Happy National Scrapbooking Day!!

Hi everyone!  Julie here, and I'm hoping you have lots of time for creativity today. :)

In addition to the Summer Stories Collection pack give away, I have a tutorial for you today.

I love altering old books.  Awhile back, I participated in 30 Days of Lists and shared the altered book I did on my blog.  I made another one using Summer Stories, Memories, and little bits of Teresa's other lines...and here's the fun 'how to' for NSD, so you can make one too! :)

Fun, right?  :)

1.  First things first.  Find an old book.

The Thrift store or Good Will...garage sales...all good places to find them.  I think mine cost fifty cents.  Be picky.  Look for one with a nice spine & an appropriate title (I don't cover the spine)...check for water damage and stains...or inner pages used as a coloring book.  I have even been known to sniff the inner pages to make sure they don't smell funky.

2.  Each of your inner pages...is actually several pages glued together.  As it would take forever to glue every page of the book together...feel free to cheat a little.  Every few pages or so...I ripped out a few pages.  Now there's not so many pages to work with.  Don't make it hard...there's nothing exact about it...just start ripping here and there.

It will look like something like this.

3.  Determine how many pages you want in your book.

My book is a thankful journal for June.  June has 30 days.  I'm going to use front and back...so I need at least 15-16 pages.  This helps in determining how many pages to glue together...to make one page.

4.  Make your inner pages.

This is the easy part.  It's also the most time consuming.  All you really need is a glue stick.
REMEMBER:  You do NOT need glue on every inch of the page.  As long as you get most of the top, bottom, and side edges...and a smidge in the center...you are good!
You'll get really fast at it by the time you're done, I promise.  Keep gluing pages together until you have the thickness you want for one page.  Keep doing this until you have all your pages done.  Smooth them out as you go...from the front, and after you flip the page.

You can also sew pages together to make a page.  Or use your stapler.

Hint:  Fold down half your pages diagonally from the top right corner, and make a pocket page.

My glued together pages.

5.  The cover.

  

I used Summer Stories (SS) and Memories (M) for most of the book.  Cut a piece of SS Flowers paper to fit the front of your book.  Be sure not to cover the bendy part.

Cut a rectangular piece of SS Filigree (wood grain side).  Sew around the edges.
Hint:  Be sure you put together the front piece before you attach it to the flower paper with pop dots.

Adhere a small round doily to the wood grain paper...then add the Memories (M) calendar grid piece (I covered the grid with SS Damask (print side)...then I sanded the edges.

Using my old typewriter, I typed out '30 days of thankful' on white cardstock...then adhered it to the top left on the chipboard piece.  Adhere the SS yellow pennant border piece below it (trim it to size first).  Add the pink number border on top of the yellow piece.
Next, add a strip of SS gray chevron washi tape.

Adhere Thickers to spell June (or whatever month you choose).  Punch a small gold glitter heart and add to top left corner.  I added a small cluster next to June...a SS brad (I actually glued this on with a heavy duty liquid glue - Quick Grip), button & enamel dot.  The 'always' in the bottom left corner is from Memories...the die cut sheet.  Last, I stamped the date below June with a date stamp.

Finally, adhere the whole piece to the flower paper with pop dots.

Next, tuck in the top elements:  the SS 'beginning' tab, button, and ticket from the border strip.
In the upper right corner, add 2 SS die cut pennants...with the 'smile' piece on the top.  I sewed above it.

Adhere the whole piece to the book cover (again, I used the Quick Grip).  Let dry for a bit and sand the edges.  Done!

Inner Cover:

Confession.  When I ripped the very first page out of the book (a blank extra one)...it wasn't a very good rip.  In fact, it was really messy.  So I cut a piece of SS Bingo (yellow numbers side) to fit inside.  It was still messy looking in the center binding part...so I added some Far & Away grid washi tape.  Voila!  No evidence of the messy rip.  :)

Next, add the calendar grid die cut from the M die cut sheet.  Stamp the 'everyone has a story to tell' using the SS stamps.  I used VersaFine Smokey Gray ink.

