Canvas Book

This is one of my largest, and most complex assemblage pieces to date. (With full intentions to do more:)

It's an 8" x 8" Canvas Book. I started off with 2 - blank 8x8" canvases, and covered them with handmade paper, (sorry to say I didn't make the paper, but plan on learning how to this year:)

Then I hinged them together on the wood 'spine', and off I went!

Two pieces that really motivated me to make this were the wonderful 'Tim Holtz' feet, that can be inked and altered, but I chose to leave them blank, as I thought the details were interesting enough. And the other piece that gave me this idea, were the salvaged door knobs and plates. I love digging through salvage stores, and looking for interesting unusual items that can be incorporated as elements in my projects.

The front cover is papered chipboard with metal embellishments, all inked and glued. I loved how the handmade paper has large flecks of gold paper and threads in it's layers, helped add to the piece.

The back cover, I again played with an embellishment from the 'Tim Holtz' alterations product line, and as I usually do, incorporated an element of something from nature.

I used a cut piece of packaging plastic to make a dust cover for the feather in the embellishment frame, and was pleased that it makes the beauty of the feather pop. (The picture doesn't do it justice:).

But it was the inside that was the most fun to create:) When you free form pile 'like' objects, it is so much fun and relaxing! It took days of 'try this here' and 'see what this looks like' to come up with the finished piece. I found it hard to stop, as I kept finding more items to glue in, stamp, and layer.

This project also helped 'justify' my hoarding of all bits and pieces, with the intention of their possible 'use' in the future:)

I had a great deal of fun with this piece. And after stopping, and proclaiming it finished, all extras, new ideas, and things I learned while making it from my mistakes, will be the motivation to start another one:) :) :)

Hope this motivates you to give it a try too!

Enjoy!