Octagon Origami Box & a Tutorial!

Hello fab bloggers!  Here is a challenge for you today and a really, really long, picture-filled post!  Last weekend, at Quick Quotes Private Reserve in St. Louis, there was a make-and-take to create this box.  I did not participate in the project, but loved the results.

Being the curious one that I am, I searched the internet for a box that looked similar to the ones created in St. Louis.  This is the video link I watched to create this box!  Click here.  There is no audio instruction, but it was enough to get it with a little practice!

This is the finished box. 

To take this challenge, you will need 16 squares of paper, exactly the same size.  I used origami papers for this project. These are 6 x6.  Follow these steps for all sixteen squares.

 Start by folding diagonally, both ways, then vertically and horizontally, creasing each fold well before going to the next fold.

Next, fold 3 corners into the center. Unfold the left fold and flip over.

It should now look like this.

 The paper is turned so that the point that was unfolded is at the top of the photo (left).  Bring the bottom point up to the horizontal score line.  The photo to the right is the same as the left photo only the point is now facing left.  The right side should now be folded toward the left point up to the next score line (about an inch) and then unfolded.

Ready for the next fold. Grab the top outside edge and line it up with the diagonal white edge next to it.

 see how it lines up?  Crease well.

 Now it looks like this.

 Bottom edge now is folded up to meet the top edge.  The crease should be at the left point across to the center right.

 Now it looks like this.

The bottom white edge is now folded upward to line up with the diagonal orange edge.

It should now look like this.

Hopefully, between watching the video and looking at the still photos, this will be clear.  The next step is opening the piece.  From the top edge, pull the paper toward you.

 When it is opened, it looks like this, kind of a pie wedge with a funky tail...

 In this photo, I unfolded the center.  The long skinny triangle part seen just to the right of the longest crease may be glued at this point.  Use dry adhesive.  Fold it back again to look like photo above.

 After you make 15 more of these, it does get easier!  Promise!  Now you are ready to assemble.  Eight pieces are needed for the top and eight for the bottom.  It is probably a good idea to assemble without adhesive first.  Once you see what the finished project will look like, then go in with adhesive.  Adhesive was placed on the left of each piece.

 Pull back the flap on the right side of one piece and insert the left side of the second piece, all the way to the next fold.

 It should look like this.  Continue adding pieces until you have eight assembled.  The eighth one is inserted both to the left and to the right.

 The inside should look like the next two photos.

Now, do the same assembly for the bottom of the box.

When it is flipped over, it looks like the photo below on the outside.

Here it is all embellied.  I added octagonal pieces of white chipboard cut on the Cricut with George and Basic Shapes at 5.75" (not pictured)

The harvest scene is a Dazzle Sticker from Paper Wishes Happy Harvest Stickers, mounted on kraft resist cardstock, colored with Smooch Ink, matted with dark brown, then pearlized green cardstock.  Vintage Photo Distress Ink was  blended on the edges.

 A triple loop satin bow was made with Becca's Peg Bow Maker and a button was added onto the "wheel"  of the wheelbarrow.

 This is another box I made, using 2" squares of 7gypsies "Trousseau" paper and pink string pearls from The Scrapbooking Studio.  Even the flower and the bow were made from the paper!  This teeny little box would be great to hold a pair of earrings or a piece of chocolate...hmmm, which do I like better?

Anyway, sorry for the long post, but I just had to share that I could make this work, and you can, too!

Until next time, BE Inspired!  Jules

The last of the 7gypsies cards...

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!  I have more 7gypsies cards to share. Are you getting tired of them, yet?  I promise, this is the last post!


 As with the previous cards, kraft card stock was run through the Big Shot with the Sizzix Card Fronts, A2 Eyelet & Ornate die.   For these, one of each style was cut.

A piece of patterned 7gypsies paper was cut to fit just above the ornate edge, then edge-punched with an EK Success Edger punch, Elegant Flourish Scroll.  The sentiment (an old SEI stamp) was stamped with Distress Embossing Ink and heat embossed with black embossing powder.  All the card edges were inked with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and a blending tool.

