A Little Bit of Paper Goes a Long Way!

A Little Bit of Paper Goes a Long Way!

Sorry it's been a little while since my last post! Between Thanksgiving and tons going on at work, I've been one busy girl! This means that I'll have lots of new projects to share with you in the coming months! Today though... since Christmas is just around the corner, I wanted to highlight a gift idea that I love!
 

I'll be honest, Christmas is probably my favorite time of year. There's something magical and inspiring about the season of giving. Mr. & Mrs. Claus were always pretty creative when I was growing up (Mrs. Claus in particular)! I asked for a bell from one of Santa's reindeer. I asked for a bouquet of flowers from Mrs. Claus' garden (because, ya know, she has one). And, every year, my wish was granted! That thoughtfulness and creativity always stuck with me when it came to gift-giving!
 

When I was in college, one of my art classes had a project that involved cutting lots of paper and making it into something worth looking at. While that may sound elementary to some of you, I'll have you know... it was quite the task (especially for a semi-OCD perfectionist like myself). Once I got going though, I absolutely loved this concept, and I can assure you... with some magazines, scissors, rubber cement, and a little bit of your time, you could give one of the most thoughtful and creative gifts this Christmas!

Here's what you'll need: 

Ever wonder what to do with all those old magazines that seem to accumulate over time? Keep 'em!

 

Rubber Cement - This stuff is amazing!

 

Apparently, it wasn't until the ripe age of 21 that I understood exactly how to use rubber cement. For those of you that don't know... you apply the product to the two items that you want to stick together, then, you wait for it to DRY. Once those steps are complete, put both pieces together, and they'll be stuck forever! With just these two items, and a piece of cardstock, you have all you need to make one memorable gift!

 

Here are examples of some of the pieces that I've done recently!

 

Photo Courtesy of nadiadphoto.com

Original Photo: When my sister got married, I knew I wanted to do something special for her and her husband at Christmas that year... here is the gift that they received!

This is truly one of my favorites.

 

This one was a Christmas gift for a dear friend who had also just recently gotten married. I had it framed and now it sits in their new home. With twins on the way, I'm sure I'll have another project to take on sometime in the near future!

 

The steps to creating these fun gifts are pretty simple:

1.  Look through magazines and find large, uninterrupted chunks of colors that you like (don't worry about matching colors exacting... it's the layering of different pieces that gives the final product depth)

 

2.  Using a piece of cardstock, draw a rough (and I mean roughhhhh) sketch of what your final product will look like (I even trace mine sometimes just to get a general idea of layout)

 

3. Apply rubber cement to the magazine clippings as well as the cardstock

 

4. Cut the magazine pieces into small shapes (I prefer little triangles) and start making your masterpiece come to life!

 

I'll be honest, there is some trial and error involved, but once you get the hang of it... it'll not only be smooth sailing, but it'll be a gift that a loved one will treasure for years to come. Like we learned from The Grinch...

 

"What if Christmas... doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more"

 

 

Get creative this holiday season, my friends!