Saturday, January 10, 2009

Making a gift box

This tutorial was made for Jean's Art Dolls. Please check out this site and all the talent and wonderful ideas there!

The first step is to choose the paper. I have used both cardstock weight and lighter. I use these boxes most for candy etc. and I like the heavier weight better. It will work with just about any paper though.

Once you have the paper you will want to determine the size you want. I usually use a 12x6 size but any paper with a 2:1 ratio (8x4, 10x5 etc) will work. Obviously the bigger the paper, the bigger the finished box


Once your paper is cut you will want to mark the half way points on each side. Your first fold will be in half legenth wise.

You will then fold from the center mark on the width to the center fold of the paper. It is not a tricky fold but sometimes the paper will tear a little of your are too rough. Note that happened on mine but it is not really noticeable on the finished product.
If you wish to decorate the box, now is the time to do it. You can see where all the folds are and can embellish the box accordingly. Things like doodles or stamps can be put right over the seams and folds but thing like flowers or bling would be better on one of the flat surfaces.



Now the sides will overlap and you can use a hole punch at the center to punch a hole for the thread or ribbon to go through. I have done this both with and without using eyelets in the hole. If you choose to use eyelets, make sure that they are big enough for you to get the ribbon through. Also you do not want to seal the sides with eyelets as then you will not be able to put the items in the box.



Now and open the box and put your contents in. You will then string your ribbon through and tie it in a bow.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Store up Treasures in Heaven

It seems as if there is no in between for me. Either everything is right or everything is wrong.

Tom got up and was on his way out to work. He opened the door and just stood there. This did not make me happy as it was COLD out there and as he stood there with the door open it was getting cold inside too.

Then after a second he said,"Where's my car?"

Needless to say, I forgot about the heat at that point too. Sure enough the only thing left in our drive was the freshly fallen snow. There was no car - not even any tire tracks just a vast expanse of white.

We have two cars - mine and his. Mine is just that mine. Literally it is all paid for and everything. I have the title and it is all mine. Tom's car technically isn't his. He gets a demo from the dealership and that was the car that was stolen. Yes, I felt very bad that it was gone, but at the same time I was also rejoicing in the fact that it was not OUR insurance that needed to foot the bill or that we would be without a car for long. So although it was not a good situation, I could easily see the good side of it. First blessing.

The car that was stolen was a Dodge Charger. With that kind of car if you are lucky you find the remains of the frame and everything else stripped. Tom was most concerned about the contents of the car - which were not much but they were ours. There was a car seat for Emily and a few music cd's and it was the latter that most upset him.

I came across a few extra bucks in my Christmas shopping money. Though we had agreed not to exchange gifts, I thought it would be a nice treat to get him a Michael W. Smith disc that I knew that he wanted. I searched long and hard for that disc - literally calling every store I could think of that might have it and until the last one, came up empty handed. Finally, I was able to find it. Tom got it for Christmas.

When all was said and done and the police had finally got here and made there report it was then that Tom realized, "My disc is gone!"

It is with that somewhat forlorn note that I dropped him off at work. On my way home I realized that even if we didn't' get the disc back that I could get another and I even know where not to look for it. We usually listen to books on tape/cd in the car. We don't buy them but get them from the library. I was so thankful that if a disc had to be lost that it was one of ours and not one from the library that we would have to pay to replace. Next Blessing.

Life settled down to normal and Tom called this afternoon. The car had been found! But how was just want made me see God's fingerprints all over it.

One of Tom's customers called him and asked, "Why is your car parked in front of my house?"

What are the odds that someone would leave the car somewhere where it would be recognized. Also it wasn't actually the car that was recognized, but Tom's dealer plates. What are the odds that even recognizing the dealer plates and know who to call? Think the blessings are working over time today!

They are going to tow the car into the dealership and it doesn't look like there is too much damage. The front grill is missing, the back bumper has some marks on it, and the spare tire is on it but that is all the physical damage that is apparent. The steering column wasn't even stripped! The car is going back to the dealership so they will not have to worry about dealing with the police impound either. More blessings!

After all the excitement I was thinking and that was when I realized all the blessings that had come our way today. It was also a valuable lesson ( and as lessons go a fairly painless one ) on looking at where my heart is. AND I passed the test! I was not concerned about the car and I could clearly see God's handiwork all over the day.

So in reality, I am wrong it was not a bad day after all.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Happy New Year

It is a new year and I can't help thinking what does it mean...Yes we have a new month on the calendar and I need to pay attention to write 2009 on my checks but in reality what other difference is there?

I have heard of it referred to as a new start but is it really? I was overweight in 2008 and you know when that calendar page moved, the pounds sure didn't. You know all those lovely bills that I owed in 2008...yup you guessed it they are still due now.

I guess is what I am trying to say is that the turn of the page may give me a new perspective but in reality nothing much has changed. And I know that the biggest changes in my life came not at the turn of a calendar but at other unscheduled personal turning points. (none of which were at the start of a new year or in fact, even a new month) They were a time when I met the Lord in a new and different way and that was more than a new year, it was the birth of a totally new me.