Explore-Create-Discover Journal

I’d like to share this journal I made for my friend, Maureen.   It’s one of my favorites because I used a lot of Memory Box products. 

 

This journal is made from Bo-Bunny Et-Cetera paper and bound with a Zutter Bind-it-All.  The inside pages are just plain kraft text weight paper.

To decorate the cover, I stamped Blank Ticket with Coffee Archival Ink and die cut with the Blank Ticket matching die from Memory Box. I distressed this piece with Faded Jeans and Peeled Paint Distress Inks. I stamped Create Art (also from Memory Box) with Coffee Archival onto cream paper and then distressed with Fired Brick Distress Inks.  I attached these pieces overlapping onto the front of the journal.  The larger die cut is from Spellbinders.  Since the word “discover” was going to be covered up anyway, I trimmed it from the previously stamped paper and trimmed it down as the title of the journal. 

The flowers are all from Prima or Hero Arts.  I just mix them all up in one container, so I’m not sure which is which.  I distressed each of the flowers with various distress inks and added Linen Distress Stickles to give them some texture. 

I especially love the branch and the bird.  They are both from Memory Box.  The branch is the Woodland Branch and the bird is the Perched Reedbird.  I die cut the bird with Grunge paper first and then from some scrap paper!  I adore how this little bird turned out.  I added some Star Dust Stickles to the branch just for some fun and texture.

Have a great day!   Give someone a hug today!
Linda

Dogwood in Spring

Today I'm featuring the Flowering Branches stamp from Memory Box.  It reminds me of a dogwood tree.  It's sentimental since my mom has always loved them.

I'm also featuring the Gothic Rosette 98249 die.  I know, I know...its supposed to be a rosette, but I also love it as a border die!
Instructions:

• Cut a 4 X 5 1/4 mat from Vanilla Bean paper
• Stamp Mail Definitions G1839 with brown dye ink onto kraft cardstock and adhere to top of Vanilla Bean mat
• Die cut Gothic Rosette from Bauble cardstock (from the Valise Collection) and adhere about 3/4" below the Mail Definitions
• Cut a piece of scrap ribbon and adhere between these two pieces then attach this entire piece to the front of a Sky Note Card
• Stamp Flowering Branches with Brilliance Pearlescent Chocolate ink onto cold-press watercolor paper and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.  Trim around outside stamped edge
• Watercolor flowers with Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick Distress Marker using water brush
• Distress with Shabby Shutters and Stormy Sky Distress Inks and blending tool/foam and attach to Vanilla Bean mat and then Sky mat and attach to front of card with foam tape
• Stamp Just a Note Combo B1852 with brown dye ink and attach to Sky mat and then attach to front of card

Enjoy this beautiful day!
Linda

Journal for Cindy

It’s time for another journal.   This journal was made for my friend and co-worker, Cindy.  Cindy is a blast to be around.  She has a wonderful smile and an infectious laugh.  When we were working together on a huge project at work, she kept me in stitches.

When I set out to create a journal for her, I channeled her whimsy and fun side and this is what I came up with. So, this one is a little whimsical and a little grungy.  Not that Cindy is grungy….just the journal is.  {smile}

 

The journal was first covered with 12 X 12 paper called Produce from the Farmhouse Collection by Crate Paper….one of my favorite companies.  I used the same paper (front and back) to layer into a collage.  

I used a technique from Tim Holtz for the pinwheel.  First a cut a scalloped circle from Raspberry Gingham paper from Memory Box.  I then took Tim Holtz tissue tape and ruffled it behind the circle.  I die cut another decorative circle using the Lace Circle die by Memory Box from a piece of Pool paper also from Memory Box.  Then layered on a flower, another circle and a decorative brad.

The “pointing finger” is a stamp designed by my friend, Wendy Vecchi and stamped onto Grunge Paper.

I topped it all off with a double bow I tied from some May Arts ribbon!

This was definitely one of my favorites.

It’s Spring!

Happy first day of spring to everyone!!  

Ahhhh...I love this time of year.  Everything is so fresh, new, and green. What better time to try something new. 

For me, I finally tried my hand at making a round card.  I don't know what I was afraid of.  It really wasn't too difficult.  Although there are probably a few things I would do differently next time.

