A Lavish Altered Book

 Hi Everyone! This is Elizabeth from 217 Creations. I think most of you know by now how much I love to alter items.  My Cricut makes this so easy to do!  I can't wait to share all the details with you! I made this album with my neighbor's daughter Abby.  She just got her Gypsy for Christmas and her favorite cartridge is French Manor.  She has good taste! It's mine too!  She picked out the cuts and we sized them together.  She also picked out most of the embellishments and the paper.  She even got her hands into the inking! LOVE IT! So here's our project!

 I started with a composition book I bought on the after school clearance at Target for 10 cents!

I traced my cover size on to the back of this ultra cute paper from Me and My Big Ideas. I used my paper trimmer and cut the cove rout. I distressed the edges and added Distress Ink in the following colors: Scattered Straw, Vintage Photo, and Victorian Velvet.

Next I used Modge Podge to seal the papers to the book.  Because Distress Ink is formulated to react with water, it will bleed a bit with the Modge Podge BUT I wanted that! I wanted that smeared, torn and worn, found in your grandma's attic look.

Once the Modge Podge dried, I took a couple of strips of Terrifically Tacky Tape (TTT) and ran it down the spine and bit over the edge.  I then pressed this gorgeous ribbon onto the TTT covering the spine and overlapping the front and back bit.

Next I hand pleated the black ribbon onto the edges with TTT.

Then I began embellishing the cover. I started with a strip of Tim Holtz Film Strip.  To adhere it, I covered the entire backside with Tombo Vellum adhesive.

Next I altered and distressed these tags from Tim Holtz.  First I inked them.  Then I spray with Glimmer Mist and then I crumple and wait to dry.  Then unfold.

I then used this cut from French Manor.  This dress form is cut at 6.53 inches. Then I inked the cut with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

To finish the form, I placed a strip of TTT and then pressed the tulle into the TTT, creating a skirt.  I repeated this a few times and then added a strip of velvet ribbon for the belt.  Finally, I adhered the pearls to the skirt and the necklace.

Next I used the Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher to pair up the tags.  I then hot glued them to the cover.

 

I added these flowers from Prima and stamped the sentiment "Find Joy Everyday" from Pink By Design Enjoy the Journey.

 I added this bird from French Manor.  I cut it at 2.06 inches. finally I inked the edges of the pages with Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo.

Here are a few angles.  Remember you can always click on any photo to enlarge and see more details.

 Thank you for leaving comments both here at She's A Sassy Lady and on my personal blog at www.217Creations.com