It’s What’s Inside That Counts

Sure… “it’s what’s inside that counts”… especially when there is a wedding ring tucked inside a heart shaped cut out inside of a designer journal! This one of a kind custom creation just left my studio.

Kate Spade Journal Ring Book

It is a ring holder hollow book box that I created by hand using a blank Kate Spade journal. It was finished with black velvet, yellow ribbon and loose pages. The customer roamed the internet to find the journal and I did the rest.

The color and high quality feel of this ring holder book is my favorite part. Also, the fact that they can write their own love story in the loose pages!

Handmade Ring Holder Hollow Book Kate Spade Journal

Kate Spade Ring Book

Handmade Hollow Ring Books

Harry Potter Ring Holder Book With Purple Ribbon - Handmade

Over the past few years, I have been making a few hollow book boxes designed to hold wedding engagement rings but this year I really expanded my line. It all started with a green book titled “Circle Of The Day”, but now I’ve added many surrounding the topic of love. And a few cult classics in there!

Unbreakable Vow Harry Potter Ring Proposal Hollow Book Box With Ribbon

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – Cut to “The Unbreakable Vow” on Etsy

Making ring books is really fun because I get to search for interesting books to use and do a lot of custom orders. I love to focus on the fine details and deliver something that adds even more to an already astounding moment in other peoples lives. Check out some of my most popular ring holder hollow books, such as Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince which shows off the Unbreakable Vow chapter, or Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows that is cut to The Wedding chapter.

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows The Wedding Heart Cut Ring Holder Hollow Book - Handmade

Harry Potter Deathly Hallows The Wedding Heart Cut Ring Holder Hollow Book - Handmade     Harry Potter Deathly Hallows The Wedding Heart Cut Ring Holder Hollow Book - Handmade

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Cut to “The Wedding” on Etsy

The Book Of Love features my handmade heart shaped cut out that is very popular.

Heart Cut Out Hollow Book - Ring Holder for Engagement Proposal

Heart Cut Out Hollow Book - Ring Holder for Engagement Proposal

The Book Of Love With Heart Shape Cut Out on Etsy

All of my hollow books are handmade by me! I cut them by hand and then detail them until they are smooth, adding multiple layers of clear glue to the inside edge of the stash spot. A free-floating stash spot design is available for some books, otherwise I more often cut the back 1/2 inch or so of a book and glue that down, adding a decorative liner to the bottom of the stash spot. There are many custom options! Different books, cut shapes, loose pages or not left up front, stash spot liner papers, magnets added for secure closure, ribbons to tie rings to and many different colors to choose from.

Heart Cut Out Hollow Book - Ring Holder for Engagement Proposal

Custom Heart Cut Out Hollow Book

Can you tell I love making hollow ring books? ‘Cause…. I do.

Premium Hollow Book Boxes: Poe, Hobbit, Little Women, Ring Holders, Hearts, Two Book Stacks

Edgar Allen Poe Hollow Book Box – A great place to store secret treasures! This handmade box is made out of a real book.

Edgar Allen Poe Hollow Book Secret Booksafe Magnet Closure Edgar Allen Poe Hollow Book Secret Booksafe Magnet Closure

“Edgar Allen Poe – Complete Tales and Poems” includes magnet closure so the book stays closed when upright! The dust jacket is on the book. It is a LARGE hollow book with the stash spot measuring 7.5 inches x 4.5 inches x 2.2 inches deep.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Handmade Hollow Book Box! Bright purple and gold. This book is beautiful, compact yet can host a deep secret stash spot for hidden valuables.
Little Women Handmade Hollow Book Box

Little Women Handmade Hollow Book Box
Magnet closure is easy to install in this book – use this custom order listing to have me create one for you today!

The Hobbit – This classic in a large, beautiful print has been decked out with black velvet lining the stash spot.
The Hobbit Hollow Book Handmade Booksafe

Tomorrow Is Forever – Vintage black hollow book circle cut to hold a ring! Black textured paper lines the stash spot. Option left open to include ribbons to tie rings to.

Tomorrow is Forever Ring Proposal Hollow Book Box Handmade Tomorrow is Forever Ring Proposal Hollow Book Box Handmade

It’s such a neat title, isn’t it?

Harry Potter Half Blood Prince Hollow Book Ring Holder Proposal Box – Cut to the Unbreakable Vow chapter with a ribbon to hold rings.
Harry Potter Unbreakable Vow Engagement Ring Hollow Book

This is the inside of a recent custom order heart shape ring holder with ribbons. It turned out even better than imagined. The book was small and blue with gold detail.
Heart Cut Out - Custom Project
I want to cut more hearts!

Neverending Story Circle Cut Ring Holder Proposal Engagement Box with Ribbons – This beloved children’s classic The Neverending Story has been transformed into something new!

