Tall Favor Boxes ~ Easy Peasy!

These are so easy to make, really, much less difficult than I've made it look :) This is an older post, but I want to share again.

You get two boxes from one 8.5x11-inch sheet of cardstock. These boxes are a perfect size for a handful of candy, small toys, money, notes .. just about anything you would like to gift and want a cute presentation you can even personalize.

I made these Christmas boxes for my husband to give at work. I printed the watermark on the sheets before beginning. Four chocolate covered cherries in mini wrappers fit perfectly in each box. I tied a 10-inch piece of raffia on the fronts and BAM ... very easy, inexpensive gifts.

Below, these were made on a whim, experimenting with the embellishing. I used paper from a DCWV Luxury Stack. The flowers are three different size daisy punch-outs from leftover paper, glued and stacked with a bead in the center. I used a circle and square Coluzzle template to cut out the front piece(s) and covered with a piece of scrap cellophane inside.

The template is below. Use a 5.5x8.5 inch sheet of heavy cardstock. If you use a Scor-Pal, put the edge at the 3 inch and you have an exact 1-1/4 inch score mark at 4.25. Move your first score line back to the 3 and score again three more times. It doesn't matter which side of the template the 1/2" flap is located, either side will work. The flap is the first thing glued to the inside of the opposite edge when assembling the box. The only other piece to adhere is the bottom, and BAM .. your box is finished! How easy is that?

I'm a visual person, but if you like instructions here is a short version.  Score the 5.5" x8.5" sheet vertically, four times 1-1/4" apart with each score. Turn the sheet sideways and score 1-1/4" from one end and 1/2" (and 1-1/4" from that scoreline) on the other end.  The blue lines on the template are cut lines. The red dots indicate the pieces of the template that are cut and removed. I used a corner rounder punch for the top flap piece.

Glue the 1/2" flap to the inside of the opposite side. I use a tape runner, it is easy to get the flap lined up with the edge. Glue the bottom flaps down and you have a box!

Alternate Sizes

As I did in the first photo, you can make a shorter box (less area to fill with candy :) by trimming 1" and using a 5.5x7.5 inch piece. I have also made a wider size box substituting 2" scores for the 1-1/4" measurements (again using the 1/2" flap scores). Use a 8.5" x10" inch sheet for the larger size.The cutout in the front is optional.

It is easier than it looks, I promise. Let me know if you make any and what you use them for.

Enjoy!
-Molly

Printable Gift Tags - (more) December Inspiration

Jen of my favorite.megaBlog - Tatertots & Jello - has gathered up 15 sets of fabulous free holiday gift tags to print (and embellish if you want) - the mittens are my favorite. This link also lists her other holiday finds from weeks past on Babble.com. I hope you see something here that you must have or inspires you!

click here ---> 15 Sets of Printable Holiday Gift Tags

Happy Weekend, Enjoy!
-Molly

Paper Quilling Blog Hop

I found out about a quilling blog hop that started today. Amazing and unique quilled projects across the globe!  I started here at Leesandra Diaz's blog in New York (she put this all together! Enjoy :)

The Sweet Spot

Have a fabulous weekend!

-Molly

I Spy Something Orange ...

and square!

This is an oldie but one of my favorite decorations :)

I love INCHIE ART, it is so easy! And the challenge of creating concept art with inch squares of paper is inspiring. Of course, the embellishing is the fun part!

The background is a Rob & Bob coaster by Provo Craft. And the eyeball? It is quilled; yes I like to make odd but practical pieces of quilling. I used black Distress Ink on the 1-inch paper square edges to make them look dimensional.

Have a wonderful end-of-October week!

-Molly

Autumn Card

I don't make many cards for show, but I did make this card over the weekend for a World Card Making Day live web cast. I used paper from The Autumn Splendor Stack (DCWV). The piece leftover after trimming, fit perfectly as the envelope lining. I love it when things like that just happen. I used spiced marmalade Distress Ink to cover the core white edges of the card and layer pieces. The message piece is raised.

Both papers have a gold foil print on them. You can see the shine in the photo below.

I also used quilled sticker leaves from my Provo Craft Stand Out line (no longer available). On my web page I have project ideas using quilled leaf motifs, photos of 8 different shapes and colors and basic instructions how to make the quilled leaves. 

Quilled Fall Leaves

Quilled Leaves Instructions

Have a great week :)

-Molly

Mini Maze Book Album ~ Happy Autumn

From the archives.

