On the Button Farm site today!
Mirror Image Folio with 49 & Market Crafty Garden
You can find more information and how to order this kit here:
https://buttonfarmclub.com/products/mirror-image-folio-with-krafty-garden
and a walk through video here:
Walk-through video of 49 & Market Mirror Image Folio
and add-on ideas for the cover here:
Did you ever have one of those duh moments?
Well, I did this past month.
If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know that at the moment,
I'm into Junque Journals.
So I've been joining Junque Journal groups on Facebook
to see how these gals put their books together.
And all of a sudden . . . this happens:
Boxes!
Why didn't I know about this?
For years I've been creating my own covers & spines from scratch.
Now I'm digging in the recycle bin.
To make your own book:
(a) eat all the snacks in a box (this is important!)
(b) The box is glued together at one of the sides.
Find that place and carefully open the box where it's glued together.
(c) Cut off the box top and box bottom.
(d) Cut off the glued together side.
And just like that you have a book!
And Pasta Boxes are the best because there's a built in window!
I then took paper and coffee dyed the paper.
Some I scrunched up and some I left with just the coffee splatters.
I made a template for my pamphlet stitch
and punched holes in the box spine.
3 signatures = 3 horizontal holes across
What's a signature?
It's a grouping of papers. Called a signature because back in the days of handwritten books,
each set of papers that was completed was signed by whomever wrote it.
Thus a signature.
For this book, I used 5 papers,
each paper folded in half
and then stacked on top of each other to create 10 pages.
Make sure the folds match in the center!
Then each signature is put together and I used the center hole template,
punching 3 holes through each signature.
Once the holes are punched, remove the template and save for another book.
Using waxed linen thread and a heavy needle,
thread the needle but do not double and do not knot.
Start with one set of signatures.
Place the signatures into the book spine,
lining up the holes in the signature with one set of vertical holes in the spine.
(I clip mine in place with binder clips.)
Here's a video I found on You Tube that shows how to stitch a signature
(I can't do better than Lynn.)
The only exception is that I use waxed linen thread
as it's hard to break/tear and doesn't stretch
therefore, no doubling of the thread.
Once the signatures were sewn into the book spine,
decorating begins.
I left quite a few of the pages blank for journaling
and tried to decorate the pages that I crumpled.
The smooth pages will be easier to write on.
So much fun to work on these simple books.
And it can be a work in progress or a finish all at once project.
Hope you enjoyed this foray into
Junque Journaling.
Check out what my team mates have put together on the
Mini Album Makers Challenge Blog
and join the fun for a chance to win an amazing gift certificate from
Catherine Moore's Character Constructions
Such a fun way to stamp!
Hi Everyone!
Today is the start of a new month and that means another challenge on the Mini Album Makers blog.
This month I'm working with a new book from
Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts
called
Bracket Edge Booklet.
Here are the chipboard pieces that come with the kit:
Base Page with Pockets pre-cut & pre-scored
Mini-book inserts for the pockets (2 of each piece):
Brackets for the book cover (one each):
This is super easy to put together!
First I painted around the outside edges of the base, both inside and outside.
The paint represents Layer #1.
For Layer #2, I used the bracket templates and cut decorative paper
for the inside of the booklet.
Also used a stripe decorative paper for the inside spine.
Next, the outside of the pockets were decorated.
It's much easier to decorate them before folding and glueing in place.
The next step (and before adhering the pockets in place)
decorate the outside.
Using the bracket templates, I cut paper and layered onto both the front & back covers.
I wanted the spine to look like an old book
so I added a layer of chipboard in horizontal strips on the spine.
This needs to be done before adding the decorative paper to the spine.
Then the paper for the spine is cut and dampened slightly to make it easier to mold.
Add the paper to the spine with wet glue, carefully using your finger (not your nail!)
to mold over the horizontal chip.
Once the paper and adhesive are dry, ink with a dark brown ink to make it look old.
Now it's time to glue the inside pockets in place.
Here's a little walk-through of how I decorated my Bracket Edge Booklet:
Come join the challenge at
Mini Album Makers Challenge Blog
and
you'll have a chance to win a fabulous prize package from
this month's sponsor
I have had these file folders for years and decided it was finally time to do something with them. And since it's November (yikes!) and time for a new challenge on Mini Album Makers Challenge blog . . . well, why not use them to create a mini-book.
All the file folders will be cut down so that the finished book will measure 7.5" wide X 9" tall and will have 4 large pockets.
You will need:
Steps:
3. Cut the other four file folders. Keeping the tabs, cut 2 folders from the left side and 2 from the right as follows: Close the file folders before trimming. Cut each one 7.5" wide, again keeping the tabs intact. Save the trimmings for later.
