Secret Squirrel! Project

I can now reveal the 'Secret Squirrel' project that I was working on for quite a while.

A member of a forum I used to belong to is getting married this month, so some of us got together to make pages for a book for her.

I was responsible for collating all the pages, making the book covers and making the book - and of course wrapping it up and sending it off.

I am not a very confident person, and I made several attempts at making the book covers - and lost a lot of sleep over it - especially when the most gorgeous book pages started to arrive - awesome. But I tried my best - and I guess that's all one can do.

I made the covers out of thick mount board. The front I collaged and used a rub on for the 'Love'.

The back page was collaged and I did some stamping on that. The borders are made out of Sari Ribbon.

The insides of the covers I painted lime to match the outside covers, stamped the pattern, and added poems on those and inside.

I think the recent postal strikes had delayed it somewhat - but at last it has arrived safely

The front cover



The back cover



The inside covers with romantic verses - and messages from all of us on the forum



The assembled book

Here are all the lovely internal pages - and the names those who made them. They are all gorgeous and so individual - and make a nice and original keepsake.

Moira


Paula



Mel - who kindly sent messages to everybody inviting them to join in.



Ginger


Natasha


Jaqui


Sue


Rein


Mine - 'Something old, something new' - etc


I love this poem - click to enlarge to read it.




Thank you to everyone who took part - your work is absolutely stunning - and I felt so privileged to see each page, and hold them and touch them - I only wish that my photos did them more justice!

Getting a little Distressed

Its has been a while since I got all inky - so I thought I would have a go this afternoon, having spent the morning on my allotment - harvesting.

On the Time for Crafting site and forum, we are having a play with distress inks. There are some fabulous examples in this months' magazine - and also in the members gallery.



The cover of this book is coloured using distress inks, using Cut and Dry foam pads to apply it.

It is a shame that you can't see the lovely coppery tones achieved by adding some Cosmic copper shimmer to the inks - it really makes it look like burnished leather.

I haven't smudged or splodged the sentiments stamping by the away - they are Tim Holtz stamps from Happy Daze and look at way. I liked the 'old fashioned' typewriter type script of this stamp.

The vintage girl image is from Crafty Individuals - and the butterfly is one I have on a CD which I have printed and coloured to match the little bow in the girl's hair.

Of course I just had to add an image and stamp on the back cover.


I used thick mountboard to make the covers - so used cream card with brown dots for the inside of the covers, then using distressed inks, I tried to make them look old and fade - they do in real life!

I am going to put images on the inside covers too - just haven't decided on which ones yet.