Book Binding...

Hello Folks

I hope you have all had a good weekend and have battened down the hatches ready for this pending storm.  I have shut the Girls in so that they don't get blown away!

I want to share with you a little project I have been working on.  Ever since I made THIS  book with Neil Burley I have wanted to make another journal type book.  So here it is....

I bought some leather from Ebay, cut it to size and rounded the corners.  Then I adhered some paper to the inside.  I cut out some watercolour paper, folded it, marked out the holes in both the paper and leather and then sewed the paper signatures to the cover using waxed linen thread.

The inside paper was bought for me by a non-crafting friend.  Gorgeous isn't it?  It has a lovely shimmer to it.

Here are the inside of each signature of paper.

At the end I threaded some leather cord to tie the book closed.

I have not used my book yet but I am sure I soon will.  This is on I am DEFINITELY keeping!

Have a good week everyone and I truly hope the storm St Jude soon passes without too much upheaval for you all.

Hettie 

WOYWW 123 - Missing In Action

Hello there Peeps

I have been a Bad Blogger - Very Bad Blogger (think Harry Potter chastising a certain Dobby voice!).

Unfortunately, things are not running smoothly in the Hettiecraft Household with various things and unfortunately my blogging has suffered as a consequence.  I promise I will do my utmost to rectify my slack blogging of late! 

However, as my header suggests, I have not totally abandoned my room, it is just that I don't seem to be able to be in here as often as I would like (or ought!).  I do hope I will be forgiven.  However, today is Wednesday and I could not let the day go by without joining in the WOYWW with the lovely Julia.  I am sure that you all know what this is about so without further ado here is my desk......

Yep.  It is quite honestly a big mess.  I must have about 10 projects underway all at the same time.  It is quite honestly a case of what I need to do soonest gets turfed out and worked on otherwise it is a case of whatever is on top gets done! 

Mr Monkey is heading operations and I am sure there must be some Peanut Butter M&Ms in the bottom of that tin as he seems to have his little hand in there!  (If you haven't tried Peanut Butter M&Ms you must.  However, I can only find them in the US so anyone going, please bring me some back!)  I am sure he thinks I can see him doing it but I know you know!

I can also show you a lickle project which I finished on Sunday night....

Hubby decided that it should be a "purple grungy gothie teenage girl" thing!  I hope you think it matches what he suggested.  I cannot do real goth but hopefully someone will buy it when I have my stall at the Christmas Craft Fair at our local Church for the Cancer Charity.  I also hope I can make enough stuff before then to sell too!

Well, off to have a look at some other desks now and then watch "Who Do You Think You Are" and then another few desks before I hit the Pit (aka bed!).    Don't forget to click HERE and you can go bloghopping too!

Please leave me a comment as they mean so much to me.

See ya soon.

Hettie

Grungy Monday 16 - Is it really?

Good Afternoon Crafters

I am just about under the wire on my Grungy Monday Challenge this week, but can hardly believe that it is Week 16!!  Wow!!

The Lovely Linda has chosen this week that we include some Grunge Board or Grunge Paper in our challenge this week and this week I have again chosen not to make a tag!!  Eeeek!!  I needed to make a Raffle Prize for next Saturday's Annual Summer Lunch at the Quilting Group I belong to so decided I would make something using my lovely Tim Holtz Sewing Die and Sewing Stamps.  The last couple of years I have made little note books which have been snapped up in no time so this year I have made a book a little bigger....

The covers were made using a mixture of Creative Imaginations paper for the front cover, plain pale green cardstock for the back and Laura Ashley for the inside covers.  They were all inked with Distress Inks and stamped with a plethora of stamps using DIs and Dabber paint. 

I used the technique of painting with Perfect Pearls as we did in an earlier GM Challenge, the buttons were painted with dabber, inked, stamped and triple embossed. The sewing bits were stamped on a mixture of cream and kraft cardstock and embossed with clear embossing powder. 

Fibres and ribbons were used to make the book closure and decorate the wires.  The whole book was put together with my BIA and brown wires.  

The pages were all stamped with various stamps.  The paper used is watercolour paper so that the receipient can decide how they wish to use the book when they win it.

