As spring unfolds outdoor magic begins. Mother nature’s canvas quickly fills with light shades of green and a magical spattering of color. Wildflowers awaken revealing themselves from just outside your front door into fields and sunny woodlands. It’s hard to resist picking these dainty miracles. Some are smaller than crumbs! My kids with their observant eyes and small fingers are exceptional at finding these. Upon our return from a gathering excursion we carefully extract them from pockets, sandwich between tissue and press in between the pages of some big book.

Determined this year to actually make use of these flattened memories still laden with color I came across some inspiration in Altered Board Book Basics & Beyond by Jan Bode Smiley that I wanted to share. I plan to have my kiddies help with some journaling on the backside.

I hope this will inspire others to create art while paying homage to the dainty gifts of spring.

Use supplies you have on hand for embellishments, add journaling and enjoy the creative process.

Material:

• Ready-To-Go Blank Board Accordion( 6×6 or 5×7 Accordion)
• Pressed flowers -varied sizes.
• Chalk inks
• paint
• Stamps
• Ribbons and trimming scraps
• Background papers
• Botanical, insect & bird prints
• Journaling pen
• Paper adhesive

Instructions:

1. Adhere decorative paper on front and back of the cover (the two sides that house the folding pages).
2. Using brown chalk ink, rub along all edges.
3. Layout and plan your collection of artifacts (pictures, pressed flowers, rubber stamps, scientific names, birds, butterflies etc). Adhere in place.
4. Create a title for your book. Stamp letters onto paper tags. Chalk ink tags in green. >Attach to cover in desired position with brads or faux studs.
5. Journaling: note location of collection site and/or memories of the outing. Perhaps put the year on the front and make it an annual event.

Have fun!