Stitching and staining

The last few weeks I've been playing around with a range of mini albums which use stitched binding and coffee staining for that vintage effect.

Ageing paper by coffee staining paper was certainly fun. I used large sheets of watercolour paper (thin variety) for the papers and painted the coffee solution with a wide brush on one side of each page. About 3 teaspoons of coffee in about a third of a cup of boiling water gave a reasonably dark look. In the hot sun, it didn't take too long for a side to dry. I then painted the reverse side. I experimented with real coffee mug rings on some of the pages and splattered with a flick of the brush on other pages.

Coffee staining on page

Three pages, folded and ready for stitching.

The pages when dried are wonderfully crackly! Great texture. I added some stamping of text randomly to add further interest. Pages were scored and folded, with three in each signature. 

The cover, made from a recycled manilla folder and wrapping paper was prepared with eyelets. End papers using the "aged" paper were adhered. 

Cover with eyelets ready for stitching

Cover showing eyelets

Each signature was stitched to the spine. 

First page

The basic album is now ready to use and embellish. I plan to feature a great aunt using her sewing bits and pieces and photos. The vintage pages will give a great background.The old buttons on the outside spine are from her button stash.

Finished album

Spine decorated with buttons

I have the bug now ... currently working on another album using recycled calendar. 

So many possibilities.... 

Take care, Cara.