Journal for Lou

Today I want to share a journal that I made for a very very dear friend and co-worker, Lou.  She is so special to me.  We've worked together for 12 years and I couldn't ask for a better friend and confidant.  I absolutely love how this journal turned out and I secretly wanted to keep it for myself...is that bad???!  {wink}.

Some of the product is probably older and no longer available (like the paper) but I'm going to list it here just so ya know....

The journal size is 5 X 8 and I assembled it using a Zutter Bind-it-All.  The covers are just plain thick chipboard and covered with Bo-Bunny paper.  It's Unwritten from the Gabrielle Collection.  It was perfect for the front of the journal.  The design on the front of the cover is actually how the paper was designed!  PERFECTION!

The verse is from Stamper's Anonymous.  It's actually a wood stamp designed by Tim Holtz that I've had for a while. They issued it as part of one of Tim Holtz's unmounted stamp collections called Just Thoughts.

I added a bit of Tim Holtz film strip tape on the left side.  The little jars are also Tim Holtz corked vials.  I found some clear pebbles and dyed them with Copic refills.  Glued in the little corks and added a bit of twine.  Just too precious.

The roses, of course, are my absolute favorite part of the journal and I just love making them.  They are made from Tim Holtz Idea-ology Grunge Paper and Tim's Tattered Florals Sizzix die (the medium sized 6 petal flower).  I just stamped the pieces with a background stamp and covered them with Distress Ink using a Blending Tool and Foam.  Then assembled the flowers. The leaves are actually die cut from My Favorite Things but I can't recall which die.  {shame}  

The last thing I did was add a bit of Stickles to the rose petals....and let them dry before adding them to the front of the journal.

The inside of the journal is just plain kraft text weight paper.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you like my journal.

Linda

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Trendy Trees - Outside the Box

Sharing my  post from the Outside the Box blog...

What a great class we had at Scrapadoodle in Peoria this weekend!  Thanks to everyone that took the class.  Lots of new crafters I hadn't met before!   We had loads of fun.

Next up, I'll be teaching at A Small Cleverness in Orange Park, FL on October 12 and 13.   Anyone that signs up for both of my classes, will get to make a bonus card....as a thank you from me!   Here's one of the bonus cards....

I  have to say some of my favorite products from Memory Box are the stamps and matching dies.  Here I used the Trendy Trees stamp (F1891) with the matching Trendy Trees die (98428).

Instructions:

• Stamp Trendy Trees with Brown Archival Ink (Ranger) on Parchment paper and then stamp just the top part of the trees again on scrap paper.  I used a piece from the Blackbird 6X6 Paper Pack.
• Color the image that you stamped on the scrap paper with markers, Prismacolor pencils, or watercolor pencils.  I used Ranger's Distress Markers then topped off the leaves with a bit of Stardust pen from Sakura.
• Cut out the image around the tree tops.  Leave as one big piece rather than cutting the tree (circles) individually.  Distress with Distress Inks of your choice.  I used Scattered Straw, Shabby Shutters, and Tumbled Glass.
• Die cut the image you stamped on the Parchment paper with the Trendy Trees die.  See Patter's video here for some great tips on cutting your image perfectly!  Distress this piece with your choice of ink.  I used Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink.
• Adhere the "tree tops" to the cream cardstock and set aside.
• I cut a tag from Kraft paper about 2 1/4" X 4 1/4" and attach to a piece of Vanilla Bean paper about 2 3/8" X 4 3/8" and trim to a tag shape.  Attach the Trendy Trees to the tag and set aside.
• Cut a piece of Thistle Distress Dots paper and attach to a Vanilla Bean mat then attach to Kraft Note Card.
• Attach the stamped image to front of card.  I added a bit of ribbon and a button to top off the card.

Thanks for stopping by today and I hope you are enjoying this beautiful fall weather!


Linda

10N-KRAFT (33021) SH-VANILLA BEAN (44044) Trendy Trees Die - 98428 Trendy Trees Stamp - F1891 Thistle Distressed Dots - 77862 Kraft Paper - 44019

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Hardware Journal

Another journal today...I feel bad that I can't remember who I gave this one to??!!  But it was a year ago and I'm much older today.  Pretty sure it was Trish.

Anyways...I like the simplicity of this journal.

I used a paper from the Splendid Collection from Athentique.  I really like the heavy weight of their papers.  They work great for journal covers.

