Floral Journal

Stampendous!® recently released several new Slim Cling Background Stamps that are perfectly sized for Slimline cards, journal covers, Post-It Note Books, and so much more! I decided to use the gorgeous Slim Cling Floral Wings Rubber Stamp to create a journal.

Here it is!

Stampendous!® Products Used:

Slim Cling Floral Wings Rubber Stamp

Mixed Media White Paper

Tuxedo Black Memento™ Ink by Tsukineko®

VersaMark™ Ink by Tsukineko®

Aged Ochre and Aged Bronze Frantage Embossing Enamels 

Other Products Used:

Journal Scoreboards XL Die by Eileen Hull® for Sizzix®

Blueberry Vintage Double Dot Patterned Paper by BoBunny Press®

Black Cardstock

8.5 x 11 Black Chipboard

Large Double-sided Stick It Adhesive Sheets

Copic® Markers:

   Rose: Y11, Y23, Y26

   Sunflower: Y13, Y15, Y17, Y35, YR15, YR18, YR23, YR27, E23, E25, E27, E29, E39, E49

   Butterfly Wings: B24, B28, B29

   Butterfly Bodies: N4, N6, YR18

   Other Flowers: RV52, RV63, RV93: Y11, Y32, YR15, YR18; Y000, Y00, Y11, Y13, TO

   Flower Centers: YR15, YR16, YR18, YR27, Y35; <B21, B21, B23, B26, B37

   Leaves: B21, G43, G46

   Pointy Leaves: YG11, G20, G40, G82

Bug Charms from the stash

Binder Clip

Ribbon from the stash

Elastic Cord.

White cardstock to be used for the journal paper.

Thread to stitch the signatures

Red-liner tape or other strong adhesive

Instructions:

1. Use Tuxedo Black Memento ink to stamp the image onto Mixed Media Paper.
2. Color image using Copic markers.
3. Trim image panel and mat with black cardstock cut .25" larger than the image panel.
4. Use Double-sided Stick It Adhesive sheet to adhere patterned paper to both sides of the 8.5" x 11" chipboard.
5. Trim the covered chipboard sheet to a bit over 8.5".
6. Cut the large chipboard sheet in half so that you have two 4.25 x >8.5" pieces.
7. Cut both large chipboard pieces using the Journal Die. 
8. Cut the spine from the remaining piece of covered chipboard.
9. Assemble the journal according to the instructions and/or videos that you can find online.
10. Heavily edge the assembled journal with VersaMark ink.
11. Drag the edges through embossing enamel. Heat set.
12. Repeat Steps #10 and #11 until you have nicely covered embossed edges.
13. Create page signatures for the journal.
14. Adhere the stamped image panel to the front of the journal.
15. Adhere the bug charms to finish the journal.
16. Decorate a binder clip with ribbon to keep the journal closed.

Thanks for visiting today!

Travel Journal Mini-Book!

This week, the Stampendous Design Team is sharing projects using the fabulous new Paris Bonjour Cling Stamps and Stencil Set and the Paris Bonjour Die Set. Click HERE to see who is participating, then comment for a chance to win this great set!

When I saw Stampendous' wonderful new Paris Bonjour Cling Stamps and Stencil Set,  Paris Bonjour Die Set  the new Sassy Travel Perfectly Clear™ Set, and the new Sassy City Perfectly Clear™ Set,  I knew that I had to create a travel journal.

This is going to be a long post, so go grab a cuppa and settle in!

Here's the cover of the Travel Journal!

 The Paris Spread

The Rome Spread

The Holland Spread

The New York City Spread

Supplies:

Stampendous: 

Paris Bonjour Cling Stamps and Stencil Set

Paris Bonjour Die Set

6x6 Cling Paris Map

Sassy Travel Perfectly Clear™ Set

Sassy City Perfectly Clear™ Set

Cling Clock Collage Stamp

Cling Crackle Stamp

Decor Cling Script Stamp

Cling Dutch Tulip Stamp Set

Frantage Aged Bronze Embossing Enamel

Clear Detail Embossing Powder

VersaMark™ Watermark Ink Pad by Tsukineko®

Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink Pad by Tsukineko®

Other Supplies:

Passport Scoreboards XL Die by Sizzix

Black Chipboard

140 lb. Mixed Media Paper by Strathmore

Cerulean Blue, and Titan Buff Media Fluid® Acrylic paint by DecoArt®

Media® Matte Medium by DecoArt®

VersaMark™ Pen by Tsukineko®

Tim Holtz® Mowed Lawn, Forest Moss, Pine Needles Distress Inks by Ranger

Tim Holtz® Worn Lipstick, Broken China, Salty Ocean, and Antique Linen Distress Oxide Inks by Ranger

Tim Holtz® Mowed Lawn, Forest Moss, Pine Needles, Vintage Photo, Fired Brick, Barn Door, Faded Jeans, and Blueprint Sketch Distress Pens by Ranger

