Rustic Country Chic Guest Book or Photo Album

This book has been patiently sitting around my studio waiting for me to finish it,

which I finally did this week. Yay me.

It was a case of "am I finished with this or not?" It seemed like it needed

something else. The poor book was relegated to the shelf for 3 months

before I figured out what it was.

 

Beads! The magic touch.

 

 

I didn't want to overload the book with beads...just a subtle something extra,

so I put just three on every other thread.

 

 

I had a lot of fun stamping on the pages and making little pockets and envelopes.

 

This book would make a perfect guest book or photo album for a barn-style, forest theme, wild west, or vintage wedding. You could also use it as a journal for everyday or travel. It can be purchased here.

 

 

Art Journal Using Upholstery Fabric Swatches for the Covers

Years ago I found some upholstery swatch books in a thrift store. I've been hoarding them ever since, which not unusual for me. I have oodles of fabric, ribbon, paper, beads, sequins, stickers, magazine images...and so on. I even kept the extra wooden reeds from when I cut the length of my roman shades. I must have 150 sticks in my attic. What I am going to do with them all I don't know, but you never know when you might need a stick for a project!

Anyhow, I thought I would finally put to use all the little scraps of upholstery fabric by making journal covers with them.

The design process takes me forever, partly as I have to organize all the little scraps by color first because I'm like that. Then I have to find the exact right combination of colors and patterns.

I sew all the scraps together and sew a lining on the other side, taking care to remember to include the elastic loop on the back for the button closure. It's a real nuisance if you forget this step as you have to rip out the stitches to slip the elastic in between the cover and liner and sew it back together. Not that I am speaking from experience. ;)

Then it is text block time. I added lots of different colored paper pages and little swatches of scrapbook paper into my pages. I discovered when working within this journal that the colored paper was a moot point as I gessoed all the pages and painted on them, so it really didn't matter what color the page was to begin with. Oh well.

I stitched the pages into the book using a sort of modified longstitch/pamphlet stitch and added a button from my grandmother's collection.

 Ta-da! Finished product. I am about halfway done filling the pages of this book.
Here are some of the pages:

I am making some fabric journals to share and will post the link when they are ready in my Etsy shop.

Here is one ready to ship! https://www.etsy.com/listing/251497590/travel-or-art-journal-with-upholstery

Creative Ideas for Art Journaling

Blank journals can be somewhat intimidating. All that white surface staring back at you. Sitting with your pen poised over the page, afraid to make a mark and mess it up. I've been there!

Here is one way I jumped in and began work in my art journal. I found a video series on YouTube with Teesha Moore as my online tutor.

It was fun to explore a different style and I came away with a few new techniques.

Here is the finished product--

I blurred out the words on these two pages...sorry, but it was a bit personal! ;)

Here's one you can read if you want.

You can find my blank art journals here.

New Feature

Check out this great feature on my books! Paper Mojo has the most excellent blog, and I'm not just saying that because of the feature! ;)

http://www.papermojoblog.com/2011/09/its-all-in-the-details-handmade-books-from-emerson-bindery/

A Custom Combo

I just love it when my customers have a great idea that I never would have thought of on my own!

Recently I had a customer who fell in love with two of my books. She had trouble deciding between the two and asked if there was some way we could combine them into one book.

Here is her first love-

and the second love-

The two books combined-

I love it! This one worked out beautifully and I may just offer it as a stock item in my shop!

Another Unfinished Project Now Finished!

I have been working on cleaning out my "art attic" which will probably be an ongoing project since I can only devote segments of my time to it. I have filled two trash bags and have thus cleared out two storage tubs full of bottles, jars, boxes, and miscellaneous junk.

It is amazing how quickly I forget what I have stashed away and what intentions I had for the items in question. If you were to be in the room with me as I open a storage tub you would likely hear me muttering, "What is this?" and "Why did I keep it?"

A lot of items went either to the thrift store or the trash. Some were put back into the containers for another day. A few items I pulled out and declared I would do something with it NOW. And so I did, I am pleased to report!

Here is one of my projects--

 Before

This is a very elegant, high end chocolate box which I saved for some unknown purpose. I guess I just thought it was too nice to throw away.

After

I layered a piece of decorative gold toile paper (leftover from one of my guest books) on gold card stock and pasted it over the logo. Pretty simple, but lovely!

Here is the guest book made from that same paper--

Romantic Toile in Gold Guest Book

New Book Design - Peacock

As a follow up to my last post about the newest paper shipment, of course the first paper I got into was the peacock feather paper! I was practically drooling over it. I made plans and started cutting right after I took the photo of the papers in my last post.

I paired the peacock pattern with a golden mums on vanilla paper, which picks up the gold in the feathers, and echoes the circular eye as well.

You can really see it glistening in the light here.

I chose a teal bow, but royal blue would look equally good. You can find "Posh Peacock Guest Book" in my shop. This one is size XL, but I can make it in any of my sizes if you need something smaller.

New Paper Shipment!

Look at all the goodies that arrived this morning! I can hardly wait to use them...especially enticing is that peacock feather paper!

To Be Published!

Okay, so here's the big news I hinted about last week...

Lark Books contacted me and asked if I would like to participate in a book on handmade mini books that will be published later this year. Of course I said yes!!

Here is my book they selected for publication:

Orange Burst Mini Book

I have wanted to have my work published for years now but never made the time to submit it. How cool is it that they came to me!

Congratulations are in order for three of my Etsy Bookbinding Team mates, Cindy of Useful Books, and Simone of Antico Valore, and ParksideHarmony as they had books selected for the project also!