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Yesterday I promised that I would post instructions for the Bookend Cozy that I created for the Spellbinders' Holiday Hoppin' Blog Hop. Well, here they are!
I decided that since my sweet mom gave me her old bookends to use, I would cover one for her sewing room. I will probably go back and 'tweak' it a little....it should have buttons and seam binding on it, right? ha. But I wanted to get this finished in time to post for you.
First I cut out all of the elements for my project. I had purchased an old sewing pattern, so that seemed perfect to use as my background paper! It was creased and brown, but I like it that way (vintage, right? ha!).
Of course it needed stability, so I began with a piece of soft gray cardstock with the largest of the
LF-190 Grand Labels Four die templates. As you can see, I also cut a portion of the larger template with plain cream cardstock to use as the back of the cozy (sleeve). Use the next size (second to largest) die template
to cut the pattern instruction paper. Then use the smallest die template to cut the actual pattern. Now, the pattern paper is extremely thin, so I ran a piece of the grey cardstock through my Xyron 5" sticker maker and slapped the pattern onto it before I cut it. See how nicely it cut?
I used another die template from
S4-298 Antiquities - the crown! - and another piece of
F-013 Premium Craft Foil -purple! - just for fun. I may or may not leave it on the project once I fuss with some buttons.
Now begin your assembly. Score your large template so that it will 'sit' on your bookend, yet still cover it. I scored mine three inches from the bottom, but yours may vary depending upon your bookend.
Attach the top portion of your patterned paper piece with adhesive (I used a tape runner). Now, apply adhesive to the bottom piece, but make sure it is standing at a 90 degree angle (straight up) before you smooth it down. If you adhere it totally flat, it will wrinkle and buckle when you fold it.
Place this on top of your back cover piece and draw a line along the bottom. Cut along the line; now your back cover piece will exactly fit onto the back of the front piece (clear as mud? ha).
This part is
crucial - put your adhesive ONLY AROUND THE EDGES - top and sides
only - so that your cozy will slip over the top of the booked! You can see in the photo how I have placed the tape just around the edges. Now, I suggest that you use a strong red-line tape.
Decide where you want to place your smallest pattern piece and score it accordingly. Adhere it like you did the paper (top first, fold, then adhere the bottom).
Embellish! I added a pretty bow as well as the crown topped with a white pearl. I may go back and remove the crown and add a few buttons. We shall see!
Here's how the back looks after I've slipped the cozy over the bookend.
My original idea was to put a photo in the center - think of all of the possibilities! Kitchen Bookend Cozies for Grandma with photos of her baking cookies with her grandbabies. Who couldn't use bookends for their cookbooks? 'Nuff said.
I hope this was instructional for you. Most of all, thank you so much for all of the sweet, precious comments on yesterday's post. It's so rewarding to feel that you have inspired someone to create! I hope you become a follower of my blog (see the column to the right) and let me share more ideas with you!
Now, send me photos of your cozies so I can share them! Oh, I can't wait to see what you create!
Enjoy,
I found these awesome papier maiche stars at Oriental Trading Company last year, so I decided to cover it and decorate it this year (finally - ha!) I used the Nested Hearts die templates as well as Labels Fifteen peeking out from the back. The paper is retired from Close To My Heart, but any vintage paper would do nicely. Or take it in another direction by using bright and cheery colors. By the way, you can find my rose tutorial here. 
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