Neverending Story Hollow Book Ring Box Neverending Story Hollow Book Ring Box

Finally, I’m happy to announce that I am making multiple stacked LARGE hollow books! Here is one of my favorites so far, made with two Harry Potter books. The Harry Potter Hollow Book Two Stack Large Secret Storage Box!

Harry Potter Double Stack Hollow Book Harry Potter Double Stack Hollow Book

Harry Potter Double Stack Hollow Book

This one is made with vintage books:
Two Book Hollow Book Box Handmade

This one is also made of vintage books – blue mystery ones!
The Secret Journal of Doctor Hudson

Double Stack Large Hollow Book Double Stack Large Hollow Book

Making hollow book boxes (and seeing myself get better at it over time) is really enjoyable.

Alice in Wonderland Hollow Book

Vintage Alice in Wonderland Hollow Book   Vintage Alice in Wonderland Hollow Book

Vintage Alice in Wonderland Hollow Book

This blue vintage copy of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll has been transformed into a hollow book box – a superior stash spot for things important enough to keep tucked away. If I could keep it myself, I would, but it’s my job to pass all of these awesome things on. I dearly love Alice in Wonderland. Did you know that it’s available to read for free online? This time around I added textured, decorative paper to the bottom of the stash spot that really accents the vintage blue cover of the book. It’s really been around, but hopefully soon it will find a new home with someone who will enjoy it as a box for a long time. View the listing for this in my Etsy shop.

An Even Ten

Hollow Books
Custom order of 10 hollow book boxes for groomsmen!

Here is the awesome feedback I received about this set from the customer:

We are using these books as groomsmen gifts and know they will add the unique touch we were looking for. She really made an effort to seek out each book to connect with each of their personalities/interests. The books are beautifully crafted and overall a great idea. Her communication throughout the process was much appreciated–overall a great experience and purchase! 🙂

To see more information about my book sets check out this section of my Etsy shop.

Rounding Out Another Year

Happy Holiday season! It’s a busy time of year and I love it. There have been many things going on in my little corner of the world, many artsy things and some darn good food things too. I’ve been stocking the freezer with homemade no-bake cookies (dark chocolate + nuts) on a regular basis, roasted a few seasonal squash (even a new one I had not had before), had the crock pot going with batches of beans for many days, and I believe I have mastered the art of stir frying broccoli in many different flavor variations (I love cayenne pepper flakes + powder, spicy hot!) so that I never tire of it and my meat loving companion says the same thing. That’s how I know I really succeeded. Some nights I am busy crafting so I don’t cook as much as I would like but that’s OK.. I have even more fun making things that don’t get gobbled up!

One of the projects that I wiggled in between other must-do projects was something I have been wanting to do for over a year…. A hollow book with a stash spot cut for a whiskey flask:

Hollow Book With Flask     Hollow Book With Flask

A few months earlier I ordered an 8oz flask and had it sitting in plain view so it was on my mind frequently. I figured the book titled “The Encyclopedia of Modern American Humor” would be appropriate to contain a flask and it is one of my favorite books to cut up.  I chose to cut the bottom square and round the top so the flask would fit in there snug. AND HOW! Oh man! I did not think about it when I started so when I finished I was extra pleased, the natural angle that happens when cutting the books by hand keeps the flask inside without any other restraints! It pops out with your fingers and it’s easy to put back in too. I must say that I’m very proud of this one and will be looking forward to creating many more!

Humor Hollow Book With Flask

Besides the flask book I have been doing a few others.. The Goblet of Fire into an eReader case, Neverending Story, Pet Sematary, Dracula, and more..

Goblet Of Fire eReader Case

Neverending Story Hollow Book Box

Pet Sematary Hollow Book Box

Needle felting continues as well, here are a few things I’ve made recently.. I love them all :

Needle Felted Snowmen

Needle Felt Snowman   Needle Felt Snowman

Blue Felted Turtle

Needle Felt Wool Mouse

And I started making pins out of single felt flowers!

Felt Flower Brooch Pin   Felt Flower Brooch Pin

2012 has been great but I am really gunning for 2013! The peaceful calm of January will be GREAT for starting new projects… and the summer ahead is sure to be one of the best ever.

Custom Hollow Book Project Complete

I got a request for a custom book project at the beginning of this month and finished it tonight. As always, I cut the pages out by hand and then apply glue, let it dry, trim it some more and then paint it. Sometimes I add colorful paper. This one is a lot of black paint. The book is a vintage copy of Pet Sematary by Stephen King.

Custom Hollow Book Secret Stash Box Money Box- Pet Sematary by Stephen King Custom Hollow Book Secret Stash Box Money Box- Pet Sematary by Stephen King