Wedding Guest Book

With the great response to my previous Wedding Guest Book post here is another guest book created for my nephew and fiancee's upcoming wedding (yes, my sister has two kids getting married within 3 months of each other). I hope you are inspired to make a guest book using whatever paper, cardstock and dies you might have on hand.  Making every page different was so much fun.  Can't wait for another family member to get married so I have an excuse to make another.

Again, I printed all the papers using digital scrapbooking files onto a slightly textured sketching paper which I trimmed down to 8 1/2 x 11 so I could run them through my laser printer.  The papers were then trimmed to 8 x 8.  The cover papers were printed onto sticky-backed label paper which I adhered to recycled card from a ceral box and also sized to 8 x 8.  All the matte board used was saved from a framer's garbage bin; the coloured cardstock were offcuts from a paper distributer's garbage bin.

For the bride and groom's names on the cover, I printed brown lettering on a beige background onto cardstock.   The font for the names is Scriptina, a free font from the internet.  The frame was cut using a rusty ochre matte board.  I used the Tim Holtz Ornamental die for the outside and the Tim Holtz Mini Ticket Set die for the inside.  I then embossed the frame with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and added some distress ink to the edges.

For the first inside page, I printed brown text on a pink background onto cardstock.  The frame was cut from maroon matte board using the Sizzix Frame die.  I embossed the frame with the same Cuttlebug embossing folder as used on the cover. The flower was made using the Tim Holze Mini Tattered Floral Set and the Tim Holtz Tattered Flower Garland.  The bottom and top petal layers were cut from paper, while the middle layer was cut from the same maroon matte board as the frame.  I attached the flower using foam dots to add some dimension.

For some of the pages I added photos of the couple (which were happily supplied by my sister) printed onto cardstock behind small frames.  For the top photo frame I cut maroon matte board using the Tim HoltzTag and Bookplate die.  For the bottom photo frame I cut white matte board with a added top layer of maroon tissue paper using the Sizzix Heart and Wing Set. The wings were cut from off-white paper using the Sizzix Heart and Wing Set.  The wings were glued to the page while the heart was attached with foam dots to add some dimension.

For this page, I added a "card".  The outer side of the card was cut from beige cardstock using the Sizzix basic Pop 'n Cut die without the insert.  I used a Tim Holtz On The Edge die on the bottom edge.  When I folded the card I offset from the middle to allow the inner card edge to show a little.  I added distress ink to the edges to give an antique feel.  The leaf that keeps the "card" closed is cut from matte board using the Sizzix Leaves die.  I then added distressed ink to its edges.  I used a brass brad to attach it to the paper with a cardboard "washer" in between to allow the leaf to turn.

For the inside of the "card", I cut some brown cardstock using the Sizzix basic Pop 'n Cut die centering the heart from the Sizzix Heart and Wing Set die inside the magnetic opening.  I then cut the center portion again from some contrasting paper and sandwiched a photo of the couple in between.  (This is the only paper that I didn't print; it was left over from another project where I used a sheet of Sara Fera designer series scrapbookking paper from K & Company.)  I used a Tim Holtz On The Edge die on the top edge of the card.  The top heart is cut from the Sizzix Heart and Wing Set die using the same paper but for the an inner piece I used a solid pink.  This was attached with foam dots.  The bottom hearts were also cut from the Sizzix Heart and Wing Set die.  The outer heart frame was glued to the card while the smaller heart was attached with foam dots.  Note that because I offset the front piece of the card that some of the beige shows at the bottom. I guess I could add text here later.

For this page, the photo frame is cut from maroon matte board using one of the Tim Holtz Styled Labels and then cut again with the Sizzix Flower Layers #3.  Then I embossed with a Craft Concepts embossing folder.

The photo frame for this page is cut from yellow matte board using the Tim Holtz Tag and Bookplates die.  I added distress ink to match the colour of the flourishes.

There are about 10 pages that do not contain photoframes.  These I left for guests to sign and write their wishes. Because some of the pages are quite dimensional, I added smaller embellishments to these pages to even out the whole guest book.  The top page includes a gold matte board leaf cut using the Tim Holtz Tattered Leaves die as well as smaller leaves cut from scrap paper using the Tim Holtz Autumn Gatherings die.  The flower on the lower page contains flower layers cut from paper using the Sizzix Flower Layers #3 die and the Tim Holtz Tattered Flower Garland.  This flower was attached with foam dots. Note that the location of this flower hides the brass brad from the leaf closure for the "card" on the reverse page.

 

Two more guest signing pages.  The top has a left over inner heart cut from matte board using the Sizzix Heart and Wings Set die.  To add something different I cut two strips of pink card with scallops using a Tim Holtz On the Edge die and added them to the right bottom corner.  The lower page has an embellishment from gold matte board cut with the Tim Holtz Mini Florish die.

Once all the pages were assembled, I bound the 8 x 8 book with my Rubicoil binder with a white spiral binding.

Ashwin Accordian Album

Little Ashwin hit 1 month and learnt how to smile.  I wanted to mark this momentus occasion. I watched a video by Karen Burniston using a Sizzix die to make a 3-D accordian flip album.  I was not sure whether I wanted to buy this die so I made one without the die.  

As with all their dies, when you are viewing information about this die on the Sizzix website you can see a sample photograph of something made with the die and usually a line drawing of the die blades.  I followed the line drawing to make this card.  Still not sure if I want to buy this die, but it should be noted that what took me at least 5 hours to make could have been made in under half an hour if I used the die.

My accordian album is 5"x5". The pages use coordinating digital scrapbookking papers printed onto cardstock (if I had to do it again I would print the cardstock on both sides).  This is the front.  The letters were cut using the Tim Holtz Word Play die using scrap matte board which I then coloured using some Tim Holtz distress ink.  I added a felt/wood embellishment of a star with a rocking horse as Ashwin translates to "star" in Sanskrit (trust these young folk to give their kids exotic names).

The accordian album is rather nifty as it folds down flat enough to slip into an envelope, yet opens to quite an impressive size. You can make your album any number of pages; I chose 4.



On the internal pages I added photos of little Ashwin's smiling face which I printed onto cardstock.  The frames were cut using 2 different sizes of Sizzix Bracket Window dies using a blue cardstock.

Red Flower Pop-up Card

Using the Sizzix basic Pop n Cut die I cut both the inner card and the outer card using cardstock from a recycled report cover (the government report was about rare and endangered wildlife species).  I embossed  half of the outside card  using a Cuttlebug embossing folder.

  

For the inner decorative elements, I cut flowers with the Tim Holz Tattered Florals die and the Sizzix Flower Layers #5 using some scrap papers I had left over from other projects.  I attached the flower layers to the pop-up base using a brad.  The leaves were cut with the Tim Holtz Tattered Pinecone die from a postcard advertising a garden lawn service.

This card isn't intended for anyone in particular.  I like to keep spare cards on hand for last minute situations.  Thus, the inside is a bit bare, but I'll add specific things once I have an intended recipient.