Monday 12 August 2013

DT Project #1 showcasing 7 Dots Studio 9th Wave Collection (by Lesley)

Hello lovely visitors!

I hope this Monday morning finds you all fine and dandy and looking forward to the week ahead.  To set you on your way I have a project to share which I hope will give you a 'feel good' factor.  

As you will know from Gillian's two fab projects the team are working with the latest range of beautiful papers from 7 Dots Studio called 9th Wave this month, together with some Hero Arts stamps and a stencil.  As usual if you would like to be in the random draw for our kit this month leave a comment HERE on Gillian's first post.

As my teamies are much better than I at both grungy and Anna Dabrowska styles I chose a different tack and I've made a Piano Hinge Minibook and teamed the beautiful papers with a collection of old Chocolate Baroque stamps from my stash keeping to the theme of the sea.  My thinking is that the book could be a mini album/journal of a seaside holiday and although the CB stamps are not by any means new, they are still in their catalogue so Snazzy's could probably obtain them for anyone interested or you could choose a theme of your own.

This post is going to be rather photo heavy and a few were taken under artificial light so I apologise in advance, lol!  The main ones of the finished article were taken in daylight though.  There are lots of tutorials online on how to make piano hinge books but I've shown a few pics on how mine developed.

First of all I chose the 3 paper designs I wanted, Stormy Sea for the covers and Coral Reel and Sea Foam for inside and then cut 2 pieces of 21cm x 15 cm from each sheet.  I also cut 9 pieces of co-ordinating plain paper (I chose pale cream) the same size then folded all the pieces in half folding the cream paper 3 sheets together each time.


I made a template with 5 equidistant notches and used this to mark all the folded edges and cut the triangles out 


 I did all my stamping before proceeding to the next stage but wanted these first photos to follow in sequence of construction. You gradually add the pages to each other, threading the bamboo sticks through alternate sheets.  NOTE: If you wish the sticks could be painted before this stage but I wanted to keep the natural state here as the colour was perfect.


 The final stage of assembly is to fold a length of wool/ribbon/cord in half and then tie the folded end to the stick at the back before weaving through all the sticks .  Continue weaving back and forth for a depth of  about 2 cm  and then tie off to the back stick. I changed the yarn from the one shown here because I decided I didn't like it when I saw it in daylight, lol!


 And now I'll show you the fully stamped and assembled book waiting to be filled with seaside holiday photographs and little notes, etc., of how much holiday fun was had or perhaps hand written pieces of more poetry about the sea.
This one shows the spine of bamboo sticks decorated with some of my absolute favourite and very precious silk ribbon, ;D!


Here on the front cover I used several of the CB stamps to create an underwater scene which I coloured with Fresco acrylic paints. I also used one of the Hero Arts border stamps which I made to look like bubbles rising through the water with the help of a white pen.  The quote is a CB stamp from the same series of sea themed sets and I even managed to find a charm which I'm sure is a flying fish ;D.


 Another CB stamp of the seagulls painted with a mixture of Fresco paints and Distress Inks.  I think the quote is Creative Expressions.


I don't know who's the lovely poem stamp is but I teamed it with another scene created with CB stamps using some masking to get the little pile of shells in the foreground.  This time I painted it all with Distress Inks and added the little anchor charm .
 .


 This page is all done with CB stamps including the piece of poetry and I also added some inking through the Hero Arts stencil  in the background.  The starfish charm is from some cheap jewellery I had in my stash!


And finally the back cover page which is again painted with Distress Inks.  Apart from the 'bubbles' and the flourishes on the above page which are done with Distress Inks, all the stamping is done with Archival  Inks.
 

Below is a close up of the little seahorse from the front cover and it also shows the beautiful subtle colouring there is in these stunning papers.  I think they make the perfect backdrop for my underwater scenes!

I hope you enjoyed my little project for today.

See you all again soon.



25 comments:

Rita said...

Good Morning Lesley. What a beautiful book, I love all your fantastic pages and the colour combinations look stunning. Brilliant how to as well. Have a Good Day. Hugs Rita xxx

Helen said...

what a brilliant book, Lesley. I love it and must have a go at some books one day! The decorations on the pages are wonderful.

Maryann Laursen said...

