Chunky Garden Book

Two posts in one day - wow! But there's so much to share after the retreat.

The big book project during this year's Artful Gathering was this gorgeous chunky garden book. I finished mine during the retreat but needed to add a few more finishing touches when I got home.  This book was a collaborative effort - six artists designed and created the prototype for one page spread each.  We used 7 Gypsies Conservatory papers throughout along with their book covers.

 This is the first spread, designed by my dear friend, Julie. She used lots of lace, glitz and flowers on this page.  The long ruffle mimics a Prima ruffle - we hand-pleated both  crepe and tulle together and glued to the page, adding the rhinestones down the center to hide the glue.  I love this page - you would never know that Julie has four boys!

 This is Jean's spread, using lots of transparencies and vellum. Jean had half the work done for us as she had Xyroned everything so adhesive wouldn't show.  I love the dragonfly stamp and how we used Angelina fibers on the wings.

Even the back of the tag was decorated with stamped "deli paper."

This page, by Joan, was an engineering feat!  The Cricut gates were adhered to chipboard covered with text pages and hinged on to the main page.

 This photo shows the left gate open. The eggs were cut out of the printed paper but almost look dimensional with the burlap and moss around them.

 A view of the right side with the gate open.

This is the spread Kris created - she loves birds!  The iris is printed on vellum and laid over the paper background. Below it is a small paper sack/envelope for a little tag. On the right page there is a small piece of real masking tape placed over the masking tape image on the paper. It's hard to see, but there is a Tattered Florals layered flower in the lower right corner and it's very dimensional.

The leader of the group and organizer of the event, Jeri, made this spread. She left it very spare so we could add lots of the little trinkets we acquired or made during the retreat.  There are two circular pockets on the right to hold memorabilia and on the left I added the burlap pocket and goodies from Joan and Diann.

These are the items in the pockets: a tiny "sweet basil" card which opens to reveal a pesto recipe; a "parsley" ATC; a  floral playing card; and another ATC with a coin envelope.

This page was created by Joanne who did not attend the gathering.  The background is a photocopy of a garden.  The statues were printed on what looks like a matte sticker paper and, when adhered, look like vellum - very soft.

This is the front of the book.  The ribbons are decoration only and are not holding the book together.  The page spreads are actually adhered back-to-back and then to the covers to bind the book.

The book is so fat and chunky that it won't stay closed, which I love!  I made this closure after getting the idea from Linda F (thanks!!). I took two little binder clips and ran a length of chain through them.  I added a few jump rings with a piece of old jewelry, a Tim Holtz trinket pin and key, and a small TH fragment covered in alcohol ink on which I wrote the date for the retreat.  When looking at the book you simply remove the clip from the front cover and clip it to the back cover until you want to close the book again.

This was so much fun to make and there are so many techniques covered in so few pages. Thank you to the ladies who designed it and shared their talent with us. It is certainly a treasure and a wonderful memento of a fabulous weekend!

Next year's theme is "Christmas in July" and I can hardly wait!