Paper Playtime Queens Blog Hop !!!!

Hey All My Crafty Friends

Welcome to the 1st ever Paper Playtime Queens Blog Hop !!!!!

If you came from Sandra blog then your in the right place

I am so excited to participate in this hop, it is about INEXPENSIVE STOCKING STUFFERS !!!

And with all of us trying to pinch pennies to get through the Christmas season, this hop is made just for you.

The talent in this hop is just amazing and I am so excited to be in the same company with these talented crafters. If you get lost along the way just click the top of the list and it will take you back to the beginning.

List of the talented crafters in this hop:

1. Paper Playtime - http://paperplaytime.blogspot.com/
2. Janis - http://pausedreamenjoy.blogspot.com/
3. Sheree -  http://cravinscrappin.blogspot.com/
4. Carley -  http://www.the-real-icarley.blogspot.com/
5. Pam -  http://simply-pam.blogspot.com/
6. Mary -  http://cardztv.blogspot.com/
7. Maria -  http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com/
8. Sharon -   http://meemeescreations.blogspot.com/
9. Michelle -  http://mumoftwoblog.blogspot.com/
10. Corri -  http://www.buglvr.blogspot.com/
11. Lisa -  http://www.crop-and-create.blogspot.com/
12. Kathi -  http://www.blogbykathi.blogspot.com/
13. Alex -  http://www.youhadmeatcraft.com/
14. Sandra -  http://www.365daysofcricut.blogspot.com/
15. Melissa -  http://www.apaperjourney.blogspot.com/ YOUR ARE HERE !!!
16. Abby -  http://www.scrapbookaholicbyabby.com/
17.  Theresa - http://www.thescrapbookingqueen.com/

18. Heather - http://www.freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.com/

So on to the project

I am the mother to 3 daughters (21,17 & 11) they all lead very busy lives and sometimes it is hard to coordinate our schedules around one another.  So this year I am giving each one of them a personal planner and a small notebook to carry in there purses. That way the next time I need to know what is going on with them they can pull out there planners and look.... (well that's the plan !!) I will hope they get in a habit of using them ...LOL :0)

Both project were made using 1 sheet of 12x12 designed paper !!!! How economical is that?

I purchased the paper from Hobby Lobby when it was 50% off which made it $1.00, I didnt quite know what I was going to use it for...So I put it in the give me inspiration box in my studio...

Well I was in JoAnn's last week and saw 2011 personal planners in the dollar section, I grabbed 3 not exactly my favorite patterns, but so worth a DOLLAR !!

When I got home I said these are just plan UGLY !!! my girls will hate them and will never use them...So I went to the inspiration box and there was the paper from Hobby Lobby...So then the creative juices started flowing and UGLY PLANNER is now FABULOUS PLANNER and so much more age appropriate for my girls.....The possibilities are endless !!!!

PROJECT # 1

Picture of UGLY PLANNER !!

Told you it needed some help.... LOL

Designer Paper from Hobby Lobby $1.00

Slide the planner out of the plastic cover and measure across the planner (opened)

I used Tacky Glue to cover the planner and made sure to leave an edge all the way around

Take a craft knife to the edge of the planner and get the excess edges of paper from around the edge (this is important if you want it to be able to fit back in the plastic cover)

Side view of FABULOUS PLANNER !!

Close- up view of planner

Sure doesn't look like it cost $2.00 NOW !!! hehe

For Project # 2 , I used the scraps that were left from the 12x12 (which is about a 6x12 piece) so you could actually cover two planners with one sheet, but I decided to make a matching notebook.  I hate when I need a piece of paper and all I can find is an old Walmart receipt to write on......

2 pieces of designer paper cut @ 6 x 4

2 pieces of chipboard (these is an old granola box)

cut @ 5 1/2 x 3 1/2

Tacky Glue chipboard to the paper

Snip the corners all the way around to give a mitred finish on the corners

Begin rolling the edges over the chipboard make sure to press firmly to get all the glue to under the edges of the paper and to insure the corners stay in place

It should look like this !!!

Next cut a piece of coordinating cardstock @ 5 1/2 x 3 1/2

Place it over the chipboard

Should look like this...

I used copy paper from Walmart 500 sheets for less that $3.00

Inside sheets should be cut @ 5 x 3 1/2

I chose to use my BIND IT ALL, but you could easily bind this together with eyelets and binder rings the chose is up to you....

Close - Up of the notebook put all together

Side view

 Sure does'nt look like it cost me about $1.50 to make...does it ???

So there you have to really inexpensive stocking stuffers GRAND TOTAL $ 3.50 ...YIPPEE !!

I hope you have been inspired to make some of these fun little organizers yourself....They are super easy to make and only took about an hour to make both .....EASY PEASY JAPANESY !!!

We have some fabulous prizes to give away at this hop so don't forget to leave a comment in everybody's post...

And I would like to offer a little BLOG CANDY to all of you who stopped by.  I am giving away 4 sets of Studio G Clear Stamps

I will draw a winner on Tuesday Morning December 14, 2010

@ 8 am EST

Just leave me a comment in this post and as always if you would like to become a follower I would love that too...so click on the box in the upper right corner and follow along in the JOURNEY...I have some exciting things planned in the New Year and you don't want to miss them !!!!

So on to the next stop in the hop...the super talented ABBY just click on her name and you will be on your way!!!!

Also don't forget to go back to Paper Playtime once you are done with the hop and enter to win for some awesome prizes from some very generous sponsors...

Until Next Time

Hugs & Scraps

Melissa