I have been thinking A LOT about what makes a house a HOME! And as I mentioned in the video… as we have moved twice in the last 18 months (not to mention, overseas)… turning a house into a HOME has been a priority, and made ALL the difference in the world.
a HOME is something we all have in common.. might be different in size, shape, number of bedrooms and floor coverings… but our homes are filled with love, daily life and memories! Our homes hold the past, present and the future. They are wonderful havens for us to BE!
As I have been working on this project, I have found myself laughing and maybe even a few tears as I have reflected on my home with tremendous gratitude and joy.
Ok.. so want to see? I think this may just have to be a work in progress! I didn’t finish with all the ideas that I have for it, but I can tell you that it’s become one of my most favorite, and most meaningful albums!I did start with the cover. As we started working on this project-designing it, I had in my head that I wanted the cover to be a door… I saw a heavy, worn door…so that is what I created. I printed the door art on kraft colored paper and inked it up with Tim Holtz Distress Inks. I wanted to add some dimension to the panels of the door, so I cut chipboard pieces the right size to layer on top of the door (similar to what Janet did in her video, but with chipboard instead of foam). I covered the chipboard pieces with the same kraft colored cardstock and adhered them in place over the panels.
To give some interest to the door, I added some stamping with black ink. I wanted the effect to be subtle, but interesting… I really love stamps which you can use PORTIONS of the stamp to be something other than just the face value of the stamp. in this case, I used one of my new CHA winter stamps- it looks like a decorative ledge. I stamped the top panel w/ the fancy center at the top and the bottom, both pointed inward. I then used the top edge of the stamp to create the sides of the panel.
For the bottom panel, I actually stamped the same stamp 4 times… it really overlaps, and you have to look really hard to see the repeat. (now that I show you, can you see it?)
I think that if you have any ornamental stamp in your stash, you can create something with subtle interest, using a repeat. I used letter stamps to stamp the word “HOME” and handwrote ‘welcome’… don’t heisitate to use your own handwriting! Just be sure to use pencil first!
Once the background was done, I could add the embellishments…I turned to TIM HOLTZ for a rustic look. I painted some crackle distress paint onto some grungeboard wings. While I waited (impatiently) for that to dry, I adhered this key (I stole it from a necklace that was abandoned in the junkdrawer, and instantly reclaimed once it was glued to the front of the book!-imagine that) I used glossy accents to adhere all the embellishments. (love that stuff) .
To make the doorknob, I used one of my XL brads, and I pounded it flat. I took a MM decorative brad, and broke the back off , and used glossy accents to stick it on top of the XL brad, and topped it with a little bling.
I added a sprocket, and a CHERISH plate using Tim’s Ideology stuff.
I added the wings just below the key, and positioned an S in the middle.
I think that things such as: clocks, keys, flowers, hearts, buttons, birds, monograms are all great embellishments for this book. It’s also fun to add the NUMBER of people in your family. I used a piece of ‘clear extras’ to make a clear tab where I attached this cool #7 (it’s Tim’s too).
Of course, I needed dangles, so I combined a bunch of crystals, and a clock, an S and some ribbon.
I chose to bind it with bookrings. I used 3 -1.5” rings.
To back the cover, I printed the brown damask background onto kraft cardstock.
I LOVED all the yellow backgrounds. I printed them out on kraft, white and swiss dots cardstock, as well as Making Memories ledger paper. I just used whatever I had around to decorate… as well as the printable quotes. They make fabulous embellishments.
I liked ‘double’ printing. This is where I printed out the background, then shot the print out back through the printer, to have the words right on the background, like what I did here on the ‘prayer’ page.
I printed the window page out on transperancy, and then positioned a photo of each child in the window panes. I wrote their names w/ a sharpie on the acetate, and I adhered sickers and quotes on top of the clear and underneath. I printed the underneath page on brown paper-
Just a fun tip to note… if you have a set of my VERB stickers, look on the back of the package, and you will see an image of all the stickers in the package… these are a cute little size to cut up and use on any project.. I used them a lot in this book!
On this page, I used the houndstooth from my World Traveller collection and a portion of the house warming freebie! (just colored it in w/ colored pencil).
For the facing page, I just made a collage of photos, and then printed a quote out on transperancy as an overlay.
As you look through my book, you will see that I have just focused on the photos, and I just made it a fun, freeform book. I still have a couple more pages to add in- one about my pink trees, and a couple about our visitors! As I said before, it’s totally a work in progress.
There is no right or wrong way to create this book, and as you look at Janet’s and Rhonna’s you will see how different and unique, how YOU it will become.
as you can see…with these last few pages.. i have work to do! i need bigger book rings!!
HAVE FUN with this! Enjoy the Process… and hopefully it will inspire and delight you! THANKS for coming to our House Warming Party!
Be sure to TRY SOMETHING NEW!!
here is where you’ll find some of the pages from my booK
and i LOVED using these:
and these SUNNY springy backgrounds just made me SOOO happy to work with! YUM! you can purchase them for 12×12 printing and also 8×10…these are just PDF, SIMPLE download and print… no fancy digi stuff needed… but for the digital scrappers:
xo..heidi
February 28th, 2009 at 7:18 am
Heidi, Janet and Rhonna…
I LOVE this concept! Not to mention the fact that your albums are drop dead gorgeous. I can’t wait to get working on my album, I’m already thinking of what makes my house a home and what I want to include.
