My Timeless Templates for Papertrey Ink

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Reported By Julie Campbell
It's hard to believe that Christmas is in just a few short weeks! As a paper crafter, I love making home-made gifts, and am always on the lookout for fresh ideas. Sometimes the simplest gifts can become a treasure just by the way that they're packaged. But what do you do when your gift list is long, money is tight, and time is short? Let me introduce you to My Timeless Templates!

My Timeless Templates is a line of printable templates created by Lauren Meader for Papertrey Ink. Each month, Papertrey Ink releases two new template designs available for purchase on their website. These templates are a building block for you to create unique gifts and packaging out of basic paper crafting supplies.

Each template comes in the form of a PDF file which is downloaded to your computer and viewable using Adobe Reader. (If you don't have Adobe already on your computer, there is a link on Papertrey Ink's website for a free download.) The templates are designed to print directly onto 8.5 x 11" cardstock, complete with cut and score lines. Some of the templates give you the option of printing the templates without the score lines so that the dashed lines won't show on the inside of your packaging. Once downloaded, the templates can be printed as many times as needed.

Each downloaded template comes with a full-color, high-quality PDF document that includes six exclusive project ideas along with supply lists. These projects are all made by Papertrey Ink's talented designers and are the perfect way to get your creative juices flowing. The great thing about these templates is their versatility! Once you get the basic idea of how the template goes together, it's easy to modify it for any occasion.

For those of you who are still a little uncertain, Papertey Ink has two FREE templates available for download right now. I really loved the unique folds of the Recipe Wrap-Up and wanted to make a coupon organizer with it.

(Stamps By: Cornish Heritage Farms)

As I mentioned before, each template is very customizable. I printed the template directly onto Kraft cardstock and then added stamping and scrapbooking supplies to the cover.
The design is very easy to assemble. Each template has basic assembly instructions printed on the side (such as how many sheets to print and where to adhere). Beginning next month, each PDF file will also include thorough instructions on basic assembly, for those who are new to template designs or for when things get a little unclear.
I added a small notebook to one of my panels and used a large office supply paperclip to hold the book closed when not in use. (The original design includes markings for ribbon placement, but I thought that might get a little time consuming for what I was using it for.)
And here is the book when it is fully expanded. The template comes with these cute little pockets that were perfect for organizing my coupons!

Another of my favorite templates right now is called All Boxed Up.

My mom is always asking me for home-made cards for her to give away, so I designed this box for her to store them in.

(Stamps By: Cornish Heritage Farms)

This time, because my cardstock was so dark, I printed the template onto plain printer paper. I placed the paper on top of my cardstock using removable tape and trimmed and scored the design.
I customized this template and created a pocket on the side wide enough to hold my envelopes. Once you've worked with a couple of templates, customizing becomes really simple to do.


My Timeless Templates are a great resource to add to your paper crafting! Each download costs only $5 and the files are available instantly on your computer. You can purchase these templates from Papertrey Ink and new templates are available on the 15th of each month. The quality and resources that come with these templates makes this an incredible value.

Pros:

• Templates are a perfect way to create beautiful gifts and packaging.
• Each template can be printed over and over for a lifetime of use.
• Templates are designed to print directly onto 8.5 x 11" cardstock.
• Templates can be customized to expand their use.
• Each download comes with 6 exclusive project ideas.

Cons: (or, more accurately, Helpful Tips:)

• Make sure your printer settings are set for NO scaling. This will alter the dimensions of your template and make it more difficult to use.
• The proper adhesive makes a big difference on how well your project will hold together. I recommend using RedLine tape, Score Tape, or and ATG gun.
• The templates can be a little confusing for those who are new to this type of paper crafting. However, Papertrey Ink will be including full instruction sheets in all of the templates to follow.

As you can probably tell from my article, I am a big fan of My Timeless Templates. These templates are a perfect way to create that special, one-of-a-kind gift this holiday season. Once you start using them, you might want to make something to keep for yourself! The templates are very customizable and can be used for any occasion.

Have you tried My Timeless Templates yet? If not, I encourage you to try out one of the free templates available on the website. I'd love to hear what you think about this new product! Or, maybe you've come up with a creative use for one of the templates. If so, please leave us a comment!