New Life for a Precious Old Book: Restoring Mom’s Bible with Ribbon
Hello, Ribbon Lovers!
In the wake of our recent move, I was working on getting a closet tidied up today. In the course of arranging the books all nice and neat, I ran across a family heirloom: my mother’s Bible. (Well, one of my mother’s Bibles, that is. She had several and used them all. ) This one was given to her by my dad in 1969; the last Christmas gift he ever gave her. A few short months later, he died suddenly of a heart attack. It remained her favorite Bible for many, many years and was nearly falling apart. Filled with her personal notes, Bible journaling (before it was a trendy topic) and her own handwriting, it is something I have treasured. It made my heart sad to see how very dilapidated it had become, and I worried that it might not be around to pass on to our children and grandchildren. I mean, peeps…it was really, really sad!
You can see that she tried to hold it together with tape, bumper stickers, anything she could find.
The inside had actually separated from the spine. What to do?
Then, an idea struck my brain! Dropping everything, I carried the Bible into my studio with me and went to work. A few hours later, this is what my mom’s Bible looked like.
Ta-da! Ribbon to the rescue! I pulled out a piece of sturdy canvas, some shabby chic ribbon, crocheted lace, flowers in my mom’s favorite colors and gave this precious book a face lift!
The first thing I did was to line the book signatures and the interior of the spine with 1/2″ Scor-Tape. Using the tape on both surfaces worked well, and the pages are now nicely secured back within the covers.
I’m not much of a seamstress, but I managed to stitch 2.5″ Cotton Blend Vintage Pink Floral Ribbon to the top, bottom, sides and spine of the canvas to make a sturdy cover that should last for some time. I also stitched Debra Natural Crochet Lace along the edge where the canvas and ribbon meet to add a nice finishing touch…and to cover up my not so perfect stitching! Sorry, Mom!.
I used tea to stain a doily I found in my stash, and glued it in place with Studio Matte Multi-Medium. Then I used Scor-tape again to adhere my 1.5″ Antique Gold Plaid Ribbon to be used as a ribbon closure. I wanted to do this, not just because it is pretty, but because it helps hold the Bible together.
Then I had lots of fun! I painted a wooden key/door plate and flourish to add to the mix. Next, I die cut lots of foliage from old book pages and sprayed them with TA Olive Mist. I pulled loads of fuschia Petaloo flowers from my stash, and was amazed to find these that matched the ribbon perfectly. The elements were artfully arranged onto the cover of Mom’s Bible. The finishing touch was the addition of a shabby chic bow tied with Fuchsia Seam Binding.
Now this precious family heirloom is restored and Mom’s Bible is more beautiful than ever. She would have loved this shabby chic cover, the beautiful vintage roses and crocheted lace. I have displayed it in my Grandmother’s bookcase, and it makes my heart happy every time I see it. Once again, Ribbon came to my rescue!
Do you remember the 1985 movie Out of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford? What an epic romance! The panoramic scenery and the wonderful soundtrack swept me away, and left an indelible imprint on my imagination. So when I received the gorgeous papers and ephemera in the 7 Gypsies Serengeti collection, my mind traveled back to that movie, and I decided to create a romantic Out of Africa Serengeti Mini Album to share with you today. I also have some step out photos to show you how I made the cover and binding.
The Serengeti papers are so inspiring to work with, just filled with vivid colors, wonderful vintage images and amazing background patterns. Imagine how thrilled I was to find a replica of the book on which the movie was based! I immediately wanted to make this the focal for my album. I actually made a blank mini book and then added it to the cover of my mini album. It looks like a well thumbed copy of the tale, doesn’t it? I fussy cut the wonderful Serengeti label from the Vitabu paper. If you are familiar with the story line, you know that lions played a central role in the telling of the tale, so I have included them here on the cover. The lion pin is one that I picked up at a yard sale and have been saving for just the right project. I also filled an Amber Apothecary Bottle with antique gold embossing powder, tied it with green hemp rope and added some hand made vintage book page flowers.
I had a Roma book cover in my stash, but needed to create a back cover for my album. So I cut a 5″ x 7″ piece of medium weight chipboard and ran it through my Cuttlebug with a Spellbinders Brick and Bark embossing folder. This created a wonderful wood grain texture on both sides of the chipboard. But I needed to get it to match the color of the Roma book cover. Thank heavens for the Tattered Angels Maritime paint system! It was the perfect tool to accomplish the job!
