Don't forget

to take part in the Great British Blog Hop on Wednesday 1st August.

Here's a sneak peek at my blog post:

And I shall be doing a giveaway.

So come back on Wednesday to find out more.

Bernice

Start the Week Right

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.  

Thomas Alva Edison

Celebrating UK Artists 3: Kate Crane

Welcome to the third interview celebrating the talents of British artists in the field of scrapbooking, photography, mixed-media, art journaling, feltmaking and quilting.  Some names you may know and some may not be so familiar but they are all hugely talented.

A warm welcome this week to Kate Crane who has just had a second DVD set released by Craft Stamper

*Brief Bio

I’m Kate Crane, and I live in a rural village in the north of England with my husband, two children and many pets. I’ve been crafting in one way or another all of my life, but in the last few years I have developed a real passion for mixed-media art, especially art journaling. I love bright colours and often use bold, vivid colours in my art. My art has been published in several publications in Europe and USA which has been a tremendous honour. I mix my real-life day job as a school teacher, with teaching as an arts and crafts instructor. I am proud to be on the Design Teams for Dylusions for Ranger and Stampotique originals; I love their products! Earlier this year I spent three fantastic days at Ranger Ink in New Jersey USA, to become a certified Ranger Educator. I’m a fairly frequent blogger and run an annual challenge on my blog to create and update an art calendar for a whole year; the challenge is now in its third year and still going strong. I have recorded several Art Journaling DVDs for Traplet Publications which are available internationally.

*Who or what are your creative influences?  And why?

Amongst my creative influences are Dyan Reavely and Dina Wakley, both artists who love to art journal and also have a passion for colour. They both have a wonderful loose and free approach to art journaling which is something I’d like to be better at! I also love to see what lesser-known artists are doing and regularly scour magazines such as Somerset Art Journaling by Stampington and co. as I’m always amazed and inspired by the fantastic quality of art on display. More recently the internet has been a great source of inspiration on social networking sites such as facebook and pinterest as people so generously share what they have been creating.

 

*What is your preferred medium of creativity?   What appeals to you about this?

This is a tough one to answer because I really like to use many different things. One of my loves is acrylic paint. I always loved painting as a child, and I loved to paint right throughout my school days. I can still picture the school art rooms vividly – they were my favourite place in school. Acrylic paints allow me to build up layer upon layer in my art, building the intensity of colour, and also allow me to create quite a grungy look. They are so versatile - you can use brushes, sponges, fingers, credit cards, brayers … anything to spread paint. They are also a very forgiving medium to work with because if you create a background you don’t like you can just paint over it again! I also love the unpredictability of ink sprays and the different effects you can create. I especially love splats and dribbles!

*How did you find your creative style?

I’m not sure, somehow things just evolved! I actually started by making quite neat greetings cards, but then I discovered ATCs and gradually I got more and more adventurous and began to experiment with different mediums and techniques. I discovered a few on-line trading sites and I embraced the idea of sharing and trading art with others from all over the world. It is exciting to receive real and genuine art in the post from another artist and I was able to examine it closely to see how other people do things! I have always felt a strong pull towards bright colour and I rarely create anything neutral. I have taken a few art classes on-line and at Art from the Heart, picked up ideas and techniques from others, and then have given it my own twist. Other than that I am completely self-taught, but I’m not afraid to try something new,  experiment and let things develop in their own way.

 

*What activity do you use to jumpstart your creativity?

If I ponder too long about what I’m going to make or do then I’ll just never get started, planning in my head just doesn’t work for me at all as I prefer to let things grow organically. I usually start with a background – once I get some colour on the page I’m off!

*Describe your style in using 5 different words.  Share your thoughts about these words.

Colourful

Colour speaks to me. I don’t do vintage neutral, or shabby chic!

Off-the-wall

Sometimes my ideas and/or choice of images can be a little off-the-wall or unusual. I just follow my intuitive thought process … but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea!

Weird

(See above!) I have a passion for slightly weird or unsettling images such as freaky dolls. I like things to have a bit of an edge.

Grungy

I really like a slightly untidy, arty, grungy look. I think it’s a backlash against the neat cards and neat scrapbooking I used to do.

Layered

I often forget about the importance of white space on a page, and instead build layer upon layer, using a combination of different mediums.

*Favourite quote(s)?

