WOYWW #8 and A Tutorial

This is going to be an especially looooonngg post, but I promise it will satisfy your curiosity as well as your creative hunger!!

Welcome to my 8th edition of WOYWW!!  If you're not familiar with WOYWW, click the button above.

This week I've been busy deconstructing antique books.  At the bottom of this post there is a tutorial on how to take apart books and remove the individual pages with as little damage as possible.

Before I get to the pages, let me tell you why I'm taking apart so many books...

Basically, I'm a craft supply shopaholic and found some great deals online.  Soon I'll be selling excess ephemera in my new Etsy and Artfire shops.

Now lets get to WOYWW...

Here are just a few of the deconstructed books.  The piles in the bottom row are all part of an 1880 hymnal that I was in the process of taking apart.  The small stack in the back is another 1880 hymnal that I'd already finished (I have 10 total).

 The ginormous stack on the blue case, is made up of pages from 3 antique books dating from 1877 to 1942. 

Here's a close-up of the 1877 dictionary pages...

When I start listing some of this ephemera on Etsy and Artfire, my plan is to offer a wide variety of themed packs such as the ones below.

For those of you that have been wondering where I disappeared to, now you know what I've been up to!  Don't worry, the Crafty St. Patty's Party will resume shortly and the March Madness Giveaway will begin tomorrow!!  Included in each of the 10 prizes will be some of this 100-year-old ephemera!!  Pretty cool, huh? 

TUTORIAL: DECONSTRUCT AN ANTIQUE BOOK

Note: This is a very messy project so be prepared to clean up when you're finished!! 

SUPPLIES

Antique Book

Craft knife & mat (optional)

The book I'm taking apart is a Lutheran hymnal from 1880.

Step 1: REMOVE COVER

Using whatever means necessary, remove the covers and as much of the spine as possible.

You may want to use a craft knife to separate the covers from the first and last pages.  With really old books, the covers will almost fall right off!

This was just something neat I found inside the spine of one of the 1880 hymnals.  It looks as though the covers and spine were actually made from old newspapers!!  And to think that we consider recycling and reusing a new thing!! 

Step 2: BREAK INTO SECTIONS 

Take a close look at your book and you'll see that the pages are actually "signatures" sewn and glued together.  If you're familiar with book binding you'll already be familiar with signatures.

In order to remove more of the spine and glue and also to help make the next step a little easier, separate your book into smaller sections.

Note: When you create your sections, make sure you do it between the signatures and not in the middle of one.

Step 3: SEPARATE SIGNATURES 

Gently pull apart the signatures from the binding.

This part is really messy.

Step 4: TEAR (CUT) PAGES

You'll notice that most of the signatures will still have some glue on them so you'll need to try and remove as much as you can.  It usually scrapes off, but if you're having a tough time, try opening the signature and removing the glue while it's open.

Open the signature to center.  Depending on your own personal preference either gently tear or cut the signatures down the center.  If you choose to cut the signatures, I highly recommend a craft knife and cutting mat.

FINISHED

Ta da!!  Now you have hundreds of great antique ephemera pages!!

Unfortunately you're also left with a huge mess to clean up!!  This little photo doesn't even begin to cover the mess from this project!!

If you're nit-picky like me, you'll want to separate the pages by topic!! hehehe

Be sure to stop by tomorrow so you can enter my March Madness Giveaway for your chance to win one of 10 crafty supply packs valued at $10 or more each!!

Thanks for reading!! Until next time...

Tutorial: Christmas Card Book

Even though I said that the Elf House Ornament was going to be the last Christmas craft tutorial of the year, I thought you all would really enjoy this Christmas Card Book tutorial!!

This tutorial will show you how to make a really neat (and pretty) book of the Christmas cards you receive each year!!  It even uses Christmas wrapping paper on the covers!!

At the end of the tutorial, I'll list some additional options for this project and ways you can totally change it up!!

GATHER SUPPLIES

Chipboard

Wrapping paper from this year

Coordinating cardstock

Coordinating 1/8" satin ribbon

Cover decorations

Crop-a-dial (or similar tool)

Eyelets

Hole reinforcing stickers

Glue

Step 1: PREP COVER SUPPLIES

CHIPBOARD PIECES

You will need to cut 2 pieces of chipboard for your covers.