WOW…
Thank you so much, it’s all gorgeous!!
Tal:)
February 28th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Wow!! Just amazing…thanks for the closeup!!
February 28th, 2009 at 7:35 am
Love it !
February 28th, 2009 at 7:46 am
Heidi~
Your book is amazing! I LOVE how you incorporated the different papers and embellies that to me, look like fabric and/or wallpaper you’d find in one’s home.
Thanks for the inspiration!
February 28th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Thank you Heidi, for sharing a peek into your home with us Hof3 fans. Your book is beautiful and so you! Love it!
February 28th, 2009 at 8:11 am
hks:
you know how much i love this…..the concept, the book, you…..are all AMAZING!
j
February 28th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Gorgeous! All the books are so creative and inspiring I can’t wait to get started!
February 28th, 2009 at 8:32 am
FaBuLoUs! True fabulousity!!!
February 28th, 2009 at 8:37 am
This project is amazing!
February 28th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Truly fabulous! Just love it!
February 28th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Thank you for sharing this with the World! I love the brown background pages. Those colors will work great for our home. Our family room is done in deep dark reds and chocolate browns and I think a splash of that yellow would work great as well. This is a must do project…
February 28th, 2009 at 9:38 am
pure deeeevine goodness here…
LOVE your door.
it’s so YOU & so amazing!
just love your take on this project, your insights & thanks so much for sharing! LOVE!
smooch!
R
February 28th, 2009 at 10:26 am
I am in love with the door cover! It looks amazing, thank you so much for sharing!
February 28th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Oh wow, how simply fabulous!! I love it. I hope I can get mine to look half as nice your books and I will be thrilled with myself!!
Andrea
February 28th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Wow!!! I just love everything about this project!! Totally inspiring and getting me thinking about my home and what it means to me…what matters…. Amazing job as always and I have to say I LOVE your door!!!
February 28th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Amazing work - wow this is stunning. Love seeing a peek in your world.
February 28th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Awesome Concept!!! As an Interior Designer, this concept and idea is close and dear to my heart. I did a circle journal awhile back about “our homes” and loved seeing everyone elses homes. Can’t wait to get to work on this one. Thanks so much for the inspiration!!
February 28th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Love everything about your book!… not surprising since I love everything Heidi Swapp {:-)} and now venturing into hybrid (THANKS TO H OF 3!!!). Another wonderful creative adventure!
February 28th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I love the concept and the great design ideas. I either want to do a home book on us being emptynesters and how the house is different or about all the special things in this house we built with love. What a great concept. I can not wait for the future inspiration the three of you have in store for us! THANK YOU!
February 28th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Incredible work Heidi! Thanks for the awesome video and having us in your home!
February 28th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
LOVE your book Heidi….so many ideas are abounding this weekend..thank you
February 28th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Before I even saw your book, I knew it was going to be exquisite. My first taste of all of this was taking your A Year To Remember class and I’ve been addicted ever since. You blow me away with the love and details you put into your art. I can’t wait to make my book. It will help me stop focusing on my empty nest. I am so happy about the HO3 and I definitely know where all of my money is going to go (and I only feel a teeny bit guilty. I was looking at my binder from AYTR and just noticed some of your early visions in your inspiration notebook. This is the biggest thing in design right now. Congratulations and thank you for bringing such elegance to us.
February 28th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Your book is gorgeous! I always love your products. My favorite design is the damasks (rub-ons, stickers, stamps, and papers!!). Thanks for all the inspiration over the years. You always come up with something new!
February 28th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Lovin all the Ho3 stuff, want to change things in my house now to make it more inspiring and lovely. Can’t wait to see what is next!
February 28th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Words can’t describe how much I love all three of the books. Each unique in their own special way….I am going to get this kit and try my own for myself. Can’t wait to get started looks like so much FUN!! I will share it on my blog when its all done…may take a good week for me to finish it.
Thanks for all of your inspiration here on House of 3, just loving every minute.
February 28th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! So full of great inspiration and just so darn cute!
February 28th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Love the book, & I think the doorknob was a great idea!
February 28th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
(picking jaw up off the floor)….this is truly beautiful work! what a work of art to treasure!! I LOVE IT!!
thanks for all your inspiration Heidi!
March 1st, 2009 at 1:59 am
Is it Sunday at your home yet? We sure do miss you around here! I love your “prayer page” and aged door look…hey, it’s not pink! A great work of talent! I only wish I had a good computer tutor to help at home.
March 1st, 2009 at 6:53 am
These books are absolutely stunning, but what else could we expect from the House of 3! This is just what I have been looking for. My husband and I will be moving after 24 years in our first HOME. We moved in 1 year after we were married and have raised our family here. I have been planning on doing a book on our home and this is perfect for what I want to do to preserve our memories.
March 1st, 2009 at 10:37 am
This is really fabulous!
March 2nd, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Heidi,
I Love your book! I especially love the brown distressed look of the cover! that is right up my alley. Thanks for sharing it with all of us
March 3rd, 2009 at 11:27 am
I just love this - how can i get a download of all 3 of the house warming books. I am going to buy the kit, but won’t be making it anytime soon - I don’t want to loose the samples before i get to make them (for myself and two sisters) I LOVE THEM! That is the greatest idea. Or will the videos always be at our disposal? Thanks for all you do.
March 4th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
How quick can somebody expect to lose weight?