It's Raining Babies.....

Babies are such blessings and the blessings are abounding around the Quill. Both of my best friends oldest daughters just gave birth to daughters of their own. Needless to say, babies equal baby showers! I love celebrating new life and what better way than to shower mother and child with gifts and treats, especially of the handmade variety.

I was in charge of decorations for one of the showers a couple of weeks ago. I shared these invitations I made in an earlier post. (click on photos to enlarge for better viewing)The colors for the invitations were inspired by a baby planter with a soft pink silk arrangement in it that was given to the mother-to-be as a gift when she was born. Her mother saved it and wanted to use it as a center piece for the shower. It had traditional baby colors of soft pink, baby blue, butter yellow, and a minty green and had an ABC motif. I repeated these colors and motifs in the invitations as well as the decor.

While I am on my blog break, the next few scheduled posts will be tutorials making the invitations, some of the decor items, and a couple of gifts. I hope you will enjoy these sweet little items and ideas. Maybe you will be able to incorporate them into your special celebration or maybe they will be a jump start for ideas for party favors or gifts.

Each party, shower, or celebration must start with an invitation. Above I have given you the inspiration for the invitations, here are the particulars in making them. Below I am including the two images I used as a little gift for you to use in your crafting. Feel free to copy them or save them to your computer.This invitation can easily be adapted to use for a baby boy. I have included the changes and photos for those adaptations at the end of the instructions.

MATERIALS YOU WILL NEED (PER CARD)

Square CD mailer envelope, my envelopes were 5" x 5"
Card stock for card base, 8" x 4 3/4", I used a cream color, save your scraps to punch out the four small squares for the BABY motif.
Solid yellow paper
Solid blue paper
Solid pink paper
Alphabet rubber stamps
Pink Ink Pad
Pink crepe paper streamer
Pink ribbon
White Lace trim
Vintage baby images
Glue stick, hot glue, spray glue (optional)
Wallet size (2 1/2" x 3") photo of the baby or mother-to-be (optional)
Decorative scissorSmall Square Punch, one that punches 1/2" x 1/2" squares
Needle and thread
INSTRUCTIONS:

* Fold the card leaving a 1" overhang on the back of the card and trim both side edges with a decorative scissor. Trim away 1/2" from the bottom front of the card.
* Using the solid blue paper, cut a 4 1/4" x 3 1/2" piece and apply to the front of the card using a glue stick or spray glue.* Cut a 12" piece of pink crepe paper streamer. Cut strip in half length wise using a pinking shear. With a needle and thread, gently gather straight side of streamer. Adjust gathers to fit the bottom edge of the front of the card and gently flatten the ruffle. Glue in place using hot glue. If it extends over the bottom edge of the back of the card, trim away the excess with a pinking shear.
TIP: When I gather the streamer, I leave a three inch tail at the beginning so as not to pull to the thread all the way through and to allow for adjusting gathers. To adjust my gathers a dab a bit of hot glue to one edge of the card and press my streamer end to it. This anchors the ruffle and makes it easier to work with. After my gathers are adjusted, I dab a bit of hot glue on the other end and then anchor the rest with a bead of hot glue.

