Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Handmade Book

Handmade Book

I've spent the last few days looking through some of my older artwork I made before I had a blog. These are my favorite pages from my book. I used a variety of supplies and stamps from my stash on this book.




I made this Handmade Book March 2011. 
Thanks for Looking and Have a Nice Day!

Monday, December 30, 2019

A Handmade Book I made September 2011



I love to make handmade books.
The cover, spine and pages can be adapted

to make any size book. 

Making up these instructions are my own.

My daughter owns and operated an antique shop in Southern Kansas. 
When she has too much of one item she brings them
to me to use in my artwork.
This is how I came about using game boards for the base of
my books and Kraft paper for the covers. 



Supplies:
Distress ink (vintage photo)
Kraft paper
Rubber stamps
Archival ink (black)
Glossy Card stock
Zutter Bind-it-All
5/8” Owires
3M Spray Mount Artist’s Adhesive
White card stock or 14pt file folders
White 2" masking tape
Paper Trimmer
12” Tim Holtz ruler
Studio Multi-Medium 
 (adhesive)
Martha Stewart score board
Cutting Rotary Mat
Craft mat knife
Game board or heavy duty cardboard
This booklet was made for my #8 finished tags; 3 1/8” x 6 ¼.” 
Instructions:
1. Cut scrabble game board into two pieces down the center fold with a craft knife. Set one aside for another booklet. Each piece is now seven inches by fourteen inches long. Place one piece down on rotary mat. Use mat cutter with metal edge of ruler to cut front and back book pieces. I cut one piece from left finished seam and one piece from the right finished seam, and then the seam binding and spacers from remainer of game board. 
These measurements are:
2 pieces 4” x 7”
1 piece 1 & 1/4” x 7”
2 pieces of game board as spacer
Set aside for now
Note: For safety, please use a new blade when cutting the game board or thick book board.  
2. Cut a 10” x 14” piece of Kraft paper; crumble the paper with your hands (try not to tear the paper as you crumble,) smooth out, crumble several times and then smooth out. Spray one side of Kraft paper with adhesive outdoors or in well ventilated area. Leave outside for a little while, bring in and place down on craft table adhesive side up.
3. Place the pieces of game board down over the adhesive. Allow an even space between the front, back and spine using the spacer pieces. (As seen in photo)
4. Use scissors to cut all four outside corners on a diagonal.


5. Crease and fold all edges inward.



6. Measure and cut one piece of masking tape 2 inches by 7 inches, cover the inside of spine. Cut another piece of white masking tape 2 inches by 9 inches long, add to outside of spine and continue to inside of spine. Press down until smooth.

7. Cut two pieces of Kraft paper and glue on inside to cover up scrabble game board.
8. Use Vintage Photo distress ink direct to color the book cover and on the inside. Or finish as desired.

9. Use paper trimmer to cut two pieces of card stock 4 3/8” x 6 3/4.” This will be the inside front and back face cover.

10. Use Bind-it-All tool to punch 12 holes in these two pieces as directed on instructions.  

11. Next, use score board to crease a valley folds ¾” on front and back pieces. 

12. Cut 12-15 pages of card stock 3½” x 6 ¾”

13. Use the instructions from the Bind-it-All to punch hole into each page

14. Make a stack with one page (mountain fold) 4 3/8” x 6 ¾”, 15 cardstock pages 3 ½” x 6 ¾” and then one page (mountain fold) 4 3/8” x 6 ¾” together.

15. Use tool to cut 5/8” Owires 6 inches long. (12 wires)
16. With the stacked pieces of cardstock place them in the Bind-It-All and then bind together.  When you have the owires and paper together they will look like the photo below with valley fold of front and back pieces and pages in the middle.
Note: The ends of wires will not be seen they will be under the card stock next to spine.
17. Insert the pages in center of center spine.  Close the booklet and check that the Owires are at the center of booklet. Open carefully and glue one side at a time, and center the booklet with even spaces on both sides with valley folds at folds of spine. 
Note: Glue the inside front and back pieces with the valley folds in center of booklet, I used a credit card with Studio Multi- Medium as an adhesive. Smooth with Speelball 4" Baren until it is smooth and applied to book. (Rubbing with your hand will do as well to get a smooth finish)

18. Final step: Embellish your booklet! 


Have fun making your booklet!!

