So my professor wanted some people to volunteer to either give a presentation on sustainability or make a sustainability handout for the class. Well, I decided that printing out tips on sustainability would be rather silly since it would be creating more waste. Then it hit me. Write suggestions on cookies- No waste and more memorable than a silly piece of paper!

That's when my Green Tips Sugar Cookies were born. Simple yet effective.
Here's half of the cookies I made. Each of the cookies has a different piece of advice.

[PAPERBAG MEMORY BOOK]

Ok. So I get all these ideas, then never really go through with them. But, I finally finished two projects as gifts.

PAPERBAG MEMORY BOOK
The first project I completed was a gift for my boyfriend. It's a paperbag book, because I loved the idea of having pockets for little extras. The pages have a lot of assorted poems that have meaning to our relationship. I have also included mixed cd's in some of the pocket pages of songs that have meaning. Some of the pages are also decorated with objects from places we have gone as little extra mementos. We worked and met at a summer camp, and love doing things outside, so a lot of the pages are based on nature. So here's a few pictures of some of the pages in the book.

Here's the front, nothing too special. Covered in scrapbook paper and stitched with embroidery floss.


Here's my favorite page spread. The pages are simply painted, and then I splatter painted it a bit and made it look like a starry night sky.


This shows a pocket with one of the mixed cds, and another style of pages I did. It is decorated with leaves and small bamboo type sticks that I cut up and sealed/strengthened with mod podge.


This picture's a little blurry, but just another style of the pages I did in it. One side includes more leave decorating and the other is painted again.


He loved it when I gave it to him. I know it could probably be better, but I suppose it's the thought and memories behind it all that means the most.

COPTIC STITCH JOURNAL
Next I made a book with coptic stitch (or.. my best attempt at it). The cover is painted sturdy cardboard and then it is splatter painted.

Nothing too special, but I think it turned out OK for my first attempt at journal making and coptic stitch. The pages could be a lot tighter, but I know that just comes with practice too. The binding is pretty tight when it's closed, but there's gaps when the book is open.. I'll just have to keep practicing to make it tighter!!

Is there a way to choose which picture in a post is used as the main picture (such as those on the main home page)? Like, as far as I know, when you post several pictures in a post, the first one is used as the main one. But I've noticed some posts where it's not the first picture that is used as the main one. It obviously not a big issue/question, but just something I was wondering about!!

Ok. So I've been around for a while but I've never posted anything. I'm just starting to allow my crafty side to show randomly... and I must admit it's kinda scary.. haha.

Well my boyfriend and I have been wanting to go letterboxing for a while, but I decided it was a no go until I made our logbook and stamp. I finished the logbook a week ago for his birthday, and it turned out pretty well for my first book... but I didn't take pictures. And I made our stamp today!!

It took me forever to decide what our stamp should be, and I just wanted us to have one, so it was less complicated and all. Plus, we'll only go when we're together, so why not! Finally it came to me today. We work at a girl scout camp and he's the archery instructor.. and I like to show off and beat him when we compete *ohhhhh yeahhhhh* so I decided it would be fitting to make an arrow for our stamp. It's pretty basic and simple, but it was my first ever attempt. Did I mention I didn't use traditional supplies, either? I used an eraser and carved it with a nail... haha. I couldn't find my x-acto, and figured I'd give it a try.

Carving the stamp with a nail.. it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be!!


I thought it was finished, inked it, then realized I should trim it up.. so almost finished...


FINISHED!! YAYYYY!! And I found my blade, so I was able to trim it easier!


Arrow image stamped.. not too impressive, but not bad for my first try!


My card to my boyfriend... then I'll give him the stamp.. lol
don't judge based on the card... i hurried through making it.. kinda sloppy looking.

(my camp name is giggles.. because I'm just so amazing like that.. hehe)

Anyways. I was just super excited that I finally accomplished this, I've been thinking about doing it since the fall.. and it is now spring.. oh my! And I took pictures so I could share. Thanks for looking!!

PLEASE HELP!!! I've searched the entire board, and still have some questions.

SHORT VERSION:
I'm making shirts with kids at camp, and my boss is ordering supplies, but we've never screen printed before. We're screen printing, and I think I've decided screen filler is the best way for us to go. We'll be making probably around 700 shirts (or more) this summer)
1. Speedball Screen Filler: How many avg. size screens (8x10 or 10x14) would you guesstimate you could make out of it. 32 oz. bottle
2. We need 4 screens going with the girls, and we're ordering premade ones. Do we need to order any extra "just in case"?
2.5 Is it fine to not have the hinged base ones, as long as we have the girls work in pairs to help old the screen steady?
3. Screen Cleaner vs. Mr. Clean: use the speedball cleaner or should we just use  houshold product such as mr. clean?
4. Squeegees: ok. so you use them for the filler. Do you use for the ink too?
5. We're also tie-dying the shirts. (on different days). should we dye first then screen print, or s.p. then dye. Or don't you think it matters?

If you have suggestions on ANY of these, it would be amazing. I'm just trying to make sure sh doesn't order a bunch of crap that we don't need, and make sure she got enough of what we need. Even if you don't think you're "sure" about something, ANY input is more than i have now... Please help?!? thanks!!