THE FUN OF BOARD BOOKS

As some of you may be aware it was Carmen's birthday this last week and I've been puzzling over what to make her for quite a while.  The last circle journal book I had was a children's board book and I really enjoyed working with it (I'd forgotten what fun they were).  Anyway as the idea for the present started to formulate I decided a children's board book would be a great starting point, so off to the local charity shop and I put my hands on a tall thin board book which I quite happily dismantled (with the help of hubby dismantling and sanding as I can't stand sand paper), then I set too with a few magazines and started to think about the story.

Carmen was originally intended to take part in the rock in peace resurrected circle journal that started late last year, but due to having too much on decided to bow out at the last minute, however, this was not before she'd decided on what she was going to ask us to do with regards to a circle journal which was a rock fairy tale.  As she left the group before the circle journal really got going this 'idea' obviously ended up shelved, so I wondered if I could do a book for Carmen that would include the idea.  I also know she has a love of the Grimm fairy tales so quite a lot of time was spent trawling the internet looking at the stories.  Eventually I came across the story of the raven which I'd never read and before I new it I was working on a re-writing of this traditional tale.  A flurry of paint, gluing, sticking, typing and retyping and the finished book came together and unusually for me who always thinks these need something else I was actually happy with it once it was completed.  So here for my fellow circle journallers and anyone else interested is the story of the rock raven.

A craft post - because I can

Yes I know don't faint, this is a mid-week blog post (well it's not a Friday post), this be a Saturday post and it's craft related, what more could you ask for.

I find myself up and about early, DH has gone into work boo hoo - hiss, but said 11 year old is here to keep me company, not quite as whoozy as I've been so hoping to do some things today, I'm in the middle of finishing off a mini book at the moment, which I've had great fun making.  Despite the house been upside down (because we're decorating - that'll be the royal "we" because I can't really do much other than tea mash, but hubby knows I've set my heart of getting it sorted before December hits and he's not going off plan - love you Sweetie.  I've also had my sister volunteer to help, how lovely is that, so I'm feeling upbeat and positive at the moment.  So thought I'd share this positive feeling with you with a craft post.

This is a mini book I recently made, it started out as a child's board book, I think it was a 'princess' type book, I took the book apart initially, got hubby to sand it for me (can't stand sand paper honestly - run away run away), then set too with the paint, I love the painted surface, just a mix of gorgeous paint colours and these colours are very me, I'm not technically a 'blue' person on a grand scale, wouldn't paint a room blue for instance, but this vivid blue colour is very 'jewel' like so it speaks volumes to me.

The original book had little cut out windows and so I've tried to place the photos carefully so I can see glimpses of what is to come.

I added a strip of art paper that I'd used paint, punchinella and spray inks on which I then ripped into strips, to bring the page together I used a selection of star stamps (which are my favourite, not regimental stamps, the quirky ones that have some depth to them) and colours some of them in, fastened with the bind it all and a selection of ribbons this is what the book looks like! 

 Inside the book more pictures from a day out at YSP

So it goes to show, that with a few paints, a cheap charity shop buy and some stamps, you can create a unique little mini book that provides a lasting memory of a family day out!