WOYWW 104 - Happy Birthday - Sunday Stamper

Big Congratulations to Julia today for hosting the 102th week of WOYWW!!  Hurrah!!!!  Do you know that it is partly Julia’s fault I even started blogging?  No?  I came across WOYWW and thought it was soooo much fun I wanted to join in with the fun, as well as some of the Challenges that are around.  Hence – Julia’s fault I am here and it is sooo lovely to be here!!!

Since I have joined WOYWW I am able to travel all round the world via desks not only on a Wednesday but throughout the week, though this has been hampered by Blogger the last few weeks as I am finding that I am not always able to leave comments.  I am sorry if I have not left a message, though I may have been noseying on your desk!!

I still cannot get used to the fact that it is now June!!  Where is the year going?  And why is it still cold?  Well, it is in my office anyway!! 

Very very very important date coming up in this month!!!  Though that does mean another year older!!  I managed to persuade Hubby to buy me a set of Tim Holtz stamps the other night too for my birthday while I was on a certain website ordering bits!!!  Hee Hee Hee!!!

My desk is a little untidy (nowt new there then I hear you say!) but I stayed up a little late last night in order that I could finish my Sunday Stamper Challenge with the lovely Hels Sheridan!!  At least I won’t be finishing it on Saturday evening!!! Hurrah!!!  I had hoped to show you all a tidy desk!!!  No chance I fear!!!

If you have read an earlier posting you will remember that I was having a crop in my room last Saturday, it being a wet Bank Holiday weekend, with two of my buddies Mandy and Rachel. 

Rachel popped in for a few hours and completed a layout (very good for a newbie!!) but Mandy and I managed to do the full 24hrs!!! 

Still not sure how we made it but we did!! In that time I managed to alter a tin for last week’s Sunday Stampers, make a tag for the Grungy Monday (I told you I wanted to join in on some of the challenges!), finish two WIPs (a layout and a mini album), make two layouts from scratch and start my Sunday Challenge for this week!!!!  As well as that I managed to give Rachel a hand with her layout, eat pizza at 3am, and drink Baileys at 5am! It was “5 o’clock somewhere”!!! (I still cannot believe that Mandy had never heard of that song or the saying!!)

I am looking forward to the PIF thing too this week! 

My pressie is all ready for posting tomorrow to the person who is destined to have mine.  I hope you like it whoever you are.   

If you are not sure what I am on about WOYWW then click HERE and you will be whisked over via fairy dust to the (empty) desk of Julia, the Desk Jockey of this phenomononononon!! 

Well Congratulations to Julia once again, and here's is to the next 52 WOYWWs!!

TTFN

Hettie

Tutorial - Stamp Book

Good Afternoon Crafters!

What a beautiful day it is here.  It is almost criminal that I am sat in my Craft Room writing up this post, but I promised to give you a tutorial on my Stamp Books, and I am not one to break a promise, especially when it comes to one of a crafting nature.

Are you with me and are you ready to go?  Then I will begin.

You will remember I gave you a bit of a list HERE so I will not bore you with that again and will get straight in to the how to.

Firstly, you need to cut the covers out of the chipboard.  I am making a Stamp Book which will hold my unmounted rubber stamps, as I have been naughty this week and ordered some lush stamps from Crafty Individuals and as I already have a few, I could do with a book dedicated to Crafty Individuals.  So I measured the A5 zip folders which I have purchased from Rymans and they measure 7" x 9 1/2", however, I have bought some of these folders in the past which measured 10" so, in the interests of interchanging my folders, I have cut the chipboard at 7 1/2" x 10 1/2".

If you are making covers to fit either the Tim Holtz stamp sheets or replacement folders, these measure 7" x 8 1/2" thus the covers I usually cut for these measure 7 1/2" x 9". 

If you are using any other stamp sheets e.g. Wendy Vecchi, then I suggest that you add 1/2" onto the size of the sheets for the covers.

Please TAKE CARE when cutting the covers as I don't want to hear of any blood being spilt in the name of art.  I have Winnie the Pooh plasters in my room but it would be tricky for me to administer them for you.