‘Spread your wings and fly’. I love the idea of this – that we all have potential – you just have to reach out and go for it. In reality of course, it’s quite hard to do.

‘Do I look like a freakin’ people person?’ (from a Stampotique stamp). This one really makes me laugh!

‘The meaning of life is to give life a meaning’. Of course!

*Favourite book?

I loved the Twilight series and I’m not afraid to admit it! I’m also enjoying reading The Hunger games trilogy. Some of my favourite authors are Barbara Trapido, Ian Banks, Annie Proulx, Ian McEwan, Joanne Harris … but I’m also not averse to a bit of light reading in the shape of Jilly Cooper! I think my two favourite all-time books are Brother of the more famous Jake by Barbara Trapido, and The Shipping News by Annie Proulx.

I also love art publications and have way too many but I can’t part with any of them. And books about photography of course!

*Where you can find Kate

Blog: www.thekathrynwheel.blogspot.com

Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/thekathrynwheel

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kate.crane.12

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/thekathrynwheel

************************************************************************
Go to Kate's blog for the opportunity to win her brand new DVDs - one set in European format and one set in US/Canada format.   
This opportunity ends on Saturday 28th July 2012 5pm GMT

************************************************************************

If you were able to ask Kate anything what would you ask?  Please add your question to the comments below.

See you next Friday for an interview with Sian Kibblewhite.

Getting excited now

It's nearly time for the Olympics to begin.

Well, technically I suppose they started yesterday with the Women's GB Football Team winning against New Zealand.  However the opening ceremony is tomorrow night and then there's hours and hours of sport to watch on the television.  Great!  (I'm excited about it, and I understand that some are not!)

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned it's a great time to celebrate all things British and next week (1st August) I'm taking part in this:

And I get to be the opening blog!  Woohoo!

And here's a sneak peek:

And there'll be a giveaway.

So come back on Wednesday 1st August to celebrate the Great British Blog Hop.



And talking about all things British.  There's my regular Friday Feature.

And tomorrow we will be celebrating Kate Crane.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice

Wordless Wednesday

Start the Week

Do all the good you can. 

By all the means you can. 

In all the ways you can. 

In all the places you can. 

At all the times you can. 

To all the people you can. 

As long as ever you can.

John Wesley

And in other news ...

I'm a winner!

On Facebook, Anneliese Bates of Creative Journey Workshops, asked us to suggest workshops that we would like to see available and if one of our ideas was chosen we would get a free place.   Anneliese chose my suggestion about doing something with maps and she has designed My Life in Maps and I get to go to it for free!

Blog series

As I said in my News Round Up I am enjoying my Friday Feature and have decided that I will start some other series.

Starting with:

Start the Week  ~  Every Monday an encouraging quote or scripture to get the week going in a positive frame of mind.

Wordless Wednesday  ~ Just one of my favourite photos.  No words!  I have to admit this is not an orignal idea and you can join in with other Wordless Wednesdays.

Wholly Creative

I will be taking my handcrafted Journals to to two craft fairs this year.  The first one is on Saturday 18th August at the Oliver Bird Hall in Solihull.   And the second one is Craft-Fest at Renewal Christian Centre on Saturday 13th October.

You're a winner!

As I said before I am quite overwhelmed by how many followers I have and I would like to thank you all for taking the time to visit me.

And the 100th follower and therefore prize winner is Sheena.  Please email your address.

A warm welcome to Sheena and to all of you.

Thanks for stopping by

Bernice

News Round Up

Friday Feature

I'm excited about my new series every Friday Celebrating UK Artists with interviews celebrating the talents of British artists in the field of scrapbooking, photography, mixed-media, art journaling, feltmaking and quilting.  Some names you may know and some may not be so familiar but they are all hugely talented.

Kate Crane

Coming this week an interview with Kate Crane who has been published in Stampington magazines and has recently released a second set of DVDs on art journaling.   For an opportunity to win a set, either a European version or a US version go to Kate's blog.

Design Team news

My post 'To digi or not to digi?' was my Design Team application for Praierie Papier Cottage 

And I'm pleased to announce that I was successful.  You can find out more about Anita on her blog where you will find links to other members of the team.  You can also find me on Anita's Ning group Just Be Yourself where I am the coordinator of the Art Journaling Group.