Oh my, this is soo awesome, and I absolutely LOVE it. Your little book is just stunning made, and especially the fun idea of how it´s put together in the back. I´ve never seen anything like this before, but I love, how it looks. So I would love, if you would show exactly how you´ve weaved these sticks in the back here, as I´m not completely sure, I see it all right??? But it looks fantastic, as the entire book does. I æLOVE the result here.

Lin said...

Lesley this is gorgeous you clever girl!! I love handmade books and this is lovely...from the papers to the stamping and colours!! Great step by step as well!1

Maryann Laursen said...

Don´t worry about showing how you did that spine, as I have found it on the net now.

Inkypinkycraft said...

what a beautiful and stunningly gorgeous book, this is gorgeous and full of so much beautiful detail, a real stunner! hugs trace x

Paula Whittaker said...

wow what a project....loving your take with the papers ect.

Aquarius said...

A bvrilliant project as always - clever idea for constructing a book and the CB sea-themed stamps have worked so well with the papers.

Redanne said...

Oh my giddy aunt - this is stunning Lesley. The pages have such a dreamy quality to them, the papers are gorgeous but it is what you have done with them that shines through. Wonderful stamping and colouring and what a great construction - really must give this idea a try! Gorgeous work. Hugs, Anne x

Elaine said...

What a fabulaous project Lesley. I adore those Seven Dots papers, may have to pick some up later in the month! You have blended them beautifully with the CB stamps and your colouring of those is absolutely beautiful. The little white highlights are perfect. A very special project, worthy of some of your precious ribbon. So much work, but so worth it. Well done and thinking of you my friend. Elaine xxx

Beryl said...

OMG. Lesley that it absolutely fabulous. To start with the construction is so clever- and the way you have stamped, decorated and embellished it is gorgeous.
Beryl xx

veronica said...

this is absolutely gorgeous Lesley - one heck of a lot of work, but the result is WOW!

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

WOW, this is stunning Lesley. Thoses papers go so well with the CB stamps, and the wonderful book that you've made is gorgeous. I have the stamps and the kebab sticks, all I need to do now is get the papers.

Sue x

Minxy said...

Oh WOW, you went all out on this piece, it's stunning, I've never tried one of these books. It just looks amazing xo

Paula (PEP) said...

The shabby chicness of this is wonderful & I love your colouring of those seaweed pods. Your use of the little starfish charm which echoes the stamped seaweed with the spots (on the poetry tag page) is a super touch & really caught my eye. Your fibres/ribbons add to the lovely shimmery sea feel of the whole project.
With much love
Paula (PEP)

Astrid Maclean said...

WOW, Lesley, as others have said already, what an amazing book this is, showcasing the papers to perfection and such gorgeous stamping too! Never done one of these books either, but you have certainly tempted me now, it really looks amazing!!

Shanna Shands said...

This is such a awesome project. I really like this one!

Rebecca said...

Well aren't you a clever girl, love this no wander it was going to take a while LOL super work Lesley :)
Happy craftin
Rebecca

Words and Pictures said...

Oh, oh, oh... I'm open-mouthed in awe! Beauty; skill;
glorious papers, painting and stamping. This is an absolutely breathtaking make, Lesley - an almighty WOW from me!
Alison x

Christine B. said...

What a stunning book Lesley, I love the beautiful pages and stamping. You always amaze me with your beautiful projets. Your soooooo talented. Love and hugs x ChrisB

Sophie said...

Mein Gott, was für eine wunderschöne und meisterliche Arbeit.
Diese zarten Farben wirken so fein.
Ich bin total begeistert :-)

Liebe Grüße von Sophie

snazzyoriginal said...

Missed this on Monday as no internet at the hotel :0( What an amazing little book, never seen one of these before, it looks wonderful and with such beautiful colours and tones echoing the papers xx

Zuzu's Blog said...

wow.. how clever Lesley..... I have never seen book binding like this and i have tried a few styles. its beautiful. really inspiring. thank you for sharing it with us....

Barbara Rankin said...

You piano hinge book is absolutely gorgeous, Lesley. You are very talented and creative, and I love your quotes paired with the stamped images. Your coloring is awesome. Love it.

Unknown said...

Absolutely beautiful, I love it!!