* Glue a piece of white lace trim or ribbon over the top of the gathered streamer covering the raw edges using hot glue. Tie a small pink satin bow and glue in the center of the trim using hot glue.* Glue the vintage baby image to the fold side of the card front, centering, using a glue stick or spray glue.* Using the small square punch, punch out four cream colored squares from your scraps.* Stamp each square, two with the letter "B", one with an "A", and one with a "Y". Allow ink to dry.* Mount stamped "BABY" squares using a glue stick to solid yellow paper and trim leaving a small border around the square. Repeat this process by mounting that square onto pink paper. Glue each completed square to the front of the card as pictured.* If you choose to add a photo of the baby or mother, mount it to a piece of solid yellow paper with a glue stick, trimming, leaving a small border. Repeat mounting to the blue paper. Repeat, mounting to the pink paper. Adhere to the inside front of the card using a glue stick or mounting tape. Using hot glue, add a single layer satin ribbon to the inside bottom of the invitation just over the top edge of the ruffle to finish off the inside front cover.NOTE: If you do not use a photo, use the smaller second vintage image on the inside of the front card flap.* Cut a 3/4" x 4 3/4" strip of yellow paper. Mount 1/4" from the outer edge of the card back, using a glue stick. This will peek out of the card and highlight the decorative front edge.* Cut a 3 1/4" x 4 1/2" piece of solid pink paper and a solid piece of yellow paper slightly smaller. Glue the pink paper to the inside of the card back. Layer the yellow paper over the pink. This is where you will add you invitation information. I used a lined rubber stamp and pink ink to create mine, handwriting the information using a pink gel pen. You can use a stamp or print the information directly onto the yellow paper and then cut it out and glue it in using a glue stick.* Optional: On the back I used rubber stamp that says, "Handmade By" and signed and dated each card using a pink gel pen.* Glue the vintage image to the outside of the envelope, address, and add postage.
NOTE: Be sure to have these weighed, most used standard postage but a few went out of state and required extra postage.* For an envelope seal I used the second vintage image, gluing it in place with a glue stick.NOTE: To change the invitation to suit a baby boy, simply change up the colors a bit following the same steps as above with the minor changes below.* For the graphic, use the baby on the pillow.* Trim the card edges using a less feminine scissor.
* Use two layers of coordinating crepe paper streamers, cut one strip in half using the pinking shears and the other 1/4 the width of the strip. Do not gather the crepe paper strips, glue them on flat layering the small strip on top of the wider strip. Use a plain white thin satin ribbon and bow to finish the piece off. * Stamp and mount the "BABY" letters as described above only stager them across the top of the card, slightly overlapping, centering the vintage image below the lettering.These examples could also be used as birth announcements, simply stamp out "GIRL" or "BOY" instead of "BABY"!

Perhaps you would like to present a set of these to the new parents to be used as Thank You Cards, simply make them according to the instructions, using a rubber "Thank You" stamp on the inside where they can then write their thank you message! TIP: When I do this I also include postage on the card set for the parents convenience.

A pretty way to bundle these up as gift is to present them in a dainty diaper! You will need:
A Vintage Handkerchief that coordinates with your invitations
A Diaper Pin
Re-positional Double Stick Tape

* Press the handkerchief flat, fold it into a triangle and press.
* Fold center point up and press.*Open the handkerchief up lay the stack of cards and envelopes with the bottom lining up with the pressed fold line.* Fold each side point to the middle, if needed, secure hanky fold to hanky fold with a bit of re-postional double stick tape.* Fold up the bottom point and pin with a diaper pin!For an added touch, add postage to the envelopes and tuck in a matching gel pen to aid the busy parents in expressing their thanks!

I have to tell you that the mother and father of this little baby were ecstatic over these. Proud grandpa took his to work and sat it on his desk to show off his first grandchild. Grinning grandma cried all over me. I think they were a hit!

In the next tutorial I will share a little twist on an old tradition, a corsage for mommy that can become a little decor touch for baby's room! Stay tuned!

Blessings,
Miss Sandy

Book Making Tutorial.....

The art swap items are beginning to arrive and I am so excited to see them all together! The last project for the swap was a little book with pages made from vintage sheet music. I made two books, one of which I will show you here. I am undecided which book will make the swap. This is called a Tied Book because the pages are tied to the binding.BOOK COVER MATERIALS:
*Book board or sturdy cardboard
*Decorative paper of your choice for the inside and outside cover
*Bone folder
*Your choice of a PVA glue, mat gel medium, or a spray mount adhesive
(I used 3M Super 77 multipurpose adhesive, if you choose to use this product, work in a well ventilated area.)
*Tyvek paper or spine paper~ optional
*Your choice of paper for your pages
*Waxed paper
*Brayer

1. Determine the measurement of the size book you want to make. Cut a front cover, back cover, and spine from the book board or sturdy cardboard.My cover measurement was determined by the sheet music I was using for the pages, I made my cover 5" by 6". I knew my book would need some thickness to the spine so I chose to make it 1/2" by 6".

