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15^th Century Fold Out Book

By Brenda Harmless
Rubber Roadsters
Advanced Stamping Team Designer  

This cute little pocket size book was modeled after notebooks that doctor’s used as diagnostic charts in the 15^th century.  It is made by using one full sheet of 12x12 paper that unfolds to show off your favorite photos, artwork, tags, or mementos! I’ve embellished this book with patriotic artwork and metal accent pieces that were etched, embossed, & hammered.

Supplies

• Three Cheers Stamp Set (Close To My Heart)
• Celebrate America Stamp Set (Close To My Heart)
• Heritage Stamp Set (Close To My Heart)
• Snap, Crackle, Pop Stamp Set (Close To My Heart)
• Spirit Of 76 Stamp Set (Close To My Heart)
• American Pride Stamp Set (Dream Impressions)
• Let Freedom Ring Stamp Set (Dream Impressions)
• We the People Stamp Set (Dream Impressions)
• Liberty Stamp (Art Impressions)
• Outdoor Denim, Cranberry, Desert Sand stamp pads (Close To My Heart)
• Versamark stamp pad (Tsukineko)
• Silver & Gold Embossing Powder (Close To My Heart)
• Pewter, Cranberry, Outdoor Denim, & Silver Brads (Close To My Heart)
• Crescent Mat board Blanks (Dick Blick)
• Independence My Reflections™ Paper Packet (Close To My Heart)
• Gold Foil Sheets (Close To My Heart)
• Round Silver Tag (Close To My Heart)
• Gold Square Tag (Stampin’ Up!)
• Red, White, Blue Waxy Flax (Close To My Heart)
• Milky Way 12x12 Page Stencil (Close To My Heart)
• Mono-Adhesive (Tombow)
• Mini Pop Dots (All Night Media)
• Perfect Paper Adhesive (PPA) (US ArtQuest)
• Rotary Paper Cutter (Fiskars 12”)
• Scissors
• Heat Embossing Tool (Close To My Heart)
• Paper Piercer (Close To My Heart)
• Embossing Stylus
• Bone Folder
• Nail Polish Remover
• Computer Mouse Pad
• Thick cardboard
• Thin Paintbrush

Instructions 

1.     Create front & back of book cover: using rotary cutter, cut 2 mat boards to 3 ½”x 5”. Cut two 4 ¾” x 6 ¼” pieces of decorative paper from the Independence Paper Packet. Attach a piece of decorative paper to each mat board. Fold each of the corners in first, use your bone folder to crease the corners, then, glue corners down with a small amount of PPA.  Fold all four sides of paper over back of matboard and glue with PPA. 

2.   Create embossed & etched foil message: cut gold foil sheet to 3” x 3”.  Stamp message using dark ink on piece of copy paper. Lay foil sheet, gold side down, (CTMH foil sheets are silver on opposite side) on back of mouse pad. Place stamped message, right side down so writing is reversed, centering message on foil sheet. Use embossing stylus to trace message, pressing firm enough to emboss the foil sheet. Flip foil back over and using a Q-tip dipped in Nail Polish Remover, gently rub the surface of your message. It will remove the gold leaving the message in silver with a gold background creating an etched look. Create a roll on top and bottom of foil piece by placing the handle of a thin round paint brush next to the edge of the foil piece. Using your fingers work the foil up over and around the brush and roll down toward the message. Repeat for bottom.   

3.   Attach message to front of book: set your foil message on top of thick cardboard and pierce a small hole on bottom left side for waxy flax ribbon (see picture of front of book for placement). Now position your foil message on your book cover and place both on top of thick cardboard.  Pierce both sides of foil piece all the way through front cover. Insert small brads in holes and open backs to secure message to front cover.  

4.  Prepare hammered foil stars: use the Milky Way template to trace 2 star patterns on foil sheets. Cut them out. Lay one star silver side up and the other gold side up on top of mouse pad. Tap both with embossing stylus until dented enough to look like hammered metal. Place each star on thick cardboard and pierce center with piercing tool. Use 2 pieces of waxy flax and make a small bow and run dangling ends through open hole you punched earlier in the foil message. Bring 2 pieces of flax through back of each star and tie knot in front. Attach stars to book cover with pop dots.  See picture of book cover for placement. 

5.  Line inside of covers: cut two 3 ¼” x 4 ¾” pieces of cardstock that coordinate with your book covers. Glue each piece to inside of front and back covers. 

6.  Fold inside page into sections: select a piece of 12 x 12 paper for the inside of your book (cardstock will be too bulky). Fold one side at 4 ½“ and the other side in on top of that piece at 3” (patterned sides together). You will now have a folded piece that is 4 ½“ x 12”. Fold this in half so that it is 4 ½“ x 6”. Unfold and fold one edge in 3” to center, flip over and fold the other edge in 3” to center. Use your bone folder to crease all fold lines. 

7.  Decorate the inside:  open your folded paper and you will have 12 squares. Eight will be 3” x 4 ½“ and four will be 3” squares. Decorate as desired. The beauty of this book is that you can stamp the entire piece and embellish as desired or you can decorate each individual section as I have done. Make sure if you add extra papers that you leave clearance at all the fold lines. If you get to close to the fold lines the bulk will keep the paper from folding properly.  

8.  Attach your inside page to front and back covers: fold your 3” side of your sectioned 12x12 paper in first, then fold the 4 ½ “side over the 3” side. Apply Tombow adhesive to back side of 2^nd section and adhere the back cover to this section. Apply Tombow adhesive to top of last section and adhere  front cover to this section. See picture for example.

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