Can You Add Pages to My Guest Book Album?

I recently had a customer contact me about adding some pages to one of my paperback guestbook albums.

Basically, this customer wanted to use the book for more than one baby shower for the same person. She went on to ask if I could add more pages to the book to accommodate all three gatherings.

Not surprised, as I've had this request before -- to add pages.

My answer:

Absolutely.

The one thing I really like about Japanese Stab Stitch Books are the fact that they're made without glue. They're hand stitched, so in order for them to come apart you literally have to cut the binding. Which, of course, is no problem to cut and pull out the binding of a simple stab stitch in order to add more pages.

It requires having to realign the pages and drill the holes again, just so the new pages are marked, and then re-threading and stitching the book back together.

The number of pages that can be added are countless, just keeping in mind how thick you really want your book to come out.

Amore Album Video

So I uploaded a new video of the Amore Video. I tried something different with videoing this album. No song or dance, just me, the pages, and a commentary of the book.

So compared to the A Lifetime of Love Video, what do you think? Song and dance or Commentary through pages?

Leaf Guest Book Album

Normally, I like to give my albums a title. What's a book without a title right? This album we're simply going to call "Panda". My oldest daughter said the designed reminded her of Pandas. Her best friend likes Pandas and everyone knows Panda's like to eat bamboo leaves. That's what reminded her of the Pandas...the leaves.

I thought they looked more like palm leaves, but who am I to argue with the mind of an eight-year-old?

So.. PANDA it is.

As you can see, once the parchment paper dried, it came out very nice. I cut it to size and laid it in as our first page. You can see through the parchment paper to the next page of the book. I actually did a cut out of  leaf and the green you see is the next page attached.

It's a perfect page for writing in the name, date, or event of this album.

As you can see in these two photos, I added some special photo pages. Like my other albums, you can slide a 3.5" x 5" photo graph into the rounded corners of these pre-designed areas.  I added some dimensional and stamped and glittered leaves along with some simple word usage like: believe, hope, cherish.

In between the green photo pages are ivory card stock pages stamped with a single leaf.

Since all the pages of this album are acid-free and lingign-free. These blank pages can be used for signatures and well wishes for a guest book or additional photographs for a lovely album.

And it wouldn't be a MRsCHADT handcrafted book without my new signature book pouches.

This one I stamped with the same green leaf that I used in the album. I took some green netting for the closure and a simple white bead.

My favorite feature of this album is the see through parchment page stamped and traced in glitter. What do you like best?

You'll find it, along with many of my others in my shop at http://www.mrschadt.etsy.com/

Leaf Page Designs

Today I thought I'd show you the designs for the leaf guest book album I recently finished.

I wanted to give this book an elegant touch by placing a thin see through first page. So I thought the embossed papers that you can usually pick up in any craft store, but I wanted mine to be unique to the book itself.

So I decided to experiment with some parchment paper, stamps, and glitter pen(affiliate link).

As you can see, the wetness of the ink caused the parchment paper to slightly wrinkle. It actually added some nice texture to the paper. I went over the stamp with a glitter pen.

Then I decided to try out the stamp and glitter over some of the photo pages. Add a little sparkle around those cherished moments in this album.

They have to lay out over night to dry. Don't want any pages sticking together!

Stop on by tomorrow, and I'll show you the rest of the pages and how this album turned out!

A Love Like Ours... Guest Book Album

I was in my local Joann's when I spotted these white Victorian buttons. They reminded me of a book I'd made a few years ago for a gift for my husband's grandmother. Knowing I had just made a green set of book covers and with the lace left over from that book project, I got the idea for the "A Love Like Ours" Guestbook Album.

I wanted to keep it simple, elegant, and one of a kind. So with a few little hands, we started gathering up supplies and working out the design.

This is what we came up with. I love the heart punch corners of the blank pages. Simple, yet elegant. Since they're card stock they can be used as signature pages or for photos.

I added a few special pages, just for photos. Using my photo punch I adhered these green background tags that make it easy to slip a 3.5" x 5" photo onto the page. (Ends of photo slide under punched sections of each corner to hold in place.)

I couldn't resist ribbon ties and the bow on the back page.

I left room on the top of the front cover for placing a set of initials or a monogram card. However, I think it looks nice the way it is too, don't you?

Country Farm Cookbook with Hot Pad

For those country themed kitchens.


I just love these polka dots!

Like yesterdays, Retro Cookbook, this cookbook has a felt protective cover slip and matching hot pad. The cookbook is 8.5" x 11" with double 6 coiled o-wires.