Comments Aprreciated!!

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Journal Book Cover

Journal Book Cover

This journal started out as a piece of white fabric. I made images from my stamped cards with fabric transfers, next I sewed the transfers onto the cover and then added embellishments and distress the fabric with Distress Inks. Inside is a fabric liner to hold a composition booklet. I satin-stitched the edges with my sewing machine.
Note: All stamps are from my stash of stamps.
Top left; woman image and background images-Viva Las Vegastamps,
Bottom left; woman image-Stampsmith (no longer in business), background- Mrs. Oleary's,
Bottom right; woman image- Stampsmith (no longer in business), background stamps Above the Mark (no longer in business)
Word Stamp; Stamper Anonymous.
Inks: Distress Ink
Sewing Machine: Bernia
Fabric: White Canvas
Past blogpost from October 26, 2010.
Thank you looking and Have a nice day! 

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Embossed Tiles

                    "Embossed Tiles"

By Judy Cantrell



This is a project I shared on another blog years ago and never shared on this blog. 

“Embossed Tiles”
Light modeling paste makes a lovely textured white on a project. Adding color adds interest and with a 
finishing touch of Tar Gel Medium. You can make a very nice project 
suitable for gift giving using this technique. 

Directions:

  1. Apply a smooth finish of light modeling paste to a piece of canvas.
   2. Apply a stamp into the paste while still wet, lift off and then 
       clean  stamp with an old toothbrush before moving on 
        to the next step. 
example #1

Note: adding the right pressure to the stamp takes practice. I stamped this image on card stock instead of a canvas as my example. 
  3. Allow this to dry.
      4. Wet surface of modeling paste with a wet paint brush. 
        5. Start by adding transparent colors      
           of paint with a small paint brush or by dripping from the bottle. 
           Note: Bright color family works best for this technique. 
           If you have enough  water on the piece the colors will spread 
           like magic to look like embossed tiles.  
           Leave some areas light in  color. Let dry. 

      Close up of one finished flower
           A suggestion for colors: 
          Quinacridone Red, Quinacridone Magenta, 
          Permanent Violet,  Quinacridone Burnt Orange, 
          Hansa Yellow Medium, Nickel Azo Yellow, Raw Sienna 
          and Iridescent colors; Gold and Bronze. 

        6. Re-wet the surface and then add gold iridescent paint 
           to the white areas. Allow this to dry.
        7. Coat the entire surface with Clear Tar  Gel using a palette knife 
           and allow this to dry thoroughly. 

      Larger view of finished piece

      Note: The instructions in this book suggested foam stamps. I used a wood mounted stamp. It also suggested a square piece of canvas. I used card stock.

      Supplies: 

      Light Modeling Paste
      Clear Tar Gel
      Stamps
      Golden Paints
      Canvas 

      Friday, December 27, 2019

      Sweet Smiles

                          ~ Sweet Smiles

      by
      Judy Cantrell

       I'll share my card and tutorial that was published in Rubber Stamp Madness Spring 2011.



      Supplies:

      PhotoStamps

      Speedball brayer

      Cushion pad

      Glossy kromekote cover cardstock 10pt.

      Watercolor crayons

      Niji waterbrush

      Archival Black or Sepia ink 

      Tim's Tiny Attacher  

      Adirondack Alcohol inks; Pearl,purple, and yellow 

      Alcohol felt applicator

      Paper glue

      Clear rhinestones

      Black cardstock

      White china plate

      Cotton cloth 

      Instructions:

      1. Before inking new photostamps lightly scrub with soft nail brush and dish soap. Rinse well, and then dry using a lint free cloth. 

