Adirondacks Midori

Welcome to the Adirondacks Blog Hop brought to you by Club Scrap.  Each month the talented Club Scrap owner, employees and members present a project, card or layout using the monthly featured collection. The  purpose of the blog hop is to demonstrate the beauty of paper and digital crafts.

If you just happened on the blog hop today because you're a regular reader of my blog, and you'd like to view the entire hop, you can  start back at Club Scrap. If you're already hopping and linked to me from the talented Kelly's blog, you're in the right spot. 

Today each member is pulling inspiration from the Adirondacks collection. I knew this outdoor collection would rival the National Parks collection which made #1 on my Top 10 favorite kits. I may have to order seconds because this first kit is nearly gone.

The stamps inspired me to make a Midori traveler's notebook.  One of my long time BFF's is turning 50 this month and I thought this would be a fabulous gift for her.  Several years back we did a 5 day backpacking trip through Yosemite and we both still share a love for the outdoors. In fact we both applied to do the trek again this year but didn't get chosen (it's by lottery only).

 

This is quite a lengthy blog post with lots of pictures so if you're short on time please continue on to see what Tina has created for you using the Adirondacks collection.

1. Start with a 8.5" x 9" piece of Kraft-tex. This rugged paper feels and looks like leather but sews, cuts and washes like fabric. In fact I washed this piece first to give it that wrinkled look.   

 

2. Punch a small hole at .5" .75" from the top and the bottom in the horizontal center. Punch a small hole at 4.25" from the top.

3. Stamp and decorate outside cover with the Adirondacks stamps and stencil.

 4. String elastic cording starting from the inside of the top hole, through the adjacent hole.  Continue the cording to the inside bottom and thread through to the bottom hole. Bring the ends together inside and tie a tight knot in the center.  The book cover should bow quite a bit. Place an elastic band with barbs through the center hole. This will be used to hold your book closed.

 

5. Score 10 pieces of 7"x8" ivory paper at 3.5".

6. Pierce holes at .5", 1", 7" and 7.5" using a piercing cradle.

7. Bind 5 pages together by stitching from inside the top hole in and out down to the bottom hole though the entire stack and tying the two ends together inside. This makes one signature. Repeat with the second signature.

8. Trim a manila folder (still folded) at 7" vertically and 11" horizontally. 9. Open the folder and score at 8" vertically. Fold in right side and turn so fold is folding up from the bottom.

10. Score 3.5" in from both sides and fold inward and burnish the edges.

11.Unfold the paper completely and then fold in half horizontally.

12.  Make an arrow by trimming 1" down from bottom fold to 1" of center fold.

13. Unfold and open up. Fold bottom "arrows" up and fold from the center backwards. This will give you folded pockets.

14. Round the corners with a corner chomper. This rounded area will help the folders to stay in the book.

15.  Decorate and stamp as desired.

16. Slide in your pages and pockets into the midori cover using the center elastic bands.  I like lots of space at the top, bottom and sides of my midori notebooks for tabs and post it notes.  

17.  I added small envelopes to the back with bookbinding glue.  

 

 



Whew! That was a lot of photos and instructions.
Please continue on to see what Tina has created for you.

 

Here are links and videos for further instructions on how to create a midori.

Cape Cod Scrapper

Make Your Own Midori 

Pocket full of Vintage

Choose to Shine Notebook

I am in love with Kraft-Tex.  I've been making these cute little books for everything lately!  I went through my Projects file to find something close to what I was looking for and came across instructions for the Secret Keeper Project from the Private Eye collection. The project calls for a plastic cover which I replaced with the Kraft-Tex.
 

 Score nine 4 x6 pages horizontally at 3".

 Pierce a hole 1" from the top and 1" from the bottom along the scored line.
  Using a piercing cradle is a super time saver since you can pierce at least 4 pages at a time.

 Stitch through each page using a chain stitch to link each page together.

If you need a refresher on stitching check out this video.

 Cut the cover out of Kraft-Tex at 4.5 x 10 and round the corners.

Decorate the front cover as desired. 

I added stickles to the stamped image.

Punch hole in center of back cover and insert elastic band.

 

Club Scrap papers, stamps and elastic band. Stickles.

 

Now I have a perfect notebook for the depths of my clutter purse!

Don't forget to return tomorrow for the Club Scrap Color Me Happy Blog Hop!



Yupo Notebook

Yupo is a unique alternative to traditional art papers. It’s a synthetic, pulp-free (tree-free) paper, made in the USA from 100% polypropylene. It has several unique properties: Super-smooth, durable, waterproof, tear-proof and bright white.

When this fabulous paper arrived in the Color Me Happy kit,  most crafters were excited to break out their alcohol inks and color bursts. I was excited about the waterproof, tear-proof properties to this paper. This is exactly what I need for a pocket notebook I'll use at work. The small notebook needs to be strong and sturdy and withstand being shoved in and out of my pant pockets in all types of weather.

 

Lately I've been fascinated with Midori travel notebooks and Julie provides amazing tutorials, links and videos on how to create one. I took inspiration from those and set about to create my own. I apologize in advance for the VERY long post.  

 

Cut the Yupo papers into nine 4x6 pieces. I saved the extras to play with.

Score each at 3".

 

Using my Envelope Punch Board I made tabs on each folded piece.

The tabs will allow me to find my information in a hurry.

6 pieces were punched at 2".

3 pieces were punched at 1" and 3".

Using a ruler and craft knife I sliced off the sides to create tabs.

 



 

 Next create three signature of 3 different tabbed folders.

Using the piercing cradle pierce holes 1" from the top and the bottom.

Stitch each signature separately for stability. 

For the cover, trim a piece of Kraft-Tex at 4 1/2 x 6 3/4.

Pierce one hole in the very center.

Pierce holes at .5" and .75" from the top and bottom in the center.

Pierce holes at .5" and .75" one quarter inch to the left and right of the top and bottom holes.

Create a loop on the outside of the book and bring both ends of an elastic band through the center hole.

Bring the end of the elastic band through the hole above the center to the outside and stitch back through the top hole. Repeat with bottom elastic band.

Tie tight in the middle. Enough to create small bend in the cover.

Stitch the two remaining columns and tie in the middle.

 

Add one stitched folded signature under each elastic band.

 

I love love love my little book.  Stamping didn't go as well as planned, but hey...it's art!

So I wanted to experiment with the pens I'll be using in my notebook.

The notebook is virtually waterproof and I needed the ink to be as well.

 

I was testing on left over pieces the quickness in drying of the pens on the Yupo.

I was also testing the inks ability to withstand water.

The reason I keep emphasizing the water thing is my last notebook was decimated at work while standing in the rain when we received nearly 3 inches.

Looks like the Sharpie wins out.

 

I can't wait to fill this up! I can even add more pages if I need.