Yep, another book!

Good morning folks.
I just had to make time for me just to create this book as the idea had been knocking around in my head clamoring to get out for a while now. I started out with my winged book cover kit from Tando Creative. I've really enjoyed using this smaller square format kit.
A little while ago I did a post showing how I bind my pages together (If you missed it and are interested, the post is HERE) Of course, the end result of that was the inside of a book but no cover......
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it LOL) I got so caught up in it that I have no step by steps pics but this is the end result......
This is the front cover.

 and this is the back.

 I began by laying out the front, back and spine onto a piece of leather and gluing it down. (Just remember, if you are working with thicker materials like leather, you will need to allow a larger gap between each cover and the spine to allow the book to close properly)

 I decided to experiment with the detailed front element and took a pair of scissors to it to give me two pieces to play with. I used the larger piece for the front and the smaller piece for the outside edge of the back cover. I used Distress Metallic paints and black acrylic to age these pieces. When I was looking at them against the leather, the leather looked too new so I aged the book with a mixture of metallics and black paints too which both highlighted the beautiful texture of the leather and dulled it down nicely.
I punched random holes into the covers with the Crop o Dile and then threaded wire through to "break" up the area of leather which I think is pretty cool.

 I prepared my end papers by stamping my Fantasy 2 stamp in black and then in green to fill in the gaps. I think that the design lends itself to this style of book.

Once the end papers were done and attached to the book pages I added them to the cover and there you have it, a completed journal which I love.....
I will be doing another post soon showing you how I attach the endpapers, pages and covers together so do keep and eye out. Until then, take care.