PiP: Altered Birthday Book – Covers

Something I’m hoping to do around here is post a P.I.P. (Project in Progress) once a month.  I would like to post projects as I am working on them, so you guys can see them progress and create them TOO should you want.  I think it will be fun!

This month’s PiP is the book I am making for my Gran for Christmas. 

My Gran has Alzheimer’s, and as such she forgets things.  She gets very upset if she forgets someone’s birthday or to mail them a card, so I thought I would make her a “birthday book”.  I was bouncing around ideas, and trying come up with what all to include in her book.  I could buy her a calendar anywhere, I wanted something more functional and definitely better looking.  LOL  The problem with most calendars is they are too big and not alot of room to write.  Pocket book calendars the text and space is too small, she’s elderly so I want bigger text and bigger “line spaces”.  I also am thinking I will include some kind of “check list” so she can put a check mark next to peoples names when she mails their card, so she will know its been done.  As I was planning out this project, it dawned on me that a 12 page book sure wasn’t too many pages, so I think I am also going to add an “address” section at the back.

As stated, this is a project IN PROGESS so I don’t have any FINISHED photos for you to see the end result.  But for today I can show you the covers for the book!  I’m going to include a SUPPLIES LIST below, should you decide to play along, and I also have enough items on hand that I can sell you a “starter kit” to get you going!   So if you would like to make this project too, be sure to read the info at the END of this post.

the planning

As with everything, I’m a scratch paper sketcher.  LOL…  This was my original scribbles, after printing, resizing, printing, resizing, LOL…  trust me when I say my scribbles look NOTHING like this now. LOL!

I wanted a cover, bigger than a check book, but not so big that it would end up being in the way or wouldn’t fit in the big suitcase Gran calls a purse.  I also wanted the cover to be sturdy but easy to work with.  I ended up going with Tim Holtz Grunge Board Sheets.  Sizing wise and material wise, they are perfect.

the work

Now that I had my cover bases, I knew the size I should be working at.  After looking through all my papers, I decided I had NOTHING so I looked through my digi stash to see if I had anything there, and I DID.  I went with the BOSOM BUDDIES COLLAB that the DSO Girls did this month.  I love the pastely colors and stuff…

Since I was going hybrid on this, the next step after choosing my supplies was creating the covers digitally, printing, and then crafting.  I ended up creating and printing 3 times before I got a good size, with enough leftover edges to easily (and evenly) glue and work with.  {forgive the PHOTO of my monitor, I couldn’t get it to screencap last night.  *sadface*}

I ended up  designing a 7×10 inch cover, and used the GUIDES available in PSP to mark off so I could see what would actually be the FRONT of the front cover.  You can see, the guides show what will be the front, and what will be the “flaps” that wrap around so that the Grunge board doesn’t show on the sides. 

After printing it will need to be cut out, and scored to fit the Grungeboard.

and then we need to do the same thing for the back cover…

Isn’t this cute!  I added a barcode on the back that says “created with love – by Bunny Cates”  I used THIS FONT to do the barcode.

Next a created some pockets for the insides of the cover, and printed them and a couple of the butterflies off the paper incase I wanted to use them as embellishments when I decorated it up.

lol, isn’t my 9 year old printer just pitiful. LOL!  Nail polish, marker scribbles… gotta love kids.   Oh well, it still works, who cares if it uses a tub of ink to print anything.  LOL!

I found the perfect purple card stock in my stash to cover the inside of the Covers with…

So totally papers I ended up with 2 cover fronts, 2 inside cover liners, and 2 pockets. (below)

I sprayed all the patterned paper with a spritz I made using Perfect Pearls… I wish the sparkle showed up in photos better…

the assembly

oh how I love mod podge!

assembled, podged, and drying.

and thats where I am today.  The covers are dried, and now I need to sit down and design up the calendar pages, list pages, address pages, and also decide on what cutesy bits I’m going to include.  I also think, now that it’s dry, that I am going to ink up the edges  🙂

THE STARTER PACK

As I mentioned above, I have some extra supplies and have put together a starter pack for you if you’d like to do this project with me!  Its stuff I used to make the cover and I know I am going to use in the creation of the “sections” of my book.  Just email me, and I’ll send you an invoice through PAYPAL.

If you would like to get with of these packs or have a question about them  just send an email to support at bunnycates.com  with “PIP PACK” in the subject.

digital templates pack

if you would like to purchase the DIGITAL TEMPLATES I used to create my covers and pockets, you can!  $3 will get you the front/back cover sizing template, 2 different pocket templates, and I’ll also send you what ever printables I come up with this week for the “pages” (should include 2011 calendar to fit the book, and possibly address pages).  Just email me, and I’ll send you an invoice through paypal.  🙂

SUPPLY LIST

If you would like to grab up the supplies for this pack (not using my starter packs) here is a complete list of what I have used so far.

Tim Holtz Grunge Board Sheets
white card stock
purple card stock
bone folder
paper cutter
scissors
mod podge
sponge
Perfect Pearls
BOSOM BUDDIES COLLAB
making memories cutting mat

Thats it for this week!  See you in the next post.