      2. If the photostamps image still won’t give a good stamped image, it might need a light surface sanding with emery cloth under running water. 

      3. Just before inking your photostamps make sure they are free of pet hair, lint or dust. Rinse with water and pat dry with lint-free cloth. 
      (I use an old cotton sheet cut in small 12" squares, when they are soiled they can be clean with work clothes or tossed away.)
      4. Ink your brayer with a forward rolling position on  Archival black or sepia ink pad. Keep rolling the brayer in the ink until well covered.
      5. Roll the brayer in one direction onto the stamp until well inked. 

      6. Place glossy paper on cushion pad shiny side up, press inked image down, smooth fingers over the stamp, leave image down on paper and start counting 10-20 seconds and then lift off stamp. 

      (If you are new to this is might take you several times to find the right pressure to get a perfect image.)

      7. Set image aside to dry. For best results; let the stamped image dry overnight. 

      Coloring

      8. My palette includes 6 colors; pink, green, orange, blue, yellow and brown watercolor crayons. From these colors you can make all colors by mixing two or more colors together.

      9. Use a clean white china plate for your palette.  Scribble each color around the outside of an 8” plate. You will have plenty of room to mix these colors on the plate. Leave the center for mixing flesh tone watercolor. 

      Note: when you finish water coloring let the colors dry on the plate, and then cover with plastic wrap until the next time you need to color an image. Add more color as needed before wetting the surface. 

      10. Use a wet waterbrush to swipe a very small amount of yellow, orange, pink and several swipes of brown in center of  china plate add droplets of the water to a runny consistency. Picking up more as needed to get the color you need for the face, arms, neck and hands. 

      Note: Test the coloring on a scrap piece of glossy cardstock. My preference is to color the face first. And then add color to other areas.

      Note: if the image looks too wet, blot with cotton cloth. Actually I keep the cloth in one hand and waterbrush in the other hand. Blotting as needed, adding more color as needed. 

      11. Use waterbrush with orange mixed brown or yellow mixed with small amount of brown for the hair.

      12. Use a waterbrush with blue and pink for a purple color for clothing. 

      13. Use waterbrush to mix yellow mixed with brown for the flowers. Highlight some of the flowers with a little orange watercolor. Set aside to dry overnight. 

      14. Trim image leaving a white border or mat to white cardstock. 

      (Note: Create the look of a real photo by polishing the watercolor image with a soft cloth.)

      To complete this card:

      15. Load pearl, purple and yellow alcohol ink onto felt applicator. Apply to 4” X 5 ¼” glossy cardstock. Don’t over mix. Leave some areas light. Let dry. 

      16. Adhere photo images to alcohol ink piece.

      17. Apply mini-staples to corners

      18. Adhere rhinestones. 

      19. Mat to 4 ¼” X 5 ½” folded card.

      Enjoy! Thanks for Looking! 


      Thursday, December 26, 2019

      A Calendar Project for 2020




      This project would make a nice gift for someone special.
      The size of calendar is small and fits perfect near my computer desk.  
      This calendar was made for a project April 24, 2012 and still a perfect project to make today since its almost the new year 2020. 

       Supplies:

      Tag and Bookplate die

      Stamp CMS # 001 (StampersAnonymous)

      TH Tattered Pinecone andleaf die

      TH Easel die 

      Card stock (personal stash)

      Vagabond tool 

      Iridescent pearlescent medium (Liquitex)

      Adirondack Paint Dabber (Ranger Ink)

      Perfect Pearls HeirloomGold (Ranger ink)

      Archival Black ink (RangerInk)

      TH Distress stain (RangerInk)

      Clear embossing powder (Hampton Arts)

      Craft sheet (Ranger Ink)

      Heat Tool (Ranger Ink)

      Ink blending tool(Ranger Ink)

      TH Distress ink pads(Ranger Ink)

      Perfect Image Positioner (PIP)

      Manila 14 pt Heavy duty folder (Staples)

      Seam binding (Martha Stewart)

      Cordless glue gun (Loctite)

      Advanced Tape Glider (Scotch)

      Seam binding (personal stash)

      Black card stock

      Stapler (personal stash)

      Scissors (personal stash)


      Instructions:
      1. Vagabond tool was used to die cut #8 tag using manila folder and tag die. 

