Book binding and double entendre abound.

I've been spending lots of time lately making mini-books and, as with anything I do for too long, I start to get bored. So, I've been looking into different ways to bind them and to add interest to the ones I've already made using the straightforward book-ring method. Such as this:

My friend 'Hannah Banana' happens to love flamingos. Really love them. Really really love them. In fact - have a look here - for documentary evidence of this fact! See what I mean? So I was delighted when upon opening my Gauche Alchemy 'Pink Parts' Mixed Media Colour Kit I discovered the perfect item to add to my album cover .....a pink flamingo cocktail stirrer:

I attached it to my cover by stitching its legs to a 7Gypsies pouch which, in turn, I adhered with a strong double sided tape. [The postal mark stamp was from Studio Calico ].

I want this album to reflect both Hannah's and my love for colours and patterns so I used green book-rings rather than the usual silver. Despite this I still wanted to add interest to that slightly empty look of plain bookrings. I've often tied ribbon around them in the past, but thought I'd try something a bit different on this.

So [now, if i get through this next sentence without making some indelicate double entrendre well, I'll deserve a medal ...here goes...] I again turned to my 'Pink Parts' to bring an element of fun to the project. [Stop it!]

All of the plastic beads and charms came from the kit and simply slid onto the rings. I love little plasticy things like these - that little pink safety pin fair makes me swoon in its wonderfulness. I find it all so reminiscent of an 80s childhood. In fact, I remember using lots of similar bits and bobs on a layout last year, beneath which someone left the comment: 'I wish I'd saved all the little bits of plastic crap I had as a kid'. I believe that's what one would call a 'backhanded compliment' no?

I punched the holes using my Big Bite [no, I'm not bragging, despite my party trick some years ago of being able to fit my fist in my mouth...don't ask ...please!!!] the Crop-a-dile Big Bite is a strong hole-punching tool which pucnched easily through my double layered chipbard cover.

To decorate around my punched holes I first stamped, with a Fancy Pants doodled flower design, over the hole then heat embossed using a neon embossing powder in 'Hot Pink'. And if you know Hannah ....you know that no other colour could be more appropriate! Lastly I added some eyelets to give a more 'finished' finish ...if you see what I mean?

I didn't have enough of the papers I chose for my front cover to do the back as weel, so I chose ones whose colour ways matched while the patterns clashed:

The overall effect reminds me of a patchwork quilt and that can never ever be a bad thing.

If you'd like to see some of the pages inside my album then have a look here, here and here.

If you have any other examples of interesting ways to bind mini-books, please do share.

And ....if you have any backhanded compliments about my work then feel free to leave me a comment below. I have a broad mind and, luckily, I have the shoulders to match!

Soon enough,

Julie :)