Paint Sampler Notebook

Hi friends! I hope you are well! Today I have a notebook tutorial to share using mainly patterned papers. You can easily turn it into a sketchbook instead, by just using different papers for the inside.

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

I really like the papers in Tim Holtz various Backdrops paper packs and they are great when it comes to making your own notebook or sketchbook. Here I mainly used papers from the Christmas Backdrops pack. The cover was embellished with stamping, sentiments and sequins.

Start by deciding which papers that you want to use. I cut out some of the paint samplers. 

Stamp a title with Simon Says Stamp Create Stamp set using Guava Pawsitively Saturated Ink.

Stamp the cover here and there with the alphabet stamp from Tim Holtz School Desk set and a coffee stain stamp. I stamped both the back and the front cover.

Cut pages for the inserts. One of my favorite things with making my own notebooks is that I can use my favorite papers. Here I used fairly thin notebook paper, but I often use watercolor paper instead. Make a template and attach it to the cover and the inserts as show. Pierce holes.

Stitch the spine with embroidery floss. 

Tie the floss on the inside and trim the cover with a craft knife.

I distressed and tore some of the edges. 

These paint samples are great. You can also use them to cover the entire notebook. The smaller sentiments come from Simon Says Stamp Create and were stamped with brown ink and die cut with the coordinating dies.

I like how the patterned paper shows through the stamped title. I also glued a bunch of sequins to the background.

Stamp a ticket from Simon Says Stamp Mixed Labels and die cut with the coordinating die. Fold the ticket over the edge of the cover and add a stamped and die cut sentiment. 

The Backdrops papers are double-sided, so inside covers are patterned too.

Handmade notebooks are great gifts and I like having one in my bag at all times.

I hope this inspired you to make your own notebook. It is a great way to use your favorite patterned papers. 

Thank you for visiting!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Altered Notebooks

Hello stampers! It is a new week and we have a Thinking of You theme this week at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. 

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Don't miss the last projects by our two October guests: Teresa York and Gitta Roolf.

Notebooks are often great gifts and I like to have some at home in case I need a gift. Here I made a little set of two altered notebooks. It's a quick and easy project and great for using up pretty pieces of patterned paper. I used papers from Tim Holtz Halloween Backdrops set.

Start by cutting paper and adding it to the front cover of the notebooks. I used double-sided tape. 

Let the paper used on the front continue onto the back and then add a second patterned paper to cover the back of the notebooks. Sand all the edges to reveal the white core of the paper and give the books a distressed look.

White emboss Thinking of You on the front of the larger notebook. It comes from Simon Says Stamp Retro Wishes.

You can embellish the books with various bits and pieces. It is a great place to use tiny pieces of ribbon and leftover embellishments.

I added a Clipping Sticker to the spine of each notebook.

And a smaller sticker for the smallest book.

The white embossing made the sentiment stand out on the patterned background.

Tim's Bouquet Findings flowers were inked with Distress Ink and glued to the background.

I also stamped the background here and there with Simon Says Stamp Crackle Background.

The sentiments on the smaller book were stamped with Potting Soil ink and comes from Simon Says Stamp Mixed Labels.

I also used small pieces of lace and twine on the covers.

I hope you will join us this week in our Thinking of you challenge. You have a chance to win a $25 gift voucher to do some fun shopping at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.

Do you use Instagram? If so please add #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too.

Thank you so much for stopping by here today! 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

Glow in the dark butterflies

Hi friends! I hope your weekend was good! I can't believe that June is already over, it went by in a flash. 

Please note: this post has affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.

This week we have a Summer Mood Board challenge at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. Here is the gorgeous mood board designed by Macarena.

Since it is the first Monday of a new month, the team is showcasing products from a specific designer. This week it is Brutus Monroe. You can see their wide range of products here. You don't have to use Brutus Monroe products to join in the challenge, but it is always fun if you do. 

We also have a new guest designer, and this week we are welcoming back Natasha Vacca aka Natasha's Colorful Creations. I hope you will stop by her blog to see the wonderful project that she has created for you.

I made two little wall-hangers featuring glow in the dark butterflies. I couldn't catch that effect on photo, so you'll have to imagine it. The butterflies glow really well in the dark. I was inspired by the mood board to use an old map and to use a background paper which looked a bit like that old suitcase in one of the photos. The wall-hangers are about 3.6 x 3.6 in.

Start by die cutting Tim Holtz Scribbly Butterflies from heavystock cardstock.

Emboss the butterflies with two or three layers of Brutus Monroe Glow In The Dark embossing powder. Be very careful when using a heat tool and don't touch the melted powder until it has cooled down completely.

Cut four pieces of Sizzix Little Sizzles Mat Board. Glue old map paper on the smaller pieces and Tim Holtz Backdrops paper on the larger ones. Place under a heavy book until dry.

Round the corners with a Corner Chomper and sand the edges.

Ink the edges and part of the maps with brown shades of Distress Ink.

I added a bit of cheese cloth in between the layers, but you can also skip that. The butterflies were die cut from kraft paper too, since they needed to stand out better from the background. 

I added a Clipping Sticker to the butterflies.

The Clear Drops act as magnifying glasses.

The second wall-hanger is similar to the first one, but with a different butterfly and a different background paper.

You can of course use a different embossing powder too, but then the butterflies won't glow in the dark, which is pretty cool.

And some more Clear Drops from Studio Katia.

I added a little dimension to the wings. 

I hope you will join us this week in our Summer Moodboard challenge. You have a chance to win a $25 gift voucher to do some fun shopping at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in.

Do you use Instagram? If so please add #sssmchallenge so we can see your entries there too.

Thank you so much for stopping by here today! 

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

* Please note: the links are affiliate links, for which I receive a small percentage of sales generated by the link, at no extra cost to you.