Tuesday, November 4, 2008

What we Love about Winter book



This gift idea is a "What We Love about Winter" notebook with tabs for favourite winter... Traditions, Activities, Recipes & Memories. It can be used for scrapbooking and/or journalling by Families, couples, or anyone :O) to commemorate the season.

Supplies:

These all come in the Paper Garden Projects Winter Wonderland Kit (it's sold out, but Cathy will be getting more of the Eat Cake Graphics stamps) :O) and there are two really cute kits here too.

Stamps:
Sarah Pulls Nicky and Otto

Paper:
Cardstock: Wedding White cardstock for the image, Bazzill Icy Blue Cardstock & Bazzill Bling Sugar Daddy.
Patterned papers:
Bo Bunny Jack Frost Glitz paper (a large square piece of stripe & a strip of dot (sizes will depend on your notebook. Please see sizes in the instructions)

Embellishments (in the kit):
Puffy pen (for snow)
Holographic glitter
Large snowflakes
4 bronze brads
Two kinds of May Arts ribbon: White Swiss Dot & Brown Grosgrain

From your stash or from Paper Garden Projects:

Tombow Monomulti Adhesive
Oh so Sticky tape
Black Versafine or other waterproof ink
Copic markers or other colouring medium
White thread, paper piercer, & needle
Silver seed beads
Clay E44 Copic or similar shade to tint the metal bronze

Tools:

Scor-Pal
Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder
Nestabilities to create scallop frame

A notebook to embellish



Notebook Construction:




Step 1) Remove the notebook covers



Step 2) Trace the cover onto the back of theBo Bunny Jack Frost Glitz paper



Step 3) Cut holes with a craft knife (or use a hole punch)



Step 4) Adhere the paper with Tombow Monomulti Adhesive or another adhesive


Measurements for the cardstock & patterned paper:

Sizes will depend on your particular notebook; this one is from Stampin' Up! and it required:
  • a stripe piece that was 5 2/8" square
  • a dot piece that was 1 5/8" by 5 2/8"
  • an Icy Blue strip that was 1 7/8" by 5 2/8"
  • a Bling Sugar Daddy piece that was 2 1/8" by 5 2/8"
The image was mounted on a piece of Icy Blue strip 4" square with a torn strip of Wedding White cardstock to embellish. It was framed with a piece of Bazzill Bling Sugar Daddy 4 1/2" square (with a scallop out of it.)

The Image:



Stamp & Colour your image:

Stamp in black Versafine (emboss with clear embossing powder if you like.)



A colouring tip: the Bazzill Icy Blue cardstock in the kit is a perfect match with B-00 Frost Blue Copic (a shade that works nicely for tinting snow & colouring skies.) If you use Frost Blue, or a similar colour in any medium then you don't have to cut too intricately, but you get a nice neat look (without glaring white edges.)


Paper piece the image:




Paper piece parts of the image by stamping on the patterned paper & cutting pieces out to add to your base image. You can omit teensy details like the ends of the hat & fringe on the scarf. (They'll show through from your base image.)

3 Steps to paper piecing:



Step 1) Stamp the image on the striped Bo Bunny paper. (The paper has a bit of gloss so you'll want to use Stazon or a suitable ink.)



Step 2) Cut the pieces out (omitting the teensy details of fringe): The following 4 bits were paper pieced on this project: The girl's hat & scarf & the trim on her coat. The boy's scarf. (Of course, you could use the dotted paper and you could paper piece the coats or whatever you like...)



Step 3) Glue the pieces onto your coloured image with Tombow monomulti adhesive (or another type.)


Puffy Glittery Snow:


Add details with the puffy pen (in the kit or you can get just the pen here) to make the snow: To use the puffy pen,

1) Shake it well
2) Get a scrap of paper & use it to depress the tip on until you see the liquid appear
3) Apply snow with the pen where you'd like it
4) Heat it to puff

You can control the fluff of this super cool pen by experimenting the following things:
  • How much you apply & how (apply in dots, in lines, or...)
  • How much you let it dry before heating
  • How much you heat it
  • Reapplying in areas where you want more fluff



Glitter the puffy snow by applying Tombow monomulti or another adhesive & using the holographic glitter from the kit.




Matting the Image:




Step 1) Create a blue sky background: Emboss the 4 inch square piece of Icy Blue cardstock with a Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder



Step 2) Embellish the background of tiny puffy snowflakes: Add puffy pen to the embossed dots & heat it gently. (You can glitter it with a Sakura Quickie glue pen & the holographic glitter if you'd like some bling.)

Step 3) Cut a mat of the Bazzill Bling Sugar Daddy cardstock 4 1/2 inches square:



Step 4) Give the brown mat dimension with a Scor-Pal by scoring a line 1/4 inch from each side

Step 5) Scallop the center of the brown mat to create a window. (I've used Square Scallop Nestabilities and the coolest trick that I learned from Cathy: stick the Nestie die cutter down on your cardstock with tape!) Add 4 copper brads to the corners (from the kit)

Alternatively, you could use any circle cutter or a hobby knife to create a window or simply mount the blue piece on top of the brown mat.