This is my favorite time of year!

I made this little maze book a while back for a gift. I designed the covers using graphics from one of my favorite artists, Carolee Jones. At the time, I was starting to make paper beads so I added a matching removable paper bead bookmark.

They are so much fun to make, inexpensive and the ways to embellish and decorate are endless.

I watched this video to learn how to fold-cut-fold the twelve 3" x 3" maze pages from only one piece of scrapbook paper. Tricia Morris from Club Scrap makes the difficult-looking folds and cutting very easy.

Enjoy the change of season!

Have a great weekend :)
-Molly

Quilling Tool Choices

When I opened my first quilling kit in the 70's, there was a regular corsage pin included. This is what I used to learn to quill and still do. I like to use my commercial wooden handle quilling tool when I don't need a really tight center.

 I also use a round wooden toothpick or wooden dowel when I quill with wide, crimped strips to make large pieces.

In 2000 I started making a novelty quilling needle tool with a polymer clay handle. I tested them for a year with different focus groups and then sold over 500 on eBay and at a few NAQG conventions. Seems like 15 years ago a lot of people used needle tools.

I used a regular corsage pin and made all sizes of handles. Then I started making the same tool with a smaller quilters needle for miniature quilling and sold them as sets. I used either gold plated or sterling silver beads and discs at the base.

I experimented quite a bit. These are all the imperfect needle tools I kept and a few I still use. I shined up the handles over the weekend, brushing on a coat of Future floor wax.  I'm going to make some type of enclosed, framed art piece for my craft room with the imperfect ones -- to remind me of that particular time in my life. Plus I just like bright, colorful things around :)

The only slotted tool I have bought, and use to make fringed flowers or roses, is the 4" metal handle. This is all I will say about slotted tools as I know they are the most popular, easiest to use and I want people to use what is best for them.

What are your favorite quilling tools?

Enjoy the week!
~Molly

P.S. I don't make these tools any more.

Cards for Baby ~ quilled elements

I recently came across these baby cards that I made nine years ago in 2002 and decided to share. Remember the speckled paper with matching envelopes that was thick but soft? And I used to put a ribbon in every card I made :) For these I used small paper punches, a few pearls, thin satin ribbon and quilled elements. The balloon string is wire.

The following is a variety of baby buggies for cardmaking or scrapbooking. These were made about five years ago. I weaved 1/8" paper strips and added a glue backing. When dry, I cut out a circle and a piece of the circle .. trimming to the center and then at an angle. Crimping the strips makes it easy to use as multi color trims and adds dimension.

Primary Colors

Twins

Baby Girl

Vintage

Baby Boy

Thanks for looking!
~Molly

Real Simple Refreshments

In case you haven't heard, it is HOT in Texas. We have received only 2.94 inches of rain this year where I live. Nothing is better or more relaxing on a hot day than a refreshing drink, something different, perhaps a mood enhancer. Treat yourself to something refreshing!

Here are 40 Real Simple drink recipes. 

And with drinks you need coasters.

Board Walk Candles and Quilts is the best shop I have found for beautiful quilted coasters. And they are great for gifts because they cost next to nothing to ship. Check them out!

Enjoy!

~Molly

Happy August!

Last Friday, while lurking on Twitter for the first time in a month, I found an eye-catching post by Ann Martin. Many of you already know that if it is unique, over the top, and the very latest quilling .. Ann finds it first. From there I received Susan Myers' permission to link to her fabulous June project. Yes, it was the end of July but like me, Suzy is the queen of UFOs. Below is my favorite coffee mug which represents my favorite painting and the reason for this blog post.

I love an artist who can go from a sewing machine to plaster and then sit down and quill something like this. So I wanted to share Suzy's June project in August :o) I think it is amazingly beautiful. The colors are gorgeous. I like her description of quilling as "painting with paper". And, it is not only a piece of quilled art, it is a HUGE piece of quilled art. Her quilled Vincent van Gogh The Starry Night is 2 by 3 feet in size!

Suzy's details are shown here. Her lastest box of chocolates pincushion tutorial post is equally amazing. AND she also decorates and sells gorgeous Ukrainian eggs .. and that whole process totally blows my mind.

Happy August to all ~
Molly

Quick Quilled Elements for Cards

I found photos of these easy quilled elements that I think would look cute on cards. These are so old, the pics are small as they were made in 2003. I know they can be changed up to look better if you care to try :)

 I collect clowns and flamingos :)

Be inspired, enjoy and have a great weekend!

