spring quotation accordion book by lauren bergold

is there a time limit for using the things in one's crafty stash? i hope not, or i may shortly be placed under arrest: this project is based around a junkitz brand wooden "box book" that is so old i don't have any idea where or when i got it! (i'm not the ONLY one who's done this, right?! please be a sport and say it's happened to you, too!) anyway, i am quite pleased to have found this elderly item in time to use it with the SPRINGTIME PIXIE kit, because i'm really happy with how my project turned out!

so what is it? well, it's kind of a mini album, i guess. but instead of photos, i've filled the inside with a fanciful hand-stamped version of a beautiful springtime quotation. you see, i was asked by a papercrafter i deeply admire if i would "exchange works" with her, and i wanted to make something completely unique in her honor.

the cover illustrates pretty clearly how well pixie-in-chief kirsty vittetoe selects and combines products from various sources: the winged fairy is from a graphic 45 paper, the blue is webster's pages, the strips are more G45 and some october afternoon, the button from the girls paperie, and the flower's made from our signature pixie seam binding!

here's a tip that's worth repeating because to me it makes the difference between liking the idea of covering mini-albums with patterned paper...and actually being willing to DO IT: never try to cover right up to the edge! because seriously, there's nothing more tedious, and life's too short! instead, trace in pencil around whatever shape you want to cover; cut out the pieces staying 1/16" of an inch INSIDE the line (don't measure, just eyeball a small distance; it does NOT have to be exact!); then, before you adhere the paper pieces to your book, take a permanent marker and color the edges of your uncovered project!

in this case, because the hinge of the box is black, and it'd interfere with functionality to cover it, i chose a black sharpie pen and colored the edges and corners of the box. THEN...i inked my patterned paper edges to match...THEN i glued all my bits onto the book. trust me, this is infinitely EASIER than trimming with a craft knife and i think it looks every bit as nice! :)

the *inside* of the book is pretty straightforward: i found a springtime quotation i liked, and broke the lines down so they'd fit into the pages of the accordion folded cardstock that makes up the album's pages. this i hand-stamped using a set of making memories alphabet stamps i've had FOREVER.

i used two consecutive sizes of nestie label shapes in order to die-cut a patterned paper "frame" for each page of the book. i then stamped a line of the poem on each page--with a few words "highlighted" by using stickers and my dymo labeler. then i decorated each frame with hand-cut fairies and flowers.

the back of the box book coordinates with the front; a fairy and a bit of lace trim add a bit of extra interest and some texture, respectively.

et voila: a book to welcome springtime! (which cannot possibly come too soon to please *this* particular warmth-loving pixie!) ♥♥♥

Kirsty's Note -

I have to say that THIS PROJECT is from a genius!!! AMAZING!!! You are SO creative Lauren, thanks for sharing with us such beautiful project plus great instruction!


ANNOUNCEMENT
"January Challenge winner"
Thanks to all who played along with Pixie January Sketch Challenge, we enjoyed every single entries, they are all beautiful in its own way, thanks ladies!!! Look out for our February challenge on Feb 20th!


Here's the winning project

Congratulations Burbulex!!!!!
Please send an email to kirsty@pixiedustpaperie.com, so we could line you up to claimed  your prize, you have till Feb 12th to do that.


Pixie GIVEAWAY 
round 5 prize #1
beautiful handmade notebook and brooch by Zielonooka

prize #2

Click HERE to enter the GIVEAWAY!

Shop HERE for Pixie February Kit "Springtime Pixie"