Inspiration Everywhere Progress

I made some time this week to set a few other projects aside and work on Jessica Sprague's class Inspiration Everywhere.  I'm going hybrid with this--what can I say, I like dimension.  Here's my progress so far:

 The Cover:

I wanted the binding on the short edge of the page, so my silly brain flipped the design to landscape mode.  I know I could have just kept it as is and bound it at the top (sometimes I'm really good at overthinking things).  But now that I see it, I really like the horizontal format.

Close-Up:

 I put next year's date on this--figured this year is all but gone, and it'll be nice to have a fresh new journal to start the new year off with.  Stitched the label with floss, and of course added some butterflies and bling.

Dedication:

This is the inside front cover.  Jessica designed that coral piece as a pocket to hold the dedication of the journal--she's so stinkin' clever!  Another blinged butterfly, but still need to write my dedication.  I'm thinking there will be a few small cards sticking out of there for: my husband, my children, myself.

I cut a translucent piece of acrylic to protect the cover, covered a piece of bookboard for the back cover.  Sandwiched between the covers is a large stack of cardstock for the pages.  I decided to do all cardstock on this one so I can do lots of collage and painting and create a big old mess--so excited!

spring in my step: a blog hop {with giveaways!}

Thank you Pinterest for making this one of my most viewed posts!  If you like crafty tutorials, be sure to check out my other fun projects linked above.

I am so thrilled to be a part of  Scrapbook Heaven's first ever blog hop (and it happens to be my first blog hop, too)!  Thanks so much for joining us!

If you're popping by here and didn't know the fun that's going on, please go back to Scrapbook Heaven to get all the deets for the Hop. Our members have some wonderful inspiration to share with you..... and also, some great prizes.

The theme for the Hop is "Spring in my Step". We'll be sharing a variety of Spring-y projects with you.

So here's mine: 
A *green* journal.

There's lots of recycling packed into this little book. Let's get started, shall we?

Rescue a pair of poor, ripped, never-to-be-worn-again jeans from the trash

and cut yourself a leg and a pocket.

Prepare your materials:

2 pieces of denim and chip board (I used the backing of last year's blotter calendar) cut to the same size

Patterned paper scraps cut 1/2-3/4" larger than the chipboard

A flower embellishment (mine is made from used dryer sheets--more on that later)

Cover one side of the chipboard with patterned paper. 

Make mitered corners by snipping the corners off the paper to a spot equal to the thickness of the chipboard.  Glue and fold over edges.

This is about the spot in the tutorial that I got a bit excited about the project and completely stopped taking pictures.  Sorry about that, but I know you'll get it without  the visuals, so here we go.

I kept the hem of the jeans in tact on one side, and sewed the other three sides on both pieces.  I didn't bother turning the fabric under, but just sewed close to the edge to keep fraying under control.  If those little stray pieces bother you, then be sure to add a seam allowance when you cut your denim. 

Now stitch the pocket to the denim on three sides twice around.  And add your little flower embellie. Oh, here's how you make the one I used.  Cut a used dryer sheet into four different sized circles (they don't need to be perfect), or use the Sizzix Circles die.  Add color to the circles by misting them with ink.  Layer the circles from largest to smallest and stitch a button to the center.

Glue the pocket-embellished-denim to the front cover, and the plain denim to the back.  Cut bunches of scrap paper to size to use as your journal pages.  I used leftover paper from a nearly used up spiral notebook, some solid cardstock scraps, and some copy paper.  I also like to add some little page protectors to my journals to add bits of this and that.  Bind it all together with a binding machine, or use the Crop-a-Dile to punch holes and secure with rings or tied ribbon.  Add a bit of ribbon to the binding, and some pens in the pocket.

And there you have it, a recycled journal complete with on-board pen holder.

Thanks so much for hanging in there through all those directions.  Our blog hop runs from today, April 17th until April 20th. Invite your friends to play along! We'll be drawing for prizes on Wednesday, the 21st.  Leave a comment here before the 21st for a chance to win an assortment of handmade flower embellies. 

{Note: these images are the result of my own work, and are copyrighted by me under content of my blog.  If you would like to share this project on your site, please use only one photo and include a link back to this page.  Thank you!}

Sketch Book

I hit Target today to see what kind of post-Valentine deals I could snag (I have a thing for hitting the 50% off sales that always follow holidays). I was hoping they would still have some of the vinyl placemats (that I had already picked up for full-price) on sale so I would not feel so guilty when I hacked them to bits. Lucky me found them barely out of sight on a top shelf. Brought them home and set the boys up with something to do and set to work creating this:

I thought I would be able to cut through the vinyl with my rotary cutter and quilting mat--not so much. So I had to resort to marking a line with a pen and cutting by hand--yikes! I cleaned up the edges a bit with my Purple Cow trimmer (oh how I love that trimmer). I alternated the inside pages between a heavy-weight watercolor paper (so I can use inks, pens, and paints) and graph paper which I love for drafting sketches so you can draw to scale. A quick punch with the Bind-it-All, and poof, a handmade journal that's durable enough to be tossed into a bag and carted everywhere inspiration may strike. Oh yeah, the front and back covers are made with the placemat, in case that wasn't clear.

Craft Fair Projects: Journals

Coaster Mini Journals:



Stamp set: SU! "Always"



Stamp Sets: SU! "Stamp of Authenticity" and "Genuine Articles"

Altered Composition Notebooks:







Locking Journals:


Stamp Set: SU! "Natural Beauty"


Stamp Set: SU! "Going Somewhere"


Stamp Set: SU! Unfrogettable