Hidden Drawer Book Box

Hi everyone, its Angela here with you today and I am sharing my hidden drawer book box with you.

I decided to cover this one with paper so I set out all the pieces on my desk just to make sure I knew which bit went where, I wanted to make sure I put the paper in the right place.
These are the pieces needed for the drawer (minus the spine of the book which gets added later)

And these are the Book part:

Use the chipboard pieces as templates for your paper (draw round them leaving out the tabs where they join with another piece):

Here is the drawer with the first 2 paper pieces added for the inside

Those of you out there who are very observant will notice that the top piece in the picture is actually the wrong way round, something I hadn't noticed until I put the paper on the wrong side - oops.

Once I had lined the drawer with paper I glued it together and covered the outside, Remember you do not need to cover one of the long sides as the "spine" of the book glues on the front of it.

I then laid out the pieces for the book bit and covered them (do the sides first and then cut pieces to fit the whole front and back and don't forget the spine.

Lastly place the drawer inside the book and glue the spine to the drawer, careful you do not close the drawer or you will find it very difficult to get it open again without pulling the spine off (ask me how I know that one eh! )

And here we have the finished project:

Supplies:
Hidden Drawer Book box
Kirby Teesdale Studio paper

A Spooky Little Neighbourhood

Halloween is just around the corner so I thought that this month I'd make something spooky for that sweet holiday. Using products from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts,  Canvas Corp and 7Gypsies.

I've used the Cabana Row Houses as my base. There's 5 in the set and so you can create quite a nice little haunted neighbourhood!

Some of the houses are covered using papers from 7Gypsies. Some are simply painted white, decorated with Architextures™ Parchment Rub-Ons and then distressed.

Each of the houses uses pieces from the Miniature Bookplates Shape Set as windows. Creating the rooves was super simple with burlap pieces from Canvas Corp

There are plenty of embellishment opportunites. I've used Faux Metal Number Plates 1 to 25 but don't forget the larger Faux Metal Number Plates and Gears Shape Set would be super cool for a steampunk haunted neighbourhood. Go check out all the shapes available at Gypsy Soul and I'm sure you'll find some inspiration.

For a final touch I've added plastic spider and ants from the halloween aisle at the dollar store. 

Want to make your own? I've created a walk through with some simple practical tips HERE.

And here are the goods I used in making my own little spooky neighbourhood.

Cabana Row Houses

Faux Metal Number Plates 1 to 25

Miniature Bookplates Shape Set

7Gypsies Paper

Architextures™ Parchment Rub-Ons
Burlap from Canvas Corp
Plastic spiders
Vintage images
Twine/Ribbon
Acrylic Paint
Hot Glue
White Glue

An Art Journal Fit for a Seamstress with Canvas Corp

Hi everyone!  Barbara here today on the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts blog, and this month, we are cross-promoting with Canvas Corp, and look at all the goodies they sent.

And I thought these products would make a fantastic sewing-themed mini book.  Apologies in advance as this is a very photo heavy, long post, but I hope you enjoy it.

So, I am using the Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Art Journal as my base.  As you can see, there are lots of chipboard pages to use, never mind how many sheets of double-sided paper you may or may not choose to add.  The possibilities are endless.

I pulled threads and frayed two edges (top and left in the photo below) to find the "square" edge so that I could use the book to measure where to cut the canvas (the bottom edge in the photo below).  Lay the covers on your canvas, one at a time, aligning the side with the holes along the selvage edge (right side in photo below) of the canvas.

Cut the canvas along the bottom edge, leaving approximately 1/4" edge to fray.  I like to pull a thread to get a straight line to cut along.

Lay book covers onto  Gypsy Seamstress Collection: Spools paper and trace around them, as shown.

Glue the canvas pieces to the outside of each cover.

Then glue the print papers to the inside front and back covers.

I had enough canvas material left, so while I was at it, I cut two more pieces the same size to add as canvas pages.  I used my crop-a-dile tool to punch holes and add eyelets to strengthen the holes.

Cut 8 sheets of the French General print paper measuring 5" x 7" for the inside chipboard pages.  These papers are all double sided, so you will have more choices as to which side or sides to use.

Cover both sides of chipboard pages, as shown below.  (TIP: Use chipboard to mark binding holes and punch or cut out holes before covering each page.  I used a 3/8" hole punch I had in my stash).

Cut 8 sheets of the French General paper measuring 6" x 7-1/4" for the inside tabbed chipboard pages.

Cover both sides of each tabbed chipboard page and trim away excess paper, as shown below. 

Cut 4 sheets of the French General paper measuring 1-5/8" x 7-1/4" for the inside book mark chipboard pages.

Cover both sides of each chipboard bookmark and trim away excess paper, as shown below. 

Cut 4 more sheets of the French General paper measuring 5" x 7" for the back side only of the corrugated chipboard pages.

Cover only the smooth side of each corrugated chipboard page, as shown below. 

