Hey, Peeps! It's been a while.
I've discovered since my Dr. has helped me with my chronic pain, I've been on the GO! I've loved it, but I've also discovered that I'm on my computer less and less. I think that's a good thing!
Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I'm participating in a December Daily challenge, making a book to journal during December. Sue Hiles is heading it up, and she's a hoot. Her YouTube channel can be found here, and the challenge is open to anyone that wants to join. You can join the Facebook group here. Sue is a great leader, and the challenge is reasonable and fun. It has already caused me to spend more time creating in my craft room, so that's a good thing!
I thought I'd share the beginnings of my journal with you. I started with an old book that I slaughtered. I took the covers off, covered them with gesso, and then decorated the front (the back will be done later).
Here's the gesso covered cover. Wooooo.
I stamped a dried tea bag with one of my hand-carved stamps, some of which are available in my Etsy shop here.
I decoupaged a hymnal carol, an old post card, and the stamped tea bag. Then, I spattered it with metallic silver alcohol ink and added some rubons.
Add a stamp of bubble wrap covered with gesso...
...and using my hand-carved snowflake stamp (stay tuned for a blog post about how to turn your stencils into stamps)...
I embossed some snowflakes. I didn't want that much "chatter" (the lines that you see on a hand-carved stamp), so I rubbed some of the powder away before I heat embossed it.
Before the cover got too "junked up", I punched two holes to put my binder rings through. I just eyeballed it.
Then I layered lots of "stuff". I had some fabric remnants, so I ran them through my Big Shot using a steel rule poinsettia dye.
A close-up of the "stuff".
Embossed snowflake and some burlap.
Of course, I need the date.
Doodles.
And, today, Sue issued a "flash challenge". We had 24 hours to make a tag. I decided to make a tag from a Coldwater Creek (may it rest in peace) tag from an article of clothing. I covered it with gesso.
I decided to emboss "to the world" from my Joy to the World Tag Stencil.
I masked off the area I didn't want to include with paper tape.
I inked the area up using the embossing resist reinker and then I embossed it with aged ochre embossing enamel.
A little stamping, some embellies, and a bow later, it's a cute little tag that I will use later in the book. The words turned out a little gloppy (because I was a little "generous" with the embossing reinker), but I liked the look.
Stay tuned for the next December Daily challenge.
Thanks again for checking this out!
Fondly, Tami
