Compose Your Life Journal Cover - Part Two

So now the outer cover of the journal is finished, it's time to move onto the inside. First of all I chose some green elastic that was a close colour match to the cover. I use a 3mm diameter elastic, but there are lots of other things you can use, like twine or ribbon.

I undid the top of the Golden Lime Glimmer Mist and flicked the gorgeous mist on to the cover, working quickly I used a dry flat paintbrush to drag the colour out, I love the pattern this creates.

This is one of the new shades of Glimmer Mist, it's so pretty and a perfect match for this paper collection.

Then onto choosing the papers for the signatures. I chose three of the patterned card stock from the 8" paper pack, and then a selection of co-ordination papers, along with one more sheet of patterned paper from the pack.

Working with one signature at a time, I folded all of the papers, along with the patterned card, which was placed to become the outer cover. I trimmed everything down to a size of 8" wide by 7 3/4" high. And made sure all the pages were level.

Next I opened up the signature, and I like to use a couple of household pegs to keep the pages in place, whilst I poke the holes through and sew the papers together. It makes things so much easier if the pages aren't moving around. I use a waxed linen thread as it;s nice and strong, and once it's tied it won't come undone.

These are just going to be little note books, so I haven't decorated the inside of them, as I'll probably use them for making list's of jobs that need doing. I love making lists, and crossing off the jobs as they are done, it's so satisfying.

So my three beautiful signatures just slip into the journal, with the elastic holding them in place. For a little decoration on the inner cover, and of course it's practical to have a place to slip in some gorgeous paper clip page markers, all made from the flowers that were cut out from the 12x12" sheet. I used one of Eileen Hull's very clever dies, the Credit Card Die, it creates a journaling card, and also comes with a another little die that sits inside, to cut out the scalloped slits to pop your extras in.

I added a sentiment cut from one of the sheets in the paper collection, and now my journal is ready to be used.

Happy Crafting.
Elizabeth x

Compose Your Life Journal Cover - Part One

The Autumn weather here in the UK has changed into Winter over the last few days, the winds are bitter. So it's a perfect time to catch up with some crafting, and feed my addiction of creating journals.

I die cut Eileen Hulls Journal from mount board and adhered the two pieces together, ready to work on. I adore these papers from Aga Baraniak, they are so beautiful, and could be used for any time of the year. I chose four of the Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists to co-ordinate with them. Golden Lime, Sterling, Driftwood and Festival.

I sat in front of the fire, with hot tea and set about cutting all the gorgeous flowers and leaves from the Red Flower Pieces 12" paper. It didn't take long at all, and I now have all the embellishments ready to use with my journal.

To add texture onto the cover of the journal, I glued some strips of muslin, pulling at the loose threads to create even more texture.

I painted the entire cover with Golden Lime Glimmer Mist and before it was dry, splattered Sterling Glimmer Mist into it. It started to blend into the green, and with a little help from a clean paintbrush, I worked some of the larger splatters in a little more, then cleaned my brush along the muslin, as I wanted to create some shadows behind where the flowers would sit.

I love doing this technique, and then knocking the colour back using white gesso. This gives a beautiful soft, shabby feel to the project.

I decided the cover needed even more threads adding for texture, and to create a nest for the flowers to sit on. As you can see my roll of thread started life as white, but is now many shades of blues, greens and a hint of gold :)

I swirled the threads round, making sure that sections would still be seen after the flowers and leaves were added.

All that was left then, was to arrange the flowers and leaves, following the lines of the calico for a guide.

I finished the cover by adding a sentiment cut out from the Compose Your Life 8x8 paper pad, cut out and inked around the edge with a little Black Soot Distress Ink. And to finish the cover just a few black sequins, you know I just can't resist them.

So there you have the completed cover, I love how rustic but pretty it turned out. I'm off to work on the inside now, and add some more of Aga's beautiful papers to my pages.

Happy Crafting.
Elizabeth x

Canvas Corp Brands Harvest Boo-Nanza

I love sharing fall recipes with my friends, but I'm always loosing the papers the recipes are written on, so this year I've created a fall recipe book to add them all into, and keep them safe in one place.

I used 8" square chipboard to create the base for the covers and have decorated them using the 7gypsies Architextures papers, along with leaves from the Tattered Angels Mixed Media Origins Harvest Moon 12" sheet. I cut the leaves out, and gave them a spritzing with the gorgeous Marmalade and brand new Golden Lime Glimmer Mists, the are so gorgeous in real life, shame the camera can't pick that up.

And what better way to share a cookie recipe, than to give a little sampler in one of the Canvas Corp Brown Paper Bags along with a recipe card. Such a quick and easy way to create a cute gift.

You can check out more amazing Fall Inspired idea's over at Cathy's Blog It's Oddly Appealing HERE

Happy Fall.
Elizabeth x