This desk organizer featuring the Nautical Expedition Designer Series paper and The Open Sea stamp set was one of the projects we made at my hands-on class last week.
The organizer is made using square coasters. I covered the outsides and insides of the coasters with the Designer Series Paper. Then use a Crop-A-Dile to punch holes – I hold two coasters together where the sides will match and then punch the holes through at the same time so they line up. I usually mark each corner A, B, C, D so I know which two match up when I’m trying to put it all together.
To put it together I used Jute – which is thicker than hemp that Stampin’ Up! sells but you could also use that for this project. I liked the look of the Jute and had some in my stash so that was what I went with.
Here is a view of what the inside looks like.
For the front decoration I actually cut another coaster with my Big Shot and the Circles #2 die – I used the largest circle on the die which happens to be the same size as our largest circle punch. On a piece of card stock I stamped the various images from The Open Sea stamp set – in sort of a collage. I punched it out and sponged the edges and glued it to my coaster circle – I suppose I could have stamped directly on the coaster since it was plain white but I didn’t. I added the star punched from Crumb Cake card stock, stamped with the manifest image, and put in a Cherry Cobbler brad. I tied a couple of pieces of the Jute into a square knot and added it to the front.
This could sit on a dresser and be a drop off spot for a cell phone, car keys, wallet. Or on the end table and hold all the tv remotes. Or on a desk and hold pencils, scissors and stuff. I have one in my craft room – its got my pens, pencils, my different scissors, my bone folder, paper piercer, and more. Decorate with flowers and such if you want it to be feminine or like this one to make it masculine.
