Handcrafted Journals, Albums, Scrapbooks & More
Handcrafted Journals, Albums, Scrapbooks & More
Craft designer Marie Browning has a knack for inventing wonderful books. Her exquisite creations are shown to great advantage in Handcrafted Journals, Albums, Scrapbooks & More in excellent photographs, and are well explained in step-by-step directions. Folded books, envelope books, and simple bound books come alive with decorative papers (for which she also provides instructions), textural covers, artfully threaded bindings, and lovely embellishments like metal charms, pressed flowers, clip-art labels, ribbons, embossed stamps, and more. Most projects are fairly easy, requiring more patience and time than advanced crafting skill. (For slightly more advanced techniques, consult a volume like Sue Doggett’s Bookworks). Browning even includes some clever novelty books, such as wandering books (accordion-fold types that meander when opened) and elegant little covers for sticky notes and message pads. This is a beautiful book about making beautiful books. –Amy Handy “Browning…has an artistic touch that sets her book apart….Her projects make good use of handmade paper, natural objects, and currently popular decorative techniques such as thermal embossing. Step-by-step instructions are given for making bindings and lacing entirely from scratch….Excellent addition to public library collections.”—Library Journal.
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Beautifully done
I have not yet started my project, but am confident that this book provides good instruction. The pictures are great, and helpful for sparking new ideas. The instruction is detailed, and there a variety of different techniques displayed. I would have liked a list of sources, instead of just “available fine art stores”, but overall this was a good purchase.
4 Stars Great Book for Beginners
I think this book is an excellent start for beginners. I have never made anything before (book, album, etc.) and once I read through the book one time I was able to make an open spine book in one day. Instructions and photos are great.
5 Stars Excellent Book!
This is a great book for those of us who have a hard time following directions or even reading a recipe!! The author most unusually captured my attention from cover to cover-in fact, I could not put the book down! She provides the needed detail and keeps it interesting and fun all along the way. She focuses on teaching the reader actually how to start right in and create a masterpiece from beginning to end, without fear or confusion. Her instructions are clear, easy to understand, and she keeps you moving onto the next part. She also includes enough supporting information that allows the reader to complete the book, whatever technique chosen, without having to seek additional information from another reference while working on the projects. Great pictures too…thanks to the author for such a completely enjoyable work on the topic!
5 Stars the best book I have ever read!
I had bought another book in Amazon about scrapbooks and journals and even if it had good pictures of the final projects it lacked photos of the different passages. I have Browning’s book now and really you can’t go wrong. DIfferent techniques, plenty of explanations, great ideas from the simple “messages” note pad to the more complicated seeds book! I can’t wait to try her ideas that I consider as a starting point for my own creativity!
5 Stars Marie Browning Strikes Gold Again!
Marie Browning has the Midas Touch when it comes to crafting. On my most cerebrbally challenged “daze” (I have a huge family, toddlers under three!) I can go to any of her books and choose a project that is both challenging and creative, add my own panache and have soemthing that is uniquely “Alouette.” Look at her basic pocket accordion book! She has two different examples (business card and stamps) that give way to more inspiration. She is elegant, she is whimsical. Some of her ideas are very masculine, others are delicate and lady-like. (Crafters often get stumped when coming up with ideas for guys– she has no shortage of masculine ideas!)
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