I used the Olive Vine spray mist from the paint system and applied it liberally. After heat drying, I sponged the entire surface with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. I also lightly sprayed and sponged the Roma cover. Then I heat embossed both covers with clear embossing powder. This creates a great faux aged leather look and feel.
You would never guess that these book covers are made from chipboard, would you? Thanks, Tattered Angels!
The next step was to design the binding for the album. I wanted to use this vibrant fern burlap between the two covers. I also wanted to employ a hidden hinge binding inside the album. After a little thought, I realized that if I stitched a 3.25″ x 8″ strip of the burlap, overlapping the top and bottom by 0.5″ each, I would have a really sturdy, serviceable binding.
I cut a 12″ x 7″ rectangle from the Maua papers and measured in 4 3/8″ from both the right and left hand sides. After drawing a line to mark this measurement, I place one strip of 1/2″ Scor-Tape in the center of the back side of my burlap panel and positioned it between the two lines. Then, I flipped the paper over and sewed around the burlap binding and around the entire perimeter of the panel. I did this so that the finished stitching would be on the inside of my cover liner.
Here you can see the finished cover liner for my album, along with the hidden hinge binding. I followed this tutorial for the binding, as it is the clearest, simplest one I’ve found on YouTube. I cut a 9″ x 7″ panel of green cardstock and then followed the directions in the video. I covered the green side flaps of my binding with more paper from the Maua page, just to make everything blended in.
I really love the way the binding turned out! The vibrant green picks up on the elements I fussy cut from the Mabango paper. I punched a hole in the top of my binding and threaded through some avocado green help rope,white waxed cotton cording and natural hemp rope. I tied a series of knots with the red waxed cotton cording and slipped an Antique Silver Mini Round Hanger through the cording, pinching the hanger end closed to keep it in place. Then I threaded on the beautiful Serengeti Charms using jewelry wire to hold them in place. Finally, I frayed the ends of all the various cords and ropes to make them look like animal tails.
The next double page is a fold out. I covered a 4″ x 6″ file folder with the Wanyama paper. I fussy cut stamps and covered two tags with this same paper. By leaving the top side of my photo mount open, I was able to make a pocket for tags. The facing page uses more of this same paper, but this time I cut a thumb hole with a circle punch and only glued down the top, bottom and sides, creating another pocket for photo mounts. I added another ephemera image to a tiny card and bag combo, topped it with a mini clothespin and created a perfect spot for journaling.
I covered the interior of the file folder with more of the beautiful Maua papers, then added both a large and medium photo mount.
The photo mounts are tied together with burlap and canvas ribbon, making them easy to insert and pull out.
I wanted to create lots of room for photos and journaling and found that the Vintage Travel Journal Pages are a great way to add both.
The mini ephemera in this collection is especially beautiful!
On the final page, I fussy cut the beautiful African lady from the Mabango paper. I painted the wooden medallion with the Tail Fin Glimmer Mist from the Maritime Paint System, then spritzed it with a little more of the Olive Vine Mist to deepen the colors. It makes me think of a warrior’s shield. The feathers, pebble and other fussy cut images make for a dramatic ending to this Serengeti Out of Africa Mini Album. Inside the back cover, I created a pocket by folding a journal card, stapling the edges and topping it with that gorgeous air mail ephemera. I stuffed the pocket with American Vintage Post Cards because the green was such a good match. You can both mount photos here and do journaling on the back.
I love this album! I can almost hear the soundtrack from Out of Africa playing in my mind! I hope you can, too!
7 Gypsies Epicurean Altered Vintage Receipt Holder: A Tribute to Julia Child
This is my second post for the day. Please scroll down to view my Heartfelt Creations Wednesday Project.
Hello, Friends!
Or should I say, “Bonjour!” Today’s menu includes an Epicurean altered vintage receipt holder made with delicious Epicurean papers and a side of tasty embellishments from 7 Gypsies. I call it my Epicurean Tribute to Julia Child.
I’ve loved Julia ever since I was a little kid and watched her on public TV. She was outrageous…dropped chickens on the floor, sent chopped onions flying in all directions, threw exotic French phrases into her constant patter with the viewing audience and basically won all our hearts while teaching us that cooking should be approached with passion and a healthy dose of fun. When you think about the fact that she was introducing the US to fine French cuisine at the same time that TV dinners were taking the country by storm…well, it just makes you admire her all the more. I tried to capture her love of food, friends and France in this project, and I can’t wait to hang this Epicurean vintage altered receipt holder in my kitchen.
