Tin Covered Mini Book Necklace by Kathy Stoffel

1. Select a tin with a relatively small pattern. Use a can opener to take off the bottom of the tin and tin snips to cut out a flat piece that is larger than the template <click here for templates>. Trace the template for the front cover onto the tin and the back cover template on another piece of tin or onto a piece of alternate metal such as the pierced brass used here. Cut out the front and back covers using tin snips and/or a jeweler’s saw.

2. For each of the hinge holes in the back cover, use a drill to start a hole and finish cutting out the holes using a jeweler’s saw. Alternatively, you could use a Dremel drill to create 2 or 3 holes close together in a row for each hinge to fit into and file the excess away…the brass is really soft. Carefully test that the hinges on the front cover align with the holes in your back cover and leave a little room on either side of each hinge. File all edges of the metal covers with a fine flat file to remove burrs. Use a drill with a 1/8” or appropriate size drill bit to make the holes for the eyelets at the top of the back cover (for attaching a chain) and at the front and back center (for attaching the closure knot and loop).

3. Use the back template to cut out 3 to 5 pages from paper, envelopes, transparency or cardstock. Decorate the pages with Asian papers, paint with acrylics; and stamp with Hearts in Touch Stamps < pg. 4
 > Add collage items such as text and lettering, cancelled stamps or pieces of Asian fabric.
< pg. 3
 > Place cancelled stamps in your envelope < pg. 2
>. Use mini scissors or a hole punch to create the holes in each page to align with the holes in the template.

4. Decorate the inside of the front cover using alcohol inks (Ranger Adirondack wild plum, butterscotch and lettuce); glue on a piece of text
< pg. 1
>. Age the book pages with distress ink (Ranger scattered straw).

5. Using jeweler’s rosary pliers or your fingers slowly give the hinges a gentle curve towards the inside of the front cover. Place your back cover and each page in order back to front onto the front cover hinges to put your book together. After all the pages are aligned on the hinges, gently complete the curve so that each hinge curls through the back cover and all pages and completes a loop in the front of the open book
< hinge diagram
>.

6. Attach eyelets for the chain holes in the top back cover
< see back cover
>, and for the front knot and back loop
< see front cover
> Attach a vintage or new chain using jump or split rings through the eyelets. Create a knot using black elastic cording (sewing elastic). Tie a small knot to hold the knot in place in the inside front cover and glue (E6000) the ends on the front inside cover. Knot one end of a small piece of elastic cord through one of the eyelets in the back cover and wrap a loop around the front closure knot to determine the length needed for the loop to hold the book closed; tie a knot at the other end of the cord to complete the loop, keeping the knotted ends to the inside of the back cover.

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