The idea is a jewel encrusted book. How does one go about doing such a thing? You could simply affix crystals to the top of the surface which is certainly possible. The problem with such an approach is that they could easily be dislodged.
The second idea was to drill into the bookcloth and affix the crystals in the crater created. The problem with this approach would be the rim of the binder's board would be visible once the crystals were placed into their positions.
The third approach was to create a divot in the binder's board before covering the board with cloth. Once the boards were dry, the divot could then be depressed in the same fashion that an inset would be created. Once the crater was pressed into place, the crystal could then be put in place.
The problem with the third approach is that you have to be very careful in the making of your indentations because they can easily become misaligned. Also, you have to be careful with the covering material. Too thick of a bookcloth or paper would make it nearly impossible to create the indentation.
Here is my solution to the issue at hand. I marked a harlequin pattern (diamonds) on the board before covering with a velvet type paper. This type of paper removes the need for bookcloth because it is very sturdy and is paper backed. Because of the thickness of the paper, there is no need for a hinging material. I used the velvet paper because I thought it would look good with the inset crystals.
I used a size 34 crystal (SS34) and made the indentations with a hammer and punch. After punching each hole, I removed about 1/4 of the board's thickness to make space for the crystal.
Overall, I am pleased with the results. I don't know if I would do this again because of the work involved but I am glad that I was able to help out one of my fellow students.
The Cinderella Book--red velvet paper with Orange-Red crystals
Text block is from Hollanders--Medium Journal, 144 pages, imported from Italy
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