Teacher's Gifts and News....

*sigh* Okay :) Less than three weeks and I'll be in my new home! WAHOOOO!!! :D :D :D I am super excited (I know- I've shared before). I've never owned a home before and it's mine- really really mine! They have the sold sign on it and the kids are registered and we need to move the bills over and the hall in this apartment is lined with packed boxes. Life is good. Great even :) Because..... (k- I can't keep a secret for the required three months) I'm having a baby! Baby makes six. I can't believe I'm going to be a mother of four. I feel like a dork for smiling so much everytime I think about that- but it fills me with such happiness. It's odd tho- I don't feel pregnant. I'm not sick- I AM tired all the time- but I just thought that was from funky sleep patterns and not keeping up with my exercise regime. But when I start showing and feeling baby, it will seem that much more real. Right now I am just focusing on the upcoming summer holidays and moving into our new place.

Do I even HAVE anything to share for the craftworld? lol- yeah yeah, it's coming :) SO a good friend of mine keeps me in business by having me make her daughter's teacher's gifts for every occassion. End of school no exception, I've made each teacher their own desktop stationary set. NOW- Lauren Meader (still so my idol!) has something similar in her "Timeless Templates"- this is not one of her templates- so be aware please- it is a variation of my "Brandie crate" that you can find directions to in the October 2008 posts of my blog. They are very similar and the idea of a stationary set I did get from her. So hopefully that covers all copyrite areas :) And besides- we all know that great minds think alike!

So as you can see- I used the idea of 'pockets' on the front (lifted from the mini-backpacks found on SCS- minus the flaps). The box is 6 and 2/16 x 2. So on an 8.5x11 sheet of cardstock I scored length wise (along the 8.5 side) at 2.5 and 4.5 leaving the back to be about 3.5 inches high. The other side I cut to 10 and 2/16 (leaving wiggle room inside!) and scored each side at 2 inches. Please reffer to my Milkcrate post in how to assemble. Note that if you want to add a decorative edge to the back- do that before

assembling :) You can see it- but I used the eyelet border punch from Stampin' Up on the pink one and the victorian edge (I think) from fiskars on the blue one. They match the edge of the pockets. Now- to house the 3x3 note cards you see in the front of the box- I made a 3x3 box. Cut a peice of CS to 8.5x4 and score at 1, 4, 5, and 8 then score 1 inch on the bottom. Assemble two of those 3x3 boxes and attach them together side by side and adhere them to the front of your 'crate. (now- you can add them BEFORE assembing your crate so you can put adhesive on the sides and front- I did them after and just put adhesive on the bottom with a little strip in front- it was pretty hard to get it just right).

So the pink set I used Bella Rose (I'ma have to buy some more before the end of the month! I didn't realize how much I'd love it!) and my Itty bitty bud stamp set.

So the gift came with 8 monogrammed stationary cards, 8 3x3 notecards and 4 2x2 tags. I just hope the teacher's like them :)

So the blue one is from Urban Garden (another one I'm going to have to order before the end of the month!) And again- just some monogrammed notecards, 3x3 cards and tags. I wanted to add silver to highlight the blue- so I used brads and tag rims from Making Memories. SO I don't know why- but I hope this shows up okay- I was having difficulty placing the photos :P Silly blogger. Anyways- that's it for now. Having some hormonal angry pregnant moments >:( BUT after my craftspace is clean I should be good :) Have an awesome day!

~Brandie~