Fun and Inspirational Book Tutorial By Jane Tregenza: Part 1

Hello G45ers,

Welcome to our happy blog on this fine Tuesday! We are thrilled that you are joining us for another day of fun and inspiration! We have something amazing planned for you today! Jane Tregenza of the Graphic 45 design team has prepared the first part of her amazing book-making tutorial! You've probably seen Jane's incredible books here on the Graphic 45 blog over the years. These amazing books often contain gorgeous paper layering, inking, pop-up elements, and imaginative uses of beautiful embellishments. Every page is overflowing with beauty. We're teaming up with Jane to bring you this very special tutorial series on the last Tuesday of every month. Beginning today, Jane will be taking you step-by-step through the book-making process. Follow her wonderful instructions in this monthly tutorial series to create your very own gorgeous book! Today Jane will show you how to make the foundation pages that are used for each page of the book. You'll also learn how to create the first page of the book as well as the mini book that goes with it! This is going to be an amazing journey! So lets begin! Here is the first part of Jane's tutorial where you'll learn how to make the foundation pages. Take it away, Jane!

Instructions for creating a foundation page:

Each month you will need to make a foundation page. For this you will need two black cardstock.

 

Cut one to 8 ½ x11 inches- set it aside, cut your second one to 9 1/2 x 11 inches.

 

The 9 1/2 x 11 inches piece needs to be scored, place it in your cutter at 8 1/2 inch mark and score it, this will give you a one inch seam.

Completely fill in the one inch seam with strong tape.

Carefully adhere the 8 1/2 inch piece onto the 9 1/2 inches piece. Make sure you don’t go
over your scored seam, or your page will not fold. Once you have it on, carefully fold the page over
to check that it will shut.

Press firmly along the folded over piece, open up your page and check at the two pages line up
nicely. Don’t worry if one of your pages is now wider than the other. You can trim it back to make
them the same.

You need to add some more tape along the join of your foundation page. Adhere one strip of tape
along one side of the join and about an inch of tape on the other side of the join.

A close up of the join with the tape on each side. When you come to adhere your print papers, one
piece will be an inch wider that the other page. The extra inch will need to be adhered over the top
of the inch of tape on the foundation page.

Now that you've got your foundation page ready, it's time to create the first page of the book!

1^st Page .- A Ladies Diary.

A page for about us.

Instructions for creating your 1^st page.

Please follow the instructions carefully, lots of the papers are used in the mini book as well as for your page, so you need to cut them the way I describe or you will run out of paper! All chipboard has been sprayed black. All papers have had their edges inked.

Please note, I am only human and do make mistakes, I have taken every care while writing the instructions, and hope they make sense. It is quite hard to write instructions as I know what I mean; but this does not always translate into the instructions. If you are unable to work something out, then please ask a question in the comments box at the end of the post and I will answer it for you as best I can.

Supplies:

Graphic 45 Print Paper
2x Afternoon Tea
1x Fashion Plate
1x Timeless Memoir
1 ½ x Ageless Beauty
½ x Lasting impressions
1x Delicate Details
1x Focal Point
1x Moment in time
Imaginarium Designs – Chipboard Mini Clock, phrase, corners and mini alpha's
Tim Holtz Distress ink – Vintage photo
Imaginarium Designs Sponging block or Tim Holtz ink applicator
Color Box Fluid Chalk-chestnut roan
Brads           
Ribbon
Flowers
2 ½ sheets black cardstock
3L 12x12 Adhesive sheets
Photo Corners
Wet Glue

From your first sheet of Afternoon Tea print paper cut a piece 8 ¼ x 10 ¾ inches. Please cut the 10 ¾ inch measurement first then cut it back to 8 ¼ inches. Keep the leftover pieces for your Mini Book

Cut your second sheet of Afternoon Tea print paper to 9 ¼ x 10 ¾ inches. Please cut the 10 ¾ inch measurement first then cut it back to 9 ¼ inches. Keep the leftover pieces for your Mini Book.

You need to completely cover the back of both print papers with adhesive. You can use double sided adhesive paper or tape, if you use tape make sure you butt it together with no gaps in between each piece.

