How To Make An Accordion Book With Pockets From An Antique Book

I bought a bunch of old books with pretty covers and I'm re-purposing them by making new books out of old ones. Polly was the name of my childhood dog and the 1890's camping scene is very attractive.



















Remove the pages with a razor blade and scissors, leaving the cover intact. I didn't like the look of the cardboard inside the spine so I covered the inside of the book with new end papers. Lay the book cover on a piece of scrapbook paper and trace around the cover with pencil. Cut the paper slightly smaller than the book cover then glue the new end paper inside the cover and over the spine.














Use a brayer to smooth the paper and remove any air bubbles.













I used a large sheet of heavyweight black paper for the inside of the book. If you want to see the end paper make the insert smaller than the original book. These pages are 4.5" x 10" and the page on the end is 5" wide. It's wider so you can make a flap to ensure the pocket will be secure by not allowing items to slide out the side. Cut off the excess edge portion. Make pencil guidelines for creasing and if the paper is thick, use a bone folder to score the lines.















The pages are 7" high so I also made a horizontal guideline for creasing a 3" deep pocket.

To recap, fold the paper accordion or paper fan style to fit inside the book cover. Fold a long horizontal crease to make a pocket like you'd find in back to school folders. Use the bone folder to make sharp creases.





















Flip the paper over and glue down the flap. The flap needs to be on the opposite side for the back of the book.












My book was fairly thick and since the paper wasn't long enough to use only one segment I used two. I left a flap to glue under another page so that the pages hinge together.





















The book is now a long accordion fold with the pocket on one side and the end flap is on the backside.





















Spread glue on end flap and glue it to the inside cover.





















Press the paper firmly and glue the back cover to the inside page. Close the book to verify placement. You don't want the pages too close to the spine or too far away.




































Now the book is ready to fill with memorabilia and you can decorate the pocket for more of an art journal feel.





































This version is filled with 90lb, cream colored drawing paper.

Pretty Bikes Are Like Pretty Shoes

I bought this pink Diamondback, Della Cruz, bike because it had an awesome chain guard, wide cork patterned seat with springs, sewn leather handles, cute wicker basket, balloon tires, and was covered with yellow hibiscus flowers. The only thing it's missing are gears and it has one speed, slow.

I drew this after a grueling 3 mile ride that would have been effortless if I borrowed my daughter's 10 speed bike. I get a lot of complements on my stylish bike while I chug along, but riding it is like wearing stilettos on a hike.

ACEO ATC Pop Art Doodle

Artist trading cards are 2.5" x 3.5" and were traditionally traded among artists and were never intended to be sold. ACEO, art card editions and originals are an off shoot of that tradition and are original works of art that are sold. The only rule is that they be 2.5" x 3.5" (the same size as a baseball trading card. The cards typically fit inside a plastic sleeve but some artists develop a more dimensional style and and the thickness can vary.

The painting is an abstract watercolor that I embellished with India ink. I like that the piece can be displayed on all sides and it reminds me of vintage pop-art. My only self imposed rule for this style is I can only work with existing shapes.

Bearded Iris Abstract Painting

I did this acrylic painting for a lady who is a member of the red hat society. The members wear red hats and purple dresses so red and purple are prominent colors in the painting.
She's a free spirit so I wanted the painting to echo her personality and interests.

Standup Chef Menu Chalkboard

I saw a chef similar this in front of a cooking school a few years ago, I drew a pattern and my husband kindly cut it out for me. He stands 4 feet high with a hinged support panel on the back and is pointing to an area painted with blackboard paint.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, Daisy Poster

The poster has a field of Illustrator drawn daisies on a grass background that was created in Photoshop.

Maple Tree Helicopters

I was in the hammock watching the helicopter seeds fly around the yard.

EDM 1 Draw a shoe and 2 Draw a lamp

I thought it would be fun to combine some of the challenges and so the canvas shoe now has a lamp print fabric instead of the existing blue.

Green Concealer Is Not To Be Confused With Color Changing Lipstick

My daughter left some cosmetics on my vanity that she bought and decided that she didn't want.

