A Gift From The Heart

It is time for a new challenge at Frilly and Funkie and I am the hostess this time so I decided it was time to make some Christmas gifts.  The challenge is called A GIFT FROM THE HEART and we want to see vintage or shabby chic projects that can be given as a gift.

I decided to make a very shabby fabric journal for a friend.  Here is a photo of the back:

And here is the inside:

This is a new sew journal and I made it by first cutting two layers of a heavy white damask fabric from my sewing stash (leftovers from making Christmas stockings a few years ago) and sandwiched a layer of felt batting in between using paper backed iron-on fusible webbing on each side with one side slightly larger than the felt so that the fabric stuck together around the felt.  This is important since the layers are not sewn together and the edges of the fabric can fray.  As you can see I did not cover the edges of the fabric inside and if they do fray a bit, it will just add to the shabby feel. 

The next step was to make the pages from white 24 lb. bond paper.  Each page was scored on the left side and holes were punched.  The pages were then sewn into the journal with embroidery floss going through the back, the pages and the front from the top to the bottom and back up again.  The embroidery floss was then tied off on the outside but since the whole journal was going to be covered, this does not show and to ensure that I put a piece of lace down the spine.

Next I created the heart, which is just some scrap paper from a Maja Designs pack called Coffee in the Arbor that I scrunched up and steamed over and over to make it soft and pliable.  I did not want to wet it because it could shred.  Once it was soft enough I hand cut a heart, inked it with some Milled Lavender Distress Ink and backed it with a felt heart cut slightly smaller.  I cut a motif from some Venise lace and added it to the heart along with a flat backed pearl.

The next step was to add a strip of seam binding across the middle of the back which extended beyond the edge to become part of the tying mechanism and then cover the journal with lengths of lace, crochet ribbon and appliques - some came from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and some from my sewing stash.  The idea was to add different types, sizes and patterns  Then I added some flowers and buttons along with a couple loops of pearl strand.  The  rolled flower was made from a torn strip of fabric, one of the flowers was made from crinoline and cut using the Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die.  The rest of the flowers were from my stash but I used a Copic marker to add some colour to the ones that didn't have any.  The "flower" on the top right of the front is actually a piece cut from some lace.  The heart on the back is a Venise Lace applique from The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

Next I made a crinkly, loopy bow with long tails from seam binding and attached it to the front to match up with the piece on the back so the journal can be tied shut.  Finally I stamped text on a piece of twill tape and added it to the front and then I added some fun things to hang down the spine - some of the pearl strand, a piece of lace, a length of chunky wool and some fiber I found in my stash (I don't know what it is called but it is quite cool with spiky strands hanging from it).

I am going to enter this project in the following challenges:

All Crafts Challenge - Anything Goes But No Cards
Craft-Dee Bowz - Anything Goes with a Handmade Bow
Corrosive Challenges - Girly
Tando Creative Challenges - Make Something With A Use
Allsorts Challenge - Anything But A Card

The following items used in the creation of this journal came from The Funkie Junkie Boutique: