Monday, April 12, 2010

Handmade Mini Book

This months paper swap theme is 'mini books' and I was partnered up with Amelia Critchlow of 101 Bird Tales. Thanks LaWendula (of Woven Letters) for all that you do to organise these monthly swaps! My linky thing isn't working right now so I will have to come back with the links!

Here's the book I made...



The cover is made from recycled papers glued together with a watery mix of PVA, stained with some coffee and then sealed with a sheet or 2 of sewing pattern paper. I'd forgotten how much I love pattern paper! The colour, the markings, the texture, the quick drying time and the fact that it's recycled!

There are 20 pages in this book which are made up from old book pages like the ones shown and blank pages which my partner can use if she wants too.



The page above is made from a paper big and features a tradtional Maori Tiki and the Kiwi. I knew I'd saved this bag for a good reason! I also added a small board book to my parcel for my partner to alter and it's all on it's way to the UK today.

Using some more of my 'layer' paper I made these 16 inchies for a yahoo group swap. I'm pretty happy with the results and I love the layer paper which was inspired by Debrina's fabric paper. I wanted to make fabric paper but didn't have any muslin so I came up with a different version to suit the same purpose!

That's all from me folks! Hope your all well and enjoying the new season! 

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I love your little book. Think I will have to find some of this sewing paper to try stuff out with. Is it pattern paper?

Brian K said...

What a lucky swapper! I love both your books! Aweomeness ensues! More, more, more!!!

Lawendula said...

Lovely! This will be a very nice surprise! Thanks for sharing!
Btw:

Caterina Giglio said...

what a great swap and you got to play with Amelia!! how nice! love your book! I see our great minds are thinking alike, making substrates to put our tiny stiches on! great inchies too! and pattern paper rocks!!

Mick said...

Here it is another perfect spring day and I'm inside perusing these beautiful pages. :)

Lisa said...

love all you've done here.. the recycled supplies, the coffee stain and the wonderful way in which you've pulled it all together. The inchies grouped together make a very cool work of art.. you should consider photographing them to sell as a framed art print.

Kris said...

That is a very special book! Lucky lady is getting it :)
Your inchies are really neat. Lots of texture! I like your creative spirit.

Debrina said...

It's so beautiful, Lisa! I love absolutely everything about this litle book. That's one lucky, lucky lady getting that book. I also love those inchies! Oooo you are making me get all itchy for my studio, which is just mean, as I'm not at home right now.

peata said...

love this mini.
soo cute.
have book marked your blog.
scrapbook-crazy.com

Grit said...

omg am passing out with gratitude. thank you for lovelyscrumptious book and craft. am truly inspired and will shortly start crashing around in bookbindingbox with pointy needles and old paper and everything. thank you x

carole brungar said...

Your hand made paper is gorgeous! Perfect for your book, I'm sure it will be treasured :))

John M. Mora said...

Excellent and precious, Lisa.

Vakuoli said...

Hi Lisa, have you considered writing a more detailed tutorial about how to make this kind of book cover? This is just lovely! Did you use cardboard or something as a base and then cover it with those bits of paper in a decoupage fashion? how many layers of papers is there? Is the pattern paper just something you took from an old sewing magazine? Does it turn see through when glue is applied on it? How to dilute the PVA glue? 1:1 glue and water or some other mix?

Thanks for posting this beauty.