I thought the green lipstick was the color changing variety so I put a large swipe across my bottom lip and waited.

The lips are a linocut print that I made and then tinted with a prismacolor marker. The rest was drawn with with a Pigma Micron Pen.

Godzilla vs The Burbs

There was a bad thunderstorm and the dogs refused to go outside.

I found a nervous pile of poo which I unfortunately stomped like Godzilla attacking Tokyo.

I never thought I'd draw Godzilla stepping in poo since I'm no longer 12 but here it is.

Chauffeur Zentangle Doodle

I've been doing a lot of waiting for my daughter and this was a nice way to kill time in a semi-mindless fashion that was still fun.

Zentangles are easy to pick-up and leave without losing your flow. This one was done with a fine point Pitt pen. My favorite design to do was the waves but drawing dirt always makes me happy (while in school I used to draw elevations for architectural plans).

In grade school we would draw a scribble and make different things with the shapes, I guess I never got over it.

Cabin Sketches

I was at our cabin over the 4th of July and here are some of the sketches that resulted.

Eagles nest on a nearby mountain, it's Minnesota, so It's actually a big hill but we call it a mountain. The eagles spent quite a bit of time hunting in the clearing so I'm glad we did not bring along the dogs, they are smaller than the rabbits that the eagles captured.

I did the drawing of the eagle with a Pilot Frixon Ball pen. In theory it's erasable but I wouldn't try to erase anything larger than a tittle (the dot over an i).





I went to Sivertson Lake to photograph the water lilies and waded out to get a better shot.

I was so intent on the flowers I forgot why no one swims in that lake. The holes in my pink Crocs were the perfect playground for blood suckers (small leaches). I did get some great photos so it was worth the ick factor.





We had an impressive storm on July 3rd that brought 8 inches of rain; a mile away they only received half an inch. The storm was so localized that it had a Stephen King element to it.

I heard a cracking noise after the rain stopped and went out back to see what happened. One of the pine trees had fallen and since I heard another crack I fled back inside. The cabin roof has been hit twice before by pine trees and my Jeep once; no damage either time. This pine was courteous enough to fall backwards, slid down the hill, and required no clean up.


We are at Toad Lake and there are the cutest, tiny, toads. The toads are about an inch long while they sit. This one thought he was invisible he if didn't move so he made an excellent subject.

The weather must have been perfect this year since we had wild roses and lady's slippers everywhere.

There is a Jurassic sized crow that was hanging around the screen door; I had no idea that black birds could get so large. He would stand in front of the screen and scratch the wire with his beak.

We have no visible neighbors and I think he was planning a caper. I gave him a slight smile since I think he's planing on what to get from the refrigerator for lunch.

Oil Change Portrait

I went in for an oil change and there was nothing to read or draw so I was a little bored. The woman was in an issue of Time magazine that I had read previously but I liked the way her jacket was constructed.

They finished the oil change before I had to decide whether to draw the complementary popcorn or the plastic plant.

Woman On A Painted Table

I had this metal table at the cabin and always meant to paint cherries on the dangling drops but went a different way after I put my purse on top.

I wanted her to have an "oh no" look when items were placed on the surface. I painted the illustration in a cartoon style with very bright colors in order to keep the painting from becoming sinister. The funny thing is, after I painted her, no one uses the table any more.

To ensure good paint adhesion I base coated the top with Gesso.

Thank You Poster For Meals on Wheels Volunteers

I made this poster for a local chapter of Meals on Wheels using photographs of volunteers supplied by Meals on Wheels.

They wanted to put up a poster to thank volunteers for all the hard work they do since Meals on Wheels couldn't exist without them.

I originally designed the poster in an 8" x 10" format so they could print it easily but I redid it in a tabloid size.

How To Clean Up Artwork Edges In Illustrator CS4 Tutorial

Most of the time it doesn't matter if your art work extends onto the desktop but sometimes you want to tidy up the edges. It's very easy to crop the excess artwork in Illustrator but if you are making a major change like this on your real artwork, make a copy of the file first.
This butterfly is from the symbols library and I'm using it for demonstration purposes but it would make a fun note card.


















