Kat's Tales Mini Album

Last Tuesday was International Cat Day and I didn't get to celebrate in the style that I had wanted. Instead we got to spend quality time with our kitties at the Vet. Domino had a runny eye, a cut on his nose that wasn't healing, and an upset tummy. We were worried that the cut (inflicted by his sister, the aptly named Harley Quinn) had gotten infected. so we made an appointment, the kitties voluntarily hopped into their carriers, got loaded into the car, then meowed pitifully the whole ride. Turns out that Domino has allergies, which caused his runny eye, which ran into the cut on his nose. So I didn't get to post my mini album.

Here it is!

Front Cover

Inside Front Cover 

Side View 

Products used:

Worn Cover Tim Holtz® Idea-ology®

Small Alphabet Die Set by All Occasions

Media@ Gesso by DecoArt@

Media® Matte Medium by DecoArt®

Curious Cats Polymer Stamp Set by Visible Image

Les Chats (Cats) Unmounted Rubber Stamp Set by Katzelkraft

The Fat Cats 9 - Ignace Unmounted Rubber Stamp by Katzelkraft

Snowflake, Sherbert,  Zesty Zing, Hey Pesto Squid Ink, Candy Floss, and Rose Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylic Paints by Paper Artsy

Cat Sentiments Clear Stamp Set by Frantic Stamper.

Jet Black StazOn™ Ink by Tsukineko®

Tuxedo Black Memento™ Ink by Tsukineko

Pink Peony, Shadow Grey, and Watering Can Archival™ Ink by Ranger Industries

Tissue Paper

Solar White Classic Crest® Cardstock by Neenah Papers

Copic® Markers:

   Mouse: C2, C4, RV91, R81, YG21, YG25

   Cats' Fur: BV0000, BV000, BV20, B32, B34, B60, C00, C0, C1, C2, C3, C4, C6, C6, C8, 

   Cats' Noses and Mouths: RV42, RV91, RV95, E04, YG21,YG23, YG25

Checkerboard Stencil by Carabelle Studios

Cat  Paw Stencil by KaiserCraft

Discover Word Series Stencil by That's Crafty

Tim Holtz@ Distress@ Crazing Medium by Ranger Industries

Cat Print Patterned paper by Doodlebug Designs Inc.™

Ring Binders by Tim Holtz® Idea-ology®

Pink Glittery Brads: Source Unknown

Instructions:

1. Using alphabet dies, cut black cardstock for the title. Brush the die-cut letters with Matte Medium to seal them.*
2. Using Tuxedo Black Memento Ink, stamp the cats and the mouse, fussy-cut, color with Copic markers, and edge with a dark marker. 
3. Brush the cats and the mouse with Matte Medium to seal them.* Set aside to let them play while the notebook is altered.
4. Stamp the Curious Cat onto tissue paper with StazOn ink.
5. Flip the tissue paper and paint the cat's eyes, nose, and mouth with Fresco Finish paints. Let dry.
6. When dry, use Snowflake paint to cover the painted eyes, nose, and mouth. Set aside to dry.
7. Place the Worn Cover flat and apply gesso. Let dry.
8. Paint the cover with pink(ish) paints. Let dry.
9. Sponge grey Archival inks over the checkerboard and paw print stencils onto the painted cover. Heat set. Repeat as desired.
10. Sponge grey Archival ink over the border of the Word Series stencil onto the base of the painted cover. Heat set.
11. Using the darker grey Archival ink, randomly stamp "Meow" onto the cover. Heat set.
12. Apply Matte Medium to the cover.
13. Tear around the painted cat face on the stamped tissue paper.
14. Liberally apply Matte Medium to the top portion of the cover. 
15. Apply Matte Medium to the reverse of the the cat face tissue paper.
16. Place as desired onto the wet Matte Medium on the cover and smooth. Let dry.
17. Apply Matte Medium over the cat face and let dry.
18. Apply Matte Medium over the entire front cover and place the alphabet, the cats, and the mouse. Let dry.
19. Apply another coat of Matte Medium over the entire cover to seal the entire shebang.
20. Discover bumps and see the seam because you didn't do steps 14 and 15 properly.
21. Get clever and try to camouflage the seams and bumps by apply Crazing Medium onto the cover. Let dry. 
22. Discover Step #21 was an epic fail and try to fix by painting over the cracks Sherbert Fresco Finish paint. Wipe back with a baby wipe. It's better, but is NOT going to win prizes.
23. Seal the entire cover again with Matte Medium.
24. Cut patterned paper to size for inside covers and the spine. 
25. Guess what you're going to apply to seal the paper so you can paint it. Good guess.
26. Paint the sealed patterned papers with Sherbert Fresco Finish paints. Let dry.
27. Apply Matte Medium to the inside covers and adhere the painted patterned papers. 
28. Seal the inside covers with Matte Medium.
29. Sponge grey ink over the Cat Stencil onto the inside front cover. 
30. Apply Matte Medium to seal.
31. Use the pink glittery brads to adhere the Ring Binders.
32. Apply Matte Medium to the spine of the notebook.
33. Adhere the painted, sealed patterned paper. Seal with Matte Medium.

If you've made it through this, go reward yourself with a leisure beverage.

*I seal cardstock die-cuts and Copic colored images with Matte Medium before adhering them to the project and then sealing them with Matte Medium because I discovered that the ink from the cardstock and/or Copic markers can run onto the project, which is highly annoying. 

Thanks for visiting today!

I shall enter this album into the following challenges:

• Country View Challenges: November 2019 Hand Stamped

• Creative Artist Mixed Media Challenge #55: Anything Goes

• Simon Says Wednesday Challenges: Anything Goes