Video Case Stamp Storage

Finally I manage to get round to making another tutorial.  This one is easy and fun to do and can be completed in any of your favourite papers and embellishments.  I love Graphic 45 and this the perfect way to up-cycle those obsolete video cases and to create beautiful and useful storage to adorn your shelves.

This is what we will be making.  Don't forget use papers you love and embellishments that go with them.

See how cute they look on your shelves.

And inside you can store your stamps on sheets of acetate.  Please excuse my reflection in the photo!!

Step 1:   Video cases although similar do come in slightly different designs.  The one I have used is a clear case that has a plastic sleeve where the paper cover used to sit.  You could use a black or white video case but you would need to make sure they open flat and have a spine deep enough to hold the ring binder mechanism.  Remove the plastic cover.  It should tear away quite easily.

Step 2:   My case had a couple of plastic protrusions on the spine which I removed by pulling at them with a small pair of pliers.  I removed any excess with a combination of scrapping with my craft knife and a piece of sandpaper.

Step 3:   My video case also had a small raised dimple on the spine which might interfere with the ring binder mechanism so I flattened it as much as I could.  Again using sandpaper.  

Step 4:   If your video case is black skip to the next step.  If it is white you can choose to do this step or skip to the next one.  If your case is clear like mine and you want to make it match your papers first select an alcohol ink that matches your scheme and then colour all the corners and edges of the case.  Wear rubber gloves and use a piece of felt to make it easier to colour in awkward areas.  When your video case is closed it looks like a book.  make sure you colour the edges that would be where the pages of the book would be.

Step 5:   I will not be giving you measurements for covering your video case as they may vary slightly from mine.  Measure the inside spine and cut a piece of paper from the one you chose to cover the inside of the case to the correct height and width.  Do not try to cover where the video case hinges.  Avoid this area or your paper will pucker and lift.  Ink the edges of the paper with a coordinating ink and then affix to the spine using a strong double sided tape (DST).  All pieces of paper are adhered with strong DST.  I actually used double sided carpet tape!  Works a treat.

This is what I used - from Wilkinsons if you are in the UK

Step 6:   Position the large Tim Holtz Ring binder centrally on the spine and then mark where the brads go with a pen.

Step 7:   If you are lucky enough to have a long armed crop-o-dile then you will probably be able to use it to put the holes in the spine for the brads.  I do not have one so I used a strong piercing tool to start my holes.  Be careful and work on a cutting mat to protect your surfaces.  To make my holes big enough for my brads I used the pointed end of my scissors to drill the holes slightly larger.

Step 8:   I have found that the brads that are supplied to secure the ring binder mechanism do not hold very firmly so I add a little pin flair glue gel to the back of the binding rings unit before securing with the brads top and bottom.  

Step 9:   Measure and cut the inside front and back of the video case and cut the papers to the correct size.    Ink the edges of the paper with a coordinating distress ink (or similar ink).

Step 10:   Using the strong DST secure the papers in position to finish covering the inside of the video case.

Step 11:   I used Tim Holtz tissue tape to cover the three outside edge of the case.  Trim to fit.  Your case may have a slightly different configuration.  You will need to decide if you want to do this step or move on to Step 13.

Step 12:   Using the alcohol ink you used earlier colour the tissue tape (optional).

Step 13:   Measure and cut the paper you chose to cover the outside of your video case (avoiding the hinge area as before).  Ink the edges of the papers before securing to the outside of the video case using strong DST.

Step 14:   Now for the fun bit.  Gather together a selection of embellishments that coordinate with your papers.  Ribbons, flowers, tags, buttons, etc.

Step 15:   If you want to colour your ribbon to match your project then you can.  I used the alcohol ink to make my Tim Holtz ribbon trim match my video case.  I also used it on the number plaque as the white stood out too much for my liking.

Step 14:   Then embellish away.  I followed the same format I had used on my other video cases.

Step 15:   Don't forget the spine as this is the bit that will show when you store your boxes.  I have put a label at the top of each so I can write on it what stamps are within!

Step 16:   Just an idea....I used metal flowers on my case spine and I wanted to make matching flower centres so I added a generous amount of diamond glaze to the centres of the flowers and dropped in red and yellow gems.

Step 17:   If you want to you can decorate the inside of your video case with some decoupage.  I had a few figures left over from a previous project so I used them here to continue the circus theme.  I have stored my stamps on sheets of acetate.  Make a template page with a piece of scrap card to make sure you get the measurements and hole punch positions in the right place and then use this to make acetate and card pages for your stamps.  I rounded the corners of my pages so that the acetate did not have sharp corners.  I keep the stamps on an acetate page and then stamp each of them on to the card page underneath so I can see the images when I am making my design choices.

I hope you like this project tutorial.  You can use the video cases to store other things if you want to.  I love them because they up-cycle, are useful and let you surround yourself with the beautiful stash you so lovingly collect!!  I would love to see what designs you come up with.  Leave me a link so I can come and see how you got on.  Thanks for popping by.......I have just noticed looking at this photo that one of the metal flowers has slipped on my video case so I am off to fix that now! :-)