EASY BOOK

This is one of the very simplest ways to make a little note book.  I should have put something next to it to indicate scale, but its about 9cm high - just right for pockets or bags.

I just folded up some nice handmade paper for the pages (folding each in half and then stacking), cut the cover out of double-sided scrapbooking paper (G45), and placed in around the outside.

I lay the stack out flat and put some paper clips around the edge so the stack wouldn't slip whilst I used a sharp, thick needle to make a hole in the middle of the fold (spine).  I then added two holes equidistant on either side of the middle.

All that remained was to sew the pages together, using thin twine.  Starting from the outside of the middle hole, sew into the centre then out through one of the side holes, then back in through the other side hole, then back out the middle hole again.  Finish by tying the ends together.  How simple is that!!

FIVE IDEAS WITH PAPER CLAY

PAPER CLAY IDEAS

I've been playing with paper clay - here are a few ideas to try.

Beginning at the red rose circle and working in a clockwise direction:

RED ROSE CIRCLE - I rolled out some paperclay fairly thinly, then inked up a Darkroom Door background stamp with red Versacolor ink and pressed it into the clay.  I then cut a circle using a cookie cutter.  It would be OK as a feature or background on a card but would probably look better on top of a box as though its light its fairly chunky.

LEAF IMPRINT - The clay was rolled thinly again but this time a (real) fern leaf was pressed into it.  The only trouble was, that it left all its brown spored behind in the clay!!  I cut it out very badly, but the general principle is OK, and it should work with any leaf with prominent veins or stiff fronds.

PINK ROSE - I used the stamped clay left over from the rose circle, kneading it well to mix the red ink through the white clay (hence the pink colour), I then formed it into a rough sausage shape, then pinched it flat, so that it stayed flattish on one side and "petalish" on the other, then I rolled it into a coil and pinched it well together at the end, cutting off the "lump" at the bottom so that it sat nice and flat.

FACE - I used a silicone mould to make the face, leaving it to dry overnight, then added details with Sharpie pens, and a ribbon scarf (OK, I admit to doubting my skill at drawing hair).

GREEN TILE - I tried adding colour to the clay with strokes of alcohol marker  (as suggested on several sites).  It worked, but was a bit like hard work compared to using the stamp pad ink.  I inked a large background stamp from Stamp-it with black ink, stamped onto the rolled-out clay, then cut one of the tiles out.

I don't think I'll be using paper clay a lot - its not really my thing, but it was interesting to play with and I can see that for some applications it will be exactly what I need.  I like its lightness, that means it can be used on cards without overbalancing them, or for Carmen Miranda-esque earrings that don't pull your earlobes down to your waistline!  I also like its flexibility and will, at some stage see how it goes as a mould for polymer clays and suchlike.