December Book club

Here is my finished product for December book club! We were challenged with tim holtz grunge board (whole alphabet) - crackle paint, embossed papers and an acrylic dove. The way I view the challenge is to challenge myself to use the entire kit that is given to me - not just one element. I am really into mini albums so that is probably what I will make with very challenge this year.
Since we were given paint - I wanted to use more paint - since i love fabric and sewing - i wanted to incorporate fabric with new sewing elements. Since we had the whole alphabet - i need to think of a way to use very letter - to me it was natural to do abc book or a 2 z book..... since it was december, I wrote down 26 words (from a to z) that encompassed christmas to me :)
I found their definitions on line - dictionary.com printed the definitions on transparency paper and started a page for each letter.




Since Ali edwards is my "idol" - I used some of her signature techniques eg: every page being uniform (not all the same size) .....I tried also to use everyday items....3 page layouts - I read her new book and reread my highlighted points that spoke to me :) I tried to think outside the scrapbook pages. I actually even used some page protectors and cut hole in them to make my pages interactive. It was so fun to create - I was addicted to the project! I couldn't stop making pages until I was done.... I had a lot of fun thinking creating and recreating.
I had SOOOO much fun creating it. I loved my pages! BUT THEN came my nightmare........I just got stuck when I had to put my non uniform pages together! (argh) on top of that, I had to find/make a book to have them fit in! (double argh!!) I really feel like I kinda blew it at that point.... I didn't plan how I was going to put these pages in a book like format! (woops) I faked it - art at it's best - I meant to do that (right?) - Embrace my imperfection! I ended up making a fabric covered chipboard cover/ hole punches held together with binder rings and came up with a title. "Christmas a 2 z"

I learned a lot from making the december book that when I got the JANUARY kit......I picked my book format FIRST :) I saw a cute little mini project in creative keepsakes mag (feb 08 issue)that used file folders cut in half and glued together as a book. I sewed my pages together and left one side open to add pages inside the book. Kinda like the paper bag book. So the challenge this month is "RESOLUTIONS" fun! in years past i have made resolutions but I have never done much after making them.... making a book about it might actually make me stick to my guns??? There's a challenge within a challenge!
xoxox
me!