Sepia, Leaf Green, Emerald Green, Shadow Grey, Watering Can, Jet Black Archival™ Ink by Ranger

Warm Grey IV, Warm Grey III, Dark Sepia, and Sanguine Pitt Artist Pens by Faber Castell

Tim Holtz® Idea-ology Words Remnant Rubs by Advantus

Tim Holtz® Idea-ology Adage Tickets by Advantus

Travel Voyage and Notebook Stickers by 7 Gypsies

City Scapes, Curtain Call 8x8 Patterned Paper Pads by Graphic 45

Basics Manila 6x6 Patterned Paper Pads by Basic Grey

Uncharted  Patterned Paper Pad by Paper Studios

Tim Holtz® Idea-ology Destinations Paper Stash by Advantus

Sookwang Tape

Misti Stamping Tool by My Sweet Petunia

Directions for the covers:

1. Die-cut the chipboard twice to create the covers and the spine.
2. Die-cut Mixed Media paper several times for both sides of the covers and the spine.
3. Stamp the Cling Clock Collage with Sepia Archival™ ink onto one sheet for the front cover.
4. Stamp the Cling Crackle onto the other three covers and the spine.
5. Mix Cerulean Blue and Titan Buff Media Fluid™, thin slightly with water, then sponge over the stamped covers, spine, and scraps of Mixed Media cardstock. Use a baby wipe to wipe back as necessary to reveal the clocks. Heat set. 
6. Add Remnant Rub sentiment along the top of the front cover as shown, then seal with Media® Matte Medium.
7. Adhere the painted Mixed Media papers to the chipboard covers and spine and set aside.
8. Ink the Eiffel Tower Stamp with VersaMark, then immediately re-ink with Sepia Archival™ ink. Stamp onto Mixed Media Cardstock, sprinkle on Clear Detail Embossing Powder, dump off excess, and heat set.
9. Die-cut the Eiffel Tower.
10. Using Jet Black Archival™ ink, stamp the Trees twice onto a scrap of the painted Mixed Media paper. 
11. Die-cut both images, then color the tree canopies with Leaf Green and Emerald Green Archival™ inks. Use the Dark Sepia Pitt Artist Pen to color the tree trunks.
12. Using a strong adhesive, adhere the Eiffel Tower to cover, then adhere the tree backgrounds.
13. Pour some Frantage Aged Bronze Embossing Enamel onto a folded sheet of scrap paper.
14. Press all four edges of each cover into VersaMark ink, then run them through the Frantage Aged Bronze Embossing Enamel. Heat set. Repeat this step until you're happy with the coverage.
15. Assemble the cover of the Passport mini-book using Sookwang Tape.

Directions for the pages:

1. Die-cut Mixed media cardstock to form the pages, remembering that each die-cut creates a four pages.
2. Mix Cerulean Blue and Titan Buff Media Fluid™ paint, thin slightly with water, then sponge over the front and back of each spread. Heat set, then set aside.
3. Apply Broken China and Salty Ocean Distress Oxide ink to a craft mat, spray with water, then drag Mixed Media papers through the ink, heat set, and repeat until you're happy with the result. *Make more pages than you think you'll need as you can always use them later!
4. Apply Worn Lipstick to the craft mat and repeat the process above to add a touch of pink. Heat set.
5. Cut the papers down to fit the pages and sponge the edges with Sepia Archival™ ink
6. Mask off the top of each page. Sponge Mowed Lawn, Forest Moss, and Pine Needles Distress inks along the base of each page.
7. Using the Misti, position each of the Cityscapes and/or Windmill scene at the top of the green area, then stamp with Shadow Grey Archival™ ink. Repeat as necessary to get good ink coverage. 
8. Using the Misti, position the other scenic elements or people, and stamp with Watering Can Archival™ ink or Jet Black Archival™ ink.
9. Color any open elements using either Distress or Pitt Artist pens, though colored pencils would also work.
10. Cut stamps or other decorative elements from patterned paper or stickers, then adhere to the little scenic pages. 
11. Mat each page with black cardstock and adhere on the right hand page of the spread.

Directions for the pockets:

1. Apply Antique Linen Distress Oxide ink to a craft mat, spray with water, then drag Mixed Media papers through the ink, heat set, and repeat until you're happy with the result.
2. Stamp the Decor Cling Script with Sepia Archival™ ink onto each sheet.
3. Cut the stamped paper to pocket size, mat with black cardstock, add adhesive to three sides of each pocket, and adhere to the left hand page of the spread.
4. Cut down the *extra Distress Oxided pages to fit into the pocket. Add stickers and suchlike.

Create any additional spreads that you'd like. You can't see them (because I forgot to take photos), but there are pages that have little maps or city scenes on the front with line paper on the inside of each spread for notes and photos. The little pockets on the back of each spread can be used for tickets or other flat souvenirs.