 

Adhere the 9 ¼ inch wide piece to your black foundation page. Try and have the same amount of black showing along the top and bottom on your page. Remember this print paper is one inch wider, so it will go over the join on your foundation page onto the other page. You should have tape on your foundation page to help adhere your print paper over the join. Don’t worry if your print paper is not on straight. You are going to add a border around the page.

Carefully fold your page over, use your finger to run along the seam as you fold the page up and over.

Fold the whole page over and run your hand firmly along the fold to set the crease.

You need to adhere your 8 ¼ x 10 ¾ inch piece. Make sure you are away from the centre fold of your page or you page will not shut nicely. To make it easier for yourself, don’t remove all the backing from your adhesive paper or tape. Just take a little strip off. Then if you don’t quite line it up right you can lift it off and try again. Don’t worry about lining up the spots; it is not really that important.

From your sheet of Fashion Plates print paper, cut five 1 inch strips from the left edge of your paper and one from the right edge, save the bit in the middle for your Mini Book. (We need the top image for a page and the rest for a mat).. You will have six 1 inch strips, turn them over and ink the edges with chestnut roan ink.

 

From our sheet of Ageless Beauty print paper, cut the top right image and put it aside for your Mini Book. Turn your print over; we will be cutting 6 strips from it.

 

You need to cut 6 strips from your Ageless Beauty print paper. Each one needs to be about ¾ inches wide. Use the above photo as a guide. Each one needs to be the same width, so make sure you can line each one up to make them all the same. Don’t forget to ink the edges.

Now you need to adhere each piece on top of your Fashion Plate print paper strips. Make sure your Ageless Beauty strips end up in the middle with the same amount of Fashion Plate print showing top and bottom.

You should have six pieces ready to make your frame around the page.

Place one of your strips on your page, leave a little bit of the black foundation page showing. Adhere it in the middle with just a little bit of tape. Place a second strip on your page again with a little bit of tape. Leave the ends of the strips hanging over your page. You will trim them off later. If you mess up a corner the extra length still attached will let you do the corner again if you need to.

Place a ruler diagonally across the corner and over the strips. Line up the ruler with the inside point where the papers cross and where the papers cross at the outer corner. Draw a line with a pencil.

Following the pencil line, cut diagonally across the top strip only.

 

Place the top strip down and run a pencil along the diagonal cut edge.

 

Fold the top strip out of the way and cut the bottom one following the pencil line.

 

Line both corners up and check that they meet, you can adjust them if they don’t. If they are way out, move one strip down a little bit and do it again. Once you are happy with your corner, repeat for the other three corners.

All four corners should look like this. Don’t worry if your corners don’t line up perfectly. Mine didn’t that’s why I used Imaginarium Designs chipboard corners over the top.

Before you attach each strip border, you need to cut them back in the middle where they go over the centre fold of your page. They will need to overlap in the middle of your book. The bottom strip needs to go over the fold in the middle of your book by about an inch. The strip border, which goes over the top, needs to be cut away from the fold. If you are too close to the fold of your page with your top strip, your page will not close and your border will start to lift off. Now you can lift all 6 pieces off and adhere them back down with tape. Hopefully your corners will still meet. Remember the chipboard corners will help to hide any gaps. Your finished page should look like the page above. Now we can start decorating your page.

From a piece of your left over black cardstock, cut a piece to be 3 ¼ inches wide and 8 ¼ long. From a piece of Focal Point print paper, (you need to cut it from the bottom of your paper and not the side). Cut a piece 3 x 8 inches and adhere it to the black bazzil. Keep the rest of this sheet as you need it for your mini book. From your sheet of Timeless Memoir print paper cut a piece, 2 ¾ x 7 ¾ inches wide. Ink around the edges and adhere it to your Focal Point print paper.  Adhere it to your page using the above photo as  a  guide. Place 4 gold brads in the corners of your Timeless Memoir print paper. From your ½ sheet of Fashion Plate print paper, cut a piece 4 ¾ x 6 ¾ , cut a piece of black cardstock 4 ¼ x 6 ¼  and adhere it to the middle of your Fashion Plate print paper. Cut another piece of black cardstock to 5 x 7 inches and adhere the Fashion Plate piece to it. This will give you a triple mat for your photo. Add it to your page, using the photo as a guide.