Off to do some gardening then will be back to look at the other Crafters who have joined in with the Challenge.  If you wish to have a peek then click HERE and you will be taken to the Lovely Linda's blog where you can see the other entrants.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and have a good week.

TTFN

Hettie

Ingredients:-

DI - Barn Door, Fired Brick, Brushed Corduroy, Forest Moss, Peeled Paint; Die - Tim Holtz; Stamps - Tim Holtz, Elusive Images, Crafty Individuals, Paperartsy, Boofle; Grungeboard - Ranger;  Dabber - Ranger; Perfect Pearls - Perfect Gold - Ranger; Cardstock - Bazzill; Papers - Creative Imaginations, Laura Ashley;

Would anyone like to make a Stamp Book with me?

Good evening Crafters

What a glorious weekend, weatherwise, we have had.  I hope you all had a good time at Ally Pally, those of you who were able to go.  I am not jealous at all, not, not, not!!  I will be there at the next one, have no fear!!

I mentioned on WOYWW last Wednesday that I would put a tutorial on here as to how I made my Stamp Book which was on my desk in the photo.

I have had a few responses from people wishing to make one, so I am letting you have a requirements list tonight and I will give you until next weekend to gather your bits so that we can make one together next weekend.  By then the weather is allegedly going to be cold again so you won't be wanting to go outside anyway!!

Here is the first book I made some two years ago....

 As you can see it was made to house my Tim Holtz stamps because I had bought this stamp set....

and I did not have anywhere to keep the stamps safely once the packet had been opened.  My collection of acrylic stamps at that time were being kept in a basket and sometimes  they would slip and slide all over the place when I was rummaging through the basket looking for a particular one.   It was time to sort the problem out!!

After the initial book I went on to make several more, (that paper set above was one of my favourites! I have a few sheets left for that something special project!!!), including a Christmas one ....

and one which I adapted in order that I could hold unmounted stamps in it, which is now getting a little full, so I may just make a new one specifically for my Paperartsy stamps.

 

 

At least with this method of storage, it is pretty easy to make a new book when the current books are full!!! 

Requirements List:-

Thick chipboard - I use a wonderful chipboard which is about 3mm thick and which I buy from The Art Shop in Abergavenny.  Despite its thickness it cuts beautifully with a rotary cutter and can withstand a fair bit of bashing and carting to crops.  The Art Shop will soon have an online shop but in the meantime, if you cannot get to Abergavenny, you can usually pick up chipboard from shops such as Hobbycraft and other good art shops.

Bookrings 2" - three if you are using Tim Holtz stamp sheets or otherwise possibly four.

Unmounted stamp sheets/folders - If you are using the Ranger stamp sheets you can buy them here (amongst other places).  If you are using zip folders (as in my last book) they are usually available at Ryman or W H Smith. 

4 sheets of heavyweight Paper/cardstock - this binder is going to take quite a bashing so use a good heavy quality paper to avoid it getting ripped and torn too quickly.

Wet glue - mod podge or Christine Helmuth medium (love this stuff), you can buy it here.

Brayer - makes it easier to adhere the glue.

Corner rounder - if you like your corners rounded.

Cropadile - gonna need to make large holes.

Large eyelet - so you can thread your ribbon through without tearing the chipboard cover.

Large pronged brad or a button with a shank on to make the closure.

12" piece of ribbon - not too thick, say 1/2" width, to make closure.

Masking tape.

Selection of matching ribbons/fibres  -to decorate rings.

Sandpaper.

Ink/krylon pen - to ink the edges.

Embelishments - time to have fun!!  The world is your oyster!!

Foam pads.

This list is not exhaustive, and I am sure that something or other will have been left off but do not panic!!

Please let me know if you wish to join in with making yourself a little stamp book with me.  I will hopefully have a new set of Wendy Vecchi stamps to make a new book for by the end of the week, however, I will give you full measurements/allowances on the way and you can always e-mail me if you are not sure what size you need to make your book. 

Happy Crafting.

Hettie

Please note I am not being sponsored by any store to promote them.  I have just put links to stores to make it easy for you to know where you can purchase the parts.  You are, of course, free to use a store of your choosing.

Bad Blogger - Bad Blogger!!