To determine the size of your chipboard pieces, do the following:

- Measure the longest/tallest card you received and add 1/2" to that measurement; this will be your height.

- Measure the widest card you want to include and add 1/2" to that measurement; this will be your width.

WRAPPING PAPER PIECES

You'll need 4 pieces of wrapping paper to cover the chipboard pieces.

2 of the wrapping paper pieces will be about 2" longer and wider than your chipboard pieces.

The other 2 wrapping paper pieces should be 1/2" to 1" shorter and narrower than your chipboard pieces.

Step 2: DECORATE COVERS

COVER THE FRONT OF EACH COVER

Lay one of the larger pieces of wrapping paper face down and center chipboard cover on top.

Fold over the two longer edges and glue in place.

Fold in the corners as shown above.

Note: When using wrapping paper in this project, be very careful because the wrapping can tear pretty easily.

Fold and glue down the other two edges.

Repeat these steps for the other cover.

COVER THE BACK OF EACH COVER

Glue the smaller wrapping paper pieces in the center of the backs in order to cover the rest of the chipboard that's showing.

DECORATE

Decorate the front of the front cover.

Note: I just added a title and left it at that, but I may add more later.

Step 3: ADD HOLES

COVER

Using a Crop-a-Dile or similar tool, punch the following 3 holes about 1/2" away from the "binding" side of your covers:

- One hole should be perfectly centered.

- The other two holes should be 1/2" to 1.5" from the top and bottom.

Using the Crop-a-Dile or other eyelet tool, add eyelets to each of the holes making sure the "nice" side of the eyelets are on the outsides of the covers.

CARDSTOCK PAGES

I decided to add a piece of cardstock immediately inside each cover to protect both the cards and the wrapping paper.  These 2 pages measure 1/2" shorter and narrower than the covers.

Line up the "binding" side edges of the wrapped covers and cardstock pages making sure the cardstock is centered.

Mark where the holes need to go by making a dot through each cover hole onto the page.

Punch them out using the same tool you used on the covers.

I added hole reinforcing stickers to each hole I punched in the cardstock so it wouldn't tear later on.

CARDS

Before punching the holes in your cards, you'll want to determine which side will go on the "binding" side of the book.  I chose the folded edge of the cards and the tops of the photo cards.

 Punching the holes in the cards is a bit more complicated and is different for longer and shorter cards.

Longer cards

Line the folded edge up with the cover as you did with the cardstock pages. 

Mark where the holes need to go by making a dot through each of the cover's 3 holes onto the card.  

Punch out the holes using the same tool as earlier.

Shorter cards (not long enough for all 3 holes)

Line the folded edge up along the "binding" side edges of the covers, but instead of centering the card, place it 1/4" to 1/2" from the top.

Mark where the holes need to go by making a dot through the cover's top 2 holes onto the card.
Punch out the holes using the same tool as earlier.

 Step 4: BIND BOOK

Stack your covers, pages, & cards in this order (bottom to top):

Back cover

Back cardstock page

Cards (from tallest to shortest)

Front cardstock page

Front cover

Using 8" to 10" lengths of 1/8" satin ribbon, tie loose double knots and add bows.

FINISHED!!

Now wasn't that a fun project!!  I had a blast making my book and I know you will too!!  Here are the other ideas I had for the projects...

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

There are so many other items you can add to these little books and they have sooo much potential for other projects as well!!  I'd like to take a moment to mention just a couple of the ideas I've come up with so far!!

OTHER ADDABLE CONTENT

There are so many other things you can save in this book besides just cards!!  What if the title were just "Christmas 2011" rather than "Christmas Cards 2011"?  You could add things such as...

*The card and/or newsletter you mailed that year

*Received newsletters & photos

*Handwritten memories from that Christmas

*Christmas Photos

and a ton of other memorabilia items!!

SPECIAL EVENT CARDS

This project could be used to save your cards from really special events such as...

*Birthdays

*Anniversaries

*Weddings

*Bridal showers

*Baby showers

*Birth of a child

and many others!!

CHILD'S VALENTINE BOOK

Children get a ton of adorable valentines from their classmates and this would be a great way to remember all of that cuteness!!  You could even have your child decorate the covers!! 

Thanks for reading!! Until next time... 

I've submitted this tutorial to the...

Tutorial: Fabric-Covered Notebook (Part 2)

This is the second half of the Fabric-Covered Notebook.  You can find the first half HERE.

