Bride's Folio

I am presenting the Saturday Showcase this week at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and have created a Bride's Folio with gorgeous papers from the Le Romantique collection from Graphic 45.

To get all the details on how I put this simple folio together, pop on over to the blog.

You Are My Sunshine

The new challenge begins today at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog.  Jenny, our hostess for this one calls it Little Things and describes it this way:

Sometimes it can be the littlest of things that can mean the most. For this challenge create a small vintage or shabby chic project (or if you're feeling adventurous even a set!) It could be an Artist Trading Card/Coin, a tag or a little card for example, or you may have something else in mind - we can't wait to see them.

I decided to make a micro photo album for this one with a box to hold it. The Sicilia paper from Ciao Bella is very cheerful so I used that to create this little accordion style album. It is 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" and will hold lots of wallet sized photos so it would make a great place to store all the school photos of your child or grandchild.

The construction is simple and here is how to do it:

• Cut pages from heavy card stock to measure 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" - I cut a total of nine
• Cut gussets from heavy card stock to measure 3" x 1 1/4" and score them on the long side at 1/2" and 3/4" leaving a 1/2" flap on each side - I cut a toal of eight
• Adhere the gussets to the pages on the 1/2" flaps alternating the pages between the top and bottom of the gussets to create an accordion

Decorate each page, inking with Faded Jeans Distress Ink (Tim Holtz) as follows:

• Cover both sides of each page with patterned paper
• Add a variety of pockets, tuck spots and belly bands to each page except the cover
• Add a variety of elements to act as journaling spots and photo mats, cutting some from the paper collection

Decorate the Cover as follows:

• Cut a border from Crochet die (Tim Holtz) and ink with Faded Jeans
• Punch flowers from the patterned paper and ink with Wild Honey Distress Ink (Tim Holtz)
• Layer petals and add buttons for centres
• Cut leaves out of card stock using the Garden Greens die (Tim Holtz)
• Create a computer-generated sentiment
• Add all the embellishments to the cover and finish with some adhesive pearls

Make the box as follows:

• Cut box and lid from heavy black card stock using box maker
• Add patterned paper to top and sides of lid
• Create embellishments for the lid in same manner as the cover using elements from the paper collection for the sentiment and the flower centres

As this has so many pages, I haven't taken individual photos of each page but here are a few close-ups to give you some idea of what is on the pages.

This little album is simply decorated on purpose as I wanted to keep it as thin as possible with room for the photos.

I hope you will join us and create something little.for the challenge.  One randomly chosen entry will receive a gift certificate to shop at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.  The Design Team will choose their Top Picks and the overall winner will receive an opportunity to be a Guest Designer at a future date.  Three picks will receive badges to display on their blogs.

Supplies list with links to The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Ciao Bella - Sicilia A4 Paper Pad CBCL033
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Faded Jeans TIM21452
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Wild Honey TIM27201
Sizzix Chapter 2 Tim Holtz Thinlits Crochet 664178
Yellow Dotted Resin Buttons - 18mm
Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool - With 4 Blending Foams IBT40965
Scor Tape
Tim Holtz Garden Greens Thinlets Die

Falling Leaves Spool Journal

It is time for the new challenge at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog and this time I am the hostess.  The challenge is called Aquamarine and here is how I describe it:

"Aquamarine, the birthstone of March, has a rich color and has long been a symbol of youth, health and hope. Its mesmerizing color ranges from pale to deep blue and are reminiscent of the sea." The challenge is to create a shabby chic or vintage project using the colour aquamarine in any of its shades along with one other colour (it could be white or brown or whatever you wish). The definition has lots of other prompts you could also use in your creation but the colour requirement is the main focus.

I wanted to make something a little different and came up with this little spool journal.  I convinced my husband to make the spool for me but if you have a vintage spool that would be so special.  The spool is just under 4" tall with a 3" space for the journal.

To prepare the spool, I covered it with a coat of White Gesso (Dina Wakley) and then a coat of Crackled Texture Paste (Wendy Vecchi).  Once it was dry, I took a soft makeup sponge and covered it with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink since I had chosen brown as my other colour.

The next step was to create the journal.  I tore strips of white card stock that were 2 7/8" wide x 11" long and inked them on both sides with Tumbled Glass and Broken China Distress Ink (Tim Holtz).  Then I joined them together on the short sides to make a long strip.

Lots of stenciling using a variety of stencils with Mermaid Lagoon and Peacock Feathers Distress Inks came next.

The Nature's Wonder stamp set (Tim Holtz) and Gathered Twigs DI were used to add the falling leaves and sentiments.  The ink was also used to make the circle markings with a spray bottle lid and to add the faux stitching from a stamp set called Seamless Experience (Tim Holtz).

Originally my vision was that the journaling would be done over the stenciling but then I thought it might be nice to add some blank "pages" as well so I tore some small pieces of card stock, inked them with Tumbled Glass DI, added faux stitching and adhered them over the seams.

A hole was punched in one end of the journal strip and some jute was threaded it through it to make a closure.  The journal was then glued to the centre post making sure that it covered the post and then when it was dry the jute was wound around and tied.

To make the spool topper I started by cutting some little leaves from Shattered Kraft Stock (Tim Holtz) using the Fall Foliage die (Tim Holtz).  Two of the leaves were attached to fishing line so they look like they are falling.  More leaves, some paper flowers and a wire twist were also added to the top.

I hope you will join us for the challenge. It runs until 11:55 pm EST on Tuesday, March 17th. One randomly chosen entry will receive a gift certificate to go shopping at The Funkie Junkie Boutique and with all the new products coming in, that would be a nice thing to have. The Design Team will choose their top four picks and the overall winner will receive an opportunity to be a Guest Designer with us at a future date.

Supplies List with links to The Funkie Junkie Boutique:

Dina Wakley Media Mediums - White Gesso MDM41689
Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Texture Paste - Crackled WVPASTECRA
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Gathered Twigs TIM32823
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Tumbled Glass TIM27188
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Broken China
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Peacock Feathers TIM34933
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Mermaid Lagoon TIM43256
Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 14PK - Fall Foliage by Tim Holtz 660955
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Rubber Stamps - Nature's Wonder
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering Stencils - Bubble THS002
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering Stencils - Harlequin THS016
Scor Tape
Dylusions Staggered Brickworks Stencil
Wendy Vecchi Dots and Stripes Borders Stencil
Dollarama Zig Zag Stencil
Teresa Collins Geometric Stencil
Tim Holtz Shattered Kraft Core Paper Pad
Tim Holtz Seamless Experience Stamp Set
Artistic Wire
Fishing Line
Jute Twine
Recollections Paper Flowers
Dollarama Half Pearls
Bic Markers