PPA4 Desk Set for Me


It’s Thursday, and we are quickly learning that Thursday means “It’s Time to Play at PPA!“ This week’s challenge was “Anything But a Card”. With school starting, I turned to Designer Paper and the Big Shot to create this “Shabby Chic” desk set! It’s fun! It’s easy! It had some of my colleagues asking the question “Where did you get your journal?” and my son commenting “She really does love the dog more than me!” It is made entirely from Stampin’ Up! products, except for the notebook which I covered and the large metal paper clip. (The cardboard that forms the frame is from a package of Designer Paper!) Plus, you can customize the set to fit your personality. To coordinate with the “lab table gray” of my classroom, I opted for Night & Day Designer Series Paper, a Holiday Mini Catalog selection available September 1st! Sometimes it’s just fun to play with paper!

My Chic Journal

  • Select two pieces of Night & Day Designer Series Paper. (I selected a darker geometric pattern to cover the spine, and a light pattern for the front and back covers.)
  • Cut a strip of Designer Series Paper wide enough to cover the spine, and attach with Sticky Strip.
  • Measure two pieces of Designer Series Paper that will fit the front and back covers and adhere.
  • At the interfaces of the spine and covers, adhere Real Red 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon using Sticky Strip.
  • Ink the “Baroque” image from Friends 24-7 with Basic Black and randomly stamp the front of the journal. (Tip: The paper that I selected had a beautiful swirl, which I positioned along the lower edge…No stamping necessary!)
  • The teacher next to me wanted one of these so badly, that I made one for her as a “Welcome Back to School” gift!
“Tower of Matchboxes” Paper Clip Holder
  • Zip Basic Gray textured card stock through the Big Shot with the Stampin’ Up!Matchbox Bigz Die. Do this three times, and assemble each.
  • Stack the boxes and adhere to each other using Sticky Strip.
  • Size a selection of Night & Day Designer Series Paper to fit around the matchbox tower and adhere.
  • Attach a Red Circle Fire Brad to the front of each box to serve as a handle.

Classy Paper Clip/Book Mark

  • Punch two scallop circles from Real Red card stock using the Scallop Circle Punch.
  • Punch a section from a selection of pattern paper from the Night & Day Designer Series Paper collection using the 1-3/8″ Circle Punch. Adhere to one of the Real Red scallops.
  • Add a Red Circle Fire Brad to the center of the Designer Paper.
  • Use Glue Dots to attach the scallops to each side of the paper clip.
  • Yowza! I love this! If I have to bring home papers to grade, what better way to clip them up! Plus, I created a few extra to use as bookmarks!
Circle Scallop Frame
  • Cut a piece of card board 4 inches wide x 8-1/2 inches long. (I used the card board from a package of Designer Paper and doubled it for extra strength.)
  • Cover the back with a selection of Designer Series Paper.
  • Adhere your photo to the front of the frame.
  • Zip a contrasting pattern through the Big Shot with the Scallop Oval Frame. Adhere to a selection of Designer Paper that has been sized to fit the front of the frame, and trim out the center using Paper Snips. Adhere to the front of the frame over the picture, so that the picture shows through the center of the Scallop Oval.
  • Score 2-1/2″ from the bottom of the frame, and bend back to form the base of the frame. The frame will look like a backward “L”.
  • Add snippets of Real Red 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon at the top and bottom of the frame.
I really enjoyed making my coordinated desk set. I even covered the spines of a couple of legal pads to coordinate! Remember the feeling you had as a child when you got a new box of crayons to start the school year? That is exactly how I felt toting my creations off to school! Missy the Boxer will be gracing my computer desk…I have nifty paper clips…and I will be able to take lots of notes at faculty meetings in my chic, new journal. And, oh, just so you know, I also have a picture of my son on my desk!
Hopefully I have inspired you to create “Anything But a Card” today! So leave a comment or drop me an email (you know how much I appreciate them) and then hop on over to the Pals Paper Arts Challenge Blog and be prepared to get inspired! Until next time…

Please Click to Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies 24/7

Stamp Set: Friends 24-7 (113218)
Ink: Basic Black (101179)
Designer Series Paper: Night & Day (116768—Available September 1)
Card Stock: Basic Grey textured (108693—Neutrals assorted)
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Extended Cutting Pads (113478), Matchbox Bigz XL Die (114890), Scallop Oval Frame (114521), 1-3/8” Circle Punch (104401)
Embellishments: Real Red 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon (109034), Circle Fire Brads (109110)
Adhesives: Sticky Strip (104294), Mini Glue Dots (103683)

