Felt Tote for a Tiny Tin and Mini

Everything used to create this project is included in the April kit with the exception of the tin; which can be purchased separately from the Crafty Alley shop.

Wow, try saying that title 5 times fast! I have one final post using the incredibly sweet, fun, and whimsical April Crafty Alley kit. It will be sad to see it go, but the day is not over yet. If you would like to purchase this kit, and reserve a May kit for yourself by doing so you can click HERE for ordering information. The kit for May is WAY over the top! Cathy did a fabulous job putting it all together! I absolutely am in love with it!

Included in the April kit was an A4 piece of felt; which at first glance, I just thought about die cutting and adding it as a project element. But then I decided it would make an adorable little tote to hold the tin I made for my daughter with a little accordion mini inside. It went together very quick, and my daughter is really enjoying it. Hope you've enjoyed seeing all of the DT projects this month. I know that I have.

Here are a couple of photos of how the tote was cut. I didn't include the sewing or hot glueing part, but that is pretty self explanatory. All I did was use the large strip to attach the 2 top note shapes that I cut with my Big Shot, and the 2 smaller strips are the handles; which I hot glued on. The large strip is the bottom and sides of the tote and can be cut to suit the width you'd like.

I cut the 2 handles each at 1", and the strip for the bottom/sides of the tote at 2".

If you don't have a die cutter, you can also create a tote as shown just by folding it in half and attaching the handles, and eliminate the bottom section by cutting the larger strip to fit the width of the sides. I used a Sizzix Bigz die in a top note shape cut twice for my tote. Hope that makes sense.

Have a great weekend.

♥Robyn

Material Girl Sewing Box

Hi there everyone and thanks for stopping by. Today I'd like to show you a project that I made using items from the April Kit (apart from the flowers and the cotton reels)

I have so many little reels of cotton that I decided to make this little box with four drawers that would hold them all in.

For this drawer I used the scissor charm from the kit and glued it to the button which is also from the kit.

For these drawers I've used the beads from the kit and I've attached them using buttons which are also included with wire and then glue.

I hope this has given you some ideas on how versatile this kit is.

Hugs Michele xxx

A Needle Case for the Material Girl ... + TUESDAY TUTORIAL

Hi Everyone,

Katie here, and this week it's my turn to show you a tutorial using this month's kit. This is the last week of this month's kit, and don't forget that the only way to guarantee your place for next month's kit is to buy the April kit!!

Last week I featured the Early Bird paper range, so this week I decided to feature the other paper range included in the kit: Material Girl by Cosmo Cricket.

I have made an open up case to store all my sewing needles and pins etc...

Here is the front cover..

And here is the inside... there are spaces to store pins, safety pins, and my measuring tape...

So.. Let's get started!!

Firstly, I cut two thick pieces of cardboard to make the front and back covers. I recycled the back of an old watercolour paper pad, as it is VERY thick and durable. I then covered both sides of each page with the Material Girl papers.

I then sanded the edges to give a smooth finish. (Look at the cool sanding tool my Daddy made me last time I visited home :-) )

I then used Distress Inks to ink up the edges (I used Brushed Cordoroy - my favourite go-to ink)

Next up, I cut out a sentiment panel from the borders page, and again inked the edges...

I then highlighted some detail on the panel using Glossy Accents, and finished adding the decorative elements to my front cover...

Now it's time to make the hinges. I used the Grungeboard rectangles included in this months kit, covered them in one of the papers and inked the edges, and then punched two holes in each hinge. (Nearly broke my hole punch.. note to self, buy a Crop-a-dile!!)

I then put one of the American Craft's brads included in the kit through each hole, to give a riveted effect.

I then glued the hinges onto the front and back covers, and tied some fibres around the front cover to add detail. I also added a half backed pearl from the kit to each hinge.

Now it's time to work on the inside...

I took a piece of the border page, inked the edges, and punched two holes and threaded through some ribbon...

I then glued the paper panel down and used the ribbon to tie around the tape measure and hold it in place...

