Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

FOLIAGE

52-Weeks of Book Binding, Journals and more...

Week 35

Dos-A-Dos Book

Supplies:

12" X 12" cardstock with pattern on both sides (this will be the covers), 16 sheets of paper for the pages, binding needle and thread, bone folder

Cut your cardstock the height you want your book to be.  I cut mine 7-1/2".  

Score your cover at 4" and 8" and fold in an accordion style.

Cut your pages the same height as your covers and 8" wide.  The pages will be 4" wide when folded.  Divide the pages in half, so you have eight for one side and eight for the other side.

Punch holes in your pages and on one side of your cover, making sure the holes match.

Now sew your pages to your book.  I used a five hole pamphlet stitch.

Now repeat for the other side.

This is such a versatile book.  Make one side with watercolor paper and the other with drawing paper.  Use newsprint, decorative papers, paper bags.  The possibilities are endless.  With Christmas just around the corner, how about stocking stuffers  Great for kids and easy enough for them to make.

I had so much fun making this book, I bough some more 12" X 12" cardstock. 

I will surely be making more.

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

FEATHER

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

COLORFUL

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

QUIET

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

STORM

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

MOUNTAIN

52-Weeks of Book Binding, Journals and more...

Week 34

This week's post is a Writing Tablet.  I made one of these years ago.  While I was cleaning and reorganizing my studio, I came across the one I made back then.  It gave me the idea for this week's post.

There are very few supplies needed to make this.  What you will need, 1-sheet 12" X 12" cardstock for the cover, 1-sheet 8-1/2" X 11" cardstock for back and one writing tablet (mine is 7" X 5").  Additional supplies: tape and/or glue.

Measure the height of your tablet and cut to size.  Now fold over the width of your tablet twice and the one more time with the remainder.  Example:  my width was 5", so I fold over 5" and then 5" again, which left a remainder of 2".  The first fold will be the pocket.  Measured 3" up from the outer edge and 4" down from the top.  Draw a line diagonally.  Cut along the diagonal line.

  

Glue the 2" flap to the back of the tablet.

Glue or tape the side and bottom of the pocket.

Cut the second piece of cardstock to size, cut and glue to the back of the tablet.

Your writing tablet is complete.  How cool is that?

Great for gift giving.  Try using blank paper and turn your writing tablet into a sketch tablet.

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

SCENIC

Stampin' Post

Tuxedo Card

Today I went to the Stampin Post in Temecula, California for a Make it/Take it.  We made this adorable little card for just $5.00.  Everything to make this card came in the kit.  It was fast, fun and so easy.

The black band on the card easily slides off to reveal a bi-fold card.  

You can see the beautiful scroll work on the outside of the card.  

I think the inside is just as lovely.  An open space to write a love note to that someone special.

I had so much fun making this card, I'm going to do it again next Friday.

Until then!

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

PETAL

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

Day 20 - SUN

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

STREAM

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

SOAR

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

WILD & FREE

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

WAVES

WAVES#AugustDrawingChallenge

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

TREES

I told you I could draw trees ;-)!

Crafftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

Flora & Fauna 

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

PRAIRIE#AugustDrawingChallenge

52-Weeks of Book Binding, Journal and more...

Week 33

I can't believe I'm already at "Week 33".  

Only nineteen more book to go. 

 WOW!

I had lots of fun creating this booklet.  I got the idea from the Paper Source Store.  However, their book was about double the size of mine.  So, you can add as many pages as you would like to have in your book.

The front and back covers of their book were made from, I'm guessing, good quality scrapbook paper.  I can't remember how  many the book in the store had, but I used three 8-1/2" X 11" sheets for the front and back.  I found this paper when I was organizing my studio one day and set them aside, because I knew I wanted to use them for something.  What?  I did not know at the time, but I'm glad I saved them instead of giving them away.  

I use a Codex Binding, which is the same binding I used for the "Map Book" and "The Ladies by The Sea Book" and was the same stitch used in the book from the Paper Source Store.  I like this binding because it's easy to do and you do not have to worry about gaps between your signature.

Inside Front Cover

Inside Back Cover

I purchased some really nice quality stationery at the Paper Source Store to use for the pages in my book.  I bought the off-white instead of white and used three sheets for each signature.  I like the way the off-white paper looks against the covers.  The idea of using folded scrapbook paper for the covers saves a lot of time. Not having to create the covers made putting the book together fast and easy, and I think the scrapbook paper looks just as good.  

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

FLOW

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

Moon & Stars

One small comment, "stars are NOT easy to draw".  At least not for me.

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

FLEDGLING

Craftsy 31-Day Drawing Challenge

RAIN

Today's Challenge

52-Weeks of Book Binding, Journals and more...

Week 32

I call this book "Graphics By the Sea", because it uses some of the Graphics scrapbook paper.

I have to be quite honest and say this book did NOT want to come together.  I had problems with it from the get go.  First with the cover.  The red strip on the left hand side, although I think looks good, was put on because I cut the cover for the book too short.

This book is made with five paper bags folded in half and a 5-hole Japanese stab binding holds all the pages together.

I made side pockets with the bottom flaps of the paper bag.  Here is the first page.

The graphics paper was double sided, so I could use either front or back.  It also had postcards, which I used to make additional pockets.  Some had lines, which I thought would be good to use for journaling.

However, this page I had to redo.  I once again cut the paper wrong.  When I went to pull it off after gluing it down, the bag tore.  I want you to know that I almost gave up and was going to trash the whole book.  But, then I thought, I'll just replace that bag, which I did and just redid that page only.

Some of the pages did not have flaps to make pockets, so I decorated those pages with the extra postcards.

Since these had lines, I used them for additional pockets and journaling.

More page pockets.

This postcard was suppose to be a pocket, but instead I glued the whole postcard down.  Luckily, I was able to pull it off before the glue dried.  I glued it back down with wax paper in the center and let it dry.  The wax paper kept the glue from sticking in the center and I was able to use it as a pocket after all.

Another page pocket.

If you notice on this page, the postcard is extra long and high on the page.  That's because I glued this postcard upside down.  When I went to carefully pull it off, the scrapbook paper underneath tore.  I did not want to have to take the book apart "again", so to solve that problem, I re-glued the postcard over the torn parts and added the saying at the bottom.

The back book cover is from the cardboard that is from the back of the paper pack I used. 

Nothing went to waste.

I must say this book almost got the better of me. 

I like the way it turned out, but I am sure glad I am done!!