Thursday, September 22, 2011

FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN!

Today, Friday, is the first day of Autumn! I made this accordion book recently and was waiting for the equinox to show it to you.


I started with this blank accordion book that I got at Big Lots for $1. You could just make one with heavy cardboard or chipboard, and card stock. As you can see, the covers are a bright turquoise, so I took some tan craft acrylic paint and went around all the edges to hide the turquoise. (You can see the painted edge on the right side.)


(Sorry, but I'm not a step-by-step photographer!)

I began with a variety of scrapbook paper in Fall colors, cut to size, and decoupage glued them to the book. After every two facing pages, I'd fold up the book and put a heavy book on top for a few hours, so the pages didn't warp. I also left the heavy book on at night until I was done with all the gluing.


I chose the alphabet letters from Clipart ETC, sized and colored them on the computer (I use paint.net instead of paint shop - it's free!), printed them out and glued them onto the scrapbook paper. I still used the heavy book.


I purchased some gold colored blingy sticky-flowers (Jolee, I think) and placed them on the flowers of each letter.


I also got some rub-on words for Autumn, rubbed them onto paper, tore around the edges, and glued onto the pages. Unfortunately, the rub-ons were cheap and didn't stick well, so after these little pieces of paper were glued and dried, I carefully decoupaged over the paper pieces to keep the letters intact.

I added a few more embellishments here and there and then went to work on the outer covers. I picked up a nice brown swirly blingy thing at A. C. Moore for the front cover. Again, the word was rubbed on and decoupaged over. I should have decoupaged the whole front cover, but I was so eager to put the bling in place, that I forgot!

The last thing I did was decoupage over the tan paint that was my first step - to prevent the paint from coming off the edges.
And, there you have it! I decided to keep it on this table, but used the piano for photos because the lighting is much better!

P.S. - TAG SWAP LADIES - I hope you all have your tag in the mail! Yesterday was mailing day!

10 comments:

Ruby Jean said...

Happy Autumn to you...Oh how I LOVE this time of year....Your book is very sweet...I just got word that my partner received her tag already so I am excited..Can't wait to share.. :) thank you for hosting a VERY fun tag swap...

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love my tag from Ruby Jean! It's beautiful!! I've never done a tag swap before, but loved it and can't wait for the next one! I think I may have to give this little accordion book a try!

Simply Shelley said...

Love it..Happy Autumn...blessings

Anonymous said...

Wery cute, Sue! Looks like it was a fun project! I did a little fall decorating yesterday and it was fun! ♥

Anonymous said...

I got my tag from Sandy aka 521 Lake Street, my new friend! She is one gifted tag maker; A she's ADORABLE!

Twyla and Lindsey said...

Hi Sue,

So pretty!I love prjects created with bargian finds! Those clipart letters are beautiful! I really loved how you called the Prima swirl a "nice brown swirly blingy thing". I loved that! You made me laugh out loud!!!!
Happy Autumn to you as well!

Lindsey

Linda @ A La Carte said...

This is so cute! What a fun gift to send a friend also! Thanks Sue!!

hugs, Linda

GARAGE SALE GAL said...

Love the colors of your Autumn decor.
Thanks for the reminder about mailing the tag. With all that has been going on...I almost forgot to mail it. Off it goes tomorrow AM!!
Deb

gift ideas said...

Done same thing with different types of sessions. I covered Christmas, easter, st. Louis card, st. Thomas and some of the Hindu festivals in one card with more than five layers.

Neabear said...

I love this idea! Looks awesome and you did a great job on it too. Hmm...I just may try this!

~Linnea