Treasured Notes :: Davinie Fiero

When I first saw the Restoration line, it's vintage tones, colors, pattern and beautiful texture, I decided immediately to create a long overdue project.

When I was first pregnant with my eldest daughter Morgan, we would occasionally get cards of congratulations and encouragement from special family members and friends, and I knew I wanted to keep them. I just wasn't sure how. Put them in a box, perhaps? Tie them together with ribbon as my grandmother used to do? I wanted a way to look back at them down the road, to preserve handwriting, and to keep them in chronological order. I decided to make a book. 

1. I began with trimming two pieces of chipboard at 8 x 10, along with two pieces of cardstock at the same size, and one piece of cardstock to use as part of the cover at 8 x 10, with an additional piece of that same cardstock trimmed at 4 x 10.

• 2 - 8 x 10 chipboard pieces
• 2 - 8 x 10 pieces of cardstock for inside covers
• 1 - 8 x 10 piece of cardstock for back cover
• 1 - 4 x 10 piece of cardstock for the front cover

 

I then set out to embellish the cover of my album.

2. I started by first trimming the right side of my 4 x 10 piece of cardstock with my favorite border punch, inking the edges and set it aside. 

3. Then I chose a favorite print from the Restoration line, Slipcover, and trimmed it to 8 x 10 and inked the edges.

4. Next was a 1.5" x 10" strip from Heirloom. Ink the edges.

5. I then chose the blue print from the Borders package and layered it on the right hand side of the Heirloom strip.

6. I then took just about every label in the label sticker package (I loved them ALL!), and trimmed them in half. 

7. Using the right side of the label, I arranged them vertically on my 4 x 10 strip of cardstock. After I was finished, I layered the Heirloom print with the border sticker over the top, and adhered.

8. Using the reverse side of the Heirloom print for that bold pink, I trimmed a thin strip and layered it behind the cardstock at the border punch edge to help it pop off the base paper, and adhered it all. 

9. Because this is a book that I hope to look at from time to time, I didn't want it to be heavily embellished. That doesn't mean layers aren't in order here though, hence the number of strips and the amount of inking to the edges.

10. I finished off the cover by stitching the edges, and then I adhered it to the chipboard base using Craft Tape from 3L. 

 

Next it was time to embellish the back cover of the album.

11. This step was simple. Copying the order and placement of the label on the front of the album, I arranged the remaining label halves on the back cover for a simple embellishment. 

You'll notice that the edges line right up if you hold them together. I like that unity.

12. After looking at the layered chipboard embellishments, I knew I couldn't finish my book without that key, so I removed the jewel, used my cropadile, and punched a hole in the top so I could tie it on with hemp. Because it's adhesive, it's going to stay put, but it gives the illusion that it might unlock many secrets.

 

13. While that Cropadile was out, it was time to punch holes. I'm not a girl who normally measures things. Looking at the cover, it seemed to me the perfect placement for holes would be within the design of the border sticker on the front cover, so I went with that. 

I chose 4 holes, evenly spaced along the vertical side. Cards and notes come in many sizes, so I wanted several options on where to place them within my notebook. 

 

14. On the inside cover I personalized it using my own handwriting. One of the reasons I'm creating this notebook is to preserve such things as that. My grandfather has passed away but I still have notes he has written. And as an occasional card maker, it would seem only right to keep something that someone has taken time to create. In our modern times we are losing this part of our heritage, so I want to keep it. I love looking back at cards someone has chosen just for me. My husband gives me the sweetest cards on my birthday and Mother's Day. I love tangible evidence in how my kids have changed through their notes too. 

 

15. This is what Payton's book looks like with the cards inside. I don't line them all up the same. I find that spreading them amongst the punched holes keeps the book less bulky. When this book is too full for the jump rings, I'll make her another. She's almost five now and this book is starting to reach it's limit. 

 

16. This is my finished notebook. I look forward to filling it with treasured notes in the years to come. 

I hope this has given you some ideas for your own card collection. Have a great Day! - Davinie Fiero

Comments

[Melenia]

This is a REALLY GREAT idea, thank you so much, I didn't know what to do with the bunches of cards I have stored!!

[LollyChops]

This is such a cool idea! I started a card drive for a friend and I have been trying to come up with a way she can preserve all of the cards! I really think this will work out for her!

Thanks!

[conniemelancon]

What a great idea! thanks for the tutorial too.

[Lacey]

What an amazing idea. I think over the years i've gotten rid of cards because I just don't have the storage for it. This is a fantastic idea.

[Ally]

SO stinkin' gorgeous!

[christy a]

This is gorgeous! What a great idea!

[Meghann]

Awesome Davinie! I have a ton of cards & notes in boxes and now I have something to do with them!

[NanaBEth]

Stunning and a brilliant idea. Have to add this to my to do list. Thank you Davinie for such wonderful inspiration.

[ilene]

what an amazing idea - I have cards all over the place - the cover is beautiful, I am waiting for my restoration order right now. Great job- I wish I was 25% as creative. Thank you.

[Stephanie]

so pretty! I love how you used the labels

[Amy H]

Such a great idea for keeping cards!! I love it!

[Michelle]

What a beautiful book and idea.

[amanda mcadoo]

awesome idea! love the book!

[Maïté Navas Kétouré]

I'm sorry but I don-t speak english very well

Your papers , chipboards are very beautifull

I know your papers by Bernardine Segui I often look at her blog

Maïté

[MichelleG]

I love, love, love this cover! Thank you for sharing this!

[Michelle Rydell]

Beautiful book Davinie!!! and what a great idea for storing your treasures!!!

[Danielle Flanders]

really great idea! i always ended up throwing away b-day cards because i didn't know what to do with them. love this.

[eleftheria]

It is amazing... great idea...i keep them all in a box...i would really like to try it once!!! thanks for the tutorial...

[Loretta Artful yogi]

Love these!

[Julie]

I just found this via Pinterest! I can't tell you how excited I am to see this. I am not very sentimental about a lot of things, but I have a huge bag full of cards from baby showers and when my son was born that for some reason I cannot bare to part with. Could never figure out what to do with them and now I have a plan. Thank you so much for sharing!