Halloween Squash Book

After naming this post, I realized it could be very confusing if you don't know what a squash book is or you think I'm talking about an October gourd book as opposed to a book that folds up or "squashes". 

It is funny how different designs seem to make the blog rounds and then you don't see them for a while.  Back in the spring, I saw a number of these little books being designed and shared.  I don't think I've seen one since around May.

 This is the outside cover.  I used some Core'dinations Black Magic paper which I embossed and sanded.  I added a couple of brads from Paper Treats.  I bought a box of the brads on clearance for $1.50.  I need to remember these now that Halloween season is in full swing.  I embossed the cover using a second piece of the same Black Magic paper.  I then cut out the circles and pop dotted them to give a little extra dimension.  The ribbon used to keep the book closed is simple Rafia. 

I must say that the entire time I was opening the Rafia I was thinking about one of my brothers.  My next youngest brother is a rancher, former bull rider and all around cowboy.  I know that if he had seen my Rafia he would have said, "You know, I've got a lot of that stuff out in the barn.  I won't charge you $2.50 for that little handful.  You can have a whole bail for only $10".  These are the things I think about while crafting in the middle of the night.  So, thanks, Jeff, but I'll stick with my Rafia. 

Here is the inside before I added the cover.  It is three pieces of square paper.  For this book I made the inside pages 12 x 12 (I was being lazy and didn't want to cut the inside paper and I like this size because a 4 x 6 picture fits all the way across).  This book requires 3 sheets of cardstock for the inside pages.

If you want clear concise instructions on how to make this book, check out this page at Splitcoast Stampers.  They have some really cool projects on this site if you haven't had a chance to look at them. 

 Here is a close-up of the embossing, sanding and pop dotting.  As you can see, I need to work on my cutting skills -- isn't that why I have a cricut?

One more.

I won't be posting on Sunday but I'll be back on Monday and I'm taking my first ever craft class on Tuesday, it is a stamping class.  I'm hoping it will help me take my crafting to another level. 

Check back on Monday for a vinyl project

Oh, and a happy card making day to you.