Add a large 30...I used wood veneer numbers found at Michael's.  I inked them pink and adhered them.  Next, add a strip of the pink pennant border.  I stapled it a couple of times at the edge.  Add 'days' with Thickers...then the M 'keepsake' brad.

Last...I had to fill in the month and year at the top.  I just couldn't leave them blank.

So I used a small set of alphabet stamps...and stamped JU for June.  Then I realized JU could be June or July.  Duh.  Upon deeper thought, I realized it would have to be June because there's 31 days in July.  Whew.  I stamped 13 for the year and adhered the whole thing to my inside cover page.

Page 1:  (I did the first 5 pages of the month...I'll share more later ;)

Cut a piece of SS Ephemera (gray side) to fit inside your book.  Mine is approx. 4.5 x 7.5".  My 'I am thankful.' stamp I made with my TC Stampmaker.  It's easiest to make the page, and THEN glue it into the book.

Stamp I am thankful in the upper left corner.  Add M crown washi tape underneath.  Stamp date below the washi.  Add a die cut SS pennant in upper right corner & staple at the top.  I punched a butterfly from the SS flower paper and added it over the pennant with 2 yellow enamel dots.

Add the M bicycle die cut to the bottom right corner.  Use Thickers to spell out june 1.

Adhere the page into the book...I used Quick Grip.  Leave room at the top for the M sticker number tab.  Only use half...you'll want the back of the tab to have a two on it for the June 2 page.  Adhere tabs to top right corner.

Here's the next 2 pages.  Lots of room for journaling what you're thankful for that day. :)

Page 2:

Cut a rectangle to fit your book from the SS Flashcards (pink stripe side) paper.  I adhered a He Said envelope to the pink paper, and used a M die cut 'My thoughts' card to put inside.  Add the photo ticket from the border strip.  Punch a medium heart from gold glitter paper and adhere to bottom right of the envelope.  Stamp a 2 in the number blank.

Adhere the whole thing to your page.  I wanted some of the text from the book to show.

Stamp I am thankful at the top directly onto the book page.

Add the SS 'this day is perfect' chipboard piece below the envelope.  Finish with a strip of He Said ruler washi tape, and stamp the date.

Page 3:

Cut a piece of SS Stripes (the dot side) to fit your book.  I added a library card from my stash.  Adhere a strip of SS chevron washi tape across the bottom.  Add the 'today' chipboard piece, and stamp the date onto the library card.  Next add the SS ledger tag brad with a 3 (Thickers).  Stamp I am thankful in the bottom right.

Glue page into book.  I added a couple of staples.  Don't worry about them showing through on the other side...you can always cover them with paper.  I added a piece off SS washi tape...take note.

Page 4:

I cut a narrower piece of M Tags paper (gray ledger side) and stamped I am thankful at the top.

Punch a large heart from the SS gold glitter dot paper and add to bottom right corner.  Stamp the date in the bottom left.

Add the SS 'love this so much' sticker above the stamped date...and a 4 next to it.

Add SS pink scallop border sticker below I am thankful.  Adhere a few enamel dots, and you're good!

Page 5:

Cut a narrow piece again of M Filmstrip paper (diagonal stripe side) and stamp I am thankful in the bottom right corner.  Add the M gray dot scallop border sticker above it...trim off extra and save.  Adhere Documented sticker next, and stamp the date above it.

Glue page into book and add wood veneer 5 (Michael's).  Add a little strip of She Said pink washi tape to the top.

Whew!  You made it!  Only 25 more pages to go.  ha ha :)  I will have to post those later...

On to the give away!!

Leave a comment on this post...and you will be entered to win a Summer Stories Collection pack!

We will post a winner on Monday!  Hope you enjoyed the altered book...give it a try.  They are a kick to make :)  Happy NSD!!