The Secret Spy Desk Tidy - FULL TUTORIAL with TEMPLATE - featuring Ciao Bella Paper Enigma Collection

 For my second main project using the Ciao Bella Paper Enigma Collection, I wanted to create something that would sit alongside my Spy Bureau Project and that I could inter change pieces between the two. Introducing the Secret Spy Desk Tidy ...

Full video tutorial and templates can be found further down this post.

Walkthrough Video

You can see the desk tidy in a Walkthrough Video I created over on my YouTube channel. This shows all the different pieces, mechanism and a little of the thinking behind my design. Click on image below to be taken to the video ...

Video tutorial

I recently did a Facebook Live event showing how I created the Secret Spy Desk Tidy from start to finish. It was within the Crafting Together with All Brands group. I have now uploaded the live to my YouTube channel so you can also create alongside me. Click on photo below to be taken to the video.

The Facebook Live is over an hour long but does show the whole making process plus any tools used. I do share some hints and tips I have collected over the years in the tutorial too.

Templates

Here are the template designs I used to create the Secret Spy Desk Tidy. Please note that they are not drawn to scale. They do have the measurements written on them and the tutorial video does show how I used each piece within the project.

 

Click on each photo and then save to your computer to be able to use the templates as your cutting guide.

Secret Spy Desk Tidy

I wanted the Secret Spy Desk Tidy to sit beside my Spy Bureau and look as if the pair were designed to be together. Using the same paper collection definitely made that much easier. I am using Ciao Bella Paper Enigma Collection - a mix of the 122 x 12" backing papers, A4 Creative pad & 6" x 6" fussy cut papers.

The pages can be flipped over to either side of the Secret Spy Desk Tidy and are also decorated on both sides. I have upcycled an old ring binder taken from a finished note pad which holds detachable cards. In my video I show an alternative ways to use the rings if you do not have a Cinch or Bind-it-All machine.

On the back there is a pocket which can be on display or flip the cards over and it becomes hidden. I made dividers using elements from the A4 Creative pad and some of the elements from the 6" x 6" fussy cut papers. 

Additional cards can be added as I decided to have the rings open on the outside rather than close on the inside. These have been decorated on both sides. They can hold photographs, notes ... anything really.

Inside the top Secret Desk Tidy is a drawer. I have added secret mini books inside mine but it could easily hold stationary items too. The mini books or Secret Dossiers will also fit inside the Secret Spy Bureau too.

I have only added 4 cards to my Top Secret Desk Tidy but do have the scope to add many, many more. I'm actually toying with the idea of creating a perpetual calendar. Each card would represent a month of the year and I could add photos of family members whose birthdays appear in that month. That was one idea but no doubt I'll change my mind half way through! 😅

The Spy Bureau

This was the first project I made using the Ciao Bella Paper Enigma Collection and I knew straight away this was what I wanted to create when I saw the collection.

You can see the walkthrough video of this project by clicking on the image below.

Matching blog post is HERE.

As you can see, the Top Secret Desk Tidy matches the Spy Bureau perfectly and they have pride of place on my display shelf.

What do you think you will create when you receive your Ciao Bella Paper Enigma Collection? Please do share your ideas with me as I would love to know how the collection sparks your crafty mojo.

Many thanks for popping over today and look forward to you visiting again soon.

Until next time. Take care,

Lou
xxx