DIY Kids Project: Accordion Envelope Card

My good friend Sally Shim has done it again. With her latest book Be Mine (published by Chronicle Books), Sally shares 25 simple and very doable paper projects for Valentine's Day or any occasion. I love simple, practical and kid-friendly DIY projects and Sally is just so good at that. Remember the Hand Carved Stamps Lucas and I made? We still make gift wrap with that stamp all the time. See, I love practical!

Today I'm sharing one of the projects Lucas and I worked on together as a little Valentine's Day gift for Nick. We chose to make the Accordion Envelope Card so that Lucas could choose little keepsakes to share with Daddy.

Look at Lucas' kindergarten picture!!!

Also, how cute is Lucas' new t-shirt from Ink + Wit? More to come about these amazing shirts!

Materials
5 paper envelopes (I used size 4-bar)
1 colored metal brad
1 piece of cotton ribbon, 16 inches long (I used bakers twine)

Tools
X-ACTO knife
Ruler
Pencil
Self-healing cutting mat
4 piece of tape adhesive
Paper hole punch

How To

1. Set aside one of the five paper envelopes. With the remaining four envelopes, cut straight across the flap, leaving a 1/4" flap. Make the cuts using the X-ACTO knife, ruler, pencil, and self-healing cutting mat.
    
2. Build the Accordion Envelope Card from the bottom up: Arrange the four envelopes on the work surface, one atop the other in a row, opening-side up, with the openings at the top. Join the envelopes together by taping the shortened flap of one envelope to the bottom back side of another envelope, in this way: First cut a piece of tape that is roughly the length of the envelope flap. Then apply the piece of tape to the flap and the back sides of the envelopes. Repeat until all four envelopes are taped together. Add the fifth envelope to the top of the accordion using the same technique.
    
3. Using the hole punch, punch a hole in the point of the triangular flap of the envelope, 1/4" from the tip of the flap. Insert the brad through the hole so the round piece is on the outside of the flap, then separate the legs of the brad and flatten them against the underside of the flap to the secure the brad to the envelope.
    
4. Fill the envelopes with special messages, mementos, and trinkets.

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DIY Kids Project: Hand Carved Stamps

My final guest post on Oh So Beautiful Paper is about a fun DIY project from my friend Sally J. Shim's new book Pretty Packages (published by Chronicle Books). Admittedly, I am not the best packager/gift wrapper, but this book makes it fun and easy -- many of the projects are kid-friendly too which is a huge bonus in my book.

I chose to make the Hand Carved Stamps project using Lucas' name. He wrote his name, I carved it out, and then he went to town stamping all over kraft butcher paper to wrap a gift for his friend's birthday. We had so much fun doing this project together.

Lucas was so funny -- every time he would stamp his name he would say, "And I present you......" and gesture with his hand to show me his stamped name. Hilariously cute.

I love how proud he is of himself!

We even tried hot pink and neon yellow for fun! After letting the sheets dry we wrapped some gifts for friends.

Thanks for the inspiration, Sally! Check out my guest post and full instructions on Oh So Beautiful Paper. And thanks so much to Nole for having me guest post while she's on maternity leave.

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