      2. The tag was placed on craft sheet. The tag was painted with a thin layer of pearlescent medium followed by several colors of distress inks and finished by spraying a mist of heirloom gold. If the color is too dark, a simple spray of water will remove some of the color. Always heat set to dry. Using a variety of distress inks can be achieved to get the desired color on your tag. 

      3. Perfect positioner was used to stamp a perfect alignment of image and then adding clear embossing ink and heat to set. 

      4. (update: a calendar link would not work and was deleted)

      5. The calendar pages were printed and trimmed 2 3/8” x 2 7/8.” They were stapled, mat to black card stock and then applied to tag with tape glider. 

      Note: I made an extra January page to cover up the staples just for the photo and later was pulled off when February rolled around. 

      6. The rose was made using Pinecone die and Kraft paper. The directions can be found on Tim Holtz website but no longer is active.

      The rose was painted to complement the tag using a variety of inks, stains and dabber paints. 

      7. The leaf die was made using Kraft paper. It was inked with green distress stain. Hot glue gun was used to apply leaf die cut top left of calendar. 

      8. Hot glue gun was used to apply the rose over leaf.

      9. A heavy duty piece of file folder was used to die cut the easel and then applied to back of tag for a fold out stand. 

      10. Seam binding was applied to top of tag to finish. 

      Note
      This is a project I made and was published on Rubber Road Adventures. 

      Thanks for Looking! 

      Tuesday, December 10, 2019

      Die Cut Felt Bags


      I usually find something to make each year for Christmas gifts. This year I made these little felt bags using Eileen Hull gift card folder and label #2 die.
      From decorative covered cardboard or chipboard these would make a lovely envelope to house a gift cards. I took the envelope die to the next step by die cutting felt and sewing the openings and then added a snap and button for decoration.

      I'm enclosing my cherry chocolate lip balm/chapstick with these little gift bags, they will go to my mother, our two children, brothers and sisters and grandchildren.

      Wishing Everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


      Saturday, December 7, 2019

      Christmas Cards 2019


       Background 3D embossing folder and Christmas die are by Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz. Word says by Stampabilites/Hobby Lobby.

      Snowman die by Spellbinders and 3 D embossing folder by Stampers Anonymous/Tim Holtz. Word stamped image by Stampabilites/Hobby Lobby. Distresss Oxide inks were used on background and around word image.

        Left over background 3D embossing folder image was used with watercolor image by retired PSX image.

      I made a few more cards using this retired PSX images and scrapbook paper for this card.

      I still don't feel well most of the time but can't just sit in my chair and do nothing. I purchased one die  (first card above) and then used what supplies I had in my stash to make these cards.

      Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

      Friday, November 8, 2019

      Paris Theme Pocket Notebook Journal Book


      I purchased the new Scoreboard XL die by Eileen Hull; its called Pocket Notebook die. It's the largest book die I have.

      So far, I've used Paris theme scrapbook paper over mat board, die cut screen and die cut painted flowers on front cover and then added 20 heavy weight watercolor pages in the five die cut Paris themed booklets. I used a round corner punch on each page except the cover book.
      Later, I'll be using inks, paints, die-cut flowers, stamped and die cut images and a die-cut Eiffel Tower.





      This pocket notebook die measures - 6 3/4" x 4 1/8" spine measurement 3/8" to 2". Inside die cut pages are adjustable - 6 1/4" x 4".


      Tuesday, October 22, 2019

      October Already

      I can't believe it's already October 2019. I've been playing around with Eileen Hull dies.
      With my headaches and migraines it seems hard to get started with stamping projects. I need to start selling some of my stamps and supplies.
      What a good find! I found a heart template at a thrift store for 15 cents. Just what I needed for the felt heart on this felt book I made recently using Eileen Hull journaling flower and leaf dies.