The pretty red and blue ticking pieces from Canvas Corp matched my papers perfectly, and so I wanted to cut and fray the edges of each color to make additional fabric pages for my art-journal-turned-mini-album.  I punched holes and added eyelets to each page the same as I did for my canvas pages.  I found a couple of pieces of ephemera in the French General collection and stitched them to each page, as shown.

You can make pockets to any size you wish to fit onto your page(s), whether larger or smaller.  The measurements I used for my pocket, shown below, are 4"H x 6"W.  The top was punched with a decorative edge punch.  The remaining sides and bottom were scored 1/2" in on each side, folded, and corners were mitered for a clean corner.  

I added score-tape along the folded edges, as shown, and then these can be added to any page you chose.   Just adjust your measurements for whatever size you want or need, such as journaling cards or other ephemera you want to store.

Heat emboss Flourished Frame Karen with Oil Rubbed Bronze embossing powder.

Use packaging from 7Gypsies Architectures Treasures, and trace around frame with pencil.  Cut out middle section and glue to back of frame.

Glue framed piece to front cover.

Computer generate a title for your book to fit onto one of the Stackable Labels Shape Set labels.  I chose "Needles and Pins" for my title.  Glue to top piece of label and distress with brown ink.  Heat emboss bottom piece of label with Charred Gold embossing powder.  Glue both together and glue to front cover.  (See photo of finished cover)

Heat emboss stand portion of dress form with Weathered Wood embossing powder.

(TIP:  I added brown archival ink over the embossing to give it a deeper brown color).  Cover body portion with self adhesive print fabric from the French General collection.  This will be glued to front cover (see photo of finished cover).

Heat emboss stand portion of dress form with Charred Gold embossing powder.  Cover body portion with self adhesive print fabric from the French General collection.  Set aside for use on inside pages.

Heat emboss stand portion of dress form with Hammered Metal embossing powder.  Cover body portion with self adhesive print fabric from the French General collection.  Set aside for use on inside pages.

On the back of a tag, use the Architextures Parchment Rub-On - Inspire to add the quote and whatever image you like.  This is just one example of many I used throughout the book.  They are really fun and easy to use, and they add a real vintage feel to your project.

The rest of the pictures are of those pages I "finished", at least for now.  This is not all of the pages inside this book.  A journal of this size will be a work in progress for me for quite some time.  Even when I think I have finished, I will continue to collect, save, and add more to my pages as time goes on.  But in the meantime, I wanted to show you the pages as they are "finished" at this time.  If you are using this as a photo album, then some of the pages are perfectly suited to the addition of family photos.  Just simply mat your photo with coordinating solid paper and slap it in there.  LOL

Front Cover

Inside Front Cover
Canvas Corp 7Gypsies Architexture Treasures - Vintage Sewing Machine

Page with tags and cards 

Page with tags and cards removed
Reverse of tag shows Canvas Corp rub-on added

Page with Canvas Corp parchment rub-on (dress form)

Corrugated page with tags and cards 

Corrugated page with tags and cards removed
Reverse of tag shows Canvas Corp rub-on added

Page with fussy cut spools from 7Gypsies paper with tags and cards

Page with fussy cut spools from 7Gypsies paper with tags and cards removed

Page with GSL dress form shape
Canvas Corp 7Gypsies Architecture Junque Pack (hanging lamp)

Page with tag inserted in pocket
GSL Dressforms 2 Shape Set

Page with tag removed from pocket
Reverse of tag shows Canvas Corp rub-on added

Corrugated page with handmade flowers
Canvas Natural burlap piece holding small stick pin

Two pages made from Canvas Corp Ticking (red and blue)
Tags sewn onto each piece of fabric

Inside back cover
Canvas Corp 7 Gypsies Architexture Treasures - Old Scissors

Outside Back Cover
Canvas Corp Natural Canvas covering

Supplies Used:

GSL Art Journal
GSL Stackable Labels Shape Set
GSL Dressforms 2 Shape Set
GSL Flourished Frame Karen
Canvas Corp
   Natural canvas fabric
   Ivory burlap fabric
   Ticking fabric (red, blue)
   Colored Burlap (aqua, ivory)
   7Gypsies 12x12 paper - Gypsy Seamstress Collection:  Spools
   7Gypsies 12x12 paper - Gypsy Seamstress Collection:  Buttons
   7Gypsies Architecture Treasures - Vintage Sewing Machine
   7Gypsies Architecture Treasures - Old Scissors
   7Gypsies Architxtures Junque Pack - Library
   7Gypsies Architextures Parchment Rub-On - Inspire
French General paper collection (Jolee's Boutique by EK Success)
French General embellishments and ephemera
Floral edge punch (Martha Stewart)
Buttons punch (EK Success)
Scor-tape (or any adhesive you have on hand)
Embossing Powders (Emerald Creek)
Lace, metal embellishments, gem stickers, etc. (from my stash)

If you are reading this, then I thank you for sticking with me.  I will continue to work in this book, adding to and decorating each page, which is the most enjoyable part for me.  I don't like to rush this part, but I enjoy the "hunt" for more items to add.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by, and have wonderful, creative day!

Barbara
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