Making a Book Part 2

So last Blog I started telling you of the little journey I took to make a book for my fiancé, let’s finish that tale shall we :)
So after staining and stapling the pages of his stories together it was now time to make a cover for the book. I knew I wanted to use leather for the cover and I thought having large stitches a crossed it would add to the creep factor. So I picked up a few scrap pieces of leather and some twine and began sewing them together. Sounds easy… NO! this leather was obviously made out of the toughest cow on the planet! No needle I had would go through it and neither would scissors. The only way I was able to get the needle through was to first cut a slit with an exacto knife. UGH so after 2 hrs the book cover was all sewn together.
I then took a piece of cardboard and brushed the one side with rubber cement. Carefully I lined up the leather and smoothed it on to the cardboard. Hot glue helped to secure the edges. I then placed a thin paper with bamboo print (Cause it matched the leather so nice)on the inside of the folded cardboard to give the book a lining and to cover the unsightly glue marks.
I wanted his book to have something on the cover that would stand off a bit. Going for a mixture of the Necronomicon and the Book form Hocus-pocus, I decided an eye would be appropriate and a few claws cutting through the leather. I made these both out of polymer clay and painted them. Cutting the leather I slid the eye and claws into place.
YAY the book was complete! And yes he Loved it.
I learn a whole bunch of tips and things to do differently if I ever do something like this again but for my first book I think it turned out rather well.
Here are a few pictures of it completed, Enjoy!

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=34001531
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=34001548
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=201883352&albumID=1828666&imageID=34001552

Thanks for reading!
Caralyn