Aluminum Covered Journal

Beverly Seymour first picked up a rubber stamp 17 years ago. She loved being able to fashion beautiful crafts without having to be a talented painter or drawer. Since her relationship with rubber stamps began, she has expanded her love of crafts to many forms and mediums. Like any true crafter she loves taking materials that others may see as utilitarian and turning them into something beautiful. Her striking aluminum-covered books are a true reflection of her craft.

Materials:

hard covered book
aluminum tape
text weight paper
waxed linen thread
die cut outs
rubber stamps
black inkpad
alcohol inks
rubbing alcohol
glue stick
string
book
beads
cradle
awl
blunt end needle
craft knife
soft cloth
design wheel

2. Glue die cuts to the front and back covers of the book (figure B).

3. Cover the book front and back covers with aluminum tape, overlapping slightly. Rub the aluminum with a soft cloth to emphasize the shapes beneath (figure C). Trim the edges slightly larger than the covers and fold over to the inside.

4. Cover the inside with aluminum tape in the opposite direction (figure D).

5. Wearing gloves add a few drops of alcohol ink to a cotton ball and dab it onto the aluminum to add color. Repeat with desired number of colors. Add alcohol to a cotton ball and dab it over the paint, blending the colors (figure E). Let set. Repeat on the inside covers of the book.

6. Roll a design wheel over the aluminum to add texture to the covers (figure F).

7. Pat and rub a black inkpad over the raised surfaces (figure G).

8. Measure and cut paper for the book's pages. Fold the paper into four signatures. Poke sewing holes in the pages using a book cradle.

9. Poke holes in the book's spine using an awl.

10. Using waxed linen thread, sew in pages with a blunt needle (figure H).

11. Add beads and charms to the spine of the cover (figure I).

E-mail: Bline@cox.net

Website: www.blinedesigns.com