Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Summer Banner - Use those scraps!

If you are like me, you have containers full of paper scraps and ribbon scraps as well as drawers full leftover pictures from those summertime layouts. Why not put them to good use? Here is a fun and easy project to help use up some of those scraps and create a little home decor item to remind you of all the fun you had this summer. (This isn't just for summer - it can be any season and any theme where you have leftovers)

Materials (feel free to substitute what ever you have on hand)
6 3"x3" Chipboard coasters (you can use any size or just make your own from
cardboard)
Scraps of coordinating patterned paper and card stock
Coordinating embellishments (I used American Crafts plastic flowers,
Doodlebug acrylic blocks, and Heidi Swapp chipboard letters)
Eyelets
Ribbon scraps
Scrapper's Floss or Cording
2" Circle punch
2.5" scallop edge circle punch
Corner rounder
Eyelet setter or Crop-a-dile
Strong adhesive

1. cut patterned paper and card stock into 3" squares - enough to cover the front (and back if desired) of each coaster. Round edges to fit coasters and adhere. If you plan to cover both sides only cover the front in this step.
2. Crop pictures to desired shape and size - I used a 2" circle punch for mine.
3. Cut photo mats to size for focal point photos. I used the 2.5" scalloped circle punch.
4. Adhere all photos and photo mats to the coasters
5. Embellish as desired.
6. Punch 2 holes on either side of each coaster. Match the placement of the holes with the other coasters as best as possible as we will be stringing them together.
7. Set eyelets in each hole.
8. Using floss or cording, tie coasters together.
9. Embellish end coasters with ribbon.
10. Cut 2 equal lengths of ribbon to use as hanging ties. Adhere them to the back of each end coaster with strong adhesive.
11. If you want to cover the backs of your coasters with card stock or patterned paper, adhere it to the backs over the ribbon ties to hide it.

That's all there is to it. Mine ended up on my refrigerator, but I am sure one the fall comes my daughter will steal it to decorate her room. Please feel free to link back here in the comments if you decide to give this a try. I would love to see what you do with it.

Sharon C

3 comments:

Accents 2 Scrapbooking said...

Very Cool Sharon. I love the idea!

Melissa said...

What an awesome idea Sharon! Thanks for posting this!

Carole House said...

Neat idea!