To finish your page, cut a border piece from Lasting Impressions print paper, it needs to be 6 inches long. I used the ladies with the hats. Adhere it over your photo. Layer three flowers and attach it to your page with a gold brad. Ink some chipboard letters black and add your name.

Add 4 black chipboard corners to finish your page.

Now that we have our first page done it's time to create the mini book!

Mini book for 1^st Page

Instructions for creating your Mini Book.

Please follow my instructions carefully, as you will need the left over bits.

To make the mini Book you need to cut three pieces of print papers. It is important that you follow my instructions and cut them the same way I have. You need all the left over bits for inside the mini book.

1. Moment in Time Print Paper- cut it 8 inches high and 10 inches wide. Cut the 8 inch measurement first. To do this you will need to place the print in your paper trimmer sideways. Once it is 8 inches, take it out and turn it once. Put it in your trimmer and cut to be 10 inches wide.
2. Delicate Details Print Paper- cut it 8 inches high and 10 inches wide. Cut the 8 inch measurement first. To do this you will need to place the print in your paper trimmer sideways. Once it is 8 inches, take it out and turn it once. Put it in your trimmer and cut to be 10 inches wide.
3. Focal Point Print Paper- cut it to 7 ½ x 9 ½ inches. Cut the 7 ½ inch measurement first. To do this you will need to place the print in your paper trimmer sideways. Once it is 7 ½ inches, take it out and turn it once. Put it in your trimmer and cut it to be 9 ½ inch wide.

Two of these pieces are the same size, one is smaller. The smaller one will be going in the middle of our book. Each page is adhered to the back of one of the others.

Using Tim Holtz Distress ink and a sponging block carefully ink around all the edges of your three print pieces, both sides.

 

A Moment in Time.

Fold all three pieces in half, so they stay the 8 inches and 7 ½ inches high but are only 5 inches or 3 3/4 inches wide.

Repeat with your piece of Delicate details print paper.

Focal point

This middle one is smaller than the other two.

 

Place tape on the stripe side of your folded Focal Point page. Don’t remove the backing from the tape yet.

Now here is the “tricky part”. We have to adhere each one on top of the other. Make sure you keep your print paper the right way up, so you don’t end up with one page upside down.

Remove a little of the tape backing from the stripe side of your Focal Point page. Line it up with the Delicate Details page along the folded edge. Remember Focal Point is smaller than this piece, so make sure you have the same amount of Delicate Details showing top and bottom.

Remove a little of the backing from the stripe side and adhere Moment in Time over the top, making sure the folded edges line up, and the top and bottom match with Delicate Details underneath . Once you have done this, open up your book and check that the three pages all line up and each page lays flat. If you are happy with it, remove the rest of the backing from the tape and stick Focal Point to the other two pages.

Your finished mini book should look like this. Now you can start decorating each page. You need all your scraps, including the left over bits from your page and black cardstock.

 

Use your image from your Ageless Beauty print paper. Find your left over bit of Fashion Plate print paper, remove the top image square from it first, then mat your Ageless Beauty image onto the left over piece. You still need to get two ¾ inch wide x 6 inch strips from it for your third page. Adhere a piece of ribbon across the front of the image and wrap the ends around to the back and adhere them down.

Punch a flower from your left over Afternoon Tea print paper (dot side). Choose two paper flowers, glue the bigger one to the middle of your punched flower then glue the smaller flower into the middle. Find a small diamante buckle. Choose a piece of organza ribbon and tie it in the middle of the buckle with a knot. Trim the ends and glue it into the middle of your small flower. Place the finished flower over the top of the ribbon. Add a chipboard phrase inked black. Adhere it to the front of your mini book.

 

Inside First Page.