Access the rectangle tool and make a box that covers the area you want to keep. The second line is for the bleed since the artwork extends to the edge. If you are using this for the web or your own printer you wouldn't bother with a bleed.


















Change the fill and stroke color to none. Press command a to select everything or go to select->all.




















Go to object->clipping mask->make and ta da!

How To Use The Rotate Tool To Make A Simple Flower Tutorial Illustrator CS4

The purpose of this tutorial is to show how to use the rotate tool; if you've ever done this by hand you will particularly appreciate how easy Illustrator makes this.









To make a simple flower start by making a petal. Click the direct selection tool (white arrow) then the pen tool. Click the mouse to make the top point of the the petal. Click and hold the mouse down to make the bottom point. Use the mouse to drag out the curve. When you are happy with the curve, release the button. Option click (alt click for windows) on the bottom point then option click on the top point to close the path. Do not release the mouse button since you want to drag out the curve. Release the mouse button when you are happy with the curve. Deselect the shape (shift command a) and if you want to adjust the shape use the direct selection tool (white arrow) to manipulate the handles. Click on the petal with the selection tool (black arrow) to select the petal.








Click on the rotate tool. The circle with the cross hairs is the anchor point.












You can set the angle of the rotation in the rotation dialog box. Remember that a circle is 360 degrees so if you want the object to space evenly the angle has to be evenly divisible. For example a 30 degree angle will give you 12 petals. Click copy to make a second petal









If you don't reset the anchor point, it will be in the middle of the petal and that's where the rotation will occur










To reset the anchor point, option click (on the circle with the cross hairs) and drag the anchor point into place. Don't release the mouse button until you are happy with the new location. I like to hold the option key down while I do this but it's not necessary.














To make more petals you transform again by pressing command d. Keep pressing command d until you have all the petal you want. Shift command a to deselect. To make a round center activate the ellipse tool. Place the cursor in the flower center. Hold shift and option while dragging out the shape. Holding shift and option constrains the circle so that it remains in the center of your petals and it's easier to gauge the size you need. You can adjust the circle later with the selection tool.














If you want to move the flower around it's easier if the shape is grouped together. Drag over the flower with the selection tool to select it all. Go to object->group or use the keyboard shortcut command g

















You can make kaleidoscope effects by going to effects->distort and transform.

Blurred Background with Clipping Mask With The Pen Tool In Photoshop CS4 Tutorial

Sometimes a photo has too much going on in the background and it's distracting from the focus of the image.
I chose to use the pen tool to make a clipping mask so that I could blur the background (I also inserted her in front of a dragon with the same clipped image).
I like the pen tool because it gives a smooth, sharp edge but it's only practical for edges that are not overly intricate.
Go to file->open and select the photo you want to work with. Make a duplicate layer of the source photo.
Magnify the image so that you can see the edges clearly, command + or the magnify tool works well for this.





Use the pen tool to draw a line along the area you want to mask. I like to stay slightly inside the image to avoid having a pixilated (stair stepped) edge.
Option click (alt for windows users) on the anchor point when you change directions and option click on the final anchor point to close the path at the end. Pressing the space bar temporarily changes the tool to one that allows you to move the image.
You can adjust the path with the handles but I usually try to drag the curves out where I want them to minimize changes. The fewer points you make, the smoother your line will be. Try not to click on the smooth part of the curve since that will give you a more elegant line.














With the pen tool still selected, right click on the line and click make selection.

















Now you have a dashed line (some call it marching ants), this is your clipping path. Press command c or edit->copy to save the selection.













Make a new layer and paste the clipped object onto it using command v or edit->paste.







Save the file since you don't want to have to make the path again; now you can play with the background. The image can be inserted into another photo or you can alter the background with effects. I chose to activate the background copy layer and apply a blur by going to filter->blur->Gaussian blur.