Liz Borer Project #3 Decorated Book ....

"Hi everyone, its Liz. Well here I am back for my final project as Guest Designer, as I said I'm so sad this has come to an end. This book came from Paperchase but I’ve noticed other places sell similar books. I really like these books because they come with a well finished cover waiting to be decorated and either craft or black paper inside".

I find it much easier to paint and decorate these books with the covers removed – other wise I always end up messing up the inside pages. I painted both covers inside and out with a mix of Pansy, Mermaid and Irish Cream. (See palette of colours at the below).

I’m not at all sure what I was doing because this colour is a grey blue and I intended the book to be plum coloured! Rather than paint over it I decided to add extra colours using the blending method from yesterday. 

Add some Eggplant, Spanish Mulberry and a touch of Autumn Fire to some of the Pansy/Mermaid/Irish Cream 'Basecoat' and splodge it all over the outside covers and blend with a wet wipe.

Make a ‘Plum’ colour by mixing Claret, Eggplant and Squid Ink (make enough so that it can be kept for later) and blend this over the covers.

Lastly blend a mix of the plum colour and Mushroom and blend that over.

Next I started stamping. First with an old flourish stamp that I felt would ‘go’ with what I intended. I used paints for some of the stamping and for this layer I used the 'basecoat' colour. I stamped fairly randomly because I didn’t want to create a deliberate pattern.

The words are from ID02 and are stamped using the pale plum colour (made from mushroom and 'plum') and the long strip of words from BG2 are stamped using a darker plum shade (added some more Eggplant and Squid Ink to the original 'plum').

Vintage Ink and the Dog: 02

This is the back cover stamped with the same stamps.

Inside both the covers I used the dark plum colour for the long word stamp and pale plum for the flourish. I kept the stamping nearer to the edges as I intended to make pockets for the inside covers.

Next I decided to paint a panel. I wanted to make it look a bit like a lace handkerchief. To do this I have adapted a decorative painting technique that I learnt from a wonderful painter called Arlene Linton. She paints the most beautiful delicate lace designs. 

To paint the panel firstly mask the area with low tack tape. To stop paint seeping under the tape use Matte Medium over the whole area and over the edges of the tape, allow to dry. Mix a little IrishCream into Snowflake to give a softer white and add water to make a thin cream consistency. Load a wide brush with paint but avoid overloading until it is dripping and paint in straight lines across the panel. Once dry repeat this but make the lines go down the panel. If the paint is to thick you won’t be able to see the brush marks and if it is too thin you won’t see much at all! This needs to be repeated at least once more so that the end result looks a bit transparent, like fine linen.

To get edges that mimic lace I used the white paint mix to stamp with. It doesn’t give the precise stamp that ink does and that was exactly what I wanted. I stamped around the edges using the decorative strip from HP1107. 

To complete the effect I added dots of white paint around the edge of the panel. Use a stylus to do this; Dip it in full strength paint and dot it on the surface, reload and repeat. (you reload each time to keep the dots the same size, otherwise they get smaller).

On the back cover I did the same but made a square panel. 

Now for some flowers. Firstly the silhouette stamp from HP1005 using second generation stamps (see yesterdays post for explanation if needed) with Archival Ink Cornflower Blue. Note that the stems are all originating from the same area which will be covered at the end.

HP1005

Now stamp the bluebell stamp with the same ink full strength HP1010

{Front cover}

{Back cover}     

Finally stamp the  flowers from HP1009 using the white paint mix from before. 

{Back cover}

{Front cover}

The inside pockets were cut from a toning cardstock to fit inside the covers. The top edges were decorated with an edger punch. They were stamped as before – the flourish with a pale plum colour and the words with the darkest plum colour. The moth is from HP1109 using the white paint mix. I then rubbed White Fire Treasure Gold around the edges.

HP1109

Stamp the daisies from HP1109 onto a deeper plum coloured card with the white paint mix and edge with Treasure Gold.                                                            

I stamped the bluebells inside the front and back covers with the Cornflower Blue Ink and added some white moths before sticking the daisy panel onto the cover, and then attaching the pocket. 

{Front inside}

{Back inside}

On both the covers I added a metal panel. Using any colour metal (it’s going to be painted)  measure and cut two panels to fit the cover. Emboss using an embossing folder and paint with the darkest plum colour. Rub White Fire Treasure Gold over the raised edges and attach to the covers.

I stamped the face from LPC013 onto off white card with Blue Violet Archival Ink and the face from ID07 in the same way. Both the frames were painted with the dark plum mix and then rubbed with Treasure Gold, firstly Royal Amethyst all over and then White Fire.

LPC013

ID07

  Here are two pictures showing the finished inside covers. 

All the embellishments were treated the same. I painted the die cut swirl over the clock, the clock the corners and one metal flower with the darkest plum mix. The other two metal flowers and the resin flower near the clock were painted with the lightest plum mix. Once dry I rubbed them with Royal Amethyst and White Fire Treasure Gold. 

Using white embossing powder I stamped and embossed words from ESN01 and ESN07 onto the same card as the white daisies. I cut the words out and edged the card with Treasure Gold as before. I had some gold lace in my stash which I stuck across the bottom of the covers before attaching the other embellishments.

ESN01

ESN07

                     

Whole of the back cover.

Here are lots of pictures showing all the various embellishments on the front cover.

The whole front cover.     

                                                   

The colour palette I used.  

                                                      

Someone asked for a full picture of the three panel piece I made last month so here it is:

Well as they say "that's all folks". I have enjoyed every minute of it and I hope that I have given you some inspiration. I’m sure that I will make a few more projects now and then to share with you all. Until then have a very Happy Christmas.

Elizabeth x

Leandra Says: Wow Liz, you really have managed to spoil us this semester. I'm sure I can speak for everyone when I say how competently you have taught us about the use of paint, and specifically mixing bespoke colours. Extremely valuable information. All your projects have been a joy to watch unfold, and as ever, your attention to detail is faultless. Thankyou so much for all you have done this semester for us, and yes, I hope we can convince you to pop in next year for the occasional post! If you don't we shall all be suffering withdrawal symptoms! Thank you and a very Merry Christmas!

Gillian Says: Beautiful and oh so delicate, again loving the mix of colour hues you create with. This is a beautiful finale project to bow out with Liz, although I'm sure you won't be far from the PA goodies :) Thank you for all your inspirational projects. x

If you can find 5 minutes at this very busy time of year to play along with Liz's techniques, then do link up your creativity here, and go in the draw to win some PA stamps of your choice!