For this card, another piece of patterned paper was cut to fit the top 2/3 of the card base.  To that, two edger punches from EK Success were used to keep the circle theme going ~  Donut Chain and Bubbles.  The little frame was fussy-cut from another piece of the 7gypsies patterned paper and letter stickers were used to spell "thank you."  Foam tape was used to give the sentiment some dimension.

A little ribbon from my stash tied into a triple bow with Becca's  Peg Bow Maker, topped off each card.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Be Inspired!  Jules

7gypsies Embossed Ornate Cards

Hello scrappy blog friends! Happy Sunday!   This is the second set of  cards from the 7gypies Trousseau Collection from the Scrapbooking Studio.  For these cards, A2 cards and 7g background papers were run through the Big Shot with the Sizzix Card Fronts, A2 Eyelet & Ornate die. 

The Thank You focal, again, an old SEI stamp set (Windsor?) was stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia, then the scrollwork was added around the edges with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.  The ovals were punched with Marvy Uchida oval punches in 2.5 & 3 " sizes, then tapped on the edges with Victorian Velvet.

The background papers were run through the Big Shot with A2 embossing folders from Sizzix : Thanks set and Tim Holtz Fancy Frame.  Victorian Velvet ink was tapped over the top of the embossed images to add dimension.

A little ribbon from my stash (dotted ribbon below is from Quick Quotes), tied into a double bow with Becca's  Peg Bow Maker, topped off each card in this set of four.

Thanks for peeing in today!  Be Inspired!  Jules

7gypsies Embossed Eyelet Cards

Hello fab bloggers - Back today with some more 7gypsies "Trousseau Collection" from The Scrapbooking Studio.  

For these cards, A2 cards and 7g background papers were run through the Big Shot with the Sizzix Card Fronts, A2 Eyelet & Ornate die.  This is a great way to mass produce cards.  There are two card styles on the die, so 2 cards or 6-8 card fronts can be cut all at once!

For the Thank You focal, an SEI stamp set (Windsor?) was stamped in Versafine Vintage Sepia, then the scrollwork was added around the edges with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.  The ovals were punched with Marvy Uchida ovals in 2.5 & 3 " sizes, then tapped on the edges with Victorian Velvet.

The background papers were run through the Big Shot with A2 embossing folders from Cuttlebug (Birds & Swirls) and Sizzix (Regal Flourishes).  Victorian Velvet ink was tapped over the top of the embossed images to add dimension.

A little ribbon from my stash (dotted ribbon below is from Quick Quotes), tied into a double bow with Becca's  Peg Bow Maker, topped off each card in this set of four.  A little more info on this bow maker.  I am really picky about my bows and this little jewel takes all the muss and fuss away, and the bows come out beautifully!  Check out Becca's blog here to see her beautiful creations!

Thanks for peeking in on the blog today!  Be Inspired!   Jules

Tag with 7gypsies Trousseau

Hello all !  Back on the blog today for The Scrapbooking Studio in Moline, IL!
This is another project made with the 7gypsies Trousseau Collection.

The project begins with a manila tag.  Distress Inks in Victorian Velvet, Broken China and Pumice Stone were blended onto the tag.  Stamps from Tim Holtz 'Urban Chic' and 'Going Somewhere' were added to the tag by swiping a Vintage Photo ink pad across the stamps a few times, so that the image would be light.  The next step was using perfect medium to stamp the "it's the little things..." from the Tim Holtz Good Thoughts stamp set.  Blue Smoke Perfect Pearls was then added ~ loved the sheen on the finished product!

A pen nib and Victorian Velvet Distress Ink were used to color in the dress on the sticker.  The flowers and leaves on the tag envelope were fussy cut with an exacto knife, then the photo sticker was tucked under.  Sequin Glitz Stickles was added to the flower centers.  A few more stickers from the sticker sheet were added to the tag envelope.  The pearl strands were glued onto the tag and the envelope was attached with foam dots.  The Tim Holtz Lavish Trimming was colored with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink and added to the tag.  The flower is handmade from the 7g patterned paper ~ each loop was individually curled to achieve the look.

