The Wedding Book Display

I picked up this diary book cover from the Tim Holtz collection on sale and just had to make something with it! Looking at it just brought images of a tiny house in a woodland setting and by accident, I hit on an outdoor wedding theme in miniature. The scene sits on top of a forest floor decorated box that holds a small wedding album. Wouldn’t this make a wonderfully unique wedding gift or treasured memory for an anniverysary!

This project could also be altered for any theme you like.

FINISHED PHOTO

Materials used . . .

Tim Holtz Diary Journal #TH93113
Dusty Attic French Window
Kaisercraft Iron Gate
medium weight chipboard
white or off white acrylic paint
small scrap of sandpaper
Vintage Photo distressing ink (or any brown colored distressing ink)
clear matte or semi-gloss spray sealer (I use one by Krylon)
Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Glue
printable items from the downloaded kit
If not using the forest floor paper from the kit and you want a true 3D project, you will also need small/miniature items: vines, flowers, dishes set, wine glasses, wedding cake
For stepping stones I’ve used: Petaloo Flower Centers that are about 1-1/8″ in diameter. You could use up to 1-1/4″ diameter and any type of stone looking or carved flat back buttons.

NOTE: any fancy window frame and gate can be substituted for the ones I have used. One side of the gate measures: 2″ by 4-1/2″ (at the tallest point) and the window measures: 2-1/2″ by 5-1/2″

You can also make your own book cover from chipboard if you like or use the cover off an old book!

The Tim Holtz book cover is about 5″ by 7″ and about 1″ thick, roughly the same size as one of my Journal Books. So you could use one of those as well.

Preparing the window

Lay your window frame on the front cover, centered, and draw around the window pane openings. Cut these out with a sharp craft knife. On the opposite side of the cover (inside), carefully remove the paper covering from the window grill areas.

Window Frame and Gates

Paint the window frame (one side only), and the fronts of the gates – be sure you paint the right sides of both gates! with white or off white acrylic paint. Once dry, lightly sand to remove little areas of the paint then rub on some distressing ink. You want an aged look but still be able to see the paint color as well so don’t get to heavy handed with sanding and distressing.

Glue the window frame to the front of the book cover as seen below.

Cut 4 pieces of chipboard as stated below and also paint one side of these in same color.

(2) 1/4″ by the height (left and right sides) of your window opening on inside of cover
(2) 1/4″ by the width plus 1/2″ (top and bottom) of your window opening on inside of cover. These will rest on top of and below the ends of the pieces you place on the left and right sides (see image below)

Glue them to the inside of the window frame area as seen below.

Preparing the inside back of cover

From the medium weight chipboard cut the following . . .

(2) 1-1/4″ by 3-3/4″ strips
(2) 1-1/4″ by 6-3/4″ strips

Connect these together with construction strips and glue to the back inside of the cover as seen below. Be careful not to glue to close to the spine, keeping your book from closing! It should be just inside the right side edge of the cover and both the top and bottom edges.

Print the sheets from the kit that have the scene with swans and the bricks. Cut a piece of the swan sheet to fit inside the boxed area on the back cover. Roughly 4-3/4″ by 6-3/4″. Glue this to the inside back area as seen below.

Now cut strips of the stone paper to cover the inside of the chipboard frame area. Distress edges before you attach the paper strips and attach with score tape. I’ve used the small rock area of the paper to cover the top and bottom inside area then the larger stone area of the paper to cover the left and right inside area as seen below.

Cover the outside of the chipboard frame in the same way BUT . . . cover the left and right side first, adding at least 1/4″ or more to the top and bottom length so you can wrap the paper around the top and bottom sides. Cut the top and bottom strips to exact size. Distress all edges and attach with score tape.