From your left over bits, cut a rectangle from the Delicate Details print paper. It needs to be 4 inches wide and 7 inches long. Ink around the edges. Don’t stick it to your page yet. You are going to work on it and once it is finished then you will stick it to your page.  From your left over bit of the Moment in Time print paper, cut a rectangle 3 inches x 4 inches. Ink around the edges and adhere it to your yellow spot, use the above photo as a guide. Cut a strip of Focal Point print paper, 1 inch wide x 5 inches long. Make sure the stripes are running vertically. Adhere it over the top about an inch up from the bottom of your yellow spot. Wrap the ends around to the back and tape them down. Adhere a piece of black ribbon over the top of your stripes and wrap the ends around to the back and tape them down. Choose two paper flowers of your choice. Ink an Imaginarium Designs mini chipboard clock black and glue it to the middle of the biggest flower. Glue the smaller flower in the middle. Use a pearl brad to attach the finished piece to your spot rectangle. Add four photo corners. Once this is finished, you can adhere it to the left side of your 1^st page. Cut a photo mat 4 inches x 6 inches and adhere it to the other side of your page

 

Add a photo to finish. I have left a space above the flower and clock on the left side of the page for your journaling.

Second Page

From your left over pieces of Moment in Time print paper, cut two pieces 4 inches x 4 ½ inches. Ink around both pieces and adhere them to your pages. Cut a square of Delicate Details print paper (spot side) to 3 ½ inches x 5 inches. Mat it onto a piece of your black cardstock. From your left over piece of Fashion Plate print paper cut the top image out leaving a little bit of the pink all the way around. Adhere it to your piece of yellow spots. From your ½ sheet of Lasting Impressions print paper, cut out a piece of the lace border and add it to your page. Use the above photo as a guide. Add four photo corners and place the finished piece to your page on the right side as shown in the photo. Cut a piece of black cardstock to 4 inches x 6 inches and adhere it to the left side of your page. Add a photo to finish the page.

Third Page

From your left over pieces of Afternoon Tea print paper, cut two pieces of 3 inches x 4 ½ inches. Ink around the edges of each piece and adhere them to your page. Cut two pieces of Fashion Plate print paper, ¾ of an inch wide x 4 ½ inches long. Adhere it to your page as shown. Cut two squares of Focal Point print paper, make sure the stripes are the right way; they need to be 1 ½ inches x 6 inches. Adhere them to your page as shown. Add photo corners to the top. Cut two pieces of Focal Point print paper to 1 ½ x 3 inches, ink around all the edges and adhere them to your page. Punch four paper flowers from your left over Afternoon Tea print paper, glue two together and add a smaller paper flower to the middle. Push a gold split pin in the middle and glue the finished flower to your page. From your ½ sheet of Lasting Impression print paper, cut two postage stamps (the ladies) and add one to each page. Use the above photo as a guide. Cut two photo mats to 3 ¾ inches x 4 inches and adhere them onto your page. .  Add your photo to finish the page.

This finished book needs to be adhered to the right side of your page.

That's all for today, G45ers. We hope you had a great time today! Join us for part 2 of Jane's book tutorial series on Tuesday, August 28th! You'll learn how to create page 2 of this incredible book! Big thanks to Jane Tregenza for this amazing tutorial series! We are so happy to have such an inspirational tutorial series here on our blog! We hope you will all join us tomorrow for part 2 of Anne Rostad's featured artist blog! It's going to be filled with so much inspiration to brighten your day! We wish you all a lovely Tuesday!

Happy Papercrafting!

Your Friends at Graphic 45

 

Comments

[Elisabeth]

Thank you so much Jane for this tutorial, Im so looking forward to part two of the series.

[Denise]

wonderful job Jane, such care taken to make sure everything comes out beautiful!

[leah Salter]

Looking forward to having a go at this book! Thanks Jane.

[Julie Tucker-Wolek]

Wowwwwwwwwwwwww! These are amazing!! Thanks for the how-to's!!!!! Just BEAUTIFUL!!!!

[cathy]

Thanks for the tutorials, love the pages in your book.

[Veronica]

Thanks Jane. Love the tutorial. Will definitely have to make this album. Look forward to the next page.

[Brenda B]

Jane, thank you for these amazing instructions.

[Miriam Prantner]

Great tutorial! Such a pretty book!

[Shanda]

Cute. When will this paper line be available?

[Sharon Y (sharona62)]

This is great Jane! Thank You for the detailed tutorial.

