DIY Network

Field Notes Altered Board Book Visit DIY's Craft Lab to learn how to create a board book perfect for a field guide or travelogue. From "Craft Lab" episode DCLB-136

Guest Jan Bode Smiley joins host Jennifer Perkins and demonstrates the techniques for creating an altered board book from the pages of an old agriculture book.

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Guest Jan Bode Smiley creates an altered board book that would be perfect as a travelogue or field guide.

Field Notes Altered Board Book

Materials:

scissors
craft knife
text pages from an old book
sketch paper — found at office supply stores
Gesso
tan or off-white acrylic paint
acrylic paints or stamp pads to use with stamps and to color backgrounds
foam paintbrush
glue stick
heavy-duty adhesive such as The Ultimate!
Natural found objects: feathers, leaves, shells, small stones, acorns, sticks
foam brush for applying paint
eyelets, hole punch and hammer
loose-leaf binder rings — found at office supply stores (2" rings used on show)
gel medium (matte finish)
journaling tools — label maker, pencil, Copic markers, typewriter, rubber stamps, sticks or rub-on letters

	Figure A
	Figure B

1. To prepare the book and create the textured backgrounds, use your craft knife to cut the board book apart (figure A) into two-page segments and then set aside.

2. Tear the pages out of the other book.

3. Mix Gesso with a little bit of off-white or tan acrylic paint. Paint your text papers and let them dry.

4. Cut pieces of the sketch paper larger than your text pages.

5. Crumple the sketch paper up in your hand. Open out, and repeat the crumpling.

6. Coat your dry text pages with a glue stick. Layer the crinkled sketch paper onto the text paper (figure B). Don't smooth out all the crinkles. It is the crinkly texture that looks so good!

7. Use a craft knife or scissors to trim the excess paper from around the edge of the pages. Use the shape of the book as your cutting guide. Repeat for as many pages and signatures as you want to have in your book.

8. To collage your artwork and assemble the book, collage your found objects on each page of the pages and spreads, using a glue stick for lightweight items and The Ultimate! For heavier objects.

9. Add embellishments.

10. Use a scrap piece of paper to make a template for punching holes to bind the book. Punch the holes and apply eyelets.

11. Bind your pages together by putting loose-leaf binder rings through the eyelet holes.

12. Sign your work.

RESOURCES :

Altered Board Books Basics and Beyond: For Creative Scrapbooks, Altered Books & Artful Journals
By Jan Bode Smiley
ISBN: 1571203095
C&T Publishing

GUESTS :

Jan Bode Smiley
E-mail: jan@jansmiley.com
Website: www.jansmiley.com