Ribbons were used to secure all pages to the spine. The ribbons were braided and/or tied and a compass charm was added to complete the journal.

If you've made it through all the above, pat yourself on the back!

Thanks for visiting today!

Diva!

Some news. I've stepped down from the Stampotique Design Team. It's been a fabulous run, but after several years, it's time to give some other artists a chance. They are celebrating the new team and a new release with a blog hop. You should definitely hop for a chance to win a fab prize. Click HERE to find out more information.

With that said, here's a tag for the current stencil challenge and also for "Word-Up Weekend", which is celebrated on Stampotique's Facebook page.

I used one of the cats from the Kitty Cube (Daniel Torrente) and the "What? Never seen a diva before?" (Carol's Collection), I also used one of the die-cuts that I received for the Eileen Hull/Stampotique collaboration.

I stamped the fluffy cat from the Kitty Cube with Tuxedo Black Memento ink onto the flower die-cut (Eileen Hull/Sizzix), then colored around the flower with Copic markers. Sometimes I find it easier to color the background first, especially in a small space like the flower. The cat was colored with Copic markers, then her eyes received dots of Morning Dew Nuvo Crystal Drops (Tonic Studios), which didn't sting at all.

I put her aside so her eyes could dry while I created the background of the tag. I was totally stoked to receive the newest colors of Distress Oxides today, so I just had to use a few of them. I chose Black Soot, Picked Raspberry, and a hint of Wild Honey Distress Oxide inks (Ranger). I smooshed the Black Soot Distress Oxide pad onto my craft mat, misted it with water, then dragged a piece of 140 lb. Mixed Media cardstock (Strathmore). I heat set the cardstock, then repeated the smoosh-mist-drag process with the Picked Raspberry ink pad. I did this several times until I was happy with the result, thoroughly heat set the cardstock, then sponged the same colors directly onto the cardstock, spritzing, then heat setting each color. The last touch was to sponge just the smallest amount of Wild Honey Distress Oxide ink onto the panel. Oh! I almost forgot, I used seam binding to wipe up the excess smooshed ink, then heat set it to make it all crinkly.

Picked Raspberry Distress ink was sponged over the smallest pawprints on the Pawprints stencil (Kaisercraft), then heat set. Black Soot Distress Oxide ink was sponged over the largest pawprint on the bottom right of the panel.

What? Never seen a diva before?" was stamped with Jet Black Archival ink (Ranger), then heat set. "Meow" washi tape was added to the panel, then my diva cat panel was adhered. The tag front was adhered to a black tag and the Distress Oxide dyed seam binding was threaded through the hole at the top of the tag to finish it up.

Thanks for visiting today!

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!

What's Up?

This month the Stampotique Design Team is pleased to be 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.

Here's my first card that features Skull Balloons (Arwen McCullen), Neverending Wall, Small (Arwen McCullen),  Alpha Background (Arwen McCullen), Owl with Wings (Jo Capper-Sandon) with the House Pocket Thinlits set (Eileen Hull/Sizzix).

You can probably tell that my card was inspired by movie "Up!". Skull Balloons (Arwen McCullen) were stamped multiple times with Tuxedo Black Memento ink (Imagine Crafts), colored with Copic markers, fussy-cut, and edged with a black marker. The plethora of Skull Balloons were set aside while I set to work with the house die-cut.

Owl with Wings was stamped twice with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, then trimmed so that the eyes would fit behind the house's windows. The Owl's eyes and the backgrounds were colored with Copic markers and set aside to watch over the Skull Balloons.

 Alpha Background was stamped with Brick Red Distress Oxide ink Ranger), then the letters that I needed for my sentiment were punched with my handy-dandy Small Rectangle Paper Shaper punch (EK Success).

I initially sponged pink and grey Archival inks onto the house die-cut, but the paper ended up pilling. Luckily Carbon Black and Titanium White Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints (DecoArt) rescued the house. The paint was heat set, reapplied, then heat set again. Actually, the pilling might have caused one of those "happy accidents" because the house gained a bit more age and texture. The windows, roof ruffles, chimney, and door were also painted with Media Fluid Acrylic (MFA) paints.

When the paint was dry, Neverending Wall, Small was stamped onto the house with Watering Can Archival ink (Ranger), then dried with a heat gun. The house was assembled, the  Alpha Background sentiment was adhered, and dimensional foam tape was added to the reverse.

I found some cloudy patterned blue cardstock in my stash, which was cut to serve as my card front. Black thread was adhered to the back of each Skull Balloon, then the Skull Balloons were adhered to the card front with dimensional foam adhesive squares. The house was adhered over the balloons' thread strings and a silver metallic pearl was added to the door to act as a door knob.

The card front was edged with my beloved Black Soot Distress ink (Ranger), then adhered to a blue card.

Thanks for visiting today!