altered book and box scrapbook project

My sister in law works at a law library.  When they are done with binders and books that are our of date they just throw them away.  She gives me tons of binders and book covers.  She takes all of the pages out of the books for me.  I've used the book covers to make purses, accordion style organizers, boxes etc.

This time I made a book!  Also, I had a box from a set of bath products that I was given for Christmas last year.

So, I put those two things together and made this:





This was my first attempt at sewing signatures together for a book.  It was a little challenging.  It looks pretty good though.  I will stuff these pages full of pockets, mini books, photos, and decorative elements someday soon.

I use the binders to organize crochet patterns, projects ideas, embroidery floss etc.  I have also used a few of them to organize school papers, report cards etc for myself, my son, and my two brothers.


My youngest brother is graduating from High School this year.  Last night I gathered up all of his school papers and organized them by year.  Then I sanded down the cover of the binder, sprayed it with black paint and glued some labels on it.   The page protects I am using are just from the office supply section (8 1/2 x11").