

Materials

• 1 Indian Cotton Calla Lilly Kit 
• OR
• 1 Sheet A4 Indian Cotton Paper + 1 C5 Indian Cotton Envelope
• 1 Sheet Ivory/Cream A4 Tracing Paper or Vellum
• 1 sheet A5 textured Ivory Card
• 1 metre-length of natural raffia
• 2 miniature paper Calla Lillies
• Tools:
• Paper Trimmer or Paper Knife and Cutting Mat
• Invisible Glue Tape

Instructions

• Download the template for this invite. The one we have linked is for the template with no border lines on the page - allowing you to choose the width of your own borders.  If you'd like pre-printed cutting lines for cutting out and layering the invitation wording paper on top of the backing card, download the A5 Template with Cutting Lines instead.  Similar free wedding invitation templates are available on our Irish DIYWedding Site also.
• Print out the template (2 per A4 page) onto the ivory tracing paper provided with the kit.  Tracing paper is less porous than normal paper so you may need to set the paper aside to dry for a few minutes (of if having problems, overnight) before getting ready to use it in your invite.  When ready, cut it into two A5 sheets using a Paper Trimmer, scissors (with steady hand) or Paper Knife and Cutting Board.  Below are pictures of the printed out A4 sheet with two A5 inserts on it, and cutting it with a paper trimmer.  
• Next, trim approximately 1cm from each of the four sides of the A5 Insert.   You want to do this so that when you put it on the backing card it has a "frame" of card around it.  You can do this manually by measuring using a trimmer or knife and board, or use the Template with Cutting Lines instead if you need a line to follow when cutting.
• Next you need to trim the Ivory A5 textured card. As the card is A5, when you fold an A4 page around it - which is exactly twice the width of the A5 card, there won't be enough paper left for the booklet cover pages to meet in the middle.If you want to have the A4 Cotton Cover close with the two edges overlapping, you will need to trim the edges of the A5 card down a little.  Just 0.5cm all round will work fine, or even easier - 1 cm from one side and 1 cm from the top before you stick the tracing paper down.   
• Now get out your Glue Roller- we use a great invisible tape roller that doesn't show through tracing paper or vellum and just makes life easier :).  Run the tape about an inch in from the edge of the A5 textured card. You don't necessarily have to have a continuous run of the tape - you can stop and start to save the tape and make it go a little further :)  Just be sure there's enough so that the edges of the paper are secured and you're happy with the finished effect.  If the tape won't run properly, it's probably because the tip doesn't have any glue on it (this happens sometimes).  Just pull the tape out with your fingers and help to further the roller on to the next sticky bit which will give it the friction it needs to run again properly when rolled.
• Now you're ready to place the written insert on the tracing paper onto the ivory A5 backing card.  Do this with care - it can be hard to get it really centred and straight.  If you don't press it down when you first place it tentatively on the backing card, you can sometimes lift if up again to re-centre.  If you're having problems, you can try using a Glue Stick to stick it down instead.  This has the advantage of allowing you to move the paper after it's been placed down to fix it into place, but they can be messy and don't provide as permanent sticking power as the glue tapes. When you're happy with its position, use a ruler or bone folder to run it across the paper with the edge down, to get rid of any bubbles or bumps.  You now have your insert finished and ready to go.  Next is the Indian Cotton Booklet Cover.
• Where you choose to have the two sides of the Indian Cotton sheet meet is totally up to you.  You can have it closing in the middle in a traditional gatefold design, or do what we do and have it over to one of the sides instead. 

• Place the backing card on to the Indian Cotton A4 paper. If you want it over to the side, leave approximately twice as much space on one side of the card as do on the other (pictured).  When you're happy with the position, gently fold the two sides of the Booklet to create a gentle indent (you can check it now to see how it will look too by gently folding the edges over without creasing the edges too much).
• If you're making the invite to send immediately, don't forget to write it at this point before you close over the booklet cover if you haven't already :).  Allow a few extra minutes for pens to dry on the tracing paper - as with printer ink, it takes a little longer to dry on the less porous paper. 

• 
• When happy with the position of the insert on the Indian Cotton Booklet Cover, fold the two sides of the booklets in to meet in the middle and press down to make a clean fold line.  Your booklet is now nearly made - all that's left is to to tie the raffia and insert the flowers!!

• The second last step is to take your length of raffia and wind it around your booklet until you have two lengths left long enough to tie a knot comfortably with (see below). Raffia strips are usually about a metre longh and go around the booklet about three times.  Tie a simple knot in the raffia at the join of the paper.  Tie the knot tight enough so the raffia is secure on the book and won't fall off, but don't pull the knot too tight just yet.   Now trim the raffia, leaving just a few inches of length on both ends.

• Lastly, take the two calla lillies and insert into the raffia knot.  Do this one at a time, pushing the stem through the the gap in the knot of the raffia.  When happy with the position of the lillies (they should be running along the edge of the paper where it overlaps), pull the raffia tightly so that the calla lillies are secure.  If after doing this you're still not happy that they are secure enough, try putting a glue dot in behing the knot of the raffia or the heads of the flowers.

That's it!!  You're done!!  And well done!!  Sit back and admire your creation :)

I hope this was clear - but if you have any questions, drop us a line at info@weddingdiy.co.uk and we'll be happy to help!!