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A while ago, I saw a window tag at the scrapbook store that held confetti.  The tag was made from two pieces of card stock with a clear plastic window sandwiched in between.  As I examined the piece, I wondered if it would work with quilling and filed the idea away in my idea box.

 

We have a dog, Trixie, who is part golden retriever, part husky, (and who knows what else) that my husband brought home from the pound.  She loves the treats I purchase that come in a plastic bag.  This bag is heavy duty, clear, and pliable.  In other words …. perfect for crafting … so into my inspiration bin it went. 

 

While looking through my inspiration bin I ran across the plastic bag, remembered the window tag, and I knew it was time to give the idea a try.

 

First, I created a bookmark template with a window and printed two (front and back).  Then, I cut two pieces of plastic (from the recycled plastic bag) larger than the window.  I quilled a little acorn and slid it between the plastic sheets.  I then placed this between the front and back pieces of the bookmark, tacking the two together at the top and bottom away from the stitching area.  Next, I stitched around the edges to hold it all in place.  Finally, a tassel on the bottom completed the bookmark.

 

You’ll find the free quilling pattern for the acorn, along with the bookmark template and complete instructions and photos for creating the bookmark, in the next newsletter.  So if you haven’t already subscribed to “The Art of Quilling News” be sure to sign up today.  (You’ll find the enrollment form in the upper right-hand corner.)

 

(Oh, and please excuse the sewing around the window.  I was almost done when Trixie decided that she needed my attention and bumped my arm.)

I really appreciate all of the feedback I receive from my newsletter subscribers and blog readers.   One request that I hear quite often is for more quilling projects made from recycled materials, which is great because I enjoy creating them!

 

Several weeks ago, I stopped by a local thrift store and found a handmade cookbook from 1971.  You know the kind — the recipes were all typed with a real typewriter then the pages were mimeographed and bound with a metal prong file clip into a book for the club members.  It was awesome and all for only $0.50.  What a bargain.

 

Along with the retro cookbook, I have had an old children’s puzzle in my supply stash for quite awhile (ever since the all important “last piece” went missing).   When I looked in my inspiration bin and saw the cookbook and puzzle pieces, I knew I had the ingredients to cook up this week’s project — a quilled kitchen magnet.

 

Since your materials will differ (we are trying to use what we have, remember), I offer these general instructions as a guide for making your own Quilled Puzzle Piece Magnet.

 

Chipboard puzzle piece

Background paper (scrapbook paper, old wallpaper, etc.)

Recipe (from old book, newspaper, magazine, etc.)

Quilling paper, 1/8″ wide

Basic quilling tools (discussed earlier)

Spray adhesive

Sandpaper or emery board

Permanent fine-line marker, black

Distress ink (I used Tim Holtz’s Tea Dye)

Cotton swab

Magnet

Spray acrylic sealer (optional)

 

 

 

If you want THE gift for a special holiday that is sure to touch the recipient’s heart, make a copy of a handwritten recipe from a cherished family member and use it on the magnet, matching your quilling to the recipe.  If your family is anything like mine, be ready for a big hug and have an extra tissue handy.