What a treat—this month I get to tell you all about my new paper engineering book! You many remember a Hot Off The Press idea book from a few years ago called Susan's Journal of Paper Engineering Secrets. That book sold so well, we've revamped and redesigned it. Now I get to introduce to you the brand-new, totally updated, totally revised Susan's Journal of Paper Engineering Secrets!
When HOTP President Paulette Jarvey gave me the opportunity to revise this book, I was thrilled to give it an update. While papers, embellishments and styles change, the techniques used in Susan's Journal of Paper Engineering Secrets are timeless. In updating this book, my goal was to utilize the same techniques in new ways, streamlining them a bit and updating them with brand-new papers, embellishments and trendy styles.
Over the past three years since the original Journal was released, countless new products and techniques have been introduced to the world of paper crafting. For this new book, I was able to use these new items to create simpler cards than you'll find in the previous book. For example, rather than take the time and extra steps to mat each piece of paper used on the cards, I used an ink pad to define the edges of many of the papers. Newer papers also feature more varied, contrasting colors and geometric shapes, which means I can use the colors and patterns on the paper to fill in empty areas on the card rather than adding more embellishments. And what about altering? I used sandpaper, ink and chalk to distress the papers and embellishments on many of the cards for a more updated look.
From collage cards and decorative cuts to fancy folds and pop-up cards, I've packed 71 brand-new card projects into this new idea book. The book also features supply lists, instructions, step-by-step illustrations and patterns. I wanted to use Susan's Journal of Paper Engineering Secrets to reach as many paper crafters as possible, so I created a wide range of card projects from super simple cards for beginners to intricate designs for the more experienced.
I've always had a passion for figuring out how things work, especially when it comes to working with paper. I love to play with paper, to experiment, to cut and fold it in different ways to see what I can come up. There's nothing like creating something I've never seen before—something creative, something new and unique, something that you'll find on each and every page of the newly updated Susan's Journal of Paper Engineering Secrets.