I wanted the receipt holder to have a finish like old baking trays, so I pulled out my Rusty Metal Bare Metal Paint Kit and the Maritime Paint System. I followed the simple directions that come with the paint system and my brand spanking new product achieved a fabulous, funky, well-loved patina that was just what I was aiming for.
The Epicurean papers are a perfect choice for foodies, as they celebrate cuisines from around the world. I chose the Fromage 12″ x 12″ papers as they feature French images, and I also used the Pomodoro papers because the bold red check pattern made me think of a tablecloth in a sidewalk cafe. I cut 4 rectangles from the Fromage paper, each measuring 3.25″ x 5.25″ and then stitched these to either navy blue or burgundy cardstock. I used these to line the base of my tray.
For my focal point, I printed out a black and white photo of Julia Child, embossed it with Ultra Thick Embossing Powder and framed it in a beautiful Antique Silver Gypsy Frame that had been sprayed with more of the Metal Paint system. I ran red and black gingham ribbon through the jump rings on either side of the frame and secured it to the center using foam tape and hot glue. The ribbons were topped with bingo chips whose numbers represent the year Julia Child was born. These vintage frames are such a great way showcase a photo! Behind the frame, I fussy cut a word from the Fromage papers and tucked it inside a little red metal index tab that I had in my stash. This along with the frame, ribbon and bingo chips helps draw the eye to the focal image.
In the top left hand corner of the tray, I created a little 3″ x 5″ book using the small Paris book cover and the Pomodoro papers. The cover has been aged with Maritime sprays and decorated with more mini ephemera and a die cut Eiffel Tower that I painted with iron chalkboard paint.
I created a hidden hinge binding system and then stuffed it full of Recipe Cards, fussy cut images, and quotes from Julia Child. The spine is wrapped with jute cording and tied with a jute cording bow.
Here’s a peek at the inside of the book. There are 6 double pages in all, each one containing a quote from Julia along with room to add a recipe or photo.
In the top right hand corner of the tray, I layerd fussy cut images from the papers and topped them off with a large tattered flower that I made with Tim’s tattered florals die and Canvas Corp red canvas and natural burlap. If you use iron on interfacing on the burlap, it die cuts like a dream, and resists fraying. I spritzed my floral layers with water and then scrunched them to add texture and body. A large fancy button was hot glued into the flower center. The leaves are cut free hand from more burlap. Black waxed cotton cording is wrapped around the center post. I also added this great black clothespin to the center post of the receipt clip, using a white painty pen to write Julia’s catch phrase on the pin’s surface.
In the lower left hand corner I wrapped the center post with red hemp rope, then added fussy cut images and ephemera to the tray base. I painted this nifty vintage spoon that I found at a flea market with the blue paint in the Maritime system, then added it to mix.
The bottom right tray is filled with a fun little vignette that I created with doll house miniature food and perfectly sized Gypsy Moments Recipe Tags. These were aged with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and sprays from the Rusted Metal Paint Kit. I also added some “coffee rings” by dipping a bottle cap into the TA spray and “stamped” the image onto the recipe tags. I strung the tags together with more red hemp rope and then used foam tape to hold it in place. Another fussy cut word phrase from the Fromage papers was glued into a metal label holder that I aged with the Rusty Metal Paint System.
This would make such a great gift for a kitchen bridal shower or a birthday present for a foodie. I chose the French papers, but you could easily use this same idea to make a Greek, Asian, Italian , Mexican, or American themed projects. I hope you were inspired to create beautiful things both from your kitchen and your craft room with today’s Epicurean Altered Vintage Receipt Holder.
Bon appetit!
kathy
List of Canvas Corp Brands Products used in this project:
I’m really excited to be sharing my Maritime Sea Fever album today on the Canvas Corp/7 Gypsies blog. You all know how much I love the beach, so this album is near and dear to my heart.
Maritime “Sea Fever” Journal/Kathy by Design
Because we live fairly close to the beautiful North Carolina beaches, we visit as often as we can, to walk along the sand, soak up the sun, listen to the surf and let our spirits be refreshed and revived. We find all kinds of treasures along the way, and I thought it would be nice to create a little journal to write down memories and a poem about the sea. The cover is decorated with some of our favorite treasures: wood, shells, sand, bits of sea grass…all the things we love about the shore. I hope you’ll feel the serenity and freedom of the sea as you peruse the pages of this hand bound journal. Come walk with me beside the sea….