Since I didn't have any polka papers to match, I pulled from my summer paper collection. There are four parts to the cookbook: appetizers, soup and salads, main dishes, and desserts. Each section is in a different shade of paper.

At the end of the day when you're all done, you can slip this book back into it's protective felt sleeve.

Doesn't this just make you hungry for some good ole country cooking?

I can smell the bacon and eggs now!

Retro Cookbook with Matching Hot Pad

 This is the first of the two cookbooks I just finished recently. Both of which were inspired by the fabric. It's an 8.5" x 11" cookbook with double 6 -0-wires.

I had left over material and made a matching square hot pad and a felt slip cover that fits both the book and the mitt.

The inside pages are coordinated into four parts: appetizers, soup & salad, main dishes, and desserts.

You can see in the photos below the dividers and the pages. Each section has a slightly different colored page that matches the retro cooking theme of the fabric cover.

I tried out a new glue adhesive while making this book. Needless to say I wasn't over all thrilled with the results. As you can notice on the second set of pictures (set of four on the right side - bottom left picture) the glue came through the paper and stained it in the top and bottom corners.

Overall, it turned out to be a pretty retro cookbook. Just a little disappointed with the adhesive marks, but lucky they are on the inside cover and I've been thinking of a way to cover it up or leave it as is. I was quite please how every other aspect of this book came out. I just love the colors, don't you?

Tomorrow I'll show you the other cook book, its more down on the farm.  :)

Valentine Corner Bookmarks

With Valentine's day only a few weeks away, I decided to use up a few of my scrap papers on making some bookmarks to included in with my packaging for orders. These ones, however, have been claimed by my older daughter to give away as Valentines for her class.

We'll probably personalize them on the front with her classmate's names before the big V-Day arrives. Recognize some of the papers? They're small left over cuts from the A Lifetime of Love Album and Amore Album.

Imagine one of these bookmarks to remind you of where you left off reading each time you opened the pages of a book. I think I'd pick that book up quite often.


I love the idea of giving kids something both useful and inspiring at the same time, don't you?

**You can still get a hold of my Valentine's bookmarks from now till Valentine's Day when you make an order in my shop.

Digital Camera Case Bags

My scrap bin has been over flowing, so I decided to give my new sewing machine a run for it's money. Okay, maybe not that much work, but I was stitching up some belated Christmas gifts that the old sewing machine left behind and decided to do something with the scraps that are over flowing from my bin.

I've been needing a new camera case for a while now, so I put together a new pattern and created a new digital camera case. I really liked how they came out, so I've made a few and stuck them in the shop today. The case is 4"h x 4.5" w x 1.5" d. 

I have a Nikon Coolpix,(affiliate link) which fits nicely inside this camera case. However, this camera case is pretty universal and will fit most digital pocket cameras. The great thing about making your own design and patterns is being able to adjust the sizes to fit what ever size you need.

I usually have some fabric scraps from book covers, so in the next few weeks you'll probably see me pulling more out for some more projects. I'm thinking of adding some lap top cases, kindle/ nook cozies, and some bags to my shop in addition to the albums, guest books, and journals.

I can't help it. I love paper and fabric. Sew...lol why not work with them both right?

Here are some of the new camera bags I made. I used an old picture frame and my old HP camera (that the  kids now use) in order to set props for the photos.

These cases are double layered with padding and completely machine washable. :)

Oh, did I mention I put a  little pocket on the front? Can't forget those extra set of batteries or memory cards!

A Lifetime of Love Album Video

So I said I would show you my video of the A Lifetime of Love Album. First, however, let me give a little disclaimer.

Here is goes:

DISCLAIMER: This was MRsCHADT's first attempt in making a video of one of her creations. Therefore she gives no guarantee of the quality of this video.

Okay so now without any further ado... I present (drum roll....) A Lifetime of Love Album Video:

I'm actually quite proud of this first video. I know some of you aren't equally impressed, but like a child learning to walk, I feel like I've just taken my first step. I'm planning on making more videos of my creations. Since etsy only gives me five photos, I'm thinking a video show of each album linked in my description would be helpful to those viewing my books in the shop, don't you?

I've signed up for a class on making movies over at our local college, but if you have any suggestions of resources I can use to improve these video book previews I'd love to hear them.

Amore Scrapbook Photo Memory Album Keepsake

My husband's side of the family is a Italian. This photo album was inspired by the word "amore" meaning love in the Italian language.

