If the best gifts come from the heart, Amanda Montieth showers her friends with love. As proof, she made these clipboards for her mom, Sue Reynolds, chief newsroom secretary, and friend Betty Lin-Fisher, our consumer and utilities reporter.

Montieth, 24, learned how to make them last fall, then made some as Christmas gifts for her friends. The session taught her to use scrapbooking techniques on things other than a scrapbook page.

It takes a practiced eye to achieve results like these, but Montieth, a fifth-grade math and science teacher, said even kids can get great results with a few pointers. Look for Mod Podge and clipboards in the scrapbooking section of your local craft or scrapbook stores. The surface of a regular clipboard might be too smooth for papers to adhere properly.

Supplies you will need:

• 1 white clipboard.

• Mod Podge.

• Scrapbook paper, two patterned and one plain.

• Fancy fabric ribbons in accent colors.

• Stickers, letters, etc.

• Packing tape.

• Small sponge brush.

Secure the clip open with a piece of packing tape running from the underside of the clip to the back of the board.

Plan your design and decide if you want to cover the board completely or leave a perimeter around it as a white frame. You will cut or tear the paper into the size you want to mount on the board. The torn edge gives dimension to the finished project.

First, cut a piece of patterned paper one-half the length of the board. Brush a coat of Mod Podge on the back and smooth onto the bottom edge of the board, lining the straight edges exactly. Smooth the paper down to remove any bubbles.

Tear or cut the second patterned piece smaller than the first, coat with Mod Podge and align the straight edge with the top of the board. Cut the paper around the clip and remove.

Cut the plain paper for the center piece in the preferred length, coat the back with Mod Podge and smooth the piece onto the surface.

Decorate with accent ribbons, letters and stickers, using Mod Podge as your adhesive.

When finished, cover the entire surface with a thin layer of Mod Podge as a sealant and let dry.

Remove the packing tape and tie five or six pieces of ribbon through the hole in the clip.