GUESTBOOK (almost)

I've been so worried about this guestbook, and (knock on wood) it is going to turn out beautifully!

Last week I found the most beautiful faux-suede remnant (1 yard) on sale at JoAnne Fabrics, so I bought it assuming it would be an even bigger mess than the black canvas I tried the first time around (oh yes, we are on our second guestbook attempt - the first was a totally-from-scratch disaster that you will not hear me mention again -- too stressful). But everything turned out! It's so wonderfully soft.

Several weeks ago I found spiral notebooks with blank pages on sale for $5 each at Barnes and Noble, so I bought one. The pages are perforated with square punches and exactly the same size as standard printing paper. I want to print something custom one my guestbook pages (sheet music, skulls... who knows? Each paper should have a watermark) so this was perfect! The spiral wire came out easily.

I ironed on a plastic lining to the fabric - for some reason I can't remember what it's called right now. Darn it. I'll look it up and try to get back to you on that. But anyway, it make the cloth more waterproof, so I was able to modge-podge it to the book no problem. I super-glued some of the most vital edges.

After letting it dry, I got nervous that I didn't know what to do after covering it to make it look - well, good. Then the most random thought hit me - I could make it look just like a normal guestbook, but instead of the big ribbon I could use tangling, webby-looking cheese cloth. So that's what I did. I superglued a big button in the middle; I rather like it.

The interior parts of the cover are white scrapbook paper (the front cover has "our monogram" printed on it - you know, because I didn't know what to do there to make it fancy otherwise), and it's covered with a see-through silver damask scrapbook paper sheet (affixed to one another with spray adhesive, and affixed to the covers with little light dabs of super-glue).

I still have to print the pages I want, but I've punched little holes up the sides of the covers and when we're done printing I'll bind everything together with a thick silver thread.

Thank the stars - the worrisome guestbook is 90% DONE. :)