Mojo Oak

I couldn’t let Mojo Monday 100 pass me by without creating a card. I rushed home right after school and began creating! My husband, bless his heart, made supper, while Brady made puppy chow for dessert. (I know…not your typical dessert, but you have to remember that this is a 19-year-old male, and it is one of the few things that he can make! It’s the thought, you know!) Luck was with me, as was my mojo, and this card flew together quickly. I love the strength and majesty of the mighty oak, so I armed myself with the Autumn Splendor stamp set and Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper. A little ink distressing and a little linen thread completed the rugged look I was trying to achieve.
  • Prepare a standard card base from textured Very Vanilla. Distress the edges with Chocolate Chip ink and a Sponge Dauber.
  • Select the “Leaf Montage” and “Wood” patterns from the Autumn Meadows Designer Series Paper and ink distress the edges. Layer onto Really Rust textured card stock. Add a snippet of Tempting Turquoise 1/4″ Grosgrain Ribbon layered over Dusty Durango Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon at the interface of the two papers. (Tip: Because the ribbon was in stark contrast to the distressed paper, I “muddied” them with a Sponge Dauber and Chocolate Chip ink.)
  • Ink the “Oak Leaf” image from Autumn Splendor with Basic Brown and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Color with Blender Pens and Dusty Durango, Creamy Caramel, Really Rust, and More Mustard inks. Snip out with Paper Snips and distress the edges with Chocolate Chip. Pop onto the “Grid” pattern from Autumn Meadows, which has been layered onto Wood Cuts. Once again, the edges have been ink distressed.
  • Punch a Taken with Teal scalloped circle using Nestabilities and the Big Shot. Pierce the center of each scallop with the Paper Piercing Tool and distress with Chocolate Chip. Layer the image mat on top, and add four Vintage Brads in each corner of the image.
  • Thread Linen Thread through the holes in two of the bottom scallops and adhere to the card base.
  • Ink the “Acorns” with Basic Brown and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Color with Blender Pens, along with Creamy Caramel and Close to Cocoa inks. Punch out with the 1-1/4″ Circle Punch. Ink distress the edges with Chocolate Chip and pop onto a Nestabilities scalloped circle using a Stampin’ Dimensional. Position and adhere on top of the linen threads and ribbons. Add four Vintage Brads to each corner, and add to the card base.
Details, details and details are the trademark of this card. I love the “Wood Grain” pattern from this Designer Paper collection. When I first saw it, I really did not think I would. But seeing it used this way has changed my mind about it. The same thing was true about the Wood Cut sheets. Now I find that I use the Wood Cuts any time that I want to create a card with a more rustic look! And in case you are wondering about the linen thread, I wanted to create the illusion of a hanging sign.
There is still time to participate in the Pals Paper Arts inspiration challenge. Mr. Linky will close at Noon CST Tuesday! Will you be the next Pals “Artist Pick”?
Thanks for all of your “Good Luck” wishes as I started my school year. It was great to reconnect with my colleagues and get back into the swing of things. The only one who somewhat suffered today was “Missy the Boxer”. Boy, was she ever happy to see Mom! She has spent the entire evening at my feet. Tomorrow will be an incredibly long day, however. Not only will we be putting in a full day of meetings, but our district’s Open House and New Student Orientation begin right after our contract day begins. Yowza!
Please bear with me as I transition into the school year. I really do appreciate your comments! Many times they serve as an inspiration to me! And please do not hesitate to email me if you have a question! Until next time…

Please Click Here to Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies Now!
Stamp Set: Autumn Splendor (116503—Available September 1)
Inks: Basic Brown (104315), Chocolate Chip (100908), More Mustard (103162), Really Rust (102549), Close to Cocoa (103139), Creamy Caramel (103220), Dusty Durango (115654)
Designer Series Paper: Autumn Meadows (116769—Available September 1)
Card Stock: Very Vanilla (101650), Wood Sheets Texture Cuts (116309), Taken with Teal (101584), Really Rust textured (108697—Earth Elements assorted), Very Vanilla textured (108693—Neutrals assorted)
Tools: Paper Piercing Tool (116631), Mat Pack (105826), 1-1/4” Circle Punch (104403), Big Shot (113439), Blender Pens (102845), Nestabilities
Embellishments: Vintage Brads (109109), Dusty Durango Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon (115609), Tempting Turquoise ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon (109038)

Good-by to Summer…No Card Today

The last day of summer vacation has always been bittersweet. I love returning to school and my students. I love the organization and the daily routine. I have always said that I could have been a “professional student”. Yet the end of summer vacation also means an end to spending time with my family. Brady will be off to Western Illinois University for his sophomore year by week’s end, and Missy the Boxer will be left to guard the house alone. I will miss the time that I have spent with them. Hours of doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted will now be replaced with preparing for classes and in my case, grading papers.

I am also saddened as I will no longer have as much time to create my cards and share them. I remember when I first became a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. I had no desire to maintain a blog or post daily. But with the encouragement of Mary Fish, I entered into “blogland”. Making a card daily and posting have become second nature, as has communicating with you, my readers. Brady, bless his heart, has tried to come up with suggestions as to how to balance stamping and teaching, none of which would meet with the approval of my administrators. As much as I would like, I don’t think I can justify teaching about the chemistry of ink, complete with stamping lab, or how rubber is processed into stamps, also with lab! (Leave it to Brady!)

But, my sadness only lasts for a day. As soon as tomorrow morning rolls around, I will be stepping back into what has been my routine since 1976. And when I meet my students on Thursday, it will be as if I have never stepped foot outside of the classroom. So bear with me for a few days, as notebook paper replaces designer paper and report cards replace card stock!

As always…