Sticky Note Memo Holder {Craft Lightning: Teacher Appreciation Gift}

Welcome back to another edition of Craft Lightning! Craft Lightning projects are ones that can be completed in 15 minutes or less (minus drying time). This time we’re sharing Teacher Appreciation Gift ideas. These could be used at Christmas, for an end of year gift, or of course, during Teacher Appreciation Week.

This Sticky Note Memo Holder project is a favourite of mine. It’s SO fast and easy to make and really inexpensive. Not only that, but it’s incredibly handy too. I have one sitting on my desk and have given them as gifts many times.

They’re great for almost any occasion – don’t have a teacher to give a gift to? How about for Mother’s Day? My mom sure loves hers! Get the kids involved and let them make these for their own teachers. If they’re little, you might need to help with the cutting but most of it can be handled on their own.

All you need to make this is –

• an acrylic photo frame (the kind that has the stand built right in – I find them all the time at the dollar store)
• some scrapbooking papers (you might want more than one design so you can layer them)
• glue (glue stick or a tape runner work great for the paper but if you’re adding other embellishments, you might want some white glue as well. I prefer tacky glue)
• scissors and/or a paper cutter
• embellishments like ribbon, buttons, bling, sequins, rick rack, Washi tape, and so on. You might also want to personalize it with the teacher’s name using small alphabet stickers.
• Of course, you’ll also need a pad or two of sticky notes to place on the finished project. I added an unused hair elastic to hold a pen – a small piece of sewing elastic glued on in a loop would also work for this.

How to make these Sticky Note Memo Holders –

• I begin by using the sheet of paper that comes in the frame as a template for cutting out a background from the scrapbooking paper.
• For this memo holder, I then used a coordinating paper and added a piece of it to define the space a bit. I glued it on to make sure it would stay in place but added a couple pieces of Washi tape for extra security and decoration.
• After placing the paper layout in the frame, I began to embellish the outside of the frame too, gluing on some decorative buttons. NOTE: You can use the frame as intended (so that it stands up) but I lay it down so that the edge of the base and the top of the frame are both touching the desk. That way, you can actually write on the sticky notes while they’re still on the frame without it falling over. See the side view below.
• I added some sticky note pads – I’m using the small ones so I added two. I removed the backing and then added some glue to the exposed sticky side of the pad. I find that the stickiness (since they’re supposed to release easily from surfaces) isn’t enough to hold it securely on its own.

Let it dry and that’s it! You’re done! I can whip these up in about 7 minutes (other than drying time) so if I have a bunch to make, I do it assembly line style.

Be sure to head on over and check out the rest of the Craft Lightning: Teacher Appreciation Gifts edition posts for more great ideas!