Vintage Pocket Books

Sally's photos of her awesome three vintage pocket books are shown over the next few pages. Using Copper mesh/acetate and paper pockets, they are a great way to store your vintage photos and ephemera (btw, lots can be found on this site, see link below). All the books have a simple formula for their construction, but can take on their own personalities, depending on your colour and themes.
Sally's books have recently been published in Expression Magazine Nov/Dec 04
See below for info on how to make these and links to the the other books from Sally. Scroll from left to right

A great way of storing and displaying your old photos, letters quotes and other ephemera
Each book is made in the same basic way, but each book turns out different with its own personality and style
The inside pages of an old hardback book are carefully removed, leaving front, back and spine, which are covered with decorative papers and embellished .The contrasting inside end papers are glued
I make my pockets and papers as I go along, sometimes varying the sizes as I wish, to get an interesting mix of shapes and sizes according to the pieces I want to use from my collection. I use copper mesh aged with liver of sulphur ( or black patina solution) which transforms it into a rich dark colour depending on how long you leave it on. Place your photo onto a big enough piece of mesh so that the rough edges can be folded over into small flaps all around the card. I secure the folds with eyelets.

Other pages, I will use cardstock and often will adhere acetate over the photos with more eyelets. When I have enough pages together I will make the signatures.
To do this simply fold pieces of cardstock in half, these can be decorated with rubber stamps and or ink. Stack them, three to four to a signature and attach the pages with eyelets, snaps, ribbons, wire, whatever is handy. Then sew the signatures into the hard spine of the book using a simple three hole pamphlet stitch with waxed bookbinders thread. Eyelets can be made in the spine first and used to thread ribbons fibres and attach charms and beads.
Always look out for interesting decorative papers and textures, I also used fabrics on the Beauty of Women book. Other embellishments could include watch faces, lace (tea stained is nice), old buttons and jewelry maps
and ticket stubs.Try attaching a fold up accordion book

to the back pages or adhering library pockets to a page
Check out 7 gypsies journal jewelry and hardware and Art Chix Studio for collage sheets
Enjoy being creative with your themes and colors and you will discover you have your own unique treasure pocket book full of interesting stuff you love to collect
check out the Vintage resources section for lots of vintage photos and ephemera to get you started
Sally White Nov 04