OPTIONAL: Before assembling your book, you can add a strip of Tyvek paper to the spine. This will make your binding last longer. Tyvek is very strong, lightweight paper made with polyethylene fibers. It is used to make FedEx Paks and U.S. Postals Service large envelopes. TIP: Recycle by saving the ones you receive in the mail and cut them in to strips for your book bindings!

To add Tyvek or spine paper to your book spine, glue covers and spine to Tyvek or spine paper, leaving a 1/4" gap. (The demo below is done with a strip of card stock to show how to add the spine reinforcement, I skipped this step on my book as it won't get much use, but if I were making a blank journal, I would recommend doing this step.) Fold the Tyvek or spine paper to the inside and glue in place. Flip over, cover Tyvek or spine paper with waxed paper, bray over the surface to secure the layers.

TIP: I always cover my project with waxed paper before braying so that any excess adhesive will not get on the brayer and be smeared on the next step of the project. I change sheets of waxed paper as needed during the process. This also keeps my brayer clean and free from glue build up.2. Glue the cover papers to the outside of the book, making sure to leave a 1/2" border of paper around your book. Depending on the size of your book, you may have to use more than one sheet of paper for the cover. If you do, I suggest using matching sheets for the front and back and using another coordinating strip for the spine, which adds a decorative touch.3. Trim off corners of the cover paper, add adhesive then fold in excess paper edges,smoothing in place with a bone folder. Flip over, cover with waxed paper and bray over surface, securing layers.4. Cut an additional sheet of decorative paper, 1/4" smaller than the inside measurement of your cover.

OPTIONAL: I wanted my book to tie closed. If you want your book to tie closed, add two 12" ribbon ties to the inside center of your front and back cover, securing with glue before you add the inside cover paper.5. Glue the inside cover sheet in place, covering with waxed paper, bray layers to adhere. You now have a completed book cover to embellish as you wish.

PAGES:
You will want to create a signature or a small group of signatures for your book. A signature is sheets of paper, folded, and nested together for binding in your book. For a blank journal, assemble as stated below.

NOTE: If you are using this as an art journal like I did, I suggest embellishing each page before you assemble the book. It makes it easier to work on the pages when they are flat rather than fight the fold of the book.

1. Cut your inside pages 1/4" smaller in width and length than the inside of your book.
(For my pages, I tore one large piece of sheet music in half, then added two other sized whole sheets of music from and old hymn book. I liked the look of the uneven page sizes when nested into a signature.)

2. Fold the pages in half and smooth over each seam with a bone folder for a crisp fold.3. Nest four pages per signature.(My book only contains one signature, four pieces of sheet music, fold in half, nested, stacked one on top of the other.)

NOTE: You can add as many signatures as you like, but be sure to allow for more in the width of your spine.

BINDING:
Unfold your signature and place it inside the book. Lay a long length of ribbon along the fold of the signature. Bring the ends around the outside of the spine and tie and knot. Trim ribbon as needed. Repeat for additional signatures.NOTE: My book is bound a bit differently. I used a hole punching tool to make holes in my spine and pages. I substituted copper wire for the ribbon and attached a twig, stone beads, and plastic bead leaves to compliment the theme of my book. See details below.

MISS SANDY'S BOOK DETAILS:The last art swap kit included a little book made from vintage sheet music and an image of Laura. We were to create a cover for our book and fill it with our own creative touches and embellishments. The book pages were to include quotes from favorite books or a line from favorite songs. This went along with the blog-a-thon theme of musical memories and beloved books.

BOOK COVER:I knew I wanted to use nature quotes in my book so I let that theme dictate my color palette, paper, and embellishment choices. For my outside cover paper, I chose a neutral printed paper that looks like it is embedded with bits of natural materials. For the inside, I used a lighter piece of handmade mulberry paper embedded with green leaves. For the book tie, I chose a sheer woven wired edged ribbon in a green color to match. I then assembled some various nature inspired materials, real and manufactured to embellish the book front.

