first day

Click image to enlarge

Designer:  Lisa Truesdell
There is something about thin strips of pretty patterned paper that just makes me happy.  With the Rock Paper Trimmer, I can cut nice straight strips of any width while singing along to my favorite songs.  A quick switch of the blade lets me add a decorative border with ease – I love adding little details like that to my layouts, and appreciate anything that makes it this simple to do!

Difficulty rating

Instructions (Print version)

1. Trim a scrap piece of cardstock to 10inx10in.  It doesn’t matter what color it is because you’ll be covering it with your patterned paper strips!
2. Cut strips of varying widths from a variety of colors of tone on tone patterned papers.
3. Apply a strip of adhesive to the right and left sides of your cardstock square and start covering it with your patterned paper strips.
4. Once it’s covered, flip it over so the patterned paper covered side is down.  Place your photo where you want it (and remember that where it is will be reversed when you flip it over!) and draw guidelines about 1in larger than your photo.
5. Use the Rock Paper Trimmer to cut along the guidelines that you just drew.  This will create a frame for your photo.
6. Switch your blade to the Tiara decorative blade and trim along the outside edges of your frame.
7. Attach the frame to your background cardstock.  Machine stitch around the outside and inside edges.
8. Adhere your photo inside the frame.  Punch a circle from orange patterned paper and cut it in half.  Add one half to each side of the photo with a sticker marking each child’s grade.  Stitch into place.  Apply rubons along each circle. Add journaling above and below the photo.
9. Use letter stickers to spell out the title under the circle.
10. Punch 3 green stars and 3 blue circles. Attach the stars to the circles with adhesive foam.  Scatter across the layout along with the acetate stars and buttons to finish the page.

Supply List:
Fiskars Brands: Rock Paper Trimmer
Fiskars : 93598097 45mm rotary blade – tiara
Fiskars : 12-7436 7097  Squeeze Punches Round ‘N Round M
Fiskars : 12-74417097 Squeeze Punches Twinkle Twinkle M
Fiskars : 12-2487 Adhesive foam set

Heidi Grace Designs: We Are Family patterned paper, rubons and letter stickers
Heidi Grace Designs : Beyond the Sea patterned paper
Heidi Grace Designs : A Little Bird’s Tale letter stickers
Lil Davis Designs : Acetate stars
Lil Davis Designs : Away We Go patterned paper & buttons
Lil Davis Designs : Castaway buttons

Other: White cardstock, Black pen, 4x6 photo