First Year

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Designer: Becky Novacek

Adding the unexpected little touches is one of my favorite ways to rev up a project. i wanted to think of a way to use the Fiskars Craft Drill on one of the Cloud 9 Board Books, to create a way of adding a dimensional touch. I created the book and the drilled through all the pages and added a little ribbon bow. Now that I've tried this, i'm thinking of all kinds of ways to combine the Craft Drill and the Board Books for fun extras. One thing that i think is awesome about the board books is they have the perfect number of pages to do a one year book for baby's first year by the month. The possibilities are endless really....baby's first year, child's year by month documented, monthly family book to represent the year, school year with summer activities....it's the perfect little book!

Difficulty rating

• Required supplies:
• Oopsie Daisy - Extra Large
• Oval n' Oval Again - Extra Large
• Round 'n Round - Large
• Round 'n Round - Medium
• Desktop Rotary Trimmer
• Craft Hand Drill
• Threading Water border punch
• Fiskars round the bend squeeze punch
• Cloud 9 black 5x7 board book
• Cloud 9 "christy & friends" papers and embellishments
• other: black and ivory cardstock, white pen, black embroidery floss, white rickrack, blue lace trim, pink ribbon

Instructions (Print version)

Cover: Trim 4x6 photo to 4x5 using the Fiskars Desktop Rotary Trimmer. Use Round the Corner Squeeze Punch on top right and bottom right side of trimmed photo. Adhere to far right side of cover. Trim Cloud 9 Designs Erin’s Polka Dots Paper to 5”x 1” strip and then use Fiskars Treading Water Border Punch on long side. Adhere punched strip to left side of photo. Add Cloud 9 Alpha Stickers to create title.

1: Adhere 4x6 horizontal photo to bottom right side of page. Use Fiskars Desktop Rotary Trimmer to trim Cloud 9 Designs Molly’s Garden Plaid Paper to 1” x 5”. Use Round the Corner Squeeze Punch on top and bottom left corners and adhere to left side of page. Use Fiskars Desktop Rotary Trimmer to trim Cloud 9 Designs Sparkle Emmy’s Polka Dots Paper to 6” x 1” and adhere above photo. Cut a strip of white rickrack to 6” long and adhere along top of photo. Use Fiskars Oval ‘n Oval Again Squeeze Punch on black scrap cardstock and then trim in half. Handwrite age with white pen and dot around the edge. Adhere half oval to bottom left side of photo.
2: Trim vertical 4x6 photo to 4x5 and adhere to left side of page 2. Handcut stem for flower from Cloud 9 Designs Megan’s Plaid Paper (back side) and adhere ¾” from bottom of photo. Add Flower Elements Sticker and layer Cloud 9 Designs Epoxy Circle Accent. Handcut leaf from Cloud 9 Designs Erin’s Polka Dots paper and then handstitch around leaf with black embroidery floss. Adhere leaf to flower stem. Layer rectangle Cloud 9 Designs Thought Starter Sticker over bottom of photo. Add Cloud 9 Designs Medium Alpha/Number Stickers.

5: Trim 4x6 photo to 4x5 and use Fiskars Round the Corner Squeeze Punch on left side top and bottom corners. Adhere photo to page. Use tiny dots from Elements Stickers to create polka dot background. Handwrite age on ivory scrap cardstock, cut out and adhere to photo. Add Elements Flower Sticker..
6: Trim another 4x6 photo to 4x5 and adhere to center of page. Trim 2 strips of Alyssa’s Stripe Paper to 1.5”x5” and adhere one strip to left of photo. Use Round the Corner Punch on right side top and bottom and adhere to right side of photo. Trim 2 strips of rickrack to 5” and adhere to each side of photo. Use Medium Round ‘n Round Punch on Erin’s Polka Dot Paper (back side) Handwrite age and adhere to bottom right side of photo.

7: Use Round the Corner Punch on left side top and bottom corners of 5x5 photo, adhere to page. Trim Erin’s Polka Dot Paper to 1.5” x 5” and adhere (stripes to the back side) to right side of page. Adhere 5” piece of blue lace trim. Cut Quote Card in half and add Alpha Sticker and handwriting for age. Tuck it slightly under trim and adhere to page.
8: Trim photo to 4x5 and adhere to left side of page. Use Medium Round ‘n Round Punch on variety of papers creating a total of 7 circles. Use XL Oopsie Daisy Punch on Erin’s Polka Dot Paper. Adhere daisy and circles in 2 rows on right side of photo. Add Elements Circle Sticker to center of Daisy.

11: Trim 4x6 photo to 4x5 and adhere to center of page. Trim Sparkle Elida’s Floral Stripes Paper to 2-1.5”x5” strips and adhere one to right side of photo and after using the Round the Corner Punch on corners, adhere the other strip to left side. Use XL Oval ‘n Oval Again Punch on Alyssa’s Stripe Paper (back side will be used) and adhere to upper left side of photo. Add Words and Alpha Colored Rub-ons and handwriting for age. Add Dimensional Floral Stickers
12: Adhere 5x5 photo to left side of page. Trim  Lauren’s Pink Daisies Paper to 5” x2”, use Round the Corner Punch on corners and adhere to left side of photo. Add Elements Sticker to edge of photo and add large round Quote Card to upper left side of photo. Add Alpha Stickers, Element and 3-D Happy Stickers, as well as an Epoxy Brad.

End note: After the adhesive used on the book has cured for a day, take the Fiskars Craft Drill and drill through the book with the back down on a firm surface, being careful to have something protective down on the table. Thread ribbon through hole and tie a bow.