Question about leather

[Alle Rednic]

I have found a cute "Scrapbook Journal" in a leather cover, but it is very plain. I am giving this as a gift and was wondering how to dress up the leather front, and still have it look classy.
Any thoughts?

[StarLitStudio]

You can burn leather - if you have a soldering iron (I use a tiny butane powered one now) you can burn a fleur-de-lis or other symbol or easy design into leather. Try sketching the design lightly on the album with a pencil first.

If you don't find any simple, elegant symbols that you like try doing just an interior square following the album borders of burned dots evenly spaced apart - start with the corners and work your way to the center for easy spacing. (think of a dotted 'frame'). Sometimes less is more.

Also try adhering hardware (SU's hardware works fine) with E-6000. E-6000 is an industrial cement found at most major craft and home improvement stores. Bonding time is usually 24 hours and use in a well-ventilated area. HTH!

[EllenH]

You can also stamp on leather If I remember correctly it would be StazOn ink I would use. Or you could stamp on twill and affix that with adhesive or hardware, or you could add Prima flowers, or... I do believe the possibilities are endless. It all depends if you want it to have a classic look, a feminine look, a masculine look - just have fun!!! I can hardly wait to see what you make!

[Jazzinsac]

You can dye your leather with Fiebings Leather Die for the background. You can stamp your image using stason and then paint in your color with radiant pearls. If you want you can use a leather tool to emboss a frame into the leather then stamp inside that frame. Send me your email address and I'll send you a scan of one of the ones I have done. Oh, one more thing, you can bleach out your leather where you want your images to be and then stamp inside the leather. The bleach will create a frame for you.