4. Using the same 4 file folders from step 3 above, keep the file folders closed and cut them from the bottom to measure 9" tall. You will now have 2 pieces for each file folder - a front and a back with a tab.
Binding: We'll be using the standard hidden hinge binding system.
3. Remove the scor-tape from the first 1/2" seam and secure that seam to the next 1/2" seam, folding on the score line between the 2 half inches. Remove the scor-tape from the next 1/2" seam and fold that seam to the next 1/2" seam. Continue to do this until all 1/2" seams are secured to their partner.
Once this is complete, you have something that looks a bit like an accordion until you turn it over. Fold on the score lines and you will see fins popping up. Those fins are what you'll use to attach the pages.
4.Place scor-tape on both sides of each fin and miter the corners of each fin.
You'll need the original file folder that was trimmed down and scored.
5. Next place scor-tape on the bottom of this binding system and place on the inside center of the file folder, making sure to get it as even as possible between the two score lines you created earlier for the spine.
So now you have the original folder with the binding system taped to the spine.
You're ready to work on the 4 pages:
5. Remove the piece of scor-tape from the top hinge and add the top of the file to the scor-tape:
Repeat with the remaining folders. You've created large pockets that are open on the top and bottom.
6. Carefully remove the tape from one of the binding fins and insert the bottom of one of the pockets over the binding fin. Page 1 complete! Repeat with the other 3 pages.
Add the Pages to the Binding:
Your file folder book is complete.
Decorate as desired and add inserts to the pockets for more photo opportunities.
Hope you enjoyed my File Folder Mini-Book.
Design Team to see what everyone has been up to this month.
and enter your own mini-book for this month's challenge.
You'll have a chance to win a prize package from our sponsor:
Today is the 1st of the month and that means a new set of Mini Album Makers Challenge blog posts from the Design Team.
I'm featuring a set of Super-X tags from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.
But this is a mini-album blog so I'm turning them into a mini-book of sorts.
I wanted them staggered so I cut a 2" piece off the bottom of the first tag and 1.5" off the bottom of the second tag.
Then created a binding as follows:
Each tag is 1/8" thick.
Here's the goal:
Begin with the shortest tag:
Cut a piece of chipboard (I used the chip from the cut tags): 5" X 1.5". Glue to the bottom of the assembly, stabilizing the tags.
Ready to decorate!
I wrapped a piece of cardstock around the bottom of the tag booklet and created a pocket for tag #1. Details of the 1st tag:
Tag #2:
Tag #3:
And when all finished and tied with black & cream striped ribbon, this tag booklet stands up by itself:
Take a look at what my fellow Design Team Members have created
for the
Mini Album Makers Challenge blog.
And while there, why not play along for a chance to win
this fabulous prize
from this month's sponsor:
Seth Apter
Website - http://www.sethapter.com/
Blog - https://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sethapter/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thealteredpage
Twitter - https://twitter.com/sethapter
. . . STENCILS. Mary Beth Shaw is the owner of Stencil Girl Stencils and I am happy to say lives near me. I've been a fan of her stencils for years. This month, we're thrilled to be sharing some of her stencils on our Mini Album Makers Challenge blog.
Since I'm waiting for paint to dry, I'll share one of the first projects I ever did with Stencil Girl Stencils.
Love the detail she gets in her stencils.
And the list of artists who design for Stencil Girl is a who's who list!
(Stencil used on the above book: Bird in Window)
This month on Mini Album Makers Challenge blog, I've re-created a book I did a loooonnnnnggggg time ago. It's a super-easy binding with a flexible spine. Let's get started:
For the binding you will need:
For the binding:
Score each of the 2-1/8" pieces of cardstock at 1" and 1-1/8".
I call that middle section a gusset and the left & right side a margin. There is a *right* way to fold on score lines. One side of your score line is a valley (indented) and the other side of the paper shows score lines as a mountain (bursting up). Always fold towards the mountain. It will give you a crisper edge.
So you'll end with 6 pieces that look like this:
Working with just one side of each binding piece, place scor-tape on the left and right margins. DO NOT OVERLAP tape on the gusset.
Tape one margin of one binding piece to the next binding's margin, until you get a look like this:
Notice that there will be left & right wing margins that will not be attached to anything. That's how we'll attach this binding to the book (later).
Time to decorate:
1. Cut 2 pieces of decorative paper for the outside covers. I'm wrapping the cover so I will be cutting my paper 1" larger (all around) than the chipboard. My chipboard is 5" X 7" so my decorative paper will measure 7" x 9".
2. Place scor-tape on one side of the chipboard.
3. Remove the scor-tape and center the chipboard, tape down, onto the center back of the decorative paper. Repeat for the back cover.