I had this cute blue cherub angel love paper from DSW and used a recycled orange bag for the netting. (a brilliant idea by my son.)

A lot of love went into the creation of this book, and a lot of little hands helped put it together.

I created a felt pouch for this album just like I did for the A Lifetime of Love Album.  Using some red fabric paint we decorated the felt pouch with this book's title Amore.

The inside of this book, look like this (in random order):

This one was also placed in my shop over at etsy. I'm working on make a video as I mentioned about doing for the A Lifetime of Love album, which I'll share with you in tomorrow's post.

My favorite feature of this album is actually the red netting on the front. As I mentioned, it is a recycled orange bag. When my oldest daughter asked what to do with the bag, I told her to throw it away. Bless my son for speaking up and saying, "But we can use it!" When I asked how or for what, he said, "On the book."

My oldest daughter loves the wooden beads we placed on a journal card that you can slip a photo down through the ribbon or write on. Of course, my youngest child loves all the sparkling rhinestones.

What's your favorite feature of this Amore album?

Tinkerbell Journal with Felt Bag

I had this fabric in my scrap bin, left over from a previous sewing project. I thought it would make a nice little tween journal. It's a 5.5" x 7.5" journal I binded together using my Zutter Bind-It-All (affliate link).

I started putting it together before Christmas, but my sewing machine broke and I had to wait until this week when my new sewing machine arrived to finish the felt bag.

Included in this little set is a felt bag with flap, journal, and a ribbon bookmark.

The felt bag is about 8" W x 9" L with a Velcro strap. Made from two pieces of felt, front and back a different shade of blue and matching fabric to the journal for the straps.

Inside the journal I put in a few "surprise" scrapbook pages amongst blank white sketchbook pages.

 

 









I placed it in the shop. My oldest daughter loved the design and asked me to make her one.

Here's one last photo of the bag and book together:

I just got finished making a few cookbooks inspired from some fabric I picked up last month. Now that I've got my sewing machine, I'm planning on using the left over fabric from the covers and creating matching oven mitts. I'm looking forward to sharing them with you and posting them in the shop.

Invitation RSVP

I had a bunch of scrap paper laying around and was playing around with a pattern I saw from over at Dawn's Stamping Thoughts.

Dawn's design, originally was for a gift card holder. I made a few of them and gave away to family at Christmas time. I got to thinking after I'd finished the album how neat it would be to use my photo rounder punch from FRISKER and make a unique invitation.

This is just a sample I came up with. I'll probably make another sample and perfect the pattern a little more. Basically inside, I stuck a card for all your information and replaced the "gift card" with a double sided card that serves as both an RSVP and a blank on back.

Since the two cards slide out of the middle section, one can slide in a combo of RSVP, Driving Directions, Save the Date, or photograph.

Their is multiple possibilities for creating a really neat invitation here. I'm planning on doing up some more samples. Thinking would be great for a tween or teen sleep over where the RSVP's could be handed back at school or put in lockers. I'll let you know what other designs I come up with.

What do you think? Theme? Inside card combo? You never know, I just might pick one of your suggestions to try. If I do, I'll send you six of the design for free!

A Lifetime of Love Photo Memory Album

I put this together last week.

With the stores replacing all the Christmas stuff in preparation for Valentine's day, it had me thinking about my sister. Her anniversary is on Valentine's day. She's been married now for over twenty years.. sorry sis but I can' t keep track of exactly how long.

Anyway, with those two factors, I was inspired and put together this memory album. Everyone knows a book has got to have a title, so I'm calling this one, "A Lifetime of Love."

I picked up some great Valentine's papers right after Christmas when they were first putting them on the shelves, and those same little hands that helped me make book covers, threaded and laced the hearts on the front cover.

What do you think?

There's eleven inside pages, twenty-two if you count front and back, and not counting the various flaps and tags that I stuck inside.

I had gotten this corner rounder punch about a year ago and picked up the wrong kind. Didn't know what to do with it until now. Great for punching corners to stick tags in the album!

Here are just a few photos of the inside pages.

I made a felt envelope to slide the album in and protect it. The idea came from Martha Stewart for gift wrapping alternatives. I used buttons on mine instead of ribbon and added the double hearts to match the theme of the album.

The two hearts on the outside, and the cover of the album can actually be personalized with names, too.

There are so many details of this album I'd like to show off, but it would take a hundred pictures to capture them all, so I tried to make a video of the book. I'll see if I can't get it loaded to share with you all soon.