Happy Friday!  I hope everyone is staying warm and cozy with all this cold weather across the nation.  We’ve had no accumulating snow here, but the highs are in the teens . . . .  Good days to stay inside and stamp!

Yesterday I mentioned that I had a second project in mind and believe it or not . . .  I got it finished!

When I was making the monogrammed notebooks at Christmas, I used lined filler paper for the inside pages.  When I trimmed the paper down, I kept the sides that I cut away (3-1/4″ x 9-1/2″).  As I stood there looking at this pile of paper I was making, it occurred to me that I could make my book with it instead of tossing it in the garbage.  While I had the Bind-it-All out, I went ahead and punched the pages and put them to the side.

When Mallory took the 2008 calendar down from the fridge (one of those medium size desk calendars), I had her put it on my desk.  While cleaning off my desk last week, I realized that the cardboard on the back would be the perfect outer covers for my own book.   WOO HOO!  Take a look at what I did with some of my favorite papers, stamps and embellishments!

I cut the cardboard to size, then covered both pieces with some of my fave 7 Gypsies paper.  I have learned that the best way to glue anything down to cardboard or chipboard is Ranger Matte or Glossy Accents.  I used the matte for this project – it dries clear, quickly and the matte doesn’t have that sheen.  I sanded away the excess paper from the sides (so I would have a worn look) and then sponged everything down with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  Once I had the sentiment panel the way I wanted, I die cut the panel out using the soon to be released Spellbinders Large Deckled Rectangles.  To finish off the book, and since I was using some of my favorite things, I decided to layer a number of Tim Holtz idea-ology embellishments.  Way too much fun!

To give you an idea of the size and the filler paper, here are a few pics of the inside:

• Stamps: Tim Holtz Nature’s Discovery by Stampers Anonymous from Rubbernecker Stamp Company
• Paper: 7 Gypsies Angelo and Classic Paperie; SU Very Vanilla
• Ink: Ranger Vintage Photo and Antique Linen, Cranberry Pigment
• Accessories: Spellbinders  Large Deckled Rectangles, DIE SKU #S4-202; Bind-it-All and 3/4″ Binding Wire; Tim Holtz idea-ology Game Spinners, Sprocket Gears, Philosophy Tag, Swivel Clasp, Trinket Pin, Jump Ring and Long Fastener, and Tonic Distress Tool; Ranger Matte Accents; Tsukineko Sponge Dauber; Cardboard; Filler Paper; Ribbon

That’s all I have today, but while working on this project and idea came to mind for another.  I know.  It’s scary!  I hope you have great adventures today . . . whatever they may be!