Little folded book

Ive had house guests and been unable to craft or blog for over a week. While they were here I was frustrated and impatient to disappear off to my studio. Of course once they departed I found I had lost the muse and it took several days of false starts to get back into any creative flow. I wanted to join in with several June challenges and started making a flag book. I was taking lots of shots of each stage but its not easy to get going if you are too self conscious of the process. I decided to put that project aside and got out some patterned paper and my new tubes of Tim Holtz design tape. I have seen lots of lovely projects by Astrid Maclean and others using it, recently I succumbed bought a selection.

I was thinking about the Mixed Media Monthly final challenge. They are "Wrapping it up." So sad to see this challenge blog go but it is hard work and they are all still blogging on other sites so the inspiration will continue I'm sure. This is my offering for wrapping it up.

I used some really old paper from Prima's 'Printery' collection and Heidi Swapp's 'Vintage Chic' collection. I used some stamp illustrations from an old stamp catalogue.

The illustrations in this book are lovely. I think they are nicer than some actual stamps, the detail in the engraving and printing is so fine. As they are all black and white I can colour them to suit any project. One of the Heidi Swapp papers has the exact colour of Tim Holtz's cracked pistachio Distress Oxide ink. I used it throughout along with some Gathered twigs distress ink and Potting soil archival ink. I added some of Ranger's rock candy crackle paint to the cover. I added old book pages cut up into words a bit like the chit chat words. I have put a link below for the pretty bird scraps, more long horded items!

On the final page I used a pressed flower from last summer.

I finished this little book in one session. It was just what I needed - to get lost in the pleasure and satisfaction that creating can provide.

Although I took no photos of the making I have photographed each of the five pages/sections.

I used a tutorial from Kay Williamson on Club Scrap  LINK If you fancy trying to make this book her tutorial is very good. I made mine a little bigger cutting 5x5 inch squares and 2 1/2  inch covers. I dont know what this style of folding pages is called. Do let me know in the comments if you do.


Materials used:
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Design tapes: Remnants, Elementary,Humidor
Prima Printery 8x8 paper
Heidi Swapp Vintage Chic 8x8 paper
Ranger Distress crackle paint - clear rock candy
Cracked pistachio Distress Oxide ink
Gathered twigs distress ink
Ranger Archival ink - potting soil
Board for covers (from back of a sketchbook)
old book text and images
Bird scraps LINK


Im entering this in:
Mixed Media Monthly challenge #49 which is thier "Wrap it up"

Mini Album Makers June Challenge

Prima Fairy Bell Wedding Album

This album was made for my neice who was "glamping" for her hen night. The album was intended to hold photos of the weekend and the wedding but also has lots of fun ephemera for the girls entertainment. My neice loves fairies, Celtic mythology, mushrooms, seashells and all things mystical so I tried to include lots of these elements in the album. The paper is from old collections in my stash including, Prima Fairy Belle, Nature Garden and Bo Bunny Gabrielle. I loved these papers so much they could only be used for somthing very special. I have a video and also photos of pages before they were added to the binding.

The cover is a hidden hinge case binding. I used coloured cardstock to make each pocket page then covered them in patterened paper. Each page has a top opening pocket fastened with policy envelope style washers and thread. The flap of each pocket is shaped with a Tim Holtz on the edge die. Inside each pocket is a large photo mat cut with a Spellbinder Grand Nestibilities die.


This page used paper from Primas Nature Garden collection. The pocket at the bottom on each side features gorgeous vintage mushroom illustrations printed out on my computer and then fussy cut and mounted on card. I have used some vintage stamps, cigarette cards and one of my own fairies made on Photoshop, printed and decorated with stickle glitter wings. The tags are cut from patterned paper and distress inked. Some of the tags have seam binding dyed with distress re-inker to match the colours of the paper. This page also had a set of vintage cigarette cards with hand shadow puppet instructions for the girls to try out in their tents.


This page is one of my favourites. I fussy cut the ballerina fairy from the paper and used as a bellyband to hold more ephemera including another cigarette card with pretty seashells. I love these collectable cards and use them a lot in my projects they are very easy to find on eBay and have lovely vintage illustrations and cover lots of different themes. I have scanned in some of them to reprint for other projects. This bride is perfect for a wedding theme. The little pocket envelope has a paper doll that is fussy cut and stowed away inside with her clothes. These are held in place with a tab cut using a spellbinders die.


This page uses my all time favourite paper I love this page the little lanterns made a perfect edge for the pocket and with some stickles it is totally magical. The pocket has a small book was made with pearl green cardstock and stamped with a background stamp in Versa Magic Jumbo Java chalk ink. (Even the ink is magic!) There is another paper doll and a cigarette card with a fairy maiden illustration. The other page has a magical moon face which forms a tuck spot for more tags and ephemera including a lovely Victorian bride whose head you can just see popping up. Both of these pages have the pocket opening on the other side.


This page has more mushrooms forming the fussy cut corner pocket also tags and another fairy. This one is a little sad looking but I used her as she looks just like my niece at that age. The next page has the moon face again and another bridal paper doll in an envelope and a graphic 45 snippet of paper with her romantic heart.


This page has Mr moon again and an envelope made from some Melissa Frances paper. I held on to this 6x6 paper for so long but the colours and whimsical fairy and nursery rhyme illustrations were perfect in this album. I used a Martha Stewart punch to edge the envelope flap and a cream brad and swing fastener.The right-hand page has a corner pocket. The angel was printed out and fussy cut. I love the colour of this page and the bird on the cigarette card matched the paper perfectly.



This is just some of the ephemera form the album. I used lots of brides, fairies and things from nature. My niece had a great time on her hen weekend and loved the album; her favourite element was the Alice fairy I made with Photoshop, (the one with purple and blue sparkling wings and hair wreath).