~Molly

Be Inspired: Free-form Quilling

This was part of my display at a show in 2005. I wanted to use it in my book but the editors selected other projects for the wedding-scape section. Everything I quill is original so I have different ways for getting inspiration for a new quilled project.  This is one way I become inspired-- with pictures.

I found this picture of a white wedding hat and it was my inspiration for the framed table piece.  The big rose is what caught my eye.

This was the finished piece. I printed the text on vellum and slipped in the frame so it could be removed.

I used 3/8" wide crimped white paper strips for the hat. Tiny pearls were glued the the centers of 1/8" punched and shaped flowers. The flowers were used to cover the top of the hat after three roses, four fringed flowers and tendrils were applied. A long spiral strip was glued under the hat brim and on the top-front, and a small satin ribbon bow was added.

Use pictures for inspiration when needing a pattern for free-form quilling.


Thanks for stopping by. 
Have a fun and crafty week!


~Molly

Quilled Trophy and Blue Ribbon Elements

Here are some more elements to use for a Father's Day or masculine card. The colors could be changed on the trophy base and ribbon to use generically for any occasion. 

Trophy

two 10" brown squares for base, glue 6" navy blue half circle to center top of base. Cup is a 24" gold eccentric loose circle, shaped around a large dowel to flatten the top. Glue two gold 3-1/2" S-scrolls to sides of cup for handles and glue cup to trophy base. Optional: Print phase on white paper, cut small rectangle around phase, trim across each corner and glue to front of base.

Blue Ribbon

print phase on white cardstock and punch out with 1" circle punch (or trace around a coin and cut out circle with scissors). Make eleven 2-1/2" navy blue loose circles and glue side by side in a circle around the edge of the cardstock circle. I used actual pieces of 3/8" wide navy ribbon for the tails.

Enjoy!

~Molly

Quilled Golf Elements

Here are some more elements to use for a Father's Day or masculine card. Of course women love to golf, me included, so this could be used for a great card to any golfer.

Bucket of balls

Start with a 1-1/4" strip of green glued horizontally on your work board for the bottom of the bucket (I didn't measure the remaining strips because they all get trimmed). Add the sides at an angle, add a vertical piece in the center straight up, and another strip on each side of the center strip. Add four horizontal pieces and allow to dry. I trimmed all four sides and traced the bucket shape on a white piece of cardstock and cutout inside the traced line. Glue the bucket to the cardstock shape for a backing. Cut the ends of a 1" green strip at angles and glue under the bottom as shown. For the bucket handle, glue 1-1/2" silver strip to the bucket, twisting once before gluing second end down.

Small Golf Balls

An 8" white tight circle shaped into a grape (I placed the tight roll in my palm and used the pearl end of a corsage pin to press into the center and glued the inside), make 18 and glue at random on the top of the bucket gluing at sides.

Golf Tees

The smaller ones are made using 24" red, blue and yellow strips and the larger are 36". Make loose circle and pull center of circle to one side and pinch opposite end to make a teardrop. While holding the pointed end in one hand, press the rounded end of the teardrop against a dowel the size of a pen barrel to shape the top of the tee. Glue the back of the piece and let dry to keep the shape as shown.

Large Golf Ball

Glue five 24" white strips end to end and make a tight roll. Flatten on a hard surface and shape with fingers slightly into a grape shape. Glue the inside to keep a bowl shape. Glue to the top of the large tee.


Enjoy!
~Molly

Quilled Fishing Elements

These are some fishing elements to use for a Father's Day or masculine card. Of course women love to fish, me included, so this could be used for a great card to any fisher person :)

Fish Lure
a 20" loose circle made up of three colors of paper glued end-to-end (4", 8", 8"). Pull center of circle to one side before pinching both ends to make a slim marquise. Make two 1" and one 1-1/2" silver T-scrolls for hooks.


Bobber

two 12" half circles (white on top, red on bottom), 3" black rectangle shape glued to top

Basket

a 16" olive green loose circle shaped into a fat marquise. Hold the bottom of the marquise and pinch the top portion to a point. Make two and glue flat sides together. Glue 12" tan or brown flattened marquise to top. Fold and glue a 5" olive green strip into a 2-1/2" piece. While strip is still wet from glue, wrap around a 1" dowel to shape. Glue ends to side of basket for the handle and add tiny brad to front.

Enjoy!