I added a piece of torn green tissue paper the the spine of my book and two little snips of sheet music to the upper and lower edge of the spine to match the pages inside. I stamped an image of a nest and eggs onto a tiny aged notebook page using light brown. Using some fine tipped colored pens in a light brown, dark brown, and black, I filled in the nest twigs. I colored the eggs with colored pencils. To age the paper, I wadded it up into a ball, carefully unfolded it and smoothing it a bit. I ran a brown ink pad over the paper and around the edges, then glued it to my cover. The paper folds catch the ink giving the aged appearance.I glued the portrait of Laura to a piece of sheet music and tore around it, inking the edges, then glued that to a piece of decorative paper, tearing it and inking the edges also. I glued it in place, trimming off the overhang to match up with the edges of the book cover.

Using spray mount, I added a dried leaf, a sticker with a bird on it, a twig of dried leaves, and a piece of thin bark that I trimmed out to look like a branch. Using a label maker, I stamped out the words "nature" and "quotes", peeling off the backing and adding spray mount I glued them to the book.

I added a piece of fringed burlap to the upper corner with E6000, topping it off with an old jewelry piece in the shape of a butterfly.

For a final touch I adhered three small pebbles with E6000.

I left the back of the book unembellished save for the handmade stamp and my signature and date.

PAGES:
For the first page, I wanted to you to get the feel of the book, like it was a nature notebook. I added a decal edged piece of sheet music in a slightly different hue over the page, leaving a small edge border. I adhered a strip of torn green tissue paper using a permanent glue stick, layering a small strip of cream paper over it. The cream paper was trimmed out with a decal edged scissor. I stamped the word "nature" in black ink on the cream paper and added two tan buttons threaded with green knotted embroidery floss, using hot glue. I glued on a magazine cutout and layered on a printed quote from a piece of scrapbook paper. For a final touch, I added a fringed square of burlap and a button.I decided I wanted my quotes on tags and there would be one tag per two page spread. I kept the design of the tags and pages the same in each layout, varying the elements a bit from page to page. Each page on the left got a strip of green torn tissue paper applied. A square or rectangle piece of crackle finish scrapbook paper edged with pen draw stitching lines and a dried leaf or a feather glued to it. Each page also got a square piece of fringed burlap, button, and a botanical sticker with a definition of a word on it.
Each page on the right got a library card pocket with a stamped "nature" strip of paper across it and a quote tag. To make the library pocket, I used a strip of the same paper that I used on the book cover, cutting and folding it to fit my tag size as pictured below.
I trimmed out a cream piece of paper with decal edged scissors and stamped the word "nature" on it, adhering it diagonal across the front of the pocket. I then glued the pocket to the page.

TAGS:I used a small creamy standard shipping tag, gluing a torn piece of green tissue paper across the bottom of the tag, inking all the edges brown. I then cut the top shape of the tag using the same paper I used on the inside cover of the book, inking all the edges and gluing in place. I then stamped nature images on the blank center along with words using brown ink.The top of the tag back was done in the same way as the tag front. For the body of the tag I used tiny notebook pages from a little book I had, tearing them out and writing the quote on them. I then age processed them in the same way as I did the nest on the book cover. The quote was then glued to the tag and edges were inked in brown.After punching the hole in the tag top, I used some bits of yarn and embroidery floss, pulling them through the hole and gathering them together just above the tag, wrapping them with copper wire to secure them. Each tag was then placed in a library pocket.

SPINE:To attach the pages in my book, I used hole punching tool to punch two holes in the spine of my book and matching holes in my pages. I broke off a twig slightly shorter than the spine. Opening my book, I lay my stacked pages on top of the cover, threading the ends of the copper wire through the holes. I then wired each end of the twig securing my pages in place. I threaded on stone beads and plastic leaves while twining the extra lengths of wire ends around the twig. I tightly twisted the end together, clipped, and secured them underneath the twig.If you are up for a monthly art challenge, visit Mind Wide Open.They have created the Mind Wide Open Challenge Contest that will run monthly, starting the 1st of each month (or as close as they can get it there). They hope you will come and play with them as the winner will receive a $20.00 shopping spree (with free shipping) to Shabby Cottage Studio! Their first art challenge begins TODAY! Run over and see for yourself!

Happy Book Making,
Miss Sandy