I punched a border using EK Success Abstract Flower Edger Punch for the left spine and then covered it with Tim Holtz Tissue Tape in Symphony.  The pearl/jewels on the lower right are from Prima as are the black jewels behind the rose.

The book plate and knob are also both Tim Holtz Idea-ology.  Remember...I'm addicted to all this hardware.  :)

Finally, I made the rose by hand by punching out three 5-petal flowers from grunge paper.  I inked them up with Fired Brick Distress Ink and stamped them with a background image.  I then cut and formed them into this 3-dimensional rose!   I absolutely love it!

For some glitz, I added Rock Candy Distress Stickles to the flower and the petals (also cut from Grunge Paper).

thanks for stopping by today!

Linda

Bats around the Cauldron

Just like most people, sometimes card designs come to me pretty quickly and other times I really struggle.  Lately, I've been feeling the creative bug and I've been able to design lots of cards pretty quickly.  Well, relatively.....I'm forever putting a card together only to rip it apart because I didn't like something.  Takes me a couple times to get it just right.

I like using purples and greens with orange for Halloween cards.  I especially like the distressing on this one.  Looks a bit eery.....

Instructions:

• Stamp Bubbling Pot with Black Versafine Ink onto cream paper and heat emboss with clear embossing powder. 
• Scribble Shabby Shutters or Peeled Paint Distress Marker on a craft mat and use a water brush to color the steam rising from the kettle.
• Distress paper with Shabby Shutters, Seedless Preserves, and Spiced Marmalade Distress Inks. 
• Attach Key Lime Gingham paper to lower portion of Licorice paper.  Attach stamped image on the upper half of this paper.
• Die cut border from licorice paper and attach over seam.  Then add orange ribbon and attach on back.  Add this to front of Kraft Note Card.
• Stamp Halloween Bat with Black Archival Ink onto Grunge Paper.  Trim around bat.  Add Spiced Marmalade or Shabby Shutter Distress Ink over words.  Edge the bat with Black Sharpie marker.
• Die cut Swooping Bats from Licorice paper.  Add two of the die cut bats and the Grunge Paper Bat to the front of the card with glue dots or clear glue.  You can add the left over bat to the inside of the card if you like.

I designed this card especially for a class I'm teaching in Peoria, IL at Scrapadoodle.  The class is Sunday, September 30.  Hope you can join us!

Linda

InLinkz.com

Florida....here I come!

I am so excited to have been invited to teach two Memory Box classes at A Small Cleverness in Orange Park, Florida.  I'm so giddy I can hardly stand it....and those around me can hardly stand it either. {smile}

Anyway, the classes will be Friday, October 12 with a repeat of the classes on Saturday, October 13.   Donna Kazee, the owner, will be scheduling the times, so if you're interested {hint, hint}, call the store at (904) 272-0503.

Here's one of the cards we'll be making.

It's my favorite...and it's the one I featured on the Outside the Blog blitz to promote the new Memory Box Holiday 2012 release a few weeks ago. 

I am just so grateful that Dave Brethauer, the owner of Memory Box invited me to be on his design team back in 2009.   So many times I don't feel worthy of this opportunity.  And I can't thank Donna enough for inviting me to her store.

Talk to you soon!

Linda

Where has the time gone......and another journal

Wow...this is sad.  I can't believe how long its been since I've posted anything.  I'll just blame it on summer...crazy hectic schedules.

Here's one of the journals I recently created for a friend at work. 

For this journal, I used an older collection from My Minds Eye called Lost & Found 2 - Rosy "Ordinary" - Dream paper.  It fit the size of the journal perfectly.  I grabbed an extra sheet of paper and cut out the frame with "dream" and the bird and popped it up with foam tape.  Then I added Glossy Accents over the word "dream."

The flowers are left over Hero Arts or Prima flowers.  I just layered them and added a couple of snaps and a button to the centers and layered them over a gem flourish.

This one is simple but cute....I think.
Now....I'll be back very soon with some lovely creations featuring the new What's in the Box - Holiday 2012 release from Memory Box!   Wowza...they've outdone themselves again!

We've got a blog blitz going on over on the design team blog - Outside the Box.  There will be give aways all this week!  Check it out!

Linda

Free Goodies at Memory Box

Hi, everyone!

I'll be back later with a new card design, but I need to get the word out!    We're having a huge give-away over on the Memory Box - Outside the Box Blog!!  Click here for the deets!!!!

Hurry......the contest ends August 4!!!!