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Archive for the ‘Books’ Category

Thank You Sandra and Shirley

A huge thank you to Sandra and Shirley for mailing to let me know that there was a problem with the commenting on my blog.

All sorted now (I hope) and again thanks to you both.

Whilst giving the ‘Craft Cranny’ a tidy up I came across this Shabby Chic styled book that I gave a class on with my Saturday girls last year but never blogged.

It has separate signatures, so when opened it lays flat.  You can make this style of book with as many papers and signatures as you want.

Here is a larger Shabby Chic styled Junk Journal which I made in a similar way.

 

The cotton running stitches on the sides show that there are four signatures in this book.

Front cover is made of material with ‘Heat n Bond’ fused to the back.  This makes it rigid, almost feels like cardstock.

Then the fun part begins, throw whatever you like at it.

Gesso was randomly painted all over, then came modelling paste through a stencil, next was pretty pieces of lace and netting which surrounded the image before lastly adding more Gesso.

 

Here comes the excessive quantity of photos lol.

First pic has such a beautiful image on the left which was done using the Image Transfer Technique.  Not the one where you leave to dry then wet and rub off with your fingers, oh no, tooooo messy.

The method used here is where you adhere it with glue, then smooth flat with a credit card before peeling off gently.  This leaves more of a shabby, distressed look but is not so time consuming as the other way.

Most of the the papers in this book were dyed by myself with coffee.

Try to make a day of it when dying papers because nothing is safe from the wet coffee mixture.

Before drying the papers in the oven place a doily on top of the wet paper then dry.  Below is how the papers look, cool eh!!!

When finished place everything in a plastic container ready for another day’s crafting.

 Again this first pic of a very austere but regal lady was done by image transfer.  Bird and numbers were stencilled onto coffee dyed paper.

Created lots of pockets for tags plus most pages have stamping on them.

Nearly all the tags going into the pockets are from G45 and you can just see hints of washi tape used for decoration.

 Shirl

Junk Journal

Sharing some of my Junk Journal with you today which Irene and I started whilst facetiming last week.

Stumbled across these Journals whilst mooching on Youtube.  Didn’t follow any particular video – just got some ideas.  So if you want to make your own just type in Junk Journal and have a mooch.  The book so far has three signature sections which were hand sewn into place and I am toying with putting in a fourth.  Just about anything goes with these books

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Already there are lots of pages and I want to add more elements so the fastening to shut the book had to be flexible to be able to do this.

Decided on an old necklace clasp which was lurking in the depths of my bit drawers which worked really well.

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Close up of the clasp shows how robust it is and also the showing of the inside pages.

Lots more pages to follow showing the vellum, tags, lace, parchment paper,  doilies and loads of other materials used.

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Shirl

Aged And Timeless

Managed to take another photo from my book, you can check out the post here if you missed it.

Shirl

Tarmac Technique

What a day I had yesterday full of fun, laughter and getting messy … definitely messy, with my crafty friend.  Before I go any further I bet you are wondering why I keep referring to her as ‘My Crafty Friend’, simple really, she would rather not have her name mentioned on the web.

Well the messy part was using Bitumen Paint … TAR … to you and me.  Ali mentioned this technique on C & C and she showed something which she had made, it looked rather cool.  She kindly gave details of where she had seen the technique used.  Off I trots to find out more details which you can find HERE.

Karen says dilute the Bitumen paint to about 50/50 with white spirit but my suggestion is to start with about 80% paint to 20% white spirit and see how you get on.

There has to be a before and after so the before is this rather pretty but very bright book box that I had in my stash (bought from Dunnes Stores for €5).  Below is the altered box … love it better now.

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You really should have seen this when it was covered with tar you would have thought I had lost my marbles.

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Now isn’t that just the coolest technique.

Shirl

Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

In it to win it.

Only just seen that Graphic 45 have a DT call and I think you all know by now that they are my fave papers of all time. Only problem is that I have to wait forever to get my mitts on any of the new designs they release. It’s a slim chance because I know there are going to be hundreds of entrants but as the title says … “In It To Win It”. Here goes:

First criteria is to create a blog post with a minimum of 6 projects. These do not have to include G45 products but they would prefer.

The first two projects are unseen before so lots of photos to show but the next 3 projects are older posts so I have just left links for these.

Loved this wallet so much that I decided to make another but this time with all Graphic 45 papers and stamps. The papers are from the Typography collection and A Ladies Diary. Also used the stamps from A Ladies Diary and the Secret Garden.

This pic shows what the inside looks like when the wallet is fully open. Covered the front of a flip over paper pad then covered the pen to match. Made a little tag pocket into which I inserted a stitched vellum envelope and again added a tag and another G45 pic.

The front opening has a magnetic disc behind the papers so it just snaps shut. Love all the stamps and fussy cut embellies – they enhance the project perfectly.

2 Note Book4 Note Book5 Note Book

It was so hard to choose a topper to cover the front of the pad but this is such an apt quote that I had to go with it. I masked off the Secret Garden stamp because I only wanted the word secret and the little bird on the pad.

7 Note Book6 Note Book8 Note Book9 Note Book

Onto my next make which is my file folder box. This was finished in January but only just getting around to posting. Made it to house all the cards I make in advance for my family this year. As you can see the Graphic 45 papers are out in force again and this time its the A Place In Time Collection. Made the box from scratch with a friend of mine and what a time we had banging our heads together with the measurements. Total chaos at times but the end result was worth it.

Used the grey board for the box which was covered with embossed cardstock then given a coat of dark blue chalk paint before gilding wax was added. Reinforced the back edges and the feet are cotton reels. The side bags are for any notes I might want to add about anyone’s card.

Box 1Box 2Box 4

The box lid has pics of the family which I printed onto tissue paper then added with mod podge. Placed the image of the boys together in the clock then ripped through the numbers.

Designed the box such that the front just drops down so all the folders, with the cards in, are easily accessible.

Box 5Box 6Box 7Box 8

Here are the links for the other four makes which are not totally Graphic 45 but there are papers or stamps used in probably all of them.

Graphic 45 Nuts & Bolts Album

Tag Holder

Trinket Box

Write Your Story

Keeping all my fingers crossed.

Shirl

Lauren’s Forgotten Book

Started hunting for some material which I desperately needed when I came across this little book which was started over a year ago with my granddaughter Lauren. Material forgotten about at this stage.

Lauren wanted to learn how to sew and this is what she wanted to make. We both started off with some hessian cloth or burlap as it’s also known for the outside. Used a striped material for the inner and stitched to the hessian. Lauren lost interest at this stage so I put it away ready to finish later.

Nearly finished the inside I still want to put in a few pages for additional photos to be added but have to leave it again until I have finished the project which I needed the material for in the first place.

Entering the Forgotten Things challenge at Our Creative Corner

Shirl