For the other page, I used a Nestabilities die (available from the Crafty Alley), to die-cut a felt panel, and again punched two holes through it and threaded through this GORGEAUS daisy lace from the kit...

I tied the daisy lace around the back of the book, and I now have a felt panel to store all my needles and safety pins in...

Well, that's it!! I hope you enjoyed the tutorial ... my next post will be using the MAY kit.. and I am so excited!! Roll on next Tuesday!

Hugs,
Katie xxx

It's A Challenge.....

Hey everyone,

How are you all? My Monday post is a little late, I know, but I had some family things the past few days that delayed me!! So now it's just after midnight, (technically Tuesday) and I finally have a quiet moment to share with you!! This week is the last week of the April kit (Sob!!). It was such a fun kit to work with. I especially loved the papers as there was so much you could do with them. This week I made a tag and pocket entirely out of design paper.....

After the layout I made last week, I just had to cut up some more of the fab paper and challenge myself to use only that to embellish my tag......

There were so many border strips, quotes, images, patterns............

And of course I had to add some distressing.......

So my CHALLENGE to you is this...... create something, anything, using ONLY design paper. Be creative. Do not be afraid to cut that paper any which way you please!!!! You will have two weeks to link your work here and become a follower of the blog. We will the pick a winner and that lucky someone will win a fab prize sponsored by The Crafty Alley!

Have fun!!

Louise xx

Grunge Board Circles are a "Rose" to work with!

Hey there Crafty Alley gals! I can't believe it's Friday already! The week has really flown by!

Have you ordered your April kit yet? There's still time, but there are only a few kits left. Also, by purchasing the April kit, it secures your spot for ordering the May kit when it comes out. There will be a limited quantity of each monthly kit. I'm still enjoying my April kit so much! It has been lots of fun playing with it, as well as seeing what the other DT members have created throughout the month. Hasn't it been fabulous?!

The rose on the tag pouch below is the Tim Holtz Grunge Circles that came in my kit. I created this lovely flower, and still have enough circles to create yet another flower as well! Doesn't it look almost like leather?

The tag is chipboard cut from the Sizzix Jumbo Tag die

I knew it would be fun to come up with a new idea for how to use these versatile Grunge Board elements. It sure was! Hope you like it, and that it inspires you to create something today!

Crafty Hugs,
❦Robyn xx

If you would like to purchase the April Crafty Alley kit, you can click here for a full list of what comes in the kit as well ordering information. :o)

Recipe Box Tutorial by Michele Roos

Hi there and thanks for stopping by. Today it's my turn to do a post and I thought that I'd show you a tutorial on how to make this cute little Recipe Box using the gorgeous goodies in the April Kit.

First, you will need a piece of cardstock that is 6 3/4" x 10 3/8" (this will be the bottom). and a piece that measures 7 3/8" x 11" (this will be the top)

Score the 6 3/4" x 10 3/8" piece at 2 1/2" on all four sides.

Score the 7 3/8" x 11" piece at 2 3/4" on all four sides.

Crease all score lines using a bone folder (on both the top and bottom pieces).

Make vertical cuts (following the score lines) to create "flaps" in each corner on both the bottom and top pieces of the cardstock

**Optional** - I like to cut off part of the flaps (see picture above). I find that it makes for a nicer finished product, but this step is completely up to you.

**Optional** - To pretty up the box a little bit I've used some of the gorgeous DP from the April Kit and then stuck it down using double sided tape.

Using a strong doubled sided adhesive, assemble both the bottom and top pieces.

For the dividers, that go inside the box, I made mine 5 1/4" x 3 1/4". I also glued the circle tabs (see pictures below) so that they stick up above the top of the divider. This is important because I have created the top of the box longer...to accommodate those tabs. If you would put the tabs flush with the top of the dividers, the top of the box would be too long.

Here are some additional pictures of the box and the dividers I created...

All the material, apart from the divider tags, I've used to create this project is from the April Kit.

I hope that you've enjoyed this tutorial and has given you a little inspiration on what you can create using the gorgeous goodies from the April Kit from the Crafty Alley.

Hugs Michele xxx