Stencil Challenge!

This week's challenge at Stampotique Designer's Challenges is "Stencils!" Here's the blurb about the challenge!

"We are talking about Stencils for this challenge." Everyone uses a stencil every now and then. For us, we use them a ton! Let's see your best project(s) using stencils!"

During June the Stampotique Design Team is collaborating with Eileen Hull's Design Team. We were supplied die-cuts from Eileen Hull's wonderful line of Sizzix dies and were to use them in conjunction with Stampotique's stamps, so I decided to combine challenges because I like to multi-task!

If you'd like the chance to win your choice of $30 worth of Stampotique stamps, you should play along with this challenge. Visit Stampotique Designers Challenge blog and be sure to read the rules so that you'll have the chance to win that great prize!!! Remember to check to see the deadline for all of this month's Stampotique Designers Challenge blog!

Here's my "Be Happy" journal with the Journal die (Eileen Hull/Sizzix) and Stampotique's Keykeeper (Kira Nichols), Folded Tags (Josie Cirincione), and "Love and Laughter" (Carol's Collection).

Keykeeper was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts), colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with a black marker.  Keykeeper's horns, teeth, and key were coated with several layers of Clear Gelly Glaze gel pen (Sakura), then his eyes received dots of Morning Dew Nuvo Crystal Drops (Tonic Studios), which didn't hurt him a bit.  Keykeeper was set aside to relax while I created the rest of the project.

The journal was assembled, then the back and front covers were sponged with Broken China, Worn Lipstick, and Wilted Violet Distress Oxide inks (Ranger), spritzed with water, heat-set, then the process was repeated until I was happy with the result. The inside of the journal was treated much the same way.

Folded Tags was stamped on the top of the front cover and the bottom of the back cover using Wilted Violet Distress Oxide ink. It was heat-set.

Removable Scotch Tape was placed horizontally across the bottom of the front panel. Gunmetal Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle Texture Paste (Creative Expressions) was scraped across the Small Keyholes Dylusions stencil (Ranger) and allowed to heat dry. When dry, the same texture paste was scraped over the words "Be Happy" from the Inspiration 6" x 8" stencil (DecoArt) and allowed to dry.

Wilted Violet and Worn Lipstick Distress inks (Ranger) were sponged over the Sheet Music stencil (The Crafter's Workshop), then Broken China Distress ink was sponged over the Pawprints Dinky stencil (That's Crafty).

"Love and Laughter" was stamped with Wilted Violet Distress Oxide ink, heat set, then die-cut with one of the dies from the Conversation Bubbles die set (Spellbinders). The cardstock was kept in the die and all three Distress inks were sponged over the die and the sentiment.

Music themed Washi tape (Little B) was added above and below the stenciled sparkle-pasted keyholes. Sadly when I went to trim the excess Washi tape off, the paper ripped off of the spine of the binder, so I had to repair it. Fortunately, I had some very old Gaffer cloth tape (7 Gypsies) that fit the bill. Now that there was more black, I sponged all edges of the binder with Black Soot Distress ink.

Once the torn paper emergency was resolved somewhat satisfactorily, Keykeeper was adhered and the "Love and Laughter" sentiment speech bubble was adhered over his head.

It was now time to bind the journal. I followed the directions and created some black cardstock signatures to serve as pages. Waxy Flax was threaded through the holes, tied securely, then some charms (a cat, key and lock, music notes, and "live, love, and laugh" were added with more Waxy Flax. By the way, I'm temporarily closing the journal with a beribboned binder clip.

Here's a photo that shows the spine and front/back covers.

Thanks for visiting today!