Finishing Up My Pocket Book

Valentine's Day has come and gone and the pocket book of LOVE was a success! Even though it ended up looking a little girly, with the ribbon and all, my valentine still loved it. Probably because it was all about how wonderful he truly is!

To finish up my pocket book I distressed the corners and edges where white was showing. Then I punched a hole in each of the insert cards that tuck inside a pocket, tied a piece of ribbon through the hole and slipped them between the pages of the book. Each page shares a memory or a story about me and my valentine...which is why he loved it so much!

Top Ten LOVE Pocket Book

Just in time for Valentine's Day ~ we released two new Pocket Books with Memory Mixer.

Perhaps you remember the Top Ten Pocket Book that I made this past summer? You can find the new template for this project here.


But what you really need to check out is our Top Ten LOVE Pocket Book.

In less than an hour, Suni created this book. She'll tell you that deciding on pictures is what took the most time.

HOW AWESOME is this?!


If you haven't tried Memory Mixer, you'll be amazed at HOW EASY it is to use. All you do is drag and drop your pictures into the picture place holders. We even tell you where to add the text.

Once the album is created, the real fun begins!

First, gather a few supplies...

Cut away all the white space around each picture.

Run a score line between the pages to make folding easier.

We like to use heavy weight paper (card stock) for our pages.. When you fold thick paper, it will sometimes show some of the white paper. A quick rubdown with distress ink will make the white disappear.


Take a few minutes to share a short story or memory on the insert cards.

Punch holes in the top of each page. Seal the top and one side of each page with double stick tape. (You can also sew down the edge. This option LOOKS GREAT!)

That's it. All that's left is to 'bind' the pages together with 2 book rings and fill your pockets with special memories!

And don't forget our Top Ten Reasons I Love You project. We've created a Quick Mix for this too. And here's the best part...It's TOTALLY FREE!

Valentine Top Ten Project

Getting Started:

Step 1:
You will need a wooden plaque (ours measures 5x6), Mod Podge glue, a foam brush, archival quality pen, a damp cloth, a dry cloth, background design (see FREE downloads), a razor blade or exacto knife, scissors, sandpaper, Krylon Acrylic Matte Finish spray and distressing supplies, if desired.

There are a couple of different options for finishing your project. If you want to create the photo montage, you will need a variety of family pictures printed using a laser printer. We sized our pictures to measure about 3" each. If you fill a standard 8.5x11" sheet with 10 - 14 pictures, you'll have plenty for this project.


Pick your favorite background paper. You can download our files here (BROWN, RED, PINK).
These are big files, so be patient while the files download. Be sure to print the pages using a LASER printer! You can also use scrapbook paper for a background.


For the TOP TEN Side:

Step 2:
Apply a thin layer glue to one side of your plaque. Place your paper over the glue. Make sure you get all the air bubbles out by gently rubbing the picture with a dry cloth.


Step 3:
Write down your Top Ten reasons for LOVE on the blank strips of paper. (Make sure you use a pen that won't run when it gets wet.) Cut each strip out and glue onto the paper that you just glued to the board. Let dry.




For Picture Collage Side:

Step 4:
Cut your pictures out Starting in one corner, apply a thin layer of glue to the plaque. Place your first picture on the glue and rub out any air bubbles using a dry cloth. (Be CAREFUL! Wet pictures can tear if too much pressure is applied.) Spread another thin layer of glue where your next picture will go. Be sure to overlap the first picture. Place picture on glue and gently rub out bubbles. Use your wet cloth to wipe away any excess glue. Continue applying pictures until your board is filled. Let project dry.

Step 5:
Once both sides are completely dry, sand the edges to remove any excess paper. You can use a razor blade or exacto knife to trim the edges. If desired, distress the edges of the board with Distress Ink or Chalk.

Step 6:
Spray both sides with a matte finish acrylic sealer to protect your project. Punch holes in the top and string a ribbon through to hang.


Once you see how easy this project is, you'll want to make a top ten plaque for EVERYONE that you love!


Please join us at our Saturday class at Deseret Book in Fort Union. We are bringing the supplies and our know how. You'll leave with a perfect Valentine to share with someone you love!

Top Ten Reasons I Love You!

Looking for a Valentine's gift from the heart? We'll be sharing this project at the Ft. Union Deseret Book store, Saturday, February 12 from 1:30 - 3:30. Be sure to sign up because space is limited. Cost is only $2.00 AND you'll go home with a complete gift!

Don't live locally? Or maybe you can't possibly squeeze one more thing into a crazy Saturday. Check back in the next day or two and we'll post instructions here!

Easy Sisterhood Gift

Recently, I was given the task to come up with an easy AND inexpensive gift that we could use as a birthday shout out to the ladies in our local woman's group.

Well, it doesn't get any easier than this... (and at about $1.00 per gift, we aren't breaking any budgets!) *It helped that we found the giant candy bars on sale, 5 for $4.00.

Once the sheet was printed, all that was left was to cover the candy bar with the new wrapper. A clear cellophane bag and festive ribbon completed the look!

We're ALL about sharing. This design celebrates Relief Society birthdays, but you can easily adapt the project for your own needs,

Get printable file here.