Here is what you will need to create your own Maritime Sea Fever album.
I started with a 14″ x 6″ piece of medium weight chipboard that came in some packaging I had. After scoring at 6″ and 7″, I creased the chipboard to form the book cover, then trimmed away any excess so that the front and back covers were even in size. Next, I cut a piece of canvas that was 1″ larger than the chipboard cover on all sides. I misted this with Crushed Shells Glimmer Mist and stitched it directly to the chipboard base using my “messy stitching” technique. I cut a 4″ square of ivory burlap, misted it with Crushed Shells Glimmer Mist, fringed the sides and adhered it to the front cover using Scor-Tape. I trimmed the corners of the canvas, covered the inside edges of my album with Scor-tape and then folded the canvas onto the inside of the cover.
This rusty clip was created with the TA Rusty Bare Metals Paint System. It was originally bright green, so I just love the total transformation that occurred when I added layer after layer of mist.
I cut 6 sheets of kraft cardstock in half, scored them at 6″ on the long side then stitched them together up the middle to create the journal pages. These were glued into the spine, then tied with natural white twisted hemp rope. I hand wrote lines from John Masefield’s beautiful poem, “Sea Fever” throughout the book, leaving lots of room for photos and journaling.
The small stamps and torn edges make this book feel like it just came out of an old sea chest.
The white pigment ink stamped onto the natural kraft paper let’s the stamp designs stand out beautifully.
Adding mini ephemera pieces to various pages gives just the right touch.
Create a pocket using the 5″x7″ journal pages and slip in ephemera and the smaller journal pages in place.
Adding touches of nature to your book like this found leaf.
The B&W Maritime Tags are the perfect starting place to add color, distress or mist to make them match your project. The vintage nautical art pieces are transformed to match the neutral colors in the book.
Creating a tattered, worn album like this is easy when you have such inspirational products to work with. I think I used just about every item in the Maritime collection from 7 Gypsies in putting this together. And I can’t wait to add our family memories to the pages.
Wishing you sand between your toes and a shell in your pocket!
Hello Friends! Happy May Day! It’s time for the Really Reasonable Ribbon Photo Inspiration Challenge. You can get all the details on the RRR BLOG, but here’s the photo the design team used to inspire our creativity.
The first thing that grabbed me in this photo was the wonderful colors and the beautiful garden setting. it made me think of a garden wedding. I used the color palette and the garden wedding theme to create a file folder wedding album and a wedding card.
I started out with a 4″ x 6″ naked file folder from Canvas Corp Brands. I stitched ivory burlap to the cover and wrapped this with a strip of beautiful 2.5″ wide Vintage Pink Floral Cotton Blend Ribbon. Then I topped it with this pretty Victorian image from the Creativity Kit. I had these Prima pearls in my stash, and layered a cluster of beautiful pink chrysanthemums on top. I tucked some pink bead berry sprays in to add texture and contrast. Because of the Victorian feel of this album, I inked all the edges, the flowers and the bead berry sprays with Vintage Photo Distress Ink to make them looked aged.
The inside uses papers and ephemera from the Creativity kit. The ephemera and paper are glued in such a way that the photo can slip behind, leaving room for nice sized photographs on both sides. I love the single little chrysanthemum blooming from the pearl cluster, don’t you?
This is the backside of the album. After embossing with a folder and inking with Vintage photo ink, I spritzed it with Vintage Pink Glimmer mist. Here you can see how I stitched the ribbon onto the folder.
The matching card uses more papers, images and ephemera from the Creativity kit. The card front is covered with both paper and a strip of 2.5″ Garden Print Ribbon which I topped with two rows of crocheted lace: Frances White Crochet lace is on the outermost edge, and Tabitha Natural Crochet Lace is layered over that. In the top corner is a shabby bow that I made by layering torn Garden Print Ribbon with Fuchsia Seam Binding and chrysanthemums. I backed a clear acrylic charm with a scrap of the garden print ribbon and used it as an embellishment on the card.
I chose a deeper shade of the same Pink Chrysanthemums for the front of this card.
We are coming right up on wedding season, so maybe this project will spark an idea for you. Be sure to stop by the RRR Blog and link up your inspiration photo project. I can’t wait to see what you make!
