The Twenty Four Tags Of Christmas, book pages.

 OK folks so lets start those pages to house our twenty four tags.

Twelve double pages

I am mainly using this pad of  Christmas twelve by twelves from Hobby Craft.

And , My Minds Eye

This is the only page that had a white back , ...

so added some polka dots from a different set.

And add some stitch detail

Next I am adding some decorative detail and numbers

Bands of contrasting paper. The Hobby Craft book has a sheet of ribbons of paper to match the big sheets, very useful.

An old manila file and a tag punch.

Stamped the tags with numbers and blacked the edges. Use a tiny hole punch then added the tags to the page with a tiny brad.

Back to the sewing machine to stitch up the front flap to create the pocket.

Like this, please note they still open, don't stitch the page together!

On my book I wish to use the secret pocket this method creates to house instructions for each of the tags I make. Do not stick it down now. This will be one of the last things I do.

On each end of all twelve hidden hinge spines cut off the tops at an angle.

Add double sided tape to both sides of the spines on your hidden hinge.

Then you can add your pages. Only do this if you have finished decorating the pockets. I haven't decorated them too much as I don't want them to distract from the tags the pockets will house. This part of the construction is tricky, but be patient, it is worth it. I will show you mine when I have done it, but as I said I wish to spray it black and the paint is in the studio and the scullery floor has just been concreted, and I am not allowed in there for 2 or 3 days, so it will have to wait.
That's it for today, see you on Sunday with Tag Number One.

Count down to Christmas starts here!

Hello you wonderful people. Not a huge amount to share with you, but it is all picking up here. The building work is really progressing now and I can see light at the end of the tunnel, I don't know what it is about building work, but it really unsettles me. Not just the upheaval of things being everywhere, or indeed the mess..., concrete dust just doesn't go away! However by the end of next week I should be able to start the fun part of dressing the area. Because I haven't had access to the studio as much as I would have like I moved my work table back to the dinning room and created a start book,

Pieces of card made into,

darts, and

glued together. Add a ribbon....

and there you go, a start book!

If you go onto You tube you will be able to find lots of examples of these books and how to make them. They are easy and great fun. Last weekend I explained to the Ephemera...etc group how to make them,

They are so cute, such happy faces. x

Right lets get down to more serious business... Christmas! Yippee, look what arrived on the wall last Sunday, a week early, 

My children's  advent calendars

Lovely fabric Santa with 24 pockets each, ready to except little notes from the Christmas fairies to tell the children where to search and hopefully find a gift. Now you may remember last year I did a Christmas book? Well I don't think my nerves could take on such a project at the moment, but what I am prepared to do is, drum roll please, The 24 tags of Christmas 2013, with storage book. It is entirely up to you whether you join in with the project or just call in and look at what I am doing each day until Christmas eve....so exciting. To start us off I am going to make the storage book now this is how I choose to make it for me. You can do it as you please. I shall be doing tags of all sizes that will fit within the book. I shall also be creating a hidden hinge, just to make things more interesting. You could use these tags on your gifts, hang them on a tree, Or make a Christmas picture out or them, it is up to YOU, I am just playing, having fun and sharing it with you.

The 24 tags of Christmas storage book
( If you are going to have a go at this book best do the hinge first, then the book cover. ) 

What you will need for the pages

1. Twelve, 12 x 12  pieces of paper, this will give you 24 pockets

What you will need for the book

1. Two pieces of 12 x 12 paper joined together. ( front book cover )

2. Cereal box card, two pieces, 21 cm x 16 cm. And two pieces 9 cm x 21 cm.

3. One piece of 12 x 12 paper for use on the inside cover of book

4. Double sided sticky tape.

5. Glue stick.

6. Scissors.

7. Paper trimmer

What you will need for the hidden hinge

1. Two 12 x 12 pages

2. Score board. ( you do not have to have one of these, but it makes life so much easier. ) I have the Martha Stewart 12 x 12 board which I highly recommend if you do enough paper craft

3. Bone folder, or a spoon.

4. Double sided sticky tape.

5. Scissors.

6. Paper trimmer.

Making the book cover

Cut out card board as stated

Join the pieces together with sticky tape

Join  both 12 x 12 together to cover front of book.

glue onto book cover, fold in the edges 

Cover the interior of the book with a contrasting paper. You may have to join two pieces together, if so join it on the hinged part as this will get covered over in time.

Set cover to one side.

Making pages for the book

With each 12 x 12 follow these simple instructions,

1. Fold up the bottom third, therefore 4 inches, use a bone folder to get a sharp edge.
2. Now fold in half.

The open end will join to the hidden hinge when we get there, but we are not assembling as yet as we need to decorate the pockets. I like to use papers that have pattern on both sides, be it same or different, but it really doesn't matter. Use what you have and decorate any plain pages.

