BOD: Week One {Pockets}

Well, here we are…week {ONE} of the Book of Dreams. I hope you all have a book of some sort to work in and have prepped it however you’d like. The topic for this week is POCKETS.

I will be sharing a few different ways you can make pockets in your book and then you can run with it! If some of you are looking for specific instructions on how to make different backgrounds on your pages, Lisa Vollrath has some wonderful techniques here.

Most of all, I want to say, have fun with this!! It’s all about the process rather than the product. I love that ArtJunk is doing her dream book on free flow of ideas, just having fun! Try to challenge yourself to try new things on your pages.

The first example of a pocket is very simple. You just tear two different patterned paper going in different directions. I inked them on the torn edges and adhered to the page around the edges. Then you’ll have an open pocket inside. Easy as pie:)

Another easy way to make a pocket is use this library pocket template. Cut out the template and trace it onto any sort of patterned/homemade paper that you’d like. Fold it up and glue it onto your page anywhere you’d like. Inside the pocket you can add a quote, a picture, a tag, or whatever!
The next example involves some folding on two different pages of your book. First fold a page ¾ of the way in. Then fold the next page so that a little more page is showing and the final page is not folded at all. This will give you two pockets. You can put adhesive along the edges or just attach brads like I did here. Again, fill your pockets with whatever goodies you’d like. Finally, you can make the page itself into a pocket for a tag. Trace ½ inch around a tag placed how you would like it in the book. Then put glue all around the line you traced, all over the page, but not inside the lines. Squish the pages together and you’ll have a little opening the perfect size for your tag. You can have the tag(s) come out the top or the sides, or both! I think this photo of my daughter needs some hand tinting. I'm going to have a tutorial on manipulating/tinting/transfering images another week.
I also wanted to show a few very unique examples of pockets that our Book of Dreams inspiration artist Cassondra did. She used mica for a pocket and put a lovely feather inside. She also used a little fabric pouch as a pocket. I love making fabric pockets. These are just wonderful! See more of her Do you Dream in Color book here for tons of inspiration.

So, go to it, have fun and once you post your pocket pages for this week on your blog, please send us all the link in the comment section so we can “ooh and ahhh” at each others unique interpretations. Let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing about everyone's process. Have a great week!