The following blog was inspired by Craft Therapy, a crafting blog by Barb, who uses crafting to keep her sane. (It’s funny because I often get a little insane when I craft!) I finally did Barb’s craft she blogged about almost a month ago. You can read the Craft Therapy blog here or subscribe to it here. I should also say the cocktail is Barb-selected…and delicious!
So you’ve seen those cute little magazine folders at Target but at $13 apiece, who wants to pay that? Not us! We’re making our own, right now!
You can get uniform and perfect size boxes at your local post office for free Barb recommends the flat rate boxes and to make sure whatever you get will be tall enough for whatever magazines you want to stash.
Other kinds of boxes that work well? Boxes used to ship books or small items of clothing. I used a box from a care package my mom sent me. (I know, I’m lucky to still even be getting those!)
Materials: Box (a box with thinner cardboard will look classier…you’ll see what I mean)
Packaging tape (if I had an arch nemesis, it would be packing tape. But I’ve faced my rival for this project because it really does work best)
Scissors
Scotch tape
Blade/straight edge to cut the box
Ruler
Pen/pencil
Paper to cover it (optional)
Spray paint (optional)
Cocktail: Pomegranate Martini from Rachel Ray via Oprah (for a trendy two servings)
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
2 ounces Absolute Citron vodka (I use Sky Vodka)
1 ounce Cointreau liquor (I used Grand Manier)
Cup of ice
Squeeze of lemon (optional)
Shake ingredients in a shaker and strain into chilled martini glasses. Put pomegranate fruit into glass as garnish.
Step 1: Make your Pom Martini. Yum. (Don’t sip too quickly or your blade skills may be compromised, causing a crafting-related injury.)
Step 2: Close your box and then tape it completely shut with packaging tape. It sounds silly but all you're doing right now is taping up an empty box, making sure to line up the closing parts well to give yourself a uniform and square box to work on.Though it is evil and flimsy, you too will master it.
Step 3 : Make sure your magazines will fit inside by putting a sample magazine alongside the box. Make sure it's deep enough for your magazines and catalogs will fit (you can always cut off the top if your magazines are taller then the box). After your ordeal with the packaging tape, you deserve a little martini break.
Step 4: If you’re not good at cutting straight (I must have blown kindergarden), mark using a straight edge how you want to cut along the box. (See the photo of my drawn in lines. I measured so the lines would be the exact same on the other side.)
| Step 5: Cut along your lines with the straight edge. Make sure you are cutting through all the layers of cardboard. You should see your project shaping up!
Step 6: Now time to reinforce your cardboard creation. Take your packing tape and tape the inside of the seams that you taped the outside of when we began to firm it up. Basically tape everything down inside that needs taping down too. You don’t want the magazines to get caught on anything when you slide them in and out of the holder.
Step 7: By now your magazine rack should be done and ready to decorate! I covered mine in newspaper but I think decoupage, wrapping paper, or spray paint would have looked a lot cooler (unfortunately, I didn’t have any of these materials). Finish your martini while you decorate.
So thanks to Barb for the idea and now it’s your turn. If you want to craft and cocktail with Too Cute Tuesday, do drop me a line! Also, feel free to send photos of projects that have been successful for you. I’d love to see them
Happy Crafting!!!