I’m sharing my blog post from the Outside the Box blog today featuring the Leafy Branch Globe stamp (E1850) from Memory Box.   I'm really drawn to stamps with a nature theme.  I just had to add a cute little robin to the branch in honor of this day.

The Leafy Branch Globe was inked up using Archival Coffee ink and stamped onto Parchment paper.  The image was colored with Ranger Distress Markers in Shabby Shutters and Peeled Paint.  I used a waterbrush to blend the colors.

The little bird is actually from the Heaven Sings stamp (B1385) from Memory Box.  Yep, it's a Christmas stamp, but it's one of those bonus stamps that Dave Brethauer from Memory Box so wonderfully creates with a sentiment and image on the side of the stamp.  I just colored the bird with Distress Markers in Vintage Photo and a touch of Fired Brick and stamped it on the branch.  The image was distressed with Stormy Sky and Tumbled Glass Distress Inks using an ink blending tool and foam.

Enjoy this beautiful day.....do something new today!  It’s time for change.  {smile}

Kim’s Journal

Hi, everyone!

Time to feature another journal.   When you look at this one, you’re going to think the colors are a bit subdued.   That’s for a reason.  This journal I designed for my friend and former co-worker, Kim.   If you’ll recall from a previous blog entry, I designed 12 journals for some co-workers, including Kim.  As I designed each one, I tried to tailor it to the person.

Kim has such a warm spirit about her.  She loves nature and is so kind and loving.  Just one of those people who brings joy to other’s lives.

She chose to retire at the beginning of the year and I miss her and her smile.  I hope you can see the beauty in this journal just as we see the beauty in Kim.

For the life of me, I can't remember what company the paper is made by.    At the spine, I added Tissue Tape and Film Strip Ribbon from Tim Holtz Idea-ology Line.  The tag is an inventory tag that I crumpled and then distressed with Distress Inks from Ranger.   I dyed the seam binding ribbon with Distress Inks as well.

The bird cage and bird are die cut using Tim Holtz Caged Bird Die by Sizzix.  The chain and jump rings are also from Tim Holtz from his Idea-ology line.  I think the beads are from Maya Road.  They were clear and I just added Ranger Alcohol Inks to match them to the journal colors.

Hope you enjoy!  Talk to you soon!

Linda

Easter Egg Trio for Memory Box

What's not to love about the Filigree Easter Egg die??!!

I'll be teaching in Peoria, IL at the Scrapadoodle on March 24.  In planning for the class, the owner Lynne Demanes asked me to use this die.  She said its many of her customers' favorite!  And who could blame them.

So, here we are!  I hope they like it!

I started out by die cutting three eggs out of papers from the Viola 6 X 6 paper pack using the Classic Egg die (98305).  It was hard to choose just three!  Next, I cut the Filigree Egg (98306) 3 times from the new Aloe paper.  I ran the Filigree Egg pieces through my Xyron "X" and attached them to the Classic Egg pieces. Sentiment is Easter Joy (B1763)

The card is made up of an Aloe Note Card, a white mat and the top mat is the new Sky paper.  My favorite.
If you live in the Peoria, IL area I hope you'll consider taking this class.  1:00 to 3:30 on March 24 at the Scrapadoodle. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Linda

Journal for Lisa

Time for another journal.    This is one I made for my friend, Lisa.   She's a dancer and is hilarious.  Very expressive and fun.  Just a joy to be around.

The journal is a bit subdued, I suppose, but I love the quote I found to put on it.  No idea who to credit it to.  It seems a bit blurred in the picture.  It says "Beauty without expression is boring."

I really like the way this one turned out.  Simple, but elegant.

The curio knob looks like its off center, but it isn't.   I'm anal...remember.   It just looks that way in the photo.

I painted the wood hanging plaque in Brushed Corduroy Distress Crack Paint, but did NOT like how it turned out, so after it dried, I just added some gold Alcohol Ink Mixative.  Perfect!!!

Here is a list of the products I used:
Paper:  Classic Chic paper from Basic Grey Little Black Dress Collection
Scroll Gaffer Tape: 7 Gypsies
Wooden Hanging: KaiserCraft Flourish Pack - Hanging Plaques
402 Sticker:  Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Crowded Attic Salvage Stickers
Knob:  Tim Holtz Idea-ology - Curio Knobs

See you soon!

Linda