~Molly

Quilling Comes in All Sizes

I have said before that my two favorites are miniature and giant quilling! I would put this one below in the big category! I used one-inch crimped red and green strips of construction paper glued end to end. The stems are spongy insulation material that I cut into pieces and painted black. The leaves are 6" long and the cherries are 3.5" in diameter.

This is a piece I made to take to a CHA show in 2006 when I bought a table spot to show my designs. It is a MUST to have some type of eye-catcher to draw the manufactures and publishers to the table. My table was set up to sell my quilled cherry projects and large wall art designs. I used this cherry project, a 14-inch quilled snowflake and three 12-inch layered paper flowers as my eye-catchers. My plan worked :)

I wanted to share this technique to show that there is no limit to what you can do with quilled paper. Here are a few more examples: 

Lori Mondell ~ has an amazing creative mind when embellishing her projects
Suzana Ilic ~ brings quilling to a next level with her brilliant dimensional art
Ann Martin ~ this is an excellent example of how to be inspired by non-paper material and incorporate into quilling

I hope you are encouraged to try something different and quill a miniature, traditional or big piece of art using your own creative style. 

Have fun!
~Molly

Quilled Sock Monkey

Carol Duvall hosted an arts and crafts show which aired on the HGTV cable channel from 1994 to 2005. It was also broadcast on the DIY Network from 2005 until late-2009. I don't think I missed one episode! A sock monkey puppet opened and closed each segment of the show and he was also seen from time to time during the show. Her guests and fans often gave her sock monkey themed gifts in the particular medium they used.

I quilled this 10" (25.4 cm) sock monkey face with the intention of framing and giving to Carol Duvall when I made it on her show. Even though my Provo Craft StandOuts™ quilled stickers were reviewed on one of her shows, I never was a guest.  After 14 years I don't know what to do with it. So I decided to take a picture and show her to you before packing it up again.

Have a fun, crafty day!~Molly

Easy Quilling on Simple Cards

These are easy, simple and fun to make in one short sitting. You can print or stamp your imagine/text and with minimal quilled embellishing, these cards can be made quickly :)

NOTE CARD

I printed a 50's jukebox and dance graphic and added quilled records. I glued a 36" (91.4 cm) black strip to a 10" (25.4 cm) neon piece and made a tight roll. Quilled musical notes would also be cute.

TWO-TONED CARDSTOCK

I lined the inside of the card with lime green cardstock. I used a 3/4" (1.9 cm) punch to make the round window at the top corner and a 1-3/4" (4.4 cm) punch for the raised "Thanks" piece. The quilled flower is made using narrow paper strips so this card would be good for mailing. If you have them, using round scalloped punches would dress up the card a bit!

OPEN HEARTS

I do nothing in moderation, so this card could probably use less hearts than I applied :) I printed a simple light purple swirl and added pink and purple open hearts I made using 1.5" (3.8 cm) and 3/4" (1.9 cm) long strips. I trimmed 1/32" (.8 mm) strips to make the spirals. I think they are easier to make using narrow strips.

I hope I have given you some new ideas to make a quick card. Enjoy!
~Molly

Quilled Carrots

I noticed there are not many carrot patterns out there. (If there are any, I couldn't find them :) So, I created three different variations for embellishments and a few Easter cards.



TINY BASKET OF CARROTS

Carrot: 1/8" x 7" tight roll. Shape with a small pointed dowel and glue inside.

Green leaves: 1/4" x 2.5" rolled around toothpick to make a tube. Insert into carrot top halfway and glue. Cut around edges to make fringe and spread outward with fingertips.

CARROTS ON MATCHBOX

This cute matchbox can be used to hold candy, money, note, tiny toy, etc. I found the idea and instructions here: Matchbox

Carrots: 1/8" x 12" loose roll. Shape in a long teardrop.

Drawer pull: 1/8" x 6" tightroll shaped with a small round dowel into a grape (I use the pearl on a corsage pin). Glue inside to hold shape.

Green leaves: 1/8" x 3" pieces. Make three 1/2" loops the same height (accordion folds) and spread out before gluing at bottom. Trim each fold in half lengthwise, making six thin leaves. Spread with fingers.

FLAT CARROTS

Carrots: 1/8" x 7 tightroll. Shape with a small pointed dowel and flatten with fingers.

Green leaves: 1/8" x 1" pieces. Cut slivers of paper at various lengths. Glue ends individually into top of carrot until full.

These are my favorite for the cards because they lay so flat.

Enjoy!

Molly