Book of Dreams: Week 4 {windows, doors and niches}

How's everybody doing? I'm really enjoying seeing all the wonderful work your doing in your Book of Dreams. I have heard from some of you that are feeling a little stuck. This week I have some new and different techniques that hopefully you can break through your rut. So get out those craft blades, we're making windows, doors and niches!



The first technique is one that can be done with the cover of your book, if you haven't worked on that yet. I knew I wanted to use these doll shoes and a picture of my daughter and myself around the same age. First, you mark the edges of the hole you want to cut. Place a cutting mat inside the cover to protect the pages of the book. Then cut through the cover using a craft knife and the ruler as a guide to cut straight lines. This process takes a bit. My cover was pretty thick, so I cut through bit by bit until I could push the piece through and was left with the hole. You can then paint the front, the inner edges, the inside, whatever you'd like. Place an image (or in this case some doll shoes) inside the hole and you're set! Here are a couple more wonderful ideas on cover niches and doors.

Next, I tried a window with the pixie picture I did last week. I used mica as the window "glass". There are many different ways to do windows. Some simple techniques would be to cut a circle, or triangle, or even rip a hole in the page. Then put an image on the page behind it, as if it is looking through the window. What I did here is, I drew an "X" on the page with my craft knife. Again, be sure and have a cutting mat behind the page, so that you don't cut through more than you want! I then folded back each triangle from the "X: and folded each again. Placing an image on the following page, you get the window effect.

A similar technique is used in creating a door. Doors are interactive, drawing the observer into the page. You can either use a stamp or here I used two doors from a magazine. I put them on with tiny little hinges and cut out the page behind the door. I then placed an image on the following page, like what we did with a window. When you open the door, you can see what is revealed.

The last technique, I've always wanted to try. Paula shared a link to Karen's web site and her *amazing* reliquaries and I knew I just had to give this a shot. Also check out her altered books and prepare to be inspired! I had this giant charm from a necklace I've had for years. I knew it would be perfect for this niche:)

A niche or shadowbox is used to hold large embellishments or objects that would not otherwise fit into an altered book. It is created by making a deep cut into a block of pages. To start, it is best to use the front or back cover of the book as the bottom of your box to provide best support. I used the back of the book. Gather a group of pages that begins or ends with a page next to a cover. The thickness of the group determines the depth of your box. Use a flat brush to apply gel medium to the side, top and bottom edges of this group of pages. Hold the pages together with bulldog clips while it dries. Once it is dry, you use the same technique we did on the cover. Mark the box that you'd like to cut, put a cutting mat between the group of pages and the cover. Using a cutting knife and a ruler, gradually slice through the layers of pages. Then apply glue to the back of the block of pages and adhere to the cover or back of the book. Paint and embellish however you'd like!

Here are a couple another tutorials on creating a niche.

Hope you all have a great week. Please share links to any pages that you post on your blog in the comments. Thanks!