I recently looked up the word scrapbook in the dictionary. The word means a blank book, or album for pasting into photos, pictures, cuttings, or other materials. But, as all scrapbookers know, the art of scrapbooking is not always about pasting a photo in an album. Scrapbooking can be done on many different surfaces besides albums. You can scrapbook on photo frames, canvas, the walls of your home, on wood, candles, glass and altered books. The list is endless, and in some upcoming articles I will be sharing some of the great ways to scrapbook outside of the album. So be sure to stay tuned for those articles.
For the project I am sharing with you today, I’m going to show you how to do a simple altered book. What is an altered book, you ask? Well, it’s really quite simple. An altered book is when you alter or change a book in any way. You can do that by removing pages of the book, cutting out little areas, painting or adding patterned papers, adding photos and embellishments, etc. An altered book can be something as simple as opening the book to the center and gluing the pages together on each side to create a solid surface to add your photos (see picture) to something more complicated like cutting out areas of the book. But since this is the first time I’m going to discuss this topic, I thought we would start with something simple.
The altered book project that I will be showing you was inspired by my parents’ wedding day. When my dad passed away almost 9 years ago, I had a very difficult time dealing with his death. He had been sick for awhile, but I was in huge denial about it. I just knew he would get better. My mom called me one day and asked if my dad could come stay with me for a week while she got away with her friends. I said yes of course, and we set about making the arrangements for his visit with me. He was here for a few days and we had had such a wonderful time watching TV, talking and just being together. I’m the baby of the family and the only girl, so I’m a big daddy’s girl. On the fourth day of his visit I was awakened in the morning by the sound of my husband’s voice to the 911 operator, yelling we had someone in our house who was not breathing. I flew out of my bed, down my stairs to find my dad. And yes, my husband was correct, he wasn’t breathing. Since my husband and I are both trained in CPR, we immediately began the task of trying to save my dad’s life. After some time had passed, I look at my husband and said, “Stop. He’s already gone.” At that moment, I felt my heart shatter into 1,000 pieces.
I realize that this kind of thing happens all the time, and I know that my experience is not unique. But I also realize that because death happens every day, many times unexpectedly, it is so important to pull out those pictures of your loved ones and make a scrapbook about them. Since my dad’s death, I have created many wonderful projects about him. It has helped me through the healing process.
So for this project, I thought it would be nice to create something for my mom to help her to remember the happier times with my dad. I hope you have as much fun as I did when you’re creating this project about your loved one. I always say you should capture those memories when you can, because sometimes our memories are all we have.
Thank you for joining me. Until next time…
Scrap & Stamp Happy,
Lisa
Stampin’ Queen Creations
Tip of the Day
For an inexpensive way to protect your work table, hit the stores for after-holiday sales to purchase tablecloths.
An Unforgettable Wedding
Materials
- Old book
- Pattern paper by K & Company
- Butter cream cardstock
- Mat board
- 3D Tags by K & Company
- Metal charms by Karen Foster Designs
- Soft Spoken Embellishments by Me & My Big Ideas
- Architexture Stone Frame by E.K. Success
- Expressions Word Charms by All My Memories
- Delta Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint- AC Flesh
- Jacquard Lumiere Paint- Metallic Bronze
- Fresco Chalk Finish inkpads- Medici Marble, Golden Parchment, Olive Grove, Florentine Rose
- Versacolor Pigment inkpad- Ash Rose by TSUNKINEKO
- Assorted fibers
- Gold string
- Beaded trim
- Beaded string
- Piece of gold netting
- Fabric bag filled with rice
- Small Glass bottle filled with dried flowers
- Perfect Paper Adhesive- Matte Finish by US Artquest
- Super Tape by Therm O Web
- Glue gun
- Computer font used- Amazone BT
- Rubber stamp- Sprig Engraving by Rubber Stampede
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1. On cardstock, type lettering using computer font Amazone BT. NOTE: Leave enough room between the lettering to make your tags. Cut mat board and cardstock the size of a 1 ¾”H x 3 ¾”W tag. Adhere cardstock to mat board with Super Tape.
Step 2. Using the Direct to Paper technique, apply Fresco inks to tags. Stamp sprig on tags with Ash Rose inkpad. Adhere metal charms to three of the tags with gold string. Add fibers to all six tags.
Step 3. Paint the cover with acrylic paint. Open the book to the center. Adhere pages together on each side with Perfect Paper Adhesive. When dry, paint page edges with Lumiere paint. Adhere pattern paper to the book’s front cover and the book’s center (which is now your focal point).
Step 4. With an exacto knife, make three slits on each side of the book to separate the pages and gently slide tags into place. Glue tags to pages with Perfect Paper Adhesive.
Step 5. Adhere the picture frames, word tags, charms, and other items to book with Super Tape(see picture for placement). Adhere beaded trim and metal charm corners with Super Tape.
Source Information
All My Memories (888) 553-1998 www.allmymemories.com
Delta Technical Coatings (562) 695-7969 www.deltacrafts.com
EK Success (800) 524-1349 www.eksuccess.com
Jacquard Products (800) 442-0455 www.jacquardproducts.com
K & Company (816) 389-4150 www.kandcompany.com
Karen Foster Design (801) 451-9779 www.karenfosterdesign.com
Me & My Big Ideas (949) 583-2065 www.meandmybigideas.com
Rubber Stampede (800) 423-4135 www.rubberstampede.com
Therm O Web (800) 323-0799 www.thermoweb.com
TSUKINEKO (425) 883-7733 www.tsukineko.com
US Artquest (800) 200-7848 www.usaquest.com
