Monday, October 4, 2010

Another book cover

Apparently I'm in a 'mood'. Do you do that? Create the same type of project in bursts? I seem to go through phases - this time it's notebooks! :)
I don't really do very much with digital stamps, although I have some, mostly because printer ink doesn't seem to go very well with my usual coloring methods. There are some images that I make an exception for - this is where I got the one I used for today's post. Aren't they gorgeous?! Love them! (and I can blame Mel for it since she's such an enabler!)
This notebook also started life as a cheap purchase (dollar bin at Michaels anyone?). Have I mentioned that I'm also in a brown phase? I bought a roll of luscious brown wrapping paper at the Container Store recently and *needed* to use it for something more lasting than wrapping boxes.
I started by prying off the covers - careful not to bend the spiral coil - and covered them with the wrapping paper & PVA glue. Unfortunately I don't have any sort of punch to make the holes look good after covering so they look much better on the outside. After gluing the paper to the front, I take a sharp knife and make three cuts in each hole. (both long sides & in the middle) Then add a little more PVA with a small brush and fold each half down into the hole with an orange stick (or whatever fits). This is *very* patience-testing work! (hence, the inside does NOT look as good as the outside)
I printed the Wind In My Hair stamp onto regular white card stock (I tried better/thicker stock and it just jammed up the printer. *sigh*) then trimmed to an appropriate size for the cover. She is mostly colored with pencil and Distress Ink but there is also a touch of Copic marker. I've been trying very hard to increase my skill with pencil - I'm pretty thrilled with the results! DI was applied with a water brush for the background (sky and ground).
Once that was all dry I roughed up the edges and applied some yellow DI to the edges. The background paper is from Basic Grey - also roughed up & edged with DI. I used Matte Mod Podge to glue both pieces to the cover and give a little protection. (note: do NOT turn a wet piece upside down - even for just a moment - and think it will all be ok! It won't!) Since that altered the brown wrapping paper a little, I covered both sides with Mod Podge as well (on both covers).
I added the flower to echo the flowers she's holding in her dress. All three flowers were colored with DI and a tiny bit of Smooch, then coated with Mod Podge as well. Except the dew drop! :)
I think I have the perfect person to send this to.... And perhaps she'll forgive me for not working too hard on the Ami's. But when the muse strikes..... :D
Thanks for dropping by!

1 comment:

lauren bergold said...

HA!!! YES!!! gina calls this a combo of crafter's ADD annnnnnd OCD...cause we will flit around from one thing to another with complete abandon and THEN get totally STUCK on one thing...like ami's or cards or digi's or... well, you get the picture! :) (in my case whatever i am hooked on is usually directly inverse proportioned to what i am SUPPOSED TO BE doing!!!)

as for this ♥FANTABULOUS♥ and amazin' notebook...well SHEESH if i had things like this in my head i would NEVER do anything else, m'ija!!! ♥♥♥

except...i don't DO the fussy hole punchy bits...i cut all my covering bits 1/16" of an inch shy of all obstacles and then either paint or sharpie the edges into submission. which also means i can LOSE the wet glue in favor of my friend the XYRON!!! (...which is excellent since jeff is always worried he'll come home and find me glued into a cocoon of book pages and firmly stuck to the couch!!!) ('cause he really LIKES that couch!!!!!!!!!!!!) :) :) :)