MMAT07 ~ Simple Bound Book

This month’s techniques highlights a simple binding method, allowing you to easily create your own books, journals and gifts. Adding to the simplicity of the technique is that it uses materials you already have around the home. Here are a few others we have made.

Happy Creating!

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If you are looking for further book binding ideas, here are a few books you can try:

I got this book for Mothers’ Day and have read it cover to cover; great ideas and stunning photos. Lots of examples. Includes all types of “books”, whatever your definition. I would have liked a few more step-by-step pictures for some of the techniques but other than that, a very informative and inspiring book about books.

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Mixed Media Canvas from Ephemera Kit

This cute little canvas was made using pieces from Mixed Media Art Ephemera kits, available from our Esty store.

Materials needed, that are not included in the ephemera kits, include 5″ x 7″ canvas panel, paints, an old credit card, a paint brush, PVA glue and a few other embellishments.

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Here are the detailed instructions on how it was put together:

1. Take four of the text pages from the kit and use a ruler to tear into squares, approximately 2″ in size.

Glue these randomly over the canvas board. Make sure they overlap. I used PVA glue as I wanted to make sure it was properly stuck to the board. Smooth out any wrinkles. Leave overnight to dry.

2. Gather violet, fuchsia and white paints and an old credit card.

Apply a little onto on old credit card (or store card) and spread paint down canvas.
Here I used violet

Then fuchsia

Then white

Then mixed white and fuchsia (about 1:1) to get a lighter pink and added it to some areas of canvas

Finally, I added more violet to take away some of the pink. I created very thin wash to add a violet tinge to blank areas of canvas and around edges.

By using a little paint at a time, it dries quickly, making it easier to add the next colour without muddying the outcome. Also by adding a little at a time it is much easier to add more than to try and take it off (speaking from experience here – I am like a bull at the gate most of the time)

3. With the two jigsaw pieces from kit; paint one in violet and one in light pink mix

4. Add white paint to  the violet on the pallet and stamp flower image down left-hand third of canvas. Use a paint brush to add paint to stamp and apply lightly. You may need to stamp onto scrap paper first to get a feel for how much paint you need to apply.

5.  Add purple chord, cutting into two and taping to the back of the canvas – I would usually have left this step until after I had finished the background, but I decided it needed a little more finishing after sticking it on.

6. To increase depth and add some darker features, stamp music and text with Staz-on jet black

7. Using the edge of the credit card, add random lines to corners with black paint – add a little at a time

Now the background is complete.

8. Tear rectangle of tissue, crumble and add white paint with a dry brush. Add to canvas with double sided tape.  Take quote, trim to size and edge white edges with black ink. Stick on top of tissue.

9. Add embellishments with PVA glue. Pink jigsaw piece was edged with purple ink and a rub-on was added.

10. Add other fibres

11. Finish with final touches – this needed some sparkly bits, so I added the rhinestones to the bottom right corner and the small flower to the top left hand side, plus added “enjoy” rub on.

And the final piece.

Thanks for getting to the bottom of this post – sometimes I feel like I have added in too much detail and too many photos, but I want to make sure you understand each step – I hate it when I can’t figure out some parts of the instructions when bits are missing!

Now that you have the inspiration, you have no excuses for not buying your very own MMA Ephemera kit!

Happy creating! We would love to see your own creations too!

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STOP THE PRESS – “Crafting My Best Life”

Jenny Doh and the creative team over at CRESCEDoh have put together this fantastic 6-week online workshop entitled Crafting My Best Life

You need to sign up by Monday 13th September, 2010.

This will surely inspire you…

Happy creating.

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Serendipity Technique

The Serendipity Technique is easily mastered and is lots of fun. The only problem I have is deciding how small a piece is too small to throw out, because this techniques will use all of your small and left over pieces. How your initial collage goes together is not an important part of this technique; it is the cutting and then rearranging of each square that adds the charm to each piece.

1. Collect together a background sheet (this one is pre-painted in red, left over from doing the credit card technique) and similar colour scraps.

Mixed media art scraps

2. Tear them into interesting shapes and glue onto the background. I used a glue stick.

3. Stamp shapes onto the collage background


4. Cut collage into strips. To make this simple, use the ruler width or lines on the cutting mat to cut them, rather than measuring the strips too accurately. Take care if using a paper cutter if your collage is thick in places, as it may damage your cutter.

5. Cut strips into squares, again using the ruler width or lines onto cutting mat to cut them at the same spacing. You will have lots of colourful squares.


6. Now you can turn all of these squares into cards or add them onto other forms of mixed media art. Some of these were edged with black ink or layered onto darker card to highlight the squares.

Like any of these techniques, have a play round with them – cut bigger squares or smaller squares, use your kids artwork or turn a background you don’t like into an entirely new piece of art.

Happy creating!

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