Project: Accordion Book with Tag Book

I had a blast making this gift. First, the people receiving it have been kind to me at a time when I was struggling, and I appreciate that kindness. But building on what I've been making, and taking it to the next level, was such a stretch. It's an amazing thing to watch myself build skills in both design and execution. I'm really proud of everything I've made this year, but I feel this one is the one where the design I see in my head is very nearly the design I hold in my hand. I'm closing that gap (even as the designs in my head get better and more complex).


This is another accordion book that open both from the top and the bottom. I put a 7 Gypsies book belt on this one to hold the contents together. It's slightly off center, and I laid out the cover to accommodate this element. The cover contains two photographs trimmed down and distressed. The Bazzill library pocket is stamped with a Tim Holtz stamp using Peeled Paint Distress Ink. The pocket holds a tag mini-book (see later photo for details) with various ribbon, yarn, and a few Tim Holtz distress elements danglies. The ribbon across the bottom wraps around the front cover, and holds the paper flower with a crystal brad. I used Glimmer Mist (Patina and Coffee Shop) on the paper flower to make it blend in a bit more with the cover elements. A stamp, a compass, and a Chinese coin round out the cover.


The tag book is made from manilla tags that I've sprayed with Glimmer Mist (Patina and Key Lime Green) and then stamped with various stamps using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Peeled Paint. They are stamped on one side and have Glimmer Mist on the back side. My thinking is that they can add pictures on the stamped side and write on the back. The tags are bound with a ball chain (which I trimmed down) and adorned with yarns and ribbons and danglies. I tried to make this gender neutral, but I couldn't help myself with the yarns. There are six tags in this book.

The interior pages I used Glimmer Mist (Patina and Robin's Egg in one direction, Patina and Coffee Shop in the other) using Tim Holtz masks with the clock face and gears. I added tabs and other page marking items. When you open the book from the top, it contains a photo holder that I also distressed and painted with Glimmer Mist so it blends into the rest of the project.

More pictures available on Flickr.
Project code: 280111