Hello there Peeps. 

I know, I know.  I have been such a bad blogger this week and whether you believe it or not, it has not all been of my making!!!

On Thursday of last week I took the Wedding Invites (thank you all sooo much for the kind compliments - they helped) to the Bride and Groom's home, in a (if I say so myself) lovely large (recycled) brown paper bag which I had decorated with pretty papers, fluffy ribbon and - Yes - you guessed it, some purple flutterbys. 

They were absolutely chuffed to little mintballs as my family used to say with the Invites.  They even brought a tear to the Bride's eye.  The Bride, Sharon said that now they had come it all seemed "so real" and that it was all about to start now. 

I was soooooo relieved.  It is a huge responsibility making those, not having done so much as a Birthday Invitation before like that.  Sharon had even bought me a lovely bunch of flowers to say Thanks too.  They were well appreciated.

By the time I got back from there and poured a glass, Play Time was all but over so I just went for a wander round some more desks which I hadn't done Wednesday night.

Friday.  We went to see a nice Surgeon man who is going to fix my knee.  As we arrived at Reception the fire alarms went off and we were plunged in darkness.  Ho Hum!  We were let back in, still no lights but the Surgeon did not really need lights to manipulate (and hurt lots) my knee.  Ouch!!  Me and 'Im then had a very enjoyable day pottering around nice places.  Friday night - well - whilst browsing on a certain website (only a peek honest), can you guess what happened?........... Yep - we lost our internet!!!!!  Two hours of phone calls to Mumbai we were told (a)we did not have a problem as there were none in the area (how can they tell from there?) (b) yes there was a problem and we would be back up on Tuesday.  How was I gonna order goodies?  (Have mobile - will shop!!!)

Then Saturday.  A day of stitching, drinking tea and natter with my Quilting Buddies - great!  However, I started the day with a bit of a giffy tum.  Never mind.  Then my Mum telephoned me to tell me she had won the Flair Magazine Competition and would I take her to the NEC to see it hung up.  Was I going to say "No"?  Of course not.  I could not turn her down!  Do you think I am crazy?  Shopping for crafty stuff!

To the Quilting Group I went.  A little later thought I was starting to feel "odd"!  Do you know what I mean?  Can't quite put your finger on it but you know things aren't right?   I left the group a little earlier than usual and drove straight home without making my usual stops (Mum, Mandy, TK Maxx, What! - not necessarily in that order) and had to sit on the drive for Hubby to let me in.  When he pulled up I was sat in the car with heaters on full, shivvering and looking pretty pale.  Up the stairs he marched me and within a short while I was being very ill..... and ill....... and ill.... It would appear that my giffy tum was the start of Gastroenteritus!!!!  My poor body was being turned inside out!  Yuk!

Sunday more of the same.

Monday not much better - feeling very groggy. 

Today.  Still feeling very groggy, with giddiness, stomach cramps and nausea.  Hubby called the Doctor out (which I did not want) who declared that I was dehydrated, the cramps were most likely what little food I had eaten going through my very sore tummy and that I may have a water infection.  Can it get any worse?  She did give me some tabs to stop the nausea and so far they are working and I have now managed a whole cup of green tea without wanting to be ick!  Success. 

And as you may guess we have at last had our internet back albeit very slow.  Though don't tell BT as they have told us we wont get it back until at least Saturday now!!!

Well, as you have been so kind to read my drivel I cannot leave you without someat nice to look at now can I?  Here are some little books which I have been making in between invitations, Bridal visits, lost internet, hospital visits and bathroom visits (nah not the last one.  I have not been in my Craft Room for the last two days!  even this is being typed in my bed!!).

Here are the reverse covers....

 I was going to put a "Mum" on the fronts but I am not sure now.  One of these is for me but not sure which one yet, the other two are for Mum and MIL.  Eeny meeny miny mo.....  I decorated the panels with Ranger gloss paper and alcohol inks, and stamped using a Hero Arts Dandelion Stamp and Archival ink.

You will need to buy this book from HERE to get the instructions.  It is the Sue Roddis book called Handmade Decorative Books which I love, though this is the first one I have made out of it.

Nite Nite.  Thanks for letting me ramble on.

Hettie