Happy Back to School!

After a whirlwind of a summer the boys started back to school yesterday.  I am the proud mother of a kindergartener and second grader!  They were super cute and seemed to have a good day at school except for being super tired and one misplaced lunchbox!

  Love those reflective strips on the back packs don't you?

  I always try to make a quick little gift for the boys teachers for the first day of school to wish them luck (I think maybe I should have made 2 for Alex's teacher!!).  This year I made some covered mini legal pads with a matching pen.  Easy peasy!  I had a stack of these mini notepads leftover from this project and and this class.

 

 
 I used up some old textured Chocolate Chip 12x12 cardstock that I had been hoarding  saving for the perfect project.  The new color collection packs of Core'dinations cardstock is a great substitute if you need cardstock with a subtle texture.  I also used up some of the retired metallic brads that seem to breed in my accessories drawer!

  The old supplies were paired up with some new.  I love the new Sweater Weather DSP (in the Holiday Catalog).  There are great patterns in this pack and I think many of them are perfect for guy cards as well as autumn.  Nice rich, fall colors that will translate to many different projects.

I was thankful that the Wonderfall stamp set and coordinating Autumn Accents Bigz die carried over to the new catalog.  I didn't play with them nearly enough last fall so I'm glad I get a second chance with them.

Here are the cutting and scoring instructions to cover a mini notepad that measures 5 x 7.  I got mine at Office Max but I'm sure you can find something similar at other office supply stores.  Just measure the notepad before cutting your cardstock!  Here's what I did for mine:

  -Cut cardstock 5" x 8"
  -Score cardstock at 3/4" and 1" across the short side.  This makes a little flap to wrap over the binding and adhere to the back of the notepad.  I used some sticky strip and it holds great!

  Told you it was easy!  Now decorate the front any way you'd like.  For reference my strip of Sweater Weather DSP on the cover is 2 1/4" wide and 5" across.  And the DSP strip on the inside to cover up the "Office Max" on the binding of the notepad is about 1 1/4" x 5".

  I made matching RSVP pens by slipping a small tube of matching DSP into the barrel and then wrapping a length of hemp twine around the cap (to coordinate with the hemp twine in the buttons).

  Now that we are back to a routine I hope to blog much more regularly!  I have some summer class projects to share and of course we're coming up on the next Fab Friday challenge.  I've missed sharing with you all this summer!  Thanks for sticking around and checking out what I have shared even though it's been few and far between!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Wonderfall, So Happy For You (retired Sale-a-Bration)

Ink: Tangerine Tango, Crushed Curry, Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand

Paper: Textured Chocolate Chip (retired), Very Vanilla, Sweater Weather DSP

Accessories: metallic brads, buttons, hemp twine, Autumn Accents die, mini notepads (non-SU), Pentel RSVP pens (non-SU)