Embellish & Mount the Image:
  1. Mount a torn strip of Wedding white cardstock behind the image (to create another layer of snow)
  2. Add the embellished image to the blue background with Oh so Sticky tape
  3. Add the frame over top
  4. Stick the sweet snowflakes on using Crystal Lacquer or another strong adhesive

Embellishing the Spiral:



Embellish the top by tying on the two May Arts ribbons in the kit (White Swiss Dot & Brown Grosgrain)

Tint the metal of the notebook spiral with a copic marker, if you like. To make this a silver one bronze (to match the brads) use a Clay E44 Copic or similar shade. Just brush colour on with the brush end & let it dry.

Optional embellishing: Scraps of pattern paper & coloured cardstock punched to create tabs, Stamping & colouring on the inside pages.


Thanks so much for stopping in! You guys are THE best! :O)



P.S. Quick Links here:

35 comments:

Paula's ponderings said...

I LOVE this and every little thing about it and wouldnt this work for just about any theme?? Wonderful as ever!!

Gloria said...

Hi! I have found your blog on Facebook! Compliments for yours handworks, they are very very beautiful! Excuse me for my English! Kiss from Italy, Gloria.

Suzanne C said...

Beautiful! Love every little detail. :)

Janine said...

Oh MY!!! This is gorgeous!! I just love altered books like this...What a great project Mel!!
You are just amazing!

Anonymous said...

HOLEY BUCKETS- this is awesome Mel! I love the framing you did on it! You put some many wonderful details in to this book it is AWESOME!

Cathrine StClair said...

Beautiful project as always Mel. Love the snow. That pen is fun!

Jami said...

Fabulous!! I love everything about it!!
hugs, Jami

Sherry said...

OMGosh Mel, what an absolutely A-dorable card!! Love it!! Your tutorial is really wonderful and I can't wait to get my hands on this set! Too Cute!!

Kate's Life said...

Great project! Thanks for the great instructions- so helpful for someone who needs to see the steps to get it ( like me!)

Joani McDonald said...

OMGoodness Mel! This is awesome!! And the step by step directions ~ you are the best! TFS, SO MUCH!!
Hugs,
Joani

Elena said...

Mel, this Winter book is adorable! Love this scene! So cute! Thank you for the great tips!
You are amazing!

JB-Crafting Supplies said...

Beautiful! I love everything about this book.TFS!

Julie

Julie Allain said...

WOW This is fabulous Mel and your colouring is so perfect!!

Risa said...

Super super cute Mel!
I love all the detailing and your Winter Book is awesome!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Mel, I love your step-by-step instructions as alway the book turned out beautiful!
Carmen

Allison Rankin said...

So, so, so fun! These stamps are too cute. Love the color palette!

Lisa Olson said...

Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow and more wow I am so in aw of this I can't believe how much work and detail has gone into this.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!

Michelle Pearson said...

This is Splendiferous as usual! Adorable image and detail you put into your work....Love it!

Shirley said...

How totally wonderful! What a great keepsake to be brought out every Winter season. Lovely!

Michelle McGee said...

I love your blog!

Rose-Anne said...

Mel I love your blog and all your wonderful work. I just went and had a look at your intro so when i look at your blog i know what you look like. You are so lovely.
Thank you for all the sharing and inspiration you not only give to me but others out there who I am sure also appreciate your efforts.

Cindy Haffner said...

WOOZERS! This is so darling, TFS.

Curt in Indy said...

Holy Moly! I'm exhausted just reading all of what you did with this! You are absolutely amazing! I can't get over the detail you go to! Just awesome! Best, Curt

Crissy said...

Gorgeous book!!! And your tutorial, as always, was wonderful and detailed!

Me, I would cheat and use my Bind it All!!

AnnMarie said...

Great book! I am such a sucker for homemade books! You did a really beautiful job!

Barb said...

OMG! I LOVE everything about this! So much detail in a little book... and just darling stamped images!

Anonymous said...

Oh Mel this project ROCKS and as usual your tutorial is awesome thank you so much for all you hard work and the time and effort you put in every post.

Debbie/Phx AZ

Teri said...

OMG! YOU are the BEST!! This winter book is totally cute! Love everything about it!! Thank you for taking so much time to create and share for all of us lucky people!! xoxo

Elaine said...

Great tut! Love the tips (cutting the details in paper piecing). Thank you very much - the project is to die for cute!

Maria said...

Your Winter book is so pretty, Mel! I love how you added the dots. . . Your book reminds me that I need to start using my Bind-it-all. This would make for a great gift for Christmas. Love the image and the paper piecing. The colors are fabulous too!!

Maria

Jessica Diedrich said...

I absolutely love this!!! Graet coloring and beautiful way to embellish and create a cover!

Tonniece said...

Oh wow, Love it Mel. I love altered books, but have never attempted one. Now I know I will have the inspiration right here when I get the urge to try it out.

Anonymous said...

Super cute! I love it!

Bea said...

WOW!!!!!!!!!
I love it!!!!!

Annapurna said...

What???? Sold out? I was waiting for my credit card to statement so I could go on a shopping spree again :-( That is how I budget.

My dear creative hard working friend, gosh that is a lot of work to go through every swiss dot with the puffy pen.

The book looks gorgeous. Tell the companies you design for to send you a bind it all. I am sure your hands were sore after cutting out all those tiny holes.

I need a pop up window for comments, so I can read and see pictures while commenting :-)