My first Design Team post will coincide with the

on August 1st.  There is still time to sign up for this if you want to be a blogger in the blog hop.  Nip over to Nicola's blog at Sunshine Reflections and sign up.

I am also taking part in a blog hop on Saturday 3rd August with a group of ladies I've become friends with through an online course we're taking together.  More info on that later this week.

And finally ....

Will you be my 100th follower through Blogger and Google?  If so, there's a small prize coming your way.   Just click on 'Join this site' on the lefthandside.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog.

Bernice

Celebrating UK Artists 2: Julie Kirk

Welcome to the second weekly interview celebrating the talents of British artists in the field of scrapbooking, photography, mixed-media, art journaling, feltmaking and quilting.  Some names you may know and some may not be so familiar but they are all hugely talented.


This week we welcome Julie Kirk.

*Brief Bio

I’m a blogger, freelance magazine contributor and the one-woman kit creator, product-photographer, branding-designer and marketing manager behind an Etsy shop selling vintage paper packs and creative supplies. 

Then part time, during term time, I support students with disabilities so they can fully access their University course. This generally means I get paid to take notes and learn new things. Tell me there’s anything better than that? [Actually, can you remind me I said that next time I’m clock-watching in a numbingly boring two hour lecture?]

I share a house and a life in the North East of England with a small mound of ephemera, shelves full of vintage ‘treasures’, a wardrobe full of patterned clothes and a man who doesn’t mind any of it.  

*Who or what are your creative influences?  And why?

I love the work of writer and artist Graham Rawle. He’s so inventive and creative and uses collage to great effect particularly in his book Woman’s World which is a full length novel pieced together solely from snippets of women’s magazines from the 60s. 

In fact, I admire many artists who use ‘found’ materials in their work as I find my biggest inspirations from non-traditional crafting supplies too. In this group I’d include the assemblage artist Joseph Cornell along with current artists such as Susanna Scott and Katie Licht.  

I enjoy the work of Austin Kleon whose ‘Blackout Poetry’ is created by blacking out unnecessary words on a page to reveal the hidden poetry within. And comic strip artists and illustrators like Berger & Wyse and Marc Johns always make me smile too.  I feel humour is an important element in art … which perhaps get overlooked in favour of more serious aspirations.

Oh and I’m a complete colour-addict with a huge fondness for the abstract colour work of Paul Klee and Mark Rothko.  

Finally, I also believe my late Grandma has had an influence on me somewhere down the line because while she was not at all artistic she cherished the weird and wonderful, the shiny, the unusual, the colourful and she is almost certainly responsible for my ability to see the treasure in other people’s trash!

Now I’ve written this out I see there’s definitely a few threads drawing all of these figures together: boldness of colour, use of found items, discovery of found phrases and the importance of the quirky and humorous …  and suddenly I see their influences looming very large!

*What is your preferred medium of creativity?   What appeals to you about this?

Paper.

Whether it’s scrapbooking, collage, art journaling or cardmaking, it all starts and ends with paper for me.

I think it’s because it holds so many possibilities in one easy to acquire, easy to store , lightweight sheet!

Plus, it’s neat, tidy, you can’t really spill it and ruin your clothes and, if you get tired of it, you can throw it into the recycling and still feel virtuous! 

*What other areas of creativity do you dabble in?

I’m a jack of all crafts really, there’s not much I won’t or indeed haven’t tried out [except crochet, which I hid from when a friend tried to teach me!].

But more recently, when not paper crafting, my creativity has been funnelled into blogging which I find a hugely creative activity. Not only am I creating [hopefully] interesting online content but I’m also creating myself, my own virtual presence, with every post.

I’m presenting to the world the ‘me’ I want other people to know, and in doing so, through mining my experiences to create informative classes and posts, through questioning myself, discovering my opinions so I can then write about them and through telling stories about my life on a regular basis not only have I constructed an outer me … I’ve learned so much about the inner me at the same time. Blogging has been a truly fascinating, rewarding and indeed – creative - experience for me.

*What is one of your earliest creative memories?

I remember being drawn to specific coloured crayons in school. Colours that we didn’t have at home … in fact I still remember they were a peachy shade and a cornflower blue.

This must have been before my sister and I got a Crayola Carousel, because after that we didn’t covet another colour crayon again!

*Pablo Picasso said: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”   How did you find this transition worked in your life?