In this part of the tutorial, I'll show you how to...

- Attach the fabric to the cover

- Hide the edges of your fabric

- Add the belt-style closure

I'll list the supplies from Step 1 again so you can be sure you have everything.

SUPPLIES

Necessary Items
- Notebook (I used a mini composition notebook)
- Glue (I used Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue)
- White or black cardstock
- Fabric
- Coordinating cardstock or other thick paper
Optional Items
- Grey-board (cereal box cardboard)
- Wide ribbon or strip of fabric
- Coordinating 1/8" satin ribbon
- Large-eye sewing needle
- Coordinating beads
- Charm
- 2 Jump-rings or split-rings

Step 5: ADD  THE FABRIC COVER

The most important part of this step is making sure your fabric gets glued down straight!  If there is a pattern to your fabric and it's crooked, it will be noticeable!

Prep Fabric

Cut enough fabric to cover the entire book and have about 1" extra on all sides.

Iron the fabric if it's wrinkled; this is optional because when you glue it down you pull out the wrinkles anyway.

Glue Fabric - Front

Make sure your fabric is straight, especially if it has lines on it like mine! You will notice if it's not straight when you look at it from the side.

Put a thin layer of glue on the white/black cardstock part of the front cover, but not the spine.

Smooth out any "globs" of glue because you don't want a lumpy book.

Gently place your fabric onto the cover, making sure it's still straight.

Gently tug on the edges of the fabric to remove any loose fabric or wrinkles.

Put a little bit of pressure on the cover to make sure the fabric is glued down.

Glue Fabric - Back

Flip the book over and wrap the fabric around the book.

If the fabric was straight on the front, it should stay straight when you wrap it around to the back.

Put a think layer of glue on the white/black cardstock part of the back cover and still none on the spine.

Gently pull the fabric away from the spine and lay onto the cover.

Gently tug on the edges of the fabric to remove any loose fabric or wrinkles.

Put a little bit of pressure on the cover to make sure the fabric is glued down.

Step 6: GLUE DOWN FABRIC EDGES

For some books you may want to skip the "Glue Corners" part of this step, but since my book had rounded edges, it was important to glue them the way I did. 

The Spine

Close your book and determine the width of the spine.

Cut straight lines where your fabric is bent to make a "flap".

Open the book to make the fabric puff up at the spine.

Fold the "flap" down behind your fabric; you may need to use a pencil to push it down insides if your using a smaller book.

Repeat these steps on the other side of the spine.

Cut a little triangle of fabric off so it looks like the photo; it'll make gluing the edges down much neater.

Glue the Corners

Put a thin layer of glue in the corners of the inside of your cover.

Gently pull the corner of the fabric at a 45-degree angle towards the opposite corner of the cover.

Lay the corner into the glue.

Gently tug the fabric so it's tight around the corner.

Press down to make sure the fabric is attached; you may have to hold for a moment so it doesn't come loose.

Repeat these steps for the remaining corners.

Glue the Edges

Put a thin layer of glue that covers about 1" from the outside edge.

Gently pull the fabric towards the inside of the book.

Lay the fabric into the glue.

Gently tug the fabric so it's tight around the edge.

Repeat these steps for the top and bottom edge of the cover and then glue down the edges of other cover.

Step 7: ADD CLOSURE (optional)

If your cover is really thick and you did not have to reinforce your cover, you'll definitely want to do this step before attaching your fabric!!  There are many different kind of closures you can add, but this is the one I use the most since it's adjustable.

Prep Ribbon & Cover

Cut a length of ribbon that will wrap around your book at least 1.5 times.

Put a tiny dab of glue on one end of your ribbon (back side).

With both jumprings on your ribbon, fold the end over the jumprings and glue the end to the ribbon, making a loop.

Determine where you would like your closure and your jumprings to lay on the front cover.

Notice where the glued section of ribbon is located and put a dot just under it.

Using an awl, put two holes on either side of the dot; this will be where you sew the closure onto the cover.

With your knot on the inside, push the needle through one of the holes in the cover.

Sew your closure in place using the holes you've made.

With the book closed, determine where you want to secure the back of the closure; I usually put my stitch about 1/2"-1" from the edge.

Using an awl, place two holes in this location just as you did for the front cover.

With the knot on the inside, push the needle through one of the holes in the cover.

