Re-purposed Artventures

It's taken a while to get my Daughter-in-Law's baby shower album together. 

I made the decision to re-purpose a binder that's been waiting quietly in a drawer for it's "one day" moment.

I took a piece of sandpaper and gave this old slick binder some "tooth" for paint to hold onto.  

After I sanded it down, I gave it a thick coat of white gesso and then the fun began!

Paint and decorative stamps covered the front and back covers of my binder giving it a new look!

The inside covers got "the treatment" too with decorative paper!

I thought long and hard about punching holes at the spine to hang fiber.  Should I?  Shouldn't I?  Slowly, a fiber pile developed.

Before long THIS was born!  I added buttons, beads and hung tags that I'd been saving (again for that one-day-moment).  I added ric-rac and a row of flowers.  I added more flowers onto the front and back covers and I was done for the day.

This is my first attempt at scrapbooking.  Thinking of the word "scrapbook" gives me  hives.  I prefer the word "memory art."  I had the most difficult time trying to decide where to start.  Once I made the decision to rely on the painting techniques that I've taught in a few of my workshops, I was over the first hurdle.  My love of fiber followed.
If there's one thing I've learned from this experience, it's that everything will fall right into place if I go with what I love, which in this case happened to be  paint, stamps and fiber.
My next challenge will be the page inserts.  The paper has been chosen, cut down to size and is now waiting to be attacked by pictures.  I've got to approach this one step at a time and maybe if I look at it as a journaling page, it too will come together in the end.  Wish me luck!