From the outside, I guess my transition might have appeared rather precarious.

When I left school I was accepted into art college but then experienced a period of depression which meant I couldn’t attend.  But, fortunately, during my recovery, my creativity didn’t leave me and I spent my time cross-stitching, patch-working, drawing and writing.

When I did return to education I changed routes and followed my love of words taking an English degree instead.

Fortunately I’m at a point in my life where I get to combine my mutual loves of creativity in art and in writing … which is more than I could ever have hoped for.

*How did you find your creative style?

I made a lot of things … which isn’t meant to sound flippant at all.

It’s just that when you first begin making something, you’re inevitably influenced by an artist whose work you’ve seen already, perhaps which led you do take up the activity in the first place. But then, the more you make, the more diluted those other influences become and lo and behold … the one and only ‘you’ comes out the other side. More concentrated.

Like orange juice.

Or diamonds.

Yes, let’s go with diamonds instead!

Whatever else I’ve taken on board and digested, I’ve now arrived at this [diamond-like?] core of word snippety, colour splashing, print combining, phrase finding creativity which is seemingly ‘me’.

For now at least!

*What activity do you use to jumpstart your creativity?

OK, these things are actually mutually exclusive but …

I either just surround myself with some supplies, sift through them casually, cut things out and move things around until something fits. No pressure. Just find something I like and stick it down.

OR …

I back away entirely. I don’t force it. I go and do something else entirely. For as long as it takes.

That said … if it’s not a personal project I’m working on, if I’m working to a deadline … then that’s a jumpstart enough and I just get on with it!

*Favourite art gallery or museum?

I adore the Yorkshire Sculpture park, both its outdoor displays and galleries are always so inspiring, and I try to visit once a year and usually take photos at every single step!

But I also love my local gallery, the MIMA in Middlesbrough for its architecture and its peace and quiet in the centre of town.

*Favourite book?

I’m going to have to give you more than one I’m afraid so let’s go with Ingenious Pain by Andrew Miller, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris and can I sneak Shakespeare’s Hamlet in there too please? 

*Where to find Julie

Blog: http://notesonpaper.blogspot.co.uk/

Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/juliekirk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/withjuliekirk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/notesonpaper

 

If you were able to ask Julie anything what would you ask?  Please add your question to the comments below.

See you next Friday for an interview with Kate Crane.

Celebrating Britain

So following on from Celebrating UK Artists on my blog every Friday I thought I would join in with my friend Nicola's blog hop on August 1st.

And you can join in as well. 

Just go over to Nicola's Blog: Sunshine Reflections and add your name and contact details in the comment box.

The more the merrier!

Hope to see you there.

Bernice

Summer of Color: the end

I can't believe that we have come to the end of Summer of Color 2012.  Six weeks of art inspired by ice creams!

And this week's ice cream was Watermelon Ice.

During last week I was invited to join a Facebook group: The Dyan Reaveley Art Journaling Fan Club!

So to celebrate I used only Dyan's inks and stamps for this page.  Sadly she hasn't brought out a white journaling pen (yet!?) and none of my white pens wanted to play except my Staples Correction Pen and even that was temperamental.  However I managed in the end.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bernice

And the winner is ....

Thanks to everyone who joined in with the giveaway and a warm welcome to my new followers.

As you know I don't quite get Mr Random Generator so Mr Random Generator Husband came into play today.  (He is amused, or maybe bemused, by his contribution to this!)

So ....

The UK winner is                      The International winner is

 

Congratulations to Andrea and Chelsea

Please email me using the contact button on the left to send me your name and address.

I am quite overwhelmed by how many followers I have and I would like to thank you all for taking the time to visit me.

If this is your first visit, then why not become a follower.  I will give a small gift to the person who becomes the 100th follower of NewlyCreative.

Thanks

Oh, and don't forget that on Fridays for the next few weeks you can read interviews with UK artists, starting today with Rachelle Panagarry.

Celebrating UK Artists 1: Rachelle Panagarry

Welcome to the first of 12 weekly interviews celebrating the talents of British artists in the field of scrapbooking, photography, mixed-media, art journaling, feltmaking and quilting.  Some names you may know and some may not be so familiar but they are all hugely talented. 

 Our first interview is with Rachelle Panagarry.