Sew the ribbon in place using the holes you've made.

Step 8: HIDE FABRIC EDGES

Cut & Glue Cardstock

Cut a piece of cardstock a little smaller than your cover (see photo).

Place a thin layer of glue on the back of the cardstock.

Press it firmly against the inside of the cover.

FINISHED!!

Thanks for reading!!  Until next time...

Tutorial: Fabric-Covered Notebook (Part 1)

This 2-part tutorial will show a simple way to cover a notebook with fabric.

It includes details such as...

- Reinforcing flimsy covers

- Adding a built-in ribbon bookmark

- How to work around the spine

- Attaching a belt-style closure

You can use the steps in this tutorial to cover other books and journals, as well as on projects like the Fleur de Lis Wall-Hanging.  

In this portion of the tutorial, I'll show you how to...

- Strengthen your cover

- Make sure you don't see the book's original cover & spine through your fabric

- Add an attached bookmark

Let's get started!!

Step 1: GATHER SUPPLIES

Necessary Items
- Notebook (I used a mini composition notebook)
- Glue (I used Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue)
- White or black cardstock
- Fabric
- Coordinating cardstock or other thick paper
Optional Items
- Grey-board (cereal box cardboard)
- Wide ribbon or strip of fabric
- Coordinating 1/8" satin ribbon
- Large-eye sewing needle
- Coordinating beads
- Charm
- 2 Jump-rings or split-rings

Step 2: REINFORCE COVERS (optional)

The little notebook I used had covers that were made from a single layer of grey-board.  I wanted them to be more sturdy, like a regular book cover.  This is an easy way to strengthen your covers and can be repeated to make them even stronger.

Prep Cardboard

Find or make a straight edge on one side of your cardboard.

Place your cardboard inside one cover with the straight edge towards the spine, making sure it's straight.

Trace around the edge of the cover and cut out.

Repeat this process for the other cover.

Attach Cardboard

Place a relatively thin layer of glue on one side of your cardboard.

Flip over and line up with the outside edge and corners of the cover.

Press firmly to make sure the cardboard is bonding to the cover.

Wipe away any excess glue and trim any overlapping cardboard.

Step 3: ADDING A BOOKMARK (optional)

If giving your book as a gift, adding a bookmark can be another special touch that's functional as well.  It's a great way to personalize your book even further if you're keeping it for yourself.

Make the Bookmark

Cut a length of ribbon that's about 3x the height of your book; remember that it's better to cut it too long than too short!

Tie a knot or a charm on one end of the ribbon.

Thread the other end of the ribbon through the large-eye needle.

Feed the beads on to the needle and pull them onto the ribbon; it will be difficult.

Push the beads all the way down to the knot or charm.

Attach the Bookmark

Place a thin strip of glue down the center of the spine that goes the entire length of the book.

Gently press the end of the ribbon without the beads onto the glue starting at the bottom and working your way towards the top.

Make sure the ribbon is straight and that it's adhering to the book.

Step 4: HIDE THE COVER & SPINE

This step is really important especially if the original cover isn't a solid color.  You'll want to use white cardstock for light to medium fabrics and black cardstock for dark fabric.  Having this behind your fabric guarantees you'll see the true colors of your fabric.

Hide the Cover

Using the white/black cardstock, repeat the steps shown in Step 2.

Hide the Spine

(Sorry for the lack of photos)

Cut a length of grosgrain ribbon that is 1" longer than the spine and wide enough to cover the spine and reach the edges of your white/black cardstock.

Fold your ribbon about 1/2" from the edge and glue in place.

Fold the other end so that the final length of your ribbon is a little shorter than the spine and glue in place.

Place a strip of glue from one end of your ribbon to the other, making sure it's centered.
Gently press the ribbon along the length of the spine.
Make sure the ribbon is straight and that it's adhering to the book.

Glue down the sides of your ribbon to the cover

Press firmly in place.

Note: Sorry about the photos in steps 3 and 4 being out of order.  While writing this I decided it would be easier if I grouped hiding the cover and hiding the spine into one step since they have the same purpose.

Part 2 Coming Saturday!!

I hope you'll join me on Saturday to see how we finish this project!!  In the second half of this tutorial, I'll explain how to...

- Attach your fabric to the cover

- Hide the edges of your fabric

- Add the belt-style closure