Alaska Binder

Dana and I spent 2 weeks in Alaska

visiting our kids that live up there in August

this year.

This is my 4th trip up there, and Dana's 5th trip to Alaska.

This time for me was the first time I had been there in the summer,

really early fall for Alaska, we learned.

So I had the opportunity to collect treasures from 

their back yard, the beach, and other places we went to.

The day we left, we visited the commissary on base, and they had an 

area that sold just things relating to Alaska.

There was an Alaska Binder there,

and I thought, mmmm, I could make my own,

with a Robin's Nest Leather binder.

 I used one of our Raw Leather Binders.

I looked for a binder in our warehouse that had been really 

abused.

This one has scratches all over it, because I wanted it to look 

distressed and used.

When I designed the Raw Leather binder, 

I wanted it to have a very expensive look.

So I picked raw leather to give it a

Ralph Lauren type of look.

Of course, because this is the look I was going for,

the cost of these binders is not cheap,

because, the manufacturer used real leather that came in

pieces not even cut in squares, they were in shapes

like the hide of a cow.

Then I had them sew an edge down the  side of the binder,

which added to the cost as well.

I love these binders,

they are great for the outdoor look,

camping, cowboy, hiking, or anything you do

outdoors.

Our grandson Gabe, had pealed bark off a birch tree in their 

back yard, Dana brought in this piece of bark,

and I decided, it needed to be brought home.

Gabe told me, just go outside, there are lots of those out there!

When I started 

working on the binder, my first thought was,

I need to use that bark.

It is really curled, and won't lay out straight.

I put it on the top of the binder and thought, wow, that is really tall.

But decided, this binder will sit on one of the tables in our 

family room, so does it matter?

No, it will look great, with the 3 dimensional look.

I then added other treasures that I found

in gift stores, while we were in Homer, Alaska.

I added a map, a totem pole, and a pin that says

I "love" Alaska.

These items I bought in the gift shops.

I added some chipboard letters from my scrapbook stash.

At the very last of my thoughts,

I decided to make a big dipper out of dew drops.

The state flag of Alaska 

has the big dipper, in out of stars,

so to create my own big dipper, I used blue

mini dew drops.

And alas, 

my binder was finished.

I added a strip of leather tied in knots

to the front of the binder as well,

this is what the totem pole is tied to.

I am so excited about this fun album.

There are many Alaska pages going in this binder,

and soon to come, 

I will share with you some of our 

adventures of our trip,

and some of the things we were able to 

do with our family.

Until next Wednesday!

Hugs,

Robin