* Brief Bio 

I've been making art for as long as I can remember...I'd sit doodling in my bedroom for many a happy hour when I was a young girl.  I'm not sure that I have a  first memory of anything in particular that I made, but I do know that I LOVED to make and draw, in fact I just loved to create. Through school I was always artistic, and went on to study print, paint, textiles and fashion design and life-drawing (figure drawing) amongst many other genres.  

Later, after raising a family I went on to study BA Hon Printmaking QTS.

*Who or what are your creative influences?  And why?

I am influenced by pretty much anything and everything around me!  It’s quite difficult to say one or two things as my list could go on forever.   Even as a teenager I collected images and scraps from magazines (especially i-D magazine and Vogue) and proudly display them on the wall of my bedroom floor to ceiling.    I have always had an interest in Fashion and Textiles, and love the work of Vivienne Westwood and Kaffe Fassett. 

Right now, I’m really inspired by the Harajuku Girls in Japan and all things Japanese pop culture.   I have always had a very ‘eclectic’ taste in the things that inspire me but I think this adds to my designs and I think this shows in my artwork.

If I was to answer the question ‘why?’ I’d probably say that everything that I love has one thing in common – colour!  I’m drawn to it like a magpie to shiny things.

 

*What is your preferred medium of creativity?   What appeals to you about this?

I love to work with mixed media.  I think it’s the fact that I can use ANYTHING and EVERYTHING in any one piece without constraints that appeals to me, I have always been a rebellious soul!  I love the mix and match aspect of it, and also that some of the results may be accidental depending on how the medium works on the surface that you are working with.

*What other areas of creativity do you dabble in?

I have recently started working with textiles again ( I studied fashion ,textiles and print at college), I got a sewing machine for Christmas so that I can start adding freehand sewing to my art. 

*What is one of your earliest creative memories?

I think it’s probably from being at Primary School.  I can remember making a Norman Castle out of lollipop sticks with soldiers made from plasticine.  I used to love playing with plasticine, that is until the colours got mixed up and everything became green!  Now that you have got me thinking, I think the art lessons are the only ones that I remember from Primary School!

*Pablo Picasso said: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”   How did you find this transition worked in your life?

I don’t think that it did, or at least not for a huge part of it, not until now.  I was lucky that I went to art college and on to study a degree in Fashion.  But during this degree, I had my son and left the course to stay at home and look after him.  This is when I put all things creative on the backburner that lasted for the next ten years.   It wasn’t until I decided to go into teaching and retake a degree that I got back into making art.   

I studied Printmaking and this gave me a chance to revisit my old LOVE of art.  I’d almost forgotten how good it felt to create.  It was then that I decided that I would always continue to make art.  In my teaching job, I was in charge of art and design within the school, staff training and running workshops but the draw of art was becoming stronger.  I was longing to make art for me and not just teach others how to do it.  

I joined the local Art Society and surrounded myself in a new group of wonderfully talented people.  This again spurred me on to further my dream of making art my career.   More recently, through illness, I have been granted the time to myself to make art and it has been wonderful.  I feel as though I have found myself again.  This is who I am (and always was).  I’m still teaching, but now I’m making art everyday too, and one day soon that’s all I’ll be doing.

*How did you find your creative style?

This is a tricky one to answer, I know colour and pattern are big influences with me, but my drawing style has been with me as long as I can remember.  The big eyed girls that I make may seem new, but I recently found one of my school books from when I was 13, and in the back I had drawn the same girls!

I think practise is the key to keep things flowing and just keep on trying new things.  

*What activity do you use to jumpstart your creativity?

I don’t really have an activity, but I put on music and maybe flick through magazines for inspiration.  I still like to read i-D magazine and Elle Decoration and Vogue, they all have great pictures.  I might flick through a few old journals or just rummage through my art supplies and see what triggers an idea.

*Describe your style in using 5 different words.  Share your thoughts about these words.

BRAVE – because I’m not afraid of a blank page or to try something new.

ECLECTIC – I like to add lots of different elements into my art

COLOURFUL – I LOVE colour and use it as much as possible.

FUN – I don’t take it too seriously, I like to have fun making my art and hope that it shows.

MINE – It’s me on a canvas.

