A bonus video for you

I was not sure I was going to do this with such a large swap ...but I did!

View the video of all the books: Little Book Swap animoto video

Some instructions: This is a HD (High Definition) video at 720pHD. Just click on that number on the screen if your computer prefers 480p or 360p. Next to the numbers in the right corner of the screen is a little box and when you click on it you can view the video in Full-Screen. Just hit the Esc key or bracket box again when you are done. It is 5 minutes long, but well worth every minute. I am sorry for misspelling "Maryland, USA" twice! I could not go back and fix the spelling after I realized it, as I finally got one photo from everyone included in the song and the video was already produced.... enjoy!

I am really proud of the Little Book swap and you should be too! ; ^ ) lenna

#49. lenna andrews - little book swap!

Yup, I am participating in my own swap! Wasn't sure if I would be able to pull it off, but I did. I made 3 little books out of recycled materials. You might remember about a month ago I realized I need to remove pages from my already bulging art journal. I wrote a post about doing that here. Those 3 small little books I started kept calling to me, saying -we are halfway done! So this is what I did . . . I started with the pages I had removed, cut in half, and sewed them with my sewing machine down the middle.

Then I rummaged around for suitable "cover" material and found some old, discarded jean material (Steven's worn out pants legs) that I had already used to test rubber stamping on. I don't remember what I was testing for, but I know that is why the jean fabric was stamped! It looked suitable for covers, so I cut it roughly to size.

I sewed the blue jean material to the paper pages . . . . leaving the edges raw.

 For one of the books I added some lace that I found along with the jeans.

I lined the inside covers with scrapbook paper

Rubber stamped some quotes and sayings and added decorative tape.

~ anchored a ribbon in the middle of the back by sewing it on . . . 

And tied it closed! 

Book 2

Book 3

That's it! A small little book, fun to make and I hope fun to receive for whomever!

:  ^ ) lenna

#48.Yvette Snowden -Little Book swap!

From Yvette in Maryland, 3 yummy little books for our swap! Plus, the butterfly you see behind them, is the cover of a very pretty card Yvette made for me. ; ^  ) It is much appreciated!

The cover of book one:

Painted and stenciled inside:

Book two:

 Yvette made it from "security" envelopes!

so pretty!

Book three:

Thanks so much, Yvette! Glad your books made it in on time ; ^ ) lenna

#47 Rena Matus - little book swap!

From my friend and student, Rena Matus in Connecticut, we have 2 lovely and unusual books! Rena recently took a class with Terrie Lightfoot (a CT artist I know & have exchanged with) and came up with these wonderful books for our swap. Rena writes, "The little books are made from acrylic squares that are backed with a gel medium transfer and scrapbook paper. The blank inside pages were colored with radiant rain by Luminarte." Rena so thoughtfully enclosed the absorbent papers she painted the pages on for me to play with. I  think they will be going right into my art journal, thank you! Take a look at her books, click for detail.

Book one

The back of book 1, below

The front of book 2

Thanks so much, Rena. They both look wonderful!

#46 Barbara Johnson - Little Book swap!

From Barbara in Illinois, we have 3 wonderful books that I just love. 

A great bit of Mail Art too!

I should have realized Barbara's drawing on the envelope was a sign of things to come.

Look at the cutest little book she enclosed, below.

All hand drawn and colored . . . 

Whee! Striped pants make me dance!

I just love this!

A Blue tag book . . . 

click for details 

And a flag book - or crisscross book, wow. One of my favorite books! 

The cover is kind of deceiving as to what's inside . . . 

Thank you Barbara! You've sent in 3 wonderful additions to the swap  ; ^ ) lenna