Tuesday 26 February 2013

Steampunk book cover

Hi everyone Katrina here, the Fruit Pixies design elf, to show you how I made my Steampunk book cover. So here we go.....

To make my book I used card taken from the Pizza box that the order came in, 2 squares 6.2 x 7 inches and a strip for the spine 7 x 1inches. One of the Tim Holtz Idea-ology ring binders and a selection of the Bo Bunny Timepiece collection 12x12 papers.


Choose the piece of paper you want for your cover and cut a piece 9x12 and 9x4 inches. Place the pieces face down, so the side you want for the cover is on the outside, and place your card covers on top of the paper as shown here. You will have a border all the way around and make sure there is a small gap either side of the spine so the book will open and close. The join needs to be on you back cover so you won't see it in the end. Use a wet glue, I use PVA to stick the paper to the covers making sure you leave the gap between the covers and spine. Leave to dry.



Mite all 4 corners and then using a bone folder or back of you scissors score around the outside of all the covers and fold the paper over. Once folded you then stick using your PVA glue. Leave to dry.



Now we need to put in the ring binder. I found the easiest way was to attach the ring binder to a piece of contrasting cardstock. Cut it slightly smaller then the height of your book and wide enough to be scored as shown, either side of the spine of the book and lap over into the covers so you can stick it in. Once you are happy with the card, attach the ring binder using the brads that come with it and stick the card to the spine of the book using PVA. Once stuck to the spine make sure the creases are in the gaps snugly and stick the overlap to each cover with the book flat.


Next cut 2 pieces of the Bo Bunny paper to cover the inside of your book and stick down. Leave to dry.  That is our book made!! Not too bad was it?


Now the fun bit, decorating. You can decorate it any way you like but here is how I did mine.

 Over the paper on the cover I stamped with a brown ink and a script stamp and used a time template to add some detail. Don't forget the back too.


I then cut one of the Alterations Cabinet card dies shapes from the Bo Bunny paper and used the same stamps and templates to decorate that. I then used the Ranger embossing pad and wiped on some of the ink then added Aged Mahogany distress embossing powder, make sure you shake the tub first. Heated it and then added more where needed until I got the grungy look.


I then cut the different Alterations gear die cut shapes out of Grunge paper, which I then painted, card stock and scraps of the Bo Bunny papers. I then poked them out from behind the cabinet card and stuck them all down. I then added some of the distress embossing powder around the outside of the cover too.



I then took a copper plant label, Hubby is a keen gardener so I pinched a few :), rounded off the other end and ran it through the Tim Holtz texture fades pocket watch and steampunk, then covered it again with Ranger embossing ink and distress powder then heated it. Watch your fingers as it gets very hot!!





I then put it all together using the Alterations Typeface die for the title and added some of the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Sprocket gears. I added a couple of the Creative Expressions Faux screw brads to add the copper pieces to the book.

So there you have it, how I made my Steampunk book. Now all we need is some pages for the inside.

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, any questions just ask here or on our Facebook page and I 'll try my best to answer them.

 Happy crafting

                              love Katrina

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