 

*Where to find Rachelle

Blog:  http://www.arteyecandy.com  

Website: http://www.rachellepanagarry.com 

Twitter: @AnArtfulBlogger

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelle.panagarry  

Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtEyeCandy?ref=ss_profile

If you were able to ask Rachelle anything what would you ask?  Please add your question to the comments below.

See you next Friday for an interview with Julie Kirk.

Have you joined in yet?

Drum roll please .......

My new Friday Feature starts tomorrow Celebrating UK Artists.

And you could win some blog candy by going to this post and leaving a comment by 9am (BST) tomorrow, 13th July.

So join in and come back tomorrow to see if you have won and who the first Artist is to be celebrated.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bernice

How to enter the giveway

Starting on Friday 13th July, I will be introducing a series of weekly interviews celebrating the talents of British artists in the field of scrapbooking, photography, mixed-media, art journaling, feltmaking and quilting.  Some names you may know and some may not be so familiar but they are all hugely talented.  I am thrilled that they are willing to take part in this celebration.   They include Kate Crane, Kirsty Wiseman, Sian Kibblewhite and Linda Kemshall.

And no you don't have to have a 'K' in your name to be an artist!

So to have the opportunity to win the giveway you need to do the following:

1. Become a follower of this blog
2. Share the information about the new Friday Feature on your blog, on Twitter (#celebratingUKartists) or on Facebook.  You can 'borrow' the photo at the top of this post.
3. Write a comment below letting me know which of these things you have done. And say whether you are UK or International please.  (Also leave your blog details if your comment is set to no-reply)

For each method of sharing you use, you will get an extra entry into the draw.  I can't work out how to use Mr Random Generator for mulitple names so will put all your names into a hat (or possibly a bowl!) and ask Mr Random Generator Husband to make the draw!)

Here's what you could win.

UK winner

I will announce the winners on Friday.

International winner

Looking forward to seeing who wins and really excited about Friday.   See you there.

Bernice

To digi or not to digi?

My friend Anita van Hal has brought out a whole line of digital backgrounds for art journaling.  Keep reading non-digi people.

I don’t really do digi.  I don’t own the software for it.  Although it is possible to use Publisher for putting text over a background but you can’t do layering properly.

The great thing about Anita’s backgrounds is that you can use them in whatever way suits you.  You can use them digitally or print them out.  And once you’ve printed them out you can use them as a whole sheet of paper or cut them up.  Endless possibilities.

Today I used her new set which was published on July 4^th based on the Stars and Stripes.  

I printed the backgrounds on cartridge paper.  I would have liked to use watercolour paper but my printer doesn’t like thicker paper.

I decided to make a book so I printed the 12 sheets and then chose one to cut up for embellishments and one to be the cover.

With the other 10 sheets I cut them all to the same size.  In my case 8” x 10½”.  You can cut yours to whatever size you wish – it depends what size you chose to print them out!  The cutting and sticking need to be as accurate as possible.

Fold each of the 10 sheets in half with the printed side inside, decide the order you want the pages to be in your book and then stick them together.  

Take one folded sheet and put double-sided tape along all the edges and then using a glue stick glue all over the page including the tape.  Take the next folded page and match it up at the spine and smooth down.  Continue to do this with each folded sheet.

The joy of this book making method is that the book lies flat on which ever page you open so it is excellent for working in.  I learned this technique from the lovely Dyan.  Thanks Dyan.

Cut two sheets of thin card – I recycled the card envelopes a book came in from Amazon.  You could use a cereal packet.  If you made a book with more pages in it you might need thicker card.  I stuck the card onto the book in the same way as all the pages.

Cut a piece of sticky back canvas the length of your book.  Measure the width of the book’s spine and add an inch for  the width of your canvas.  At this point you could ink or paint the canvas.  I left mine plain.

Peel off the backing of the canvas and place it sticky side up.   Put the spine of your book in the middle of the canvas and pull the book down onto the canvas.  Then put the book down onto the other side on the sticky side of the canvas.  Smooth the canvas to make it stick to the card covers.

 

Cut the sheet you put aside for the cover to the size you need.  I decided not to go right up to the edge of the book so some of the canvas still shows.  Use double-sided tape and a glue stick as before but this time match your edge to the edge of the book not the spine.

 

The book is finished ready for use.   

Now what shall I do with it?  You’ll have to come back to find out otherwise this will be a really, really long blog post.

I hope this tutorial has been useful.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bernice