      Thanks for Looking! I would love to read your comments! 

      Thursday, August 22, 2019

      New and Old Supplies!


      This card was made using a background die, flower stamps and dies I recently purchased. I painted the flowers and leaves using H20's bought years ago. The pok-a-dot tissue tape was the first tape I purchased years ago.
      I'm sure you will see these flowers again, I have die cut the flowers a bunch of times, I've painted them in many colors. 

      Wednesday, July 24, 2019

      Leather Journals

      (Black and Tan - Passport leather journal on top
       and Brown - Notebook leather journal on bottom)

      These are some of the leather journals I started working on this week using
        Eileen Hull's Scoreboard Passport XL die and Notebook L die.
      The tie closures were made from extra leather and a pair of sharp scissors.
      I like my leather books and ties.
      My favorite of the two dies is the Notebook L die because its so easy to make a book. All you need is a cover; either with leather or heavy chipboard/cardboard, three hair elastic and three small tablets. I make my own tablets using a portion of the Passport die to make my pages. I general use paper but the ones I'm keeping I used file folder paper or watercolor paper because I plan on painting and stamping on these.
      I purchased bulk bag of leather from HL, I had no idea what sizes I was getting. I could only make 4 brown leather book covers using the Notebook L die. I stopped with four black and three off-white covers using the Passport die. I have more scraps of leather, it will take three pieces to make one leather book cover.
       I used my 5x7 inch Gel printing plate to paint 1/4 piece of file folder before die cutting the pages using the Passport die for my little books inside. I generally use 4 to 5 pages for each book when using heavy paper or for writing I use 10 die cut copy paper sheets.


      Wednesday, July 17, 2019

      Sewing a Signature and Making a Cover for Signature

      Sewing A Signature

      Judy Cantrell

      I was asked if I could sew a signature 7 years ago this month! Here is my Sewing a Signature YouTube video and then come back to see how I made a YouTube video for a Signature cover  from 7 years ago.
      If you don't want to open the link here is a tutorial how I made the Signatures and Book Cover:
      Sewing signatures of the book start off as loose pages. Small holes are punched through the center fold of each signature, and then the signatures are sewn together with stitches to form a book. Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded signature pages and then attaching a book cover. 
      A book sewn with signatures will hold up much better than a glued book.
      When you finish sewing you signatures you might consider making a book cover. This is what I came up with and it's so simple.

      This is a diagram how I covered my 5 1/2' by 5 1/2" pages. Adjustments will be needed in the width of cover and seams for both edges if you are adding more signatures.

       Last week, after making the multi-color example, I made another signature book using the same 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" page size but this time I used a heavier paper with two pages and 5 signatures. The thicker the book the more you need to allow for the spine and right edges of paper.



      Instructions:
      Cut, score and fold each cover piece. Set aside.
      Hold a penny down on cardboard, draw around the penny to make 6 circles, cut out and punch a very small hole in center. Brad two sets of circles together. Punch hole in center of back flap, glue one circle on back as reinforcement. Add one set of circles to flap. Cut a 5" length of wax thread, tie a single knot into the circles on flap. See sample below.
      Punch tiny hole in back cover, place one of the circles on inside back as reinforcement,
      attach one set of circles with a brad to the back cover.


      Adhere back page to back cover and then bring the fold and spine around to the front. Do not add adhesive to spine and "fold to front." Add two strips of red line tape to "Fold of Front" don't take the protective cover off yet.
      Add adhesive to front page adhere to front cover, remove film from red line tape and press down on front cover.
      You will see how to do all these instructions including how to do the closure in this video.
      The cover needs to be finished off before adding the closures.


      .
      Thanks for looking and have a nice day!



      Thanks for Looking on my blog! I appreciate your comments! I'm still having trouble seeing double. Sure hard to stamp and color inside the lines. I've always love making books and they are forgiving when I can't see well.