Thursday, May 2, 2019

A Vintage Journey May Challenge - Book It!

It's May - and a beautiful spring here in New England!  It's also time for this month's  A Vintage Journey Challenge!  Deb is our lovely hostess and she would like us create something with a book theme!

Here is her challenge description: There is nothing better than curling up with a good book to take us away to another place! This month we'd like you think about books - perhaps you will make a book, or a journal, create a journal page showing a scene from one of your favourite books (do please tell us what book!) or a card showing someone reading or made using text stamps, stencils or word stickers. Just remember to create in one of our preferred styles of vintage, shabby, mixed media, art journaling, industrial, timeworn or steampunk.
Here is my creation!
My 6 year old grand niece, Mila, has entered that wonderful world of being able to read and has lots of books now.  I thought it would be nice to have a little notebook to record the titles and authors of the books she reads (she'll get to practice her printing as well!).
I have several photos to share on just how I put this little book together for Mila.
I started with Eileen Hull's brand new Sizzix Notebook die which when folded measures 5" x 3 3/4" with a 3/4" binding.  I cut it out of Little Sizzles Matboard.
I covered the outside of the front and back cover with a beautiful 4 1/2" wide Washi tape called Painted Fantasy from Altenew. (LOVE the wide washi tapes!)
I find that washi tape can lift off over time if it's just placed on top so I cut it long enough to wrap around the 3 sides.  
Shortly I will be adhering a piece of card on the inside of the covers over the edges of the washi.
I have a wonderful little set of stamps called Story of Me by Clear Art Stamps that I purchased more than 10 years ago.  It is no longer available as a clear stamp set -  but I did find it at Crafty Secrets as a digi set here.
I needed a base/frame for my main image.  I tried an oval, a rectangle and finally decided to use the Mini Cabinet Die which is an old Movers and Shapers die from Sizzix.   I die cut it out of watercolor paper and stamped the little reader on it with Hero Hues Black.   Then I stamped the image again in  Versamark and clear embossed it so I could watercolor it.
I used an Elegant Writer pen (which I believe is used for calligraphy mostly) and a waterbrush to color the image.  
There are lots of YouTube videos on coloring with the Elegant Writer (here's one by Lydia Fielder)
I drew lines along the stamped lines, with the Elegant Writer (mostly along the bottom edges) and then brushed over the lines towards the centers with my water brush pen.  The Elegant Writer, which is black, breaks up into subtle blues and purples with the water. 
After I colored my image I watercolored over the rest of the panel with Ranger DistressAged Mahogany and my water brush pen, brushing from the outside edges into the center so it was darker on the edges.
I wanted to tone down the lightness of the panel a bit, so I sponged the edges with Distress Tea Dye Ink.
While I had the ink out, I also sponged over the edges of the cover and the binding.
I stamped 'Mila's Books' on the cover of the image using Karen Foster Snap Alphabet stamps.  I used a grey Copic to make a shadow around all the outside edges of the image.  Then I inked over the whole panel with Versamark and embossed it using Vintage Beeswax Baked Texture powder.
I cut pages for the notebook using Eileen's Sizzix Passport die but you can just cut papers to fit. (6 1/2" x 4 3/4" folded in half work well.)
The Notebook die does not have holes in the binding so you can just bind the signatures into the book by wrapping the elastic around the binding and through the middle of the signatures,  but you can also punch holes in the binding - which I did since the pages have holes in them.
I made two signatures -  using 4 pages folded in half for each one.
I used a lined cardstock for the pages but they were only lined on one side - so half of the pages are plain.  Mila could still write the names of books on the plain ones - or she could draw pictures if she wanted to.  
Here you can also see how I adhered a panel of the lined cardstock on the inside of both covers as well.
The stamp set includes a fun stamp: "this book was created for ______ by ____" so I stamped that on a panel of watercolor paper, embossed it with the Vintage Beeswax and adhered it to the back cover.
The Story Time and sentiment at the bottom of the image are also in this delightful stamp set.  I embossed both once again with the Vintage Beeswax and adhered them onto the image panel.  I used both ScorTape and Tombow Glue adhering these pieces that were layered onto washi tape and the beeswax as I wasn't sure how well either of the adhesives would hold on those products!
I used a gold elastic cord for the binding as well as the loop closure - something I had from a craft store that was sold at Christmas time.  I thought the gold looked nicer than the white or black elastic cord that I also had on hand.
I added a pretty little metal heart from Idea-ology Adornments/Treasures to the knot on the closure loop.
Here it shows how I knotted the closure piece aroung the two binding pieces before bringing the ends around the book and knotting them with the heart on the other end.
I think Mila will like her little book and keeping a record of all the books she has read!


So please join us this month by linking up your project with a book theme as described in the Challenge description over at A Vintage Journey!   You're sure to find lots of inspiration there from all of the Creative Guides participating this month !

I'm also linking my book to:
Mini Album Makers

Die Cut Divas
Flowers

Retro Rubber Challenge
my stamp set is at least 10 years old


 

Stamps:  Story of Me - Clear Art Stamps retired, Digi available see link in text above, Karen Foster Snap Alphabet Stamps (no longer available.)
Paper: Water color paper - Canson, White Little Sizzles Matboard - Sizzix, Lined cardstock - Amuse.
Ink:  Ranger Distress Aged Mahogany, Tea Dye, Versamark, Hero Hues Black.
Accessories:Notebook die, Passbook Die - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Mini Cabinet Movers and Shapers Die - Alterations/Sizzix, Painted Fantasy Wide Washi Tape - Altenew, Elegant Writer Pen - Speedball,  Waterbrush Pen - Kuretake, Clear Embossing Powder, Vintage Beeswax Baked Texture Embossing Powder - Emerald Creek, heart - Adornments/Treasures Idea-ology, Crop a Dile, gold elastic cord - Michaels, 3/4" circle punch - EK Success, Warm Gray Copic W2, ScorTape, Tombow Glue.