When choosing papers to cover the chipboard, be aware if you are using stripes or definite patterns that you do not inadvertently place chipboard upside down.  I tend to use a heavy paper/cardstock to make covers as the book will need to withstand a fair amount of usage, being taken to crops and being pushed and pulled in and out of shelves in your craft space.  I am using My Mind's Eye Washing Line papers for the outside covers and plain cardstock for the inside.  This is because I really love these papers and tend to stroke them, it will be lovely to see these papers in years to come still being used.  Plain cardstock for the inside as I like to stamp the insides with stamps that are being kept in the book.  After all, it is a stamp book!

Once cut, double check your measurements rather than wait until later, to ensure that the covers are the correct size.   If any of the edges are rough you can smooth them using sanding block or files, whichever is your tool of choice.

Using the papers you have chosen for the outside covers  apply your adhesive of choice to the chipboard (I previously used mod podge, but will be using Christine Hellmuth matte medium in future lurve this stuff!!).   Now do not be tempted to put a lot of adhesive on the chipboard, you do not want to soak the chipboard, else you risk making the paper wrinkled.  However, please make sure that there is enough adhesive on the edges of the book so that the paper doesn't peel later. 

Once the paper and chipboard cover are together, I use a brayer to try to ensure the paper has been pressed down and avoid any air bubbles being caught under the paper.  Also, be careful that if you are using a patterned paper with stripes, that you have put the paper on straight, and also, not upside down.

You will now need to leave to dry.  Be patient.  I usually leave this overnight to give it plenty of time.

Morning!!  Next trim the excess paper from your covers.  BE CAREFUL not to cut yourself.  Whether you use a metal ruler or just the edge of the covers to guide you is up to you.  If you do not cut flush with the edge of the covers, do not panic as we can file it down later. 

Keep all the excess bits, as we can use these to decorate the cover and also make the "closure".

Check that the edges of the cover have been adhered, if not use a little of the adhesive (here you can use the tiny Christine Hellmuth matte medium to "inject" the adhesive in). 

Sand the edges if you need to, to ensure that the paper is flush with the chipboard.  Hold the sander/file at an angle 45 degrees, holding the paper side towards you and file away from you avoiding any sawing action.

Now is the time to think about how you are going to close the book.  I tend to make a "flower" using cuttlebug flowers and ribbon, but I have also used a button (see the Christmas book on THIS post). 

To do this, measure the centre of the back cover (reverse side) and about an inch in from the edge (don't forget to check that it is not going to upside down with the paper) and make a mark, on both the front and reverse covers. 

At these marks, using the largest hole on the Cropadile, make a hole.  On the reverse cover attach a large eyelet and thread a piece of ribbon leaving about 1 1/2" on the inside.  Adhere a small piece of masking tape catching this ribbon so that it cannot be pulled through. 



Burnish this masking tape and ribbon in order to flatten it.  Being careful not to get glue onto the ribbon, adhere the remaining cardstock onto the inside covers (use brayer).  Try and avoid getting any adhesive on any part of the cover where you do not want adhesive to show (this is where the matte medium is sooooo cool!). If your covers became a little curved when you adhered the front covers on initially, layer the covers with some sheets of plastic and place a weight on top and let them dry - again overnight is best.

Now onto the front cover. I will show you how I make the flower but you can make yours any which way you choose. I make a cuttlebug flower using four layers.



Ink the edges and make a hole in the centre for the brad. Ensure that the brad has long "legs" so that it cannot be pulled through easily. Place each layer of the flower in your hand separately, and push your thumb into the centre so that the edges curl a little. (I don't have the posh tools for this!)  Layer the flower and push the brad through the flower then attach the flower by pushing the brad through the hole in the front cover and separating the legs at the back of the cover.

  

Now the inside covers are dry, cut the excess cardstock off (avoiding cutting the ribbon in error!) and again file/sand the edges if necessary to ensure the cardstock is flush with the chipboard.  Mark out where the holes are going to be for the rings, using the stamp sheet or if you are making a zip file version mark where you choose.  Using the largest hole on your Cropadile, make the holes, again, checking you have the covers the right way round!

Ink the edges of the covers or use Krylon pen, whichever you prefer.

If you are making a book based on the Tim Holtz stamp sheets/replacement sheets, you may wish to round the corners before inking with a corner rounder.  As my zip files are very much squared off I decided not to.

