Paper, Pads & Precious!

Gotta add paper to every shoebox!!
  

I love embellishing notebooks and have never had the time before to really jazz my OCC 1's up.  I like to add ribbon to the spirals and stickers, washi tape and paper pieces where applicable.  I always waited too long in the past and just stuffed them into the boxes.  I certainly never took the time to make sure a book mark was in each book....I mean I only have dozens somewhere in my stash!!  But, Hubby is helping me find everything and organize my stash better!!  He knows how much I love to create!

So...this has fueled me to make sure I never again simply stuff a box with a plain ol' pad!!    

This is super special to me!! 

1 of my 1st/favorite OCC pins ever is here.   How brilliant is it to cut a composition notebook in 1/2 so it'll fit into the bottom of a shoebox??  I have gone to a local Home Improvement store and had them run my stack of notebooks thru their huge saw blade.  It cut like butter!!  2 different employees have done it for me.  The 1st was SO careful with the below...1 at a time.  2nd time, the guy ran the above entire stack thru 1 pass!  Worked just fine both times..even though it is more 1/3.  I am still thankful.  Pray and sing to Jesus on your way in, talk nice to the saw Dude and watch the results!!  I skip out SO happy with my results!

I got mine at the Staples school supplies clearance a few different times.  Here are some comleted...

This Pin, here  helped me realize I should buy a few notebooks as soon as I saw them at Staples because they will easily bend like the picture shows.  I have a few spirals my boys never used I will do the same method.

Here are spiral 5x7 pads I got 50% off at Dollar General a month ago.  I had a blast using my stash of ribbons and funky threads.  I also looked thru my stickers and had fun.  If friends get these, every 1 is a little different.

  I can't stop thinking about this Pin, here.  I never...ever could have come up with this but will smile ear to ear pulling it off from now on!  I will probably do this for the oldest boys.  I have quite the stack of Christmas cards from back in the day, you know...when people actually sent them!! lol  What a perfect way to send the paper safely and with minimal box room.  I got some notebook paper at the same Dollar General deal as the spirals..50% off.  I'll divide each paper pack into 1/3 to roll up.  I used a recycled calendar page, christmas card, packaging from the back of clearance merchandise I divided.  I used my hot glue gun because it was out.  The rolls will tuck nicely into a corner of the box. 

I like this Pin, here for bookmark ideas.  And, this 1 for spirals, here.  I have access to a binding machine at my church.  I bet they'd let me sneak in 1 afternoon with my stash of salvaged recycled cardboard.  And, don't get me started on the brilliance of this 1, here.   I have a gallon sized zip-loc filled with recycled cardboard, card stock, packaging.

Washi tape to the rescue for this Pin, here.   I may have some of these pads in my stash.

For this Pin, here I envision my paper cutter (or the 1 at church) coming to the rescue.  Once I go thru all the boys school spirals and folders...I bet I'll have a stack like hers!  I will cut them up and use the cereal boxes and other type recycle products to complete the custom pads.    

Paper is something we easily take for granted here!!  But, they won't!

For the love of a child!!

 DeniseMarie