22 comments:

Christine Alexander said...

OMG Julia, so adorable. I HAVE to have this die. wonderful inspiration :)

Lucille K said...

What a wonderful book for your niece. So pretty, she'll love it. Thank you for joining us at Die Cut Divas :)

Astrid Maclean said...

Just fantastic Julia and such a great idea!! Your little niece is going to love it! I have a granddaughter who is also 6 and has just learnt to read fluently, you have inspired me to make something similar for her! I just adore the way yours looks! Another die to add to the wish list...

Redanne said...

I can just imagine how excited Mila will be to receive this gorgeous and functional little notebook, especially since it has her name (and yours!) on it. The image is just perfect and it is such a good idea for her to keep a record of the books she reads. LOVE this Julia! Hugs, Anne xx

Redanne said...

P.S. Thanks so much for joining in with us this month at Mini Album Makers! xxx

Kim Heggins said...

What a sweet, sweet project. Just love your adorable little book! You are so talented.

S@ndy Diller said...

What a lovely way to share your love of reading. I'm sure she will just love listing everything she has read here. Love it. Hugs, Sandy

Deb said...

Julia, that is so adorable and what a wonderful idea to make a little notebook for Mila to record the books that she has read! Love that wide washi tape (now I must go find some!) and you have coloured that wonderful stamped image so beautifully and the Vintage Beeswax embossing powder was the perfect finishing touch! Thanks so much for sharing it, Deb xo

Jan Clothier said...

What a magnificent gift! I loved reading the story of how you made the book and as a great reader myself, think it is a gift to be treasured. It is beautiful! How fabulous that you got to use some of your older stash of stamps to create it. The way you've antiqued the central stamped image is great. I've not come across Vintage Beewax embossing powder before but will now look out for it. Thank you for joining in with us at Retro Rubber Challenge.

Bonnie said...

What a wonderful idea for Mila to keep a record of her reading! This is a fascinating project! Thanks so much for sharing all the details! What a treasure!

Annie said...

This is so beautiful Julia x Mila will treasure it x Wonderful details and great step by step xx
Sending huge hugs Annie x

Words and Pictures said...

This is simply delightful, Julia - what an adorable image on the front cover, so delicately tinted, and I love the rosy paper too. Such a lovely idea too - I wish somebody had started me on keeping records of the books I own when I was as young as Mila... I'm afraid it's too late to start now. It would take so long to list the ones I already have that I wouldn't have time to buy and read any more!
Alison x

A Pink said...

Sucha charming little notebook for your Grandniece to record her reading books in , Julia . Such a great idea and I bet she will love this to bits and treasure it for a long time to come . Such a thoughtful piece of creativity executed so wonderfully .
hugs x

Papercraft Boutique said...

What a wonderful notebook for your little niece, Julia! I love how you used the wide washi tape and it's so sweet that you personalized the notebook with her name on it. The coloring of the stamped image is so beautiful and the Vintage Beeswax embossed pieces look wonderful. This sure will encourage her reading!
Hideko xx

Neva Cole said...

What a wonderful job on an amazing gift for your niece. I have a friend who has a list of EVERY book she has read since about Middle School. She is now a librarian (go figure!), but her list is very special to her. Thanks for playing along with us at Retro Rubber for our AG challenge!

Arlene said...

What a wonderful little book for your grand niece. I'm sure she will cherish this. So glad you joined us at Die Cut Divas for our May challenge of Flowers at https://die-cut-divas.blogspot.com/2019/05/flowers-all-year-round-in-may.html

Carol said...

Brilliant idea and beautifully made xx Never knew about wide washi tape - THANK YOU xx Have a lovely evening xx

Let's Art Journal said...

What an amazing gift! I loved seeing how you created it, the papers and stamped image are adorable 😀. I'm sure your neice will love it too! Wishing you a happy weekend! J 😊 x

HMax said...

Beautifully done! I love the idea of encouraging young readers too. Such a sweet layout and that lovely cover detail of the stamped image makes this a perfect gift. I bet she will really enjoy filling it up with her favorite books. Thanks for sharing it with us at mini Album Makers!

~ Heather

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

This is a fabulous way to document Authors and Titles of books, my children all had a reading diary where at first we added those names and titles and as they grew they learnt to add them themselves. A real keepsake which can be reflected upon in later life. Thanks so much for sharing with us over at Mini Album Makers and joining in with our May Challenge. Creative wishes Tracey.

Nancy Wethington said...

What a wonderful idea! The image on the front is adorable. And you'll be able to save lots of wonderful memories of all her books. Thanks for joining the challenge at Mini Album Makers.

sarascloset said...

Julia, well I am a little behind, can you tell??! I had to come by and tell you just how sweet this little journal is for your Mila! I think it's a great idea to record her favorite books in here. And how beautiful the cover is! I have not heard of those large washi tapes, but how lovely is the one you've chosen. And that embossed panel at the center of it is the icing on the cake. A wonderful piece of book art! Hugs! Sara Emily