 In the case of the zip files, use the covers to mark out where you are putting the rings.  As I want my folders to be interchangeable I used a zip file out of my current book as a guide. 

Don't worry if you can see on the inside of the covers, where you have attached the brad and ribbon for the closure, a little strategically placed die cut/sticker will hide this!! 


Assemble your book with the rings, stamp sheets and then here comes the fun bit.  You can decorate away on the covers to your heart's content. 





Have fun.

I am going to decorate mine during the week, and will show you what I have done next weekend.

Please leave me a comment with a link to your blog so that I can see what you have all done when you have completed your book, and I hope you have enjoyed making this stamp book with me. 

May you have lots of fun using this stamp book over the next few years.

Don't forget to leave me a comment so that I know you have been.

Happy Crafting

Hugs

Hettie

Would anyone like to make a Stamp Book with me?

Good evening Crafters

What a glorious weekend, weatherwise, we have had.  I hope you all had a good time at Ally Pally, those of you who were able to go.  I am not jealous at all, not, not, not!!  I will be there at the next one, have no fear!!

I mentioned on WOYWW last Wednesday that I would put a tutorial on here as to how I made my Stamp Book which was on my desk in the photo.

I have had a few responses from people wishing to make one, so I am letting you have a requirements list tonight and I will give you until next weekend to gather your bits so that we can make one together next weekend.  By then the weather is allegedly going to be cold again so you won't be wanting to go outside anyway!!

Here is the first book I made some two years ago....

 As you can see it was made to house my Tim Holtz stamps because I had bought this stamp set....

and I did not have anywhere to keep the stamps safely once the packet had been opened.  My collection of acrylic stamps at that time were being kept in a basket and sometimes  they would slip and slide all over the place when I was rummaging through the basket looking for a particular one.   It was time to sort the problem out!!

After the initial book I went on to make several more, (that paper set above was one of my favourites! I have a few sheets left for that something special project!!!), including a Christmas one ....

and one which I adapted in order that I could hold unmounted stamps in it, which is now getting a little full, so I may just make a new one specifically for my Paperartsy stamps.

 

 

At least with this method of storage, it is pretty easy to make a new book when the current books are full!!! 

Requirements List:-

Thick chipboard - I use a wonderful chipboard which is about 3mm thick and which I buy from The Art Shop in Abergavenny.  Despite its thickness it cuts beautifully with a rotary cutter and can withstand a fair bit of bashing and carting to crops.  The Art Shop will soon have an online shop but in the meantime, if you cannot get to Abergavenny, you can usually pick up chipboard from shops such as Hobbycraft and other good art shops.

Bookrings 2" - three if you are using Tim Holtz stamp sheets or otherwise possibly four.

Unmounted stamp sheets/folders - If you are using the Ranger stamp sheets you can buy them here (amongst other places).  If you are using zip folders (as in my last book) they are usually available at Ryman or W H Smith. 

4 sheets of heavyweight Paper/cardstock - this binder is going to take quite a bashing so use a good heavy quality paper to avoid it getting ripped and torn too quickly.

Wet glue - mod podge or Christine Helmuth medium (love this stuff), you can buy it here.

Brayer - makes it easier to adhere the glue.

Corner rounder - if you like your corners rounded.

Cropadile - gonna need to make large holes.

Large eyelet - so you can thread your ribbon through without tearing the chipboard cover.

Large pronged brad or a button with a shank on to make the closure.

12" piece of ribbon - not too thick, say 1/2" width, to make closure.

Masking tape.

Selection of matching ribbons/fibres  -to decorate rings.

Sandpaper.

Ink/krylon pen - to ink the edges.

Embelishments - time to have fun!!  The world is your oyster!!

Foam pads.

This list is not exhaustive, and I am sure that something or other will have been left off but do not panic!!

Please let me know if you wish to join in with making yourself a little stamp book with me.  I will hopefully have a new set of Wendy Vecchi stamps to make a new book for by the end of the week, however, I will give you full measurements/allowances on the way and you can always e-mail me if you are not sure what size you need to make your book. 

Happy Crafting.

Hettie

Please note I am not being sponsored by any store to promote them.  I have just put links to stores to make it easy for you to know where you can purchase the parts.  You are, of course, free to use a store of your choosing.