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

InLinkz.com

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

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

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.

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

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

Butterfly Journal

Decided to post another one of the journals I made recently to give to some friends.  This journal was for Judy.  It features Collage paper from Teresa Collins' World Traveler Collection.

The butterflies are die cut from Grungeboard using Tim Holtz Mini Butterflies set from Sizzix.  They're covered with excess scraps from the Collage paper after I finished the cover.  I added rhinestones in the center of the butterflies.  The two smaller roses are die cut from Grungepaper and the larger rose is die cut from kraft cardstock.  Again, I used Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die from Sizzix. 

The metal flowers are also Tim Holtz (yes I have an addiction).  They are the Metal Foliage from his Idea-ology label.

The black tape is from 7Gypsies.  It's the Scroll Gaffer Tape.

Finally the wood bracket is from Kaisercraft.  It comes as bare wood and I simply distressed it with Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink...also from Tim Holtz.....  {smile}

See you soon!

Linda

Trying My Hand at Journals

I've been working on a huge project at work, and I wanted to give all the project team members a token of my appreciation for doing such a great job.   So, I decided to make journals for everyone.  but then, someone told me "men don't journal"...so, I just made them for the girls.  :0).   Sorry boys....they ended up with Amazon Gift Certificates.

I thought they turned out pretty nice...well, that is for someone who has never created a journal before.  See, I have this Zutter, but I'm afraid to use it.  But, being inspired by so many beautiful creations online, I built up the courage.  I made a prototype so I could work through my mistakes...i.e.  cutting the inside paper too big, not cutting the outside cover paper big enough...  Then just started making them.  They came together pretty easily and I tried to tailor the design to the recipient.

So, now I'll feature one of those journals from time to time.  I think I ended up making 12 in all.  Here's the first one:

Most of the items are things I have in my stash.  I'll try to identify everything!
Ginger paper from Cosmo Cricket's Circa 1934 Collection, Gaffer's Tape from 7 Gypsies, Mini Bingo Card from Jenni Bowlin, Pen Nib, Mini Paper Clip, and Journaling Ticket from Tim Holtz Idea-ology, Rhinestone Flourish from Prima, Blue Flower I made from Maya Road Zipper Trim and center is from Prima.

Thanks for stopping by..

Linda