[Sara Nell Langland]

I am looking forward to creating this book with you. I am assuming that in the third step of the base page, that instead of adhering the 8 3/4" piece to the 9 3/4, you mean the 8 1/2 piece to the 9 3/4 inch piece. That threw me for a loop until I read through it a bit more carefully. Thanks! I was going to use some of my papers on hand, but I like the idea and theme of your book with A Ladies Diary. Perfect merger of the two!

[Marilyn B. Hughes]

This is great! I've been wanting to learn how to make a book like this.

[Sue B.]

Thank you for instructions. Can't wait to try it.

[marie sierra]

this is an absolutely AMAZING and beautiful project! you have no idea how helpful it is to see step by step photos...thank you for taking the time to do this!! you know im a HUGE fan...right??!!!
xox marie

[Rita Perfater]

I am excited and a little intimidated about trying to make this book. Can't wait to get started. Thanks so much for publishing these instructions Jane.

[Rosann]

Wow ... what an amazing treat... I NEED to go shopping... I Want this paper. That's my biggest problem with G45... I want everything !!!

[Barb]

This is AMAZING and better than any class I could take anywhere! I have been waiting a lifetime for something like this. I love Graphic 45 products but I love even more what Jane does with them. THANK YOU JANE!! THANK YOU GRAPHIC 45!!!

[Sleigh]

Thank you for the wonderful instructions Jane! First page of the book looks wonderful... can't wait for the rest! This would also be a very nice 2-page layout that I think I may give a try as well :-)

[Carole]

wonderful instructions - thank you !

[Dorina D]

thanks for the great instructions. Can't wait to try this. I think I'll head to the store for G45 paper and supplies.

[butterfly]

Fantastically detailed tutorial... thank you for taking so much time and care over this, Jane - it's going to be brilliant to follow the rest of the journey. Thanks to all for making this possible!
Alison x

[Barbara G]

So appreciate you sharing all this. Beautiful!

[Judy D.]

Thanks for the great tutorial - I love learning new ways to use G45 paper! Judy D.

[sharon gullikson]

Thanks for the tutorial about mitering the corners. I've only mitered wood before.

[Mary Werner]

I quilted before discovering mini books and this tutorial reminds me the of some of the quilt block of the month series I used to do. They were so much fun and this seems to be also. Can't wait to get started and make my page of the month!

[jocelyn]

Great project.. esepcially love how she cuts the paper to get the most out of a sheet.

[Nancy Hedberg]

BEAUTIFUL!! Thank you!!!

[achairnadream]

I always love your work, especially your layering!!!! Thanks for the instructions.

[nichole B]

Great job,truely an inspiration!

[Andrea g]

That is just gorgeous thanks for sharing

[Rea Custer]

Beautiful book and nice tutorial. Lots of good pics with directions. I love your choice of G45 DP.

[Johni Komisak]

Amazingly beautiful! The tutorial is detailed, yet easy to follow, and it helps so much to have the photo's of each step. I am a visual learner and I hope to try this project. Thank you.

[karenladd]

Whew!!! What an awesome tutorial! I only wish my projects were as fabulous as Jane's!

[Katherine Lawson]

This is going to be a wonderful series, The book is beautiful! Thank you so much for doing a written tutorial rather than a video. I have no sound on my computer, and a very slow connection, so videos are useless to me. I also love being able to save the tutorial for when I have time to make the book!

[Jackie H]

I can not see myself doing this on my own! I have a hard time consentrated and like hands on!

[Mary]

Wonderful tutorial! Thanks!

[Marcie Smith]

Thank you Jane and G45 for bringing us this series. Jane's books are beautiful and the step by step tutorial is a fabulous way to be able to learn her techniques. Ladies Diary is such a beautiful paper collection. TFS.
Marcie

[Carol Mc]

Thank you for the tutorial, the book is
lovely.

[Ann Marie Dahl]

Thank you Jane!! I'm SO excited for the chance to create a beautiful book, learning from someone so talented and and creative and I get to use my favorite papers!! What could be better?!

[Sue Settera]

Thanks Jane for breaking this down into easily understood steps!