Try Something New ...

... well i did and it actually turned out pretty ace!!

Okay, i may be getting a bit big for my boots here but it turned out so well i actually did a little jump for joy even gave an ekk of excitment!!

A project had been brewing in my mind for awhile.
A new binding style had been calling my name.
Along came the perfect book that would suit the new binding style and idea perfectly.

 

The Result:

no stitching on the spine ...

... lots of pretty pages ...

... tabs and stitching ...

... an assortment of plain and patterned pages ...

... hidden pockets ...

 

It is certainly a chunky journal and the first of many to come.

 

Have you tried anything new lately??

 

 

Different style Journals...

Have recently made some SMASH style journals.

Middle one is my favourite, my son told me I could sell it for hundreds of pounds. He is a great confidence boost :o)

 

A lovely journal for a lovely lady ...

Way back in May i was asked to make a special journal for a great little girl who attends my brothers dance school.
You can read more about that here:
http://www.dabandadash.blogspot.com/2011/05/happy-birthday-taylor-may.html

Her mum asked me to make some more journals for Christmas. One for each daughter and only requirements were lined pages and with a specific photo on the front (this was slightly worrying as me and Dylon image maker fluid have a hit/miss relationship). I am very lucky when this lady asks me to make a journal because she just gives me her daughters favourite colours and that's it ... the rest is up to me.

They turned out very well and I wasn't the only one pleased with the result:

The feedback:

"oh my days the girls screamed when they opened them, jumped up and down, taylor shouts jacc and millie shouts starlight hahaha. Thank you thank you. I explained you made them and taylor eyes nearly popped out of her head lol."

Thank you Stacy for letting me make these special books and using your photos.

*************************

 

projects...

These are recent projects I have made for me:

First project was a journal:

I carry around an old (hangs head) shop brought one, and thought if used one of my own creations it would serve as advertising and could be rethreaded with blank pages when full.

Charlie recently went to London for the day and while there he took many photos of old Red Buses, Telephone Boxes and the Queens Guards. He did this because he knows how much I love them.
I decided to use one of these images for a cover.

I really couldn't be bothered with the mess and waiting for the image transfer to dry so printed the image straight onto fabric.

Added a flat button to the back cover to keep covers closed (i like to keep leaflets (and other bumpf i pick up) tucked in my notebooks.

The 4 signatures each have decorative endpapers.

This one is the new Oxford range from Basic Grey (they have yet to create any papers i do not like.)

********************************

Second project I made a laptop sleeve:

Amongst my magazine collection is a copy of SEWHIP which features the perfect project. They looked easy and i, stupidly, thought not alot different to basic bags i've made in the past or my journals.

Finished result:

The reindeer was a Paperchase sale purchase years ago, it adds no purpose other than I like it...

(and if i'm honest covers up a small hole I made when forgot the ribbon would need to cover the thickness of the laptop which meant moving the button.)

The bottom picture shows the laptop sitting snugly and safely in the sleeve.

I learnt ALOT from this project.

This piece of fabric started off as the original, failed attempt, laptop sleeve...

What did i learn?

1. Measure your fabric properly, don't just guess.

2. If the fabric doesn't fit, it won't ever fit, nothing you try will make it fit.

3. The thickness of the fabric does make a difference. to a project like this.

4. Read instructions properly don't skim through them and think "Right that's easy!"

5. A laptop sleeve is NOT the same as my journals covers.

6. Not to watch House at the same time as cutting or pinning.

7. It can be finished in an evening but the time not spent on it will show in the end result.

8. There is a reason people make and sell gorgeous gadget cases and i don't.

I ended up starting again, taking my time, choosing

better fabric, enjoying the project and ending up with a useable sleeve.

Feel free to share any projects that you have attempted and failed...

This one is all mine...

 

I decided to make a journal  just for me, one which has meaning and one which i WILL use.

Being a crafter I keep alot so called rubbish but they are items/scraps which mean something to me and get saved for a special reason.

I am very lucky to have such great friends who are kind to me and give me items which, again, i like to save for a special purpose.

This journal contains many of these special scraps and treasures.

It was a great way to practise my long stitch binding and learn from mistakes:

-if you don't have a long enough piece of hemp cord it will not stretch or become long enough so cut another length.

-check your patterned papers aren't upside down BEFORE threading.

amongst others.

FRONT COVER:

A & C a piece of scrap paper.

2 boy characters have been taken from a piece of fabric given to be by a lovely Folksy seller: xBAGS OF LOVEx

There is a tiny heart brad but it isn't visible amongst the spots.

BACK COVER:

 a tester for my new skill: buttonholes.

INSIDE FRONT COVER:

coloured doilies involved a trip to Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thechipchopshop 

-yellow: Felt BOT made by Charlie

-blue: label from Alfie clothing

-red: button from my brothers Pjs

"love you more" is a phrase we say alot in our house.

INSIDE BACK COVER:

papers used as endpapers are all double sided and are part of a gift bundle from my good friend Ros (http://lets1eepingdogslie.blogspot.com/)

have been waiting for the perfect project to use them.

CLOSE UP OF INSIDE BACK COVER:

-red leather heart: Pap was shoe maker and have ALOT of love for these special people

-deckchair fabric: Back Garden memories

-happy definition: MANY MANY HAPPY memories

-photo: My NAN & PAP

Not a day goes by I don;t miss these 2 very special people.

this journal is a monster!

It has 6 signatures each with 20 plain white pages and patterned endpapers.

ALOT of work and fun.

Thank you for looking and sharing this with me :o))