Wednesday, December 28, 2011

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

14 comments:

Mary G. said...

Such creative thinking!!! This is wonderful!!!

Alison said...

I think this cover is just fabulous! Even if it doesn't fit... I'm sure you could find an ugly covered book somewhere that is just begging to be beautified by your new cover. It's so fab- and thanks for showing us how to do it!

Laura B said...

I think this is beautiful, Alex! Very cool idea.:)

Kim Ross said...

This is SO gorgeous, Alex!

Guess what? Paper Express at Cole & Fairview can cut down the notebook. They have this giant paper chopper, and it would cut that notebook like buttah. :)

*mwah*

Sparkly Engineer said...

Oh this is so shabby chicy elegant. I'm with Allison cover a book - perhaps one you would like to alter?

Kathi said...

It's wonderful, even if it doesn't fit! I'm just sooo impressed that you actually can sew since I'm woefully sewing impaired.

I love the coloring on the fabric, the REAL tea-dye (my favorite Stash Chai tea too), and the whole concept.

Anonymous said...

That is a great project!! What a wonderfull idea and I shall keep your 'learing moment' in mind :)

GlitteryKatie said...

Very cute!!!

Torrey said...

Stunning, Alex...WOW! Tea dye AND sewing??? And you think I'm crazy??? This is truly great! Just perfect for a journal!

Alaine said...

That is really cute. Thank you for sharing the "mistake" because that makes it all the better. At first I kept looking at it and thinking that you embroidered it.

BTW - The egg I did... that was the third Egg I decopauged in the past few weeks. The first two didn't make it. I was really taking a chance and was extremely worried that Rose's egg would come out horribly too!!

hckd said...

I didn't know a Bombshell hop was going on just yet.. but now I know.. lol.. Love your cover! Even if it's too small perhaps one day you will run across a book it does fit, you never know.. I love the imagination you had in coming up with this great project! Thanks for sharing your talent with us all.. very inspiring idea!

Arts by Sara said...

Wow... Even it ended up to small... I LOVE it!!! You did a wonderful job and thanks for the learning lesson!!! (I can use as many as possible... as these things seem to happen to me all the time too!!!) Thank You so much for sharing with me!!! You are awesome!!! Have a wonderful and safe New Year!!! Hugs!!!

Susan said...

This IS beautiful!!!
Excellent tut also!
Susan

Pamela Joy Purses said...

This is beautiful Alexandra and your tutorial is very clear and easy to follow - now I have to just do it LOL!!