Gourds Galore and More: tutorial

I have finished the kettle gourd birdhouse. It was very enjoyable to paint with such bright vivid colors for a spring design.

I added 3 coats of exterior spar urethane (sanding lightly between each coat) for a very durable and long lasting finish. Since Michigan has such sever temperature changes, I always use the best product for the most extreme conditions.

This is a close-up of the flower detail.

I tied a bit of raffia around the hanger and added some seed beads for a nice touch. What bird wouldn't want some home decor accents right?

The hanger I use is a heavy duty suede cord tied at the end.

The front view of the final product.

I hope you try painting one of these birdhouses for your use. Caution.....it's pretty addicting!

Have a great week,

Darlene

I really enjoy making these mini-books for scrapbooking specific themes. These can be used for baby, pets, specific yearly holidays, events (ex: sporting, showers, etc.) and by adding a few additional pockets you can hold all the ephemera you need to archive the moment.

Here is a little photo tutorial on the highlights of how I make this 5"x7" mini album. I hope you try one too. They are ADDICTING!

I cut my mat board to the sizes I need. One piece for the front, one for the back and one for the spine. I purchase "Crafty Board" for my books. You can get this from The Paper Mill store http://www.thepapermillstore.com/gsearch.php?substring=crafty+board&x=50&y=12 It's a 40 pt board and quite durable. There are many other sources also.

Then off to choosing all your cardstock for outside, spine and inside. I love the Club Scrap papers because of their thickness. I want my books to be as durable as possible. I believe that they will be passed down to many younger generations and many little hands (and big too) will be handling these mini albums. Durability is a must!

Mark the center of your spine cardstock and mat board. Centering is VERY important for a professional look.

I always use book binding glue for my book projects. I really like how easy it is to work with but it also makes the final product look professional. It allows me to make crisp edges and corners. The use of the bone folder helps achieve this look. Please use it, you can't go wrong and you'll never try to make another fold without it :-)

I first apply the glue on my mat board directly from the bottle. Then I take a brush (foam or bristle) and spread the glue evenly. Make sure you cover every bit of the mat board and spread throughout. It should have a nice amount of coverage but never runny or messy.

Add your cardstock and smooth out completely with the bone folder. Make sure you are removing any air bubbles if they have formed. In this pic I am doing the spine first.

Use the same process for the front and back mat board covers. I measure a line on the mat board for reference. I want to leave a small area between the spine and front and back covers so it can be comfortably folded.