4. Next, I fold all the edges in towards the raw chip. This makes it easy to tape the paper. Miter the corners being careful not to cut too far into the paper. The idea is to cover the corners without chipboard showing.
5. Place tape on the edges and fold over onto the chipboard. Repeat with the back cover.
NOTE: If you fold the top and bottom over first on the front cover, do the same on the back cover. Looks a bit more professional ; )
Adding the spine to the covers.
Cut a piece of decorative paper 3" wide X 7" tall. This paper will show on the outside of your book.
With the front & back cover facing up and the decorative spine paper in the center (also facing up) . . .
attach score tape to each side of the spine paper - 1" on each side - leaving a 1" center spine paper showing:
Remove one piece of tape and attach one of the covers to the tape, up to the 1" tape. Repeat with the 2nd cover.
You will see both covers + the spine paper showing in between the covers.
TA DA!
Open the book to insert the binding system. This binding system is not attached to the spine. Rather, we will be using the two wings (left & right margins) and attach those to the front and back cover, avoiding taping anything to the spine.
Place scor-tape on the underside of both the left and right margin of the binding. Attach the left margin to the front cover and the right margin to the back cover. The margins will not touch the spine at all, but will sit securely onto the covers.
Add pages to the binding:
Cut 2 pieces of decorative paper 4-3/4" wide X 6-3/4" tall for the inside front & back cover.
Next up, the cover and Stencil Girl combined with Prima Marketing:
Select the Stencil Girl product you want to use. I chose this Pressed Leaf pattern.
I don't worry about getting it smooth. Let dry thoroughly.
Once dry, there's a shimmering crackle that looks beautiful with a simple pattern.
I chose to use the crackle in it's own color. You can add color to the crackle with Prima Marketing Artisan Powders. Mix the powders in thoroughly with the crackle before applying to the stencil.
Instead, I chose to color the background with Artisan Powders and a small round paintbrush, giving it a bit more depth:
And the finished product:
Thanks for taking the time to view this Mini Album Makers tutorial.
It was so much fun working with Stencil Girl Products.
Join the Challenge fun on the
Mini Album Makers Challenge blog this month
for a chance to win a prize package
from our generous sponsor
Also entering this in the
It's the 1st of the month and that means new mini-books are up on the Mini Album Makers Challenge Blog. I'm creating a piano hinge mini with help from this month's sponsor, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. You can make these books with any cardstock. Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts carries these in both black and kraft. I chose a mix of both for my book.
Here's how easy it is to create a piano hinge:
Here's how the pages look from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts. Of course you can cut and score these yourself, but it's so easy to build this with the help of GSL Cuts pre-prepped pages:
You can see that there is a score line on the left and on the right with one score line down the middle. The centers are pre-cut which makes it easy to thread skewers through to create the hinge.
Step 1: Fold each page on the outside score lines (the far right and far left score lines).
Step 2:
Above photo shows an actual piano hinge. And here's our piano hinge page. The idea is to marry one side of the hinge with the other.
To do that, I used a skewer and threaded every other hinge - first one on the kraft and then alternated with one on the black.
Continue that until every other hinge on each page is skewered.
You can see from the photo above that you are using every other hinge on the kraft cardstock and the opposite hinge on the black cardstock.
For the 3rd page, use the opposite hinges. (see video above)
And the finished product with simple inside pages:
Now that you've seen how easy it is to put this book together,
please enter your own mini-book
(all styles highly encouraged)
on the
Mini Album Makers Challenge blog
for a chance to win a fabulous prize from this month's sponsor
Today is the day the Designers show you more ideas on the Mini Album Makers Challenge Blog. This month I decided to do a very simple binding using a Zutter Bind-It-All.
To see the mechanics of putting this together, please visit Mini Album Makers Challenge Blog. I've written a tutorial with photos.
In the meantime, here's how I decorated my mini:
I've used a Zutter chipboard book. I love these books! They have a rounded spine that looks like an old binding. I've darkened the book cover (it's a kraft color to begin with) using three shades of brown ink.
Building up the cover, I used chipboard with some of my cross stitch, Prima flowers and beautiful papers from Stamperia.
Left side with pockets including tissue paper prepared with resin.
Right side opens and holds pockets with tags.
Tiny feathers on the left page are from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.
Left page opens and holds 2 library pockets with tag inserts.
Right page reveals pages that hold 4" X 6" photos and a journaling card in a library pocket.
The button tag is used as a closure.
Left page with flaps open and a belly band to hold more photos:
A fun accordion paper bag page
with lots of storage:
A gate-fold page:
Thanks for visiting today.
Hope you enjoyed my mini-book.
Please visit
Mini Album Makers Challenge blog
and enter your own mini
with a chance to win a prize from our amazing sponsor
