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Welcome everyone, I hope to inspire you and share some of my papercraft work. You can find out where I teach and what I am up to, what inspires me and what I am working on next. I love to share new ideas and neat ways of adding creativity to your pages or cards etc

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Sunday, November 19, 2023

Gingerbread Man Recipe Book

 Gingerbread Man Recipe Book 

By Sue Smyth 

Christmas is my favourite time of the year, and I love to make home decor and practical things for Christmas. This year I have made a decorated book, with a gingerbread feel, to store all my notes or recipes or whatever you like. Of course I have used lots of Dusty chippie to embellish the cover.


First  I started with an ordinary note book A5, you can pick these up easily at Kmarts and large stores. Sometimes they are on sale which makes it even better. To paint the background of the book, I have my first recipe, mix brown paint with a few teaspoons of baking powder, this makes a great gritty paste to paint not only books but also chipboard. Once dry, I have sponged a lighter brown over the top to resemble a Gingerbread texture and feel.


I have used a Dusty Attic, Mini Arched window, which I have painted with a mix I love to use, called Faux Snow. The second recipe is,
1 part gesso and 1 part white glitter,
 (fine or large will change the look of the grit) 
I like to add a few drops of dimensional magic
 too to add to the adhesive properties of the gesso. Then I use it as I would snow, I have stippled it all over the Arched window for a frosty look.



The next way I like to alter Chipboard, especially engraved chipboard, where it is important to keep the coverage light so the engraving can show through. First paint with a light coat of gesso, then dry, repaint with another light coat, dry well, then I have used Colour Blast Shimmer dusts to paint the holly and berries, I have used Fern and Candy here. I like to let the first coat dry and then add accents with a second coat. then to finish, spray with a little hairspray to set, if you are quick, sprinkle with a fine layer of white glitter for an amazing sparkling finish. 


All the other chipboard, snowflakes and corners are simply painted with 2 coats of white gesso, first I like to paint with a thin coat, to cover all the burnt chipboard, then when it is dry, you can repaint so that the look is much whiter. Sort of like doing a crumb coat with icing on a cake and the final coat looks better with no crumbs, lol



I have added dimensional magic to the holly berries for a nice shine and to seal the shimmer dust well. Add a purchased Gingerbread man decoration on the corner too.


Here I have used paper straws, red and white stripe to give a cute Christmas look, to the book, I enjoyed making this book and hope you give it a go, it would make a wonderful gift, especially if you include a few recipes inside ..


Here is the chipboard I have used
Happy Crafting everybody