Making the hinge, I have done my hinge in a totally  wrong colour for my book. I did this, in the hope it would show up better in the pictures for you . It is my intention to spray this all black before I build my book.

Join together two pieces of 12 x 12 paper.

Then using either a ruler or a scoring board,  make these folds

Score at 2 inch, 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch, 1/2 inch, 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch 1/2 inch, 1/4 inch, keep going until you have got twelve mountain folds, those are the two 1/2 inch scores, then another 1/4 inch score and a last 2 inch score.
Before you start folding, trim to the size of your pages, 8 inches, 20 cms, or there abouts.

I hope this helps!

Fold on all these score lines.
Add double sided tape to one of each of the 1/2 inch score and stick them together. It should look like these two pictures below. I know it is quite tricky, but have ago.
When you have finished, check it fits you book cover. Better still, make the hinge first and then customize the book spine so you know it fits. It sounds very complex, but experiment and have ago, it is how we learn. Check out You Tube, there will be demonstrations on there I am sure.

This is the BACK, add doubled stick tape to this.

Cover the other piece of cereal card, 9 cms x 21 cms, in decorative paper.

Glue hinge to card.

Do NOT add this to your book yet, decorate your pages first. I will deal with this on Friday, until then my lovely's goodbye. xxxxx 

I love Poppies

Three large Poppies bedeck the front door in respectful remembrance of those who gave and give so much.

I am afraid I haven't got an awful lot to tell you about this session as I have not been doing much crafting, but rather cleaning and decorating. Sorting out my work rooms upstairs that had become no mans land, couldn't even get though the doors! Anyway tidied them up and gave them a lick of paint ready for Christmas, only 46 days to go!

This used to be Maisie's bedroom, she moved out, into a bigger room, and I moved in!

This was the children computer room, they all have lap tops now,...so I moved in!

There is actually a fire place in here, sooo cozy. 

The shelves Andrew made me last week, got them painted., a nice bright and airy black gloss!

Playing with paper and card,

making star books.

Ephemera group, you will need quite a bit of double-sided sticky tape next session, would you like me to get you some as this stuff is great and only £2.00 for a large roll? Just let me know and I will get some in.

Judith have you got in touch with Helen regarding the pots? I have Helen number if you need it.

There will be more items creeping onto the Ephemera etc.... blog page as times goes by, do call in and have a look.
http://joannemwilson.wordpress.com/

See you all later.

I am back and the laptop is much better!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but I have been beset with difficulties. Building work at the studio, so much dust! Problems with work, I got a cold..., poor me, and to cap it all the laptop got a virus. It felt like everything was conspiring against me!!!!!! Well thankfully things are on the mend.
I must take this opportunity to thank my gorgeous boy for sorting out the laptop for me, he is such a star and I am so very proud of him.

Thank you Corrin. xxxx

Other news we have just celebrated Halloween and Andrew put on yet another fabulous display. It takes him all day to set the out door thing up then it is operational for about an three hours then everything has to be dismantlement! I think he is crazy, but that's why I love him.

That's not Andrew but Boris.

Maisie and friends went trick or treating as creatures from Minecraft! Whatever that is!

Well done to Maisie as she paint all four of those heads, took her hour. I do hope her friends appreciated her hard work.

You may or may not know but a group I was associated with, The Crafty Dolly Birds has disbanded, but like the phoenix from the ashes a new group has emerged. Still very crafty but more mixed media now, with arty fingers in  a lot more pies. The group is called Ephemera etc..... We meet at my studio once a month and play with stufffff! I believe i speak for the group when I say we have the best of times. 

Here is the Ephemerist making journals using pamphlet stitch.

Next month we are making Star Books.

We have had just two meetings to date and on the first meeting a challenge was set to create a lunch box in keeping with my house!

Come and visit the Ephemera etc blog at the address below
http://joannemwilson.wordpress.com/

Here is what I created,

Car boot find, for £1, old battered case.

Remade the corner with fabric and gel medium.

Polished and decorated the exterior.

Made tray for the interior.

Lunch time requisites, gin bottle, folding cup, aspirin tin, knife rest, candle stick, knife and fork...and of course a napkin ring.

Lower tray,sandwich box, plate and napkin, cork screw salt and paper!

Complete with a book of Wordsworth.

Last week I had an impromptu couple of days off from my work a day job. So I took this opportunity to clean up my work room up stairs. Not finished as Andrew kindly built me some more shelves which I need to paint.

Only a small room but stuffed to the gunnels!

Many a happy hour spent in this window.

New book case, Thank you Andrew. x

I am NOT a hoarder.

OK I am off to do boring paper work, cuddle me!