The End of School Gift: Phase One

It all started with a post on this blog. I LOVED the post-it note holder. Simple and cute. I thought it might be fun to make one for each of Ronin's teacher as an end of school gift. (that's 2 total). They could use them for school. Easy Peasy.  Until...

I remember Ronin's friend is having a birthday this week. I remember sitting next to this friend in church and how he loved to draw. Wouldn't it be a fun gift to give him his own sketchpad?

I stop at staples to get some pens to go with the post-it note holders for the teachers, (that I had yet to start). I was gathering my supplies. I spot these sketch pads. Plain paper. 4x6 sketchpads. These are perfect for Ronin's friends gift. But they only come in a pack of 12. Hmmmmmm, (that's me thinking).  Maybe I could get a whole pack and make one for each kid in Ronin's school class. Suddenly the end of school gift idea is getting bigger.  So I pick up the pack of 12.  

I find at Michael's a pack of crayons for cheap and an idea was born.  I get home that night and decide to make a prototype. I look on line for a little help. I see a movie post-it note tutorial by someone, at this point I don't know who and I make my own pattern. (I can find it if anyone cares).

An hour later my prototype:

Crayon holder and sketch pad on the inside. I pulled out my PTI Simple Alphabet stamps and personalize it. Put a little velcro button on it for closure.

 I stamp again on the outside to personalize and use the rocket from Doodle Factory Urban set for a little visual interest. Add some DP on the outside. A perfect gift. 

But then I got SO excited to make more. And how many more you ask? Well, since I decided the post-it note holder for the teachers are just boring next to this,  I now have 14 more to make. UGH. What have I done?!

Now that I had a pattern, getting them started is easy. That night I score, and put the beginnings of ten together in no time, but I run out of glue and cardstock.  

My favorite tape adhesive is hard to find around here, and I'm really tired of running out and having to use crappy scotch runner tape (which would NOT hold for this sort of project) so I order a lot online.  I hope it shows up soon....

I go back to Michael's to get the cheapy crayons. They only have 2 sets. Drat! I go home and order again online. I get them for cheaper, but I have to wait. I hope they show up soon too...

So I wait for days. My craft space is a mess and its driving both Patrick and I crazy, but I can't seem to clean it up since Ronin now wants me to make him a note book (so I do) and I had to pull out my sewing machine for a church project and need a place to put it.

A day goes by. Another day.... The bell rings this afternoon and I rush to meet my UPS man in the hallway. I love my UPS man. He's great and knows me and my kids by name. I online shop a lot I guess.

Anyway. Today, glue and crayons show up!

 Yeah!! I can now put together the ten I have sitting, but I'm still waiting on PTI CardStock which is 110 lb. paper and great for this project. I still have no notification that they have shipped it. Bummer! The last day of school is next thurs. I hope it comes in time!

I also have fallen in love with this school stamp set. It's called Making The Grade from the Kim Hughes Collection at Cornish Heritage Farms. So since I am already over my crafting budget, what's a few more dollars? I thought this would be cute to decorate the teachers books. And I do need something cute, but not girly for the girls books too. I didn't think they would dig on a rocket cover.

 I got an email today saying the stamp set should show up monday! So I have enough to do until then to get ready for stamping.

So tonight, I just need to make a pattern for the crayon holder. Cut, glue, and add designer paper. I can even decorate the boys books with rockets, helicopters and airplanes. Boy, I have a lot to do. I can't blog any more. 

So stay tuned for Phase Two (hopefully posted next week) of the Epic School Gift. So you can see the results. I'm excited. I think they will have lots of fun playing with these through the summer. But I think next year, I will either start earlier, or just buy them candy. jeez.... I always have to make things SO hard!