To make the ribbon a lighter color, Victorian Velvet was rubbed onto a craft sheet, then sprayed with water and dried with a heat tool.  After it was dry, Broken China was tapped lightly onto the scrunched ribbon.  A Tim Holtz Type Charm and Bauble were looped through the ribbon with jump rings.  The bauble was "dyed" with Adirondack Wild Plum Alcohol Ink.

I hope this Inspires you to make a tag of your own!  Thanks for stopping by the blog today!  Be sure to stop by The Scrapbooking Studio to get your 7gypsies supplies today!  Be Inspired!  Jules

7gypsies layout with Trousseau Collection

Hello all!  Julie here, back on the blog today for The Scrapbooking Studio in Moline, IL!
This is another project made with the 7gypsies Trousseau Collection.

This collection is perfect for wedding photos, and, what do you know, I have hundreds of those!  One of the wedding photos had a color mask applied to it so that the colors were muted ~ perfect for this project!


This is the 2-page layout:

This is what I did to make this project work for me.  The same background papers were used for each page; both were turned sideways opposite each other so that the printed borders matching the cardstock would be showing.  All of the Swimming Pool Bazzill cardstock was lightly stamped in Vintage Photo Distress Ink with Tim Holtz Fabulous Flourishes stamps to soften up the color.  The mats were sized on the Gypsy and cut with Cricut Expression using Tie the Knot cartridge.
A journal card was tucked under the mat with a layered sticker pull tab.  A sentiment sticker from the 7g sticker sheet was added below the photo and letter stickers spelled out the happy couple's names on the two hearts below the photo.

For the second page, an I Do tag with a 7g charm attached was attached to the stamped background.  The layer over the tag is one of thirty (!) handmade jar candle rings I made for the wedding reception using tulle strips, feathers, handmade flowers, ribbon and pearls.  I had been wanting to use one of them on a layout.  It really adds no more bulk to the page than flowers!

 A closer view of the layout....and that cute bird charm that was rubbed with white acrylic paint...

There were hearts cut out of each of the mats, and they just could not go to waste, so they were stamped the same as the photo mats, pearls were added and then lined up on opposite sides of both pages.

 A closer look at the sentiment sticker, journaling card and letter stickers...

The stamping detail...

This was a fun design team project for The Scrapbooking Studio!  Thanks for tuning in...stop by The Studio today to get your 7gypsies products!  Be Inspired!  Jules

7gypsies Trousseau Photo Box

Hello everyone!  I am back today with a post for The Scrapbooking Studio in Moline, IL!  The projects designed this month are from the 7gypsies line, Trousseau Collection.  The papers are so vintage and just my style!

My altered project for August is this little photo box, made with 7g book covers.  You can see the front cover peeking out from behind the little envelope stuffed with more 7g goodness!  There is a journal card, two tag envelopes, a charm and a few stickers from the sticker sheet.  And how about that crochet lace trim at the bottom.  It is just gorgeous!

This is another front shot, showing the photo tags which fit inside.  They are 5 x 7, so full size photos will fit on them!

 A closeup of the handmade loopy flowers, tulle, a triple-loop bow and Maya Road Clocks...

For the tag pocket it the center, an adorable sticker was backed with kraft cardstock and mounted on the pocket.  The little girls in the photo are holding hands, so I added "a hand to hold" phrase from the sticker sheet.  Three tags were punched to insert into the envelope.  The center tag has a 7g charm attached.

The photos placed on the tags are actual vintage photos of my ancestors and other family!

 Patterned paper was added to each tag, with varying enhancements, like the vellum photo corners below...

for the tabs on the tags, a scallop circle of patterned paper was added to a kraft circle, folded in half and stapled to the tag.  Tattered Angels Pashmina Glimmer mist was used to color the tulle 'ribbons' accenting the tag tops.

This is a really cool photo of my great grandmother.  It is a post card she mailed to a family member in the early 1900's ~ I cannot read the date, but she passed in 1918, so it is nearly 100 years old!  So that the back of the post card can be seen, it was attached with a 'hinge' of patterned paper.

Stop by The Studio today to get your 7gypsies products!

Thanks for stopping by today!  Be Inspired!  Jules