Tutorial: Memory Keychains

This project is so much fun to make and very rewarding when you're done!!  I know you're all going to love this tutorial!!

SUPPLIES

Wood shapes ("Woodsies")

Crop-a-dile (or other strong hole punch)

Acrylic craft paint

Decorations (photos, scrapbook paper, ephemera, lace, etc.)

Keyring

Chain

Charms or beads (optional)

Metal jump ring

Pliers

Step 1: MAKE WOOD BASE

The wood shapes I purchased were inexpensive and relatively thin so I chose to use 2 for each base.  If your wood shapes are made of a heavier wood, you could get away with just using one.

Pair up 2 wood pieces that are the same shape and size.

Punch a hole at the top center of one.  Line up your two pieces and mark where to punch the hole on the 2nd piece and then punch that hole.

Add a layer of glue (preferably wood glue) to the back of the two pieces and press them together.

Clamp the 2 pieces together using clothes pins or other method and let dry.

Once the glue has dried sand off the excess glue and any rough edges.

Step 2: DECORATE

There are so many possibilities for decorating these keychains!!   I'll list some of my ideas after the tutorial.

Paint the edges of your wood base using acrylic craft glue; you may need 2 or more coats.

Using a decoupage medium glue and seal your decorations onto the wood base, making sure to seal the painted edges too.

Step 3: ADD KEYRING & A CHARM

This is where we turn the little decorated wood shape into a keychain!!

Using pliers, add about 1" of chain to the keyring.

If you want to use a bead, rather than a charm, you'll need to add a headpin and a pair of round-nose jewelry pliers.

Once you have your bead/charm and keyring ready, add them to the wood base with a metal jump ring as shown above.

FINISHED!!

As I mentioned in the tutorial, there are so many possibilities when decorating your wood base!!  Here are just a few of the ideas I was able to come up with:

Vintage ephemera (shown in tutorial)

Photo(s) of a loved one

Mini scrapbook page

Map or image of a favorite place

Mini collage of something you enjoy

Your name

This list could go on and on!!  I'd love to hear your ideas so feel free to add them by commenting!!

Thanks for reading!!  Until next time...

Tutorial: Christmas Card Book

Even though I said that the Elf House Ornament was going to be the last Christmas craft tutorial of the year, I thought you all would really enjoy this Christmas Card Book tutorial!!

This tutorial will show you how to make a really neat (and pretty) book of the Christmas cards you receive each year!!  It even uses Christmas wrapping paper on the covers!!

At the end of the tutorial, I'll list some additional options for this project and ways you can totally change it up!!

GATHER SUPPLIES

Chipboard

Wrapping paper from this year

Coordinating cardstock

Coordinating 1/8" satin ribbon

Cover decorations

Crop-a-dial (or similar tool)

Eyelets

Hole reinforcing stickers

Glue

Step 1: PREP COVER SUPPLIES

CHIPBOARD PIECES

You will need to cut 2 pieces of chipboard for your covers.

To determine the size of your chipboard pieces, do the following:

- Measure the longest/tallest card you received and add 1/2" to that measurement; this will be your height.

- Measure the widest card you want to include and add 1/2" to that measurement; this will be your width.

WRAPPING PAPER PIECES

You'll need 4 pieces of wrapping paper to cover the chipboard pieces.

2 of the wrapping paper pieces will be about 2" longer and wider than your chipboard pieces.

The other 2 wrapping paper pieces should be 1/2" to 1" shorter and narrower than your chipboard pieces.

Step 2: DECORATE COVERS

COVER THE FRONT OF EACH COVER

Lay one of the larger pieces of wrapping paper face down and center chipboard cover on top.

Fold over the two longer edges and glue in place.

Fold in the corners as shown above.

Note: When using wrapping paper in this project, be very careful because the wrapping can tear pretty easily.

Fold and glue down the other two edges.

Repeat these steps for the other cover.

COVER THE BACK OF EACH COVER

Glue the smaller wrapping paper pieces in the center of the backs in order to cover the rest of the chipboard that's showing.

DECORATE

Decorate the front of the front cover.

Note: I just added a title and left it at that, but I may add more later.

Step 3: ADD HOLES

COVER

Using a Crop-a-Dile or similar tool, punch the following 3 holes about 1/2" away from the "binding" side of your covers:

- One hole should be perfectly centered.

- The other two holes should be 1/2" to 1.5" from the top and bottom.

Using the Crop-a-Dile or other eyelet tool, add eyelets to each of the holes making sure the "nice" side of the eyelets are on the outsides of the covers.

CARDSTOCK PAGES

I decided to add a piece of cardstock immediately inside each cover to protect both the cards and the wrapping paper.  These 2 pages measure 1/2" shorter and narrower than the covers.

Line up the "binding" side edges of the wrapped covers and cardstock pages making sure the cardstock is centered.

Mark where the holes need to go by making a dot through each cover hole onto the page.

Punch them out using the same tool you used on the covers.

I added hole reinforcing stickers to each hole I punched in the cardstock so it wouldn't tear later on.

CARDS

Before punching the holes in your cards, you'll want to determine which side will go on the "binding" side of the book.  I chose the folded edge of the cards and the tops of the photo cards.

 Punching the holes in the cards is a bit more complicated and is different for longer and shorter cards.

Longer cards

Line the folded edge up with the cover as you did with the cardstock pages. 

Mark where the holes need to go by making a dot through each of the cover's 3 holes onto the card.  

Punch out the holes using the same tool as earlier.

Shorter cards (not long enough for all 3 holes)

Line the folded edge up along the "binding" side edges of the covers, but instead of centering the card, place it 1/4" to 1/2" from the top.

Mark where the holes need to go by making a dot through the cover's top 2 holes onto the card.
Punch out the holes using the same tool as earlier.

 Step 4: BIND BOOK

Stack your covers, pages, & cards in this order (bottom to top):

Back cover

Back cardstock page

Cards (from tallest to shortest)

Front cardstock page

Front cover

Using 8" to 10" lengths of 1/8" satin ribbon, tie loose double knots and add bows.

FINISHED!!

Now wasn't that a fun project!!  I had a blast making my book and I know you will too!!  Here are the other ideas I had for the projects...

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

There are so many other items you can add to these little books and they have sooo much potential for other projects as well!!  I'd like to take a moment to mention just a couple of the ideas I've come up with so far!!

OTHER ADDABLE CONTENT

There are so many other things you can save in this book besides just cards!!  What if the title were just "Christmas 2011" rather than "Christmas Cards 2011"?  You could add things such as...

*The card and/or newsletter you mailed that year

*Received newsletters & photos

*Handwritten memories from that Christmas

*Christmas Photos

and a ton of other memorabilia items!!

SPECIAL EVENT CARDS

This project could be used to save your cards from really special events such as...

*Birthdays

*Anniversaries

*Weddings

*Bridal showers

*Baby showers

*Birth of a child

and many others!!

CHILD'S VALENTINE BOOK

Children get a ton of adorable valentines from their classmates and this would be a great way to remember all of that cuteness!!  You could even have your child decorate the covers!! 

Thanks for reading!! Until next time... 

I've submitted this tutorial to the...