Bombshell HOP - Give it to me baby!

Welcome to my stop in the Bombshell HOP this month!  I hope you started at the Bombshell Blog, are enjoying yourself immensely, and are coming from Torrey's Blog.  If not, still LOVE that you are here, but you will not want to miss any of the Bombshell creative goodness from this hop!

This month for the Bombshell Hop we were challenged to make a gift item! What a GREAT challenge! I had a fabulous idea to make this composition book cover!

Now, before I get into the details of how I did this, I have to tell you I will be keeping it for myself.  I will also be making another one.  :)

So, first, I grabbed the heavy duty canvas material I purchased (with a coupon cuz this stuff is expensive!) and traced the outline of the book. and cut parts out for the inside flaps.

Next came the sewing part.  I zigzagged all the edges so it could fray, but only to a point.  I did the same with the straight inside edge of the "flap" and then stitched the cover to the flaps.

I wanted the closure to be this vintage gold button I have with an elastic loop.  The only elastic I had on hand was white, so I took ink to it first and then stitched it in as I was attaching the back flap to the cover.

Tried it on the book and everything worked PERFECTLY!  After looking at the canvas, I had this brilliant idea to tea stain it.  You know, I have never done this before, but it can't be that hard, right?  The only black tea I had on hand was a chai one, so the house smelled yummy!

I grabbed the hairdryer to help dry things out and then ironed it flat.

Now- let me give a little tip.  No, make that a BIG TIP!  IF you intend to do this, please, please, PLEASE measure, cut out and sew it all together AFTERWARD.  This stuff shrinks like CRAZY!  Of course, I was not smart enough to double check right her.  Nope, here is what I did next.

I grabbed my fabulous Bombshell sets, brown ink and began decorating!

 I used images from the Alter Skulls, Butterfly Queen, and Bombshell Angel sets.  Then I grabbed my Copics and started to add color.

It really is lovely, LOVELY!  

and now it is also TOO SMALL!!! 

ACK!!!!

So, here is a nice close up picture where you can't tell it shrunk and that the book no longer get 'covered' by the cover and can't fit inside the flaps.  I will also admit that for a moment, I considered what it would take to cut down the comp book.  I also considered not sharing my mishap.  However, I figure, learning experience for ALL of us, right?

And now you know why I will be making another cover.  Because in the process I fell in love with this and really, REALLY want one for myself that actually FITS! 
Your next stop on the hop is Alaine's Blog.  I am sure she has a fabulous project for you that actually worked the first time!  If you get lost, I have the complete list at the bottom of the post for you.

Get Inky!

Alex

Bombshell Blog: http://bombshellstamps.blogspot.com/
Alison: http://alisonsrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
Sparkly Engineer Mary: http://sparkly-train.blogspot.com/
Torrey: http://left-field-studio.blogspot.com/
Alex: http://paperandstring.blogspot.com/
Alaine: http://missalaineousmosaics.blogspot.com/
Milo: http://milolilja.net
Meredith: http://www.papercanteen.com
Kathi: http://kathstales.blogspot.com