I had just taken a beer box out to throw away earlier today, but I didn't have the heart to pitch it because I found many things about the box attractive...like the silver sheen, a green leaf, and the way the word MANGO was printed on it in mango-y color! Anyway...I got the beer box and cut the two sides off for my front and back covers.
I cut the paper bag pages into 5 x 14 inches, so when folded in half longways they would be 5 x 7, which was the perfect size to fit inside the beer box covers! I made 2 signatures of 3 sheet of the paper each, and I punched holes in both signatures and the covers all matched up perfectly. I tied the book together with 2 black and 1 ivory colored ribbons I had in my junk drawer! I left them loose enough so that when the book is opened it can lay perfectly flat, for sketching! Then I cut peices of patterend paper for the inside of the covers.
As you can see, some of the paper has art work from Whole Foods Market on it, but I thought it was pretty, and it is a recycled project which makes it ultra groovy as well!
Here are two pages that are completely empty to sketch on...notice the nice way it lays so flatly...yippee!!! The way I did that was to tie the ribbons with the book laying flat open...that way you know there is enough leeway.
I did some decoupage on the front cover to make it pretty. I left the back cover just as itself...a beer box! I think I will cover the front with high gloss varnish in the morning to protect the papers I put on there. Of course, I am always up for a little more gloss...it is a weakness of mine!!! I hope you like my first try at a little recycled sketchbook...just for fun. The whole thing only took about 30 minutes at most. The only thing I would do differently would be to use at least 2 more signatures in it. I kinda like fatter sketchbooks. Hey...next time!
Now I can go to bed...I think. I still feel wide awake...yikes!
10 comments:
That is delightful. Good ideas.
i like the update to your blog, it's so pretty! what kind of gloss do you use? everytime i've used gloss or mod podge it either wrinkles everything or isn't very shiny.
What and excellent idea and just perfect execution. I love it. I am sure your daughter will love it too...if you can give it to her after the way it turned out. You might just be inspired to use it yourself. Teehee...
These are great and I've made them before... A large one to hold all my Grandmothers recipes for my niece. I used thicker cardboard, to make it more firm.
A friend of mine makes smaller, miniature books every year. One for each of her children. In it they put a few pics from Christmas, then a list of what they recieved as gifts, and whatever they think is important. These mini books are then put up and hung on the tree every year...
this is fantastic, i think i also want one....it is so ...fantastic.
That is a great project. Thanks Julie for sharing that.
Oh Julie, it turned out fabulous and using it that way is wonderful!!
Congratulations!!!
Wonderful!
No wonder you kept it!
But now you need to make your daughter another :)
You've done a great job with the sketch book. Love the cover. I've always loved doing paper bag albums, but not as photo albums or sketch books. I usually decorate each page heavily with theme-related stuff, and add lots of tags into pockets and folds. I like making them for various holidays for the hosts when attending various potlucks, dinners, parties, etc. I love making the Halloween ones the best, and have about 4 of them now.
Aiyana
Great idea! I think you'd need gel pens or something bright to draw with though, wouldn't you?
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