Red, White, and Vintage Photo Holder Tutorial for the Fourth!

I'm back with a little goodie for you! A tutorial that steps out the how to for this vintage book turned into a photo holder. Photos of the Fourth are always some of my favorite. There's the kids with sparklers, our little kiddie parade (which reminds me I need to find Jasper's tricorn hat), boating, playing, all the fun fun summer things. Minnesota is very nice in the summer and time spent at the lake is just wonderful. We haven't been up much yet this summer so I'm looking forward to the next few days lots.

A week or so ago I got on this weird "Must Make Fourth of July projects for the shop" kick. Ha! Then I went into the shop and was gently reminded that there were only 5 more shopping days until the Fourth. Ooops! I have the editorial calendar firmly fixed in my brain. Right now I'm working on projects for next December's Sew Somerset. Got it. So so so didn't think about the retail calendar. In the retail world it's time for back to school, maybe some cabin, with fall right around the corner. Crazy!!!!

So I went home and thought that at least I had a great tutorial for you well in advance of the Fourth. And yet here it is, the day before, and I'm just getting this posted. Life has been beyond crazy the last six months. But it's good. Now, without further rambling,  here it is, my vintage book turned Patriotic Photo Holder. Enjoy!!!

Red, White, and Vintage Photo Holder for the Fourth of July

Tools and Materials
A vintage book with a red or blue cover
Strips of canvas duck
Two or three coordinating fabrics
Embroidery floss and a needle
Scissors
Modge podge or matte medium
A brush for modge podge
16-gauge steel wire bent into star shape with 7-10" stem (sorry I didn't step this out)
Cream Spray Paint (Rustoleum or Valspar)
19-gauge steel wire
Pliers
Heavy Duty Wire Cutter
Hand drill or Dremel with wood to drill on

Step One: Cut strips of the canvas duck and straight stitch along each long side.

Step Two: Using your brush and adhesive of choice, begin gluing the strip on the inside edge of the book cover.

Step Three: Wrap the strip around and adhere to cover in straight line. Wrap around front of book and finish on bottom of book. Repeat steps One to Three with as many strips as you desire.

Step Four: Cut by hand stars from various coordinating fabrics, in different sizes. As many as you desire. Straight stitch with contrasting color floss around shape.

Step Five: Position on cover and adhere. Let all dry.

 Step Six: Spray paint stars if desired. Then decide placement of wire stars on book cover. Mark with pencil. Fold back bottom cover of book.

Step Seven: Then, using a dremel or hand drill the size of your wire, drill through top cover and text of book.

Step Eight:  Insert stem of wire star and pull through to desired height and then bend wire tightly against bottom of text block.

Step Nine: Close book. Your wires should be covered by the bottom cover of the book now and won't scratch the surface of whatever you decide to display your book on. Using drill, drill through back corners of book. Make sure that you're positioned in enough so that you drill through the text block as well as the covers. Drill all the way through.

Step Ten: Using the 19-gauge steel wire begin at top of book and poke wire through to bottom and out 2" or so. Then, bring the wire coming from the spool down to center of back of book. Take 2"tail and wrap around the wire from spool.

Step Eleven: Then run wire along back of book to opposite corner and run wire through hole. Cut wire, giving yourself another 2-3" tail to wrap wire around self to finish. Use pliers to tighten if necessary by giving wire a good twist. If you want, you cut tie some strips of fabric to your wire stars. I thought it made them look a bit more like shooting stars. (Just my fancy)

And before you can say "Independence Hall" you're done! Thanks for reading! And have a Happy Fourth of July!:)