Autumn Days Tutorial

Hi friends! During October, the Eileen Hull Inspiration Team is doing Fall Days projects.  I have for some reason not done as many fall projects this year as I normally do this time. I don't know why, since I really like to do fall projects (so there will be more coming in the following weeks).  

These photos of Leo, taken last fall, were on my desk and I decided to do a scrapbooking layout. The background consists of embossed sheets of paper, which is one of my favourite background techniques and a great way to use lots of embossing folders at once. As usual, the techniques work on many types of projects. The title of the layout translates to 'Fall days' and I wrote the journaling on the back.

Cut watercolor paper to 4 x 4 in and emboss in different folders. I used the Honeycomb, Sew Happy, Lace Medallions, Fantasy Flowers, and Basket Weave folders. Sorry about the grainy photo, I had forgotten to change the ISO settings on my camera.

The squares look great as is, or can be colored in different ways. In the past, I have for example, used ink and watercolor. Today, I used Paper Artsy Infusions. Working one square at a time, sprinkle just a tiny bit of pigment powder on the paper and mist pretty heavily with water. Very little goes a long way. You can dab off some of the color with a paper towel. I used Golden Sands, Slime, and a tiny bit of Emerald Isle.

Distress the edges of the squares and apply adhesive in the center only. Adhere to background cardstock and stitch around the edges with a sewing machine.

Die cut letters with the Homemade Alphabet die.

I die cut a lot of leaves with the Spring Leaves die from kraft-core cardstock, patterned kraft-core, paper covered with Deco Sheets, gold metallic paper and patterned paper. In the end, I didn't use all of these.

Fold and sand the leaves and ink with brown ink.

The bird and branches were die cut from felt, to get one more texture on the page. The felt is Eco-Fi from Kunin.

I particularly liked how the color remained more concentrated in the debossed areas. You can angle the paper to make the color run down the paths.

Here's another example of the color being more concentrated and darker in some areas than in others, highlighting the patters of the embossing folders.

Glue the bird together.

The leaves were tucked underneath the photos.

This is a favorite quote of mine and I have used it quite a few times before. It's from the One With Nature set by Simon Says Stamp. 

Thank you so much for stopping by here today!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies:

Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing... [ SZZ ] Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing... [ SZZ ] Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing... [ SZZ ] Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing... [ SZZ ] Sizzix Textured Impressions Embossing... [ SZZ ] Sizzix Thinlits Die Set 6PK - Birds &... [ SZZ ] Sizzix Thinlits Die - Homemade Alphabet [ SZZ ] Sizzix Bigz Die - Leaves, Spring [ SZZ | SSS ] Simon Says Clear Stamps ONE WITH NATURE [ SSS ] Paper Artsy SLIME Infusions Colored... [ SSS ] Paper Artsy GOLDEN SANDS Infusions [ SSS ] Paper Artsy EMERALD ISLE Infusions [ SSS ] Canson MONTVAL WATERCOLOR 9x12 [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Paper... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology HALLOWEEN Deco... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Paper... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology 8 x 8 Paper... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad GROUND... [ SSS ] Ranger Archival Ink Pad JET BLACK [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology HALLOWEEN Design... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology SEASONAL CHITCHAT [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology LABEL LETTERS [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology SMALL TALK [ SSS ] Ranger Tim Holtz Distress 8.5 X 11... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium MATTE [ SSS ] Sizzix Big Shot Machine Only (White &... [ SZZ | SSS ] Sizzix Accessory - Cutting Pads,... [ SZZ | SSS ] Sizzix Accessory - Multipurpose... [ SZZ | SSS ] Tim Holtz DISTRESS SPRAYER [ SSS ] Ranger MINI ROUND INK BLENDING TOOLS [ SSS ] Ranger MINI ROUND FOAM REFILLS [ SSS ] Hero Arts Rubber Stamp SMALL BLOCK TRIO [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology SANDING GRIP [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology SANDING GRIP... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Tonic PAPER DISTRESSER [ SSS ] Ranger Inkssentials Non Stick CRAFT... [ SSS ]

* 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.

Sketchbook Journal Tutorial

Hi friends! I hope you had a good weekend and managed to get some crafty time. We went to a fun Halloween party and for another beautiful autumn walk. I love seeing how nature changes when I compare photos from a couple a week's ago and now. 

This week at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog we have a Monochrome challenge. I always enjoy doing projects using only one color, in addition to maybe black or white, but don't do it nearly often enough.

Don't miss the very warm and pretty card by our October guest designer Wanda Hentges.

A couple of weeks ago, I made Anton an Alphabet Notebook which he uses to practice writing, and also drawing in. He likes it a lot and asked for a second one, for drawing only, and with 'only white pages'. The sketchbook was made with Eileen Hull's Sizzix Journal die, and I picked one of Anton's favourite colors, turquoise. The book was embellished with stamps by Darkroom Door and Prima.

I wanted a book feel to the sketchbook and started out by adhering white sticky-back canvas to mat board. To make sure it really stuck, I glued it down with Matte Medium first. Don't die cut until the medium is dry. You need the Extended Cutting Pads together with the Journal die, and it fits perfectly through an ordinary Big Shot or Vagabond.

Coat with gesso.

When stamping on textured surfaces, I often use tissue paper. Stamp on tissue paper with a waterproof ink. I used three stamps by Darkroom Door: Pencils, Happy Quote and Wild Africa vol. 2, as well as one stamp set by Prima, Iron Orchid Art Supplies.

Tear around the edges of the tissue paper images and apply with Gloss Multi-Medium. Add a coat of multi-medium on the background first, then carefully place the image into the medium and add another coat on top. I wanted the pencils to be longer than on the stamped image, so I stamped them twice and cut the top part off from the second impression. By mistake, I glued the bottom part the wrong way around, but I don't think it shows much in the end.

When dry, paint with Dina Wakley's Ocean and Turquoise paints, adding a little water when needed.

I stamped the background repeatedly with the art definition stamp from the Art Supplies set and splattered it with black paint.

For the inside, cut papers to 8.5 x 8.25 in (22 x 21 cm) and place in signatures of about six papers each, depending on the thickness of the paper. Fold, score and then stitch down the center. You can also use staples. I rounded the corners for a finished look. I used Neenah cardstock, and added a sheet of watercolor paper here and there, for variety.

The spine was glued with Matte Medium and placed under heavy books until dry. Bind the book with elastics, according to the instructions on the die packaging.

Tie through a button on the outside and tie the other end to form a closure for the book.

Simply slip the signatures under the elastics and you are done. Anton thought the binding of his book is very cool and he can also take out a signature if it is easier to draw on it unattached to the cover.

Customize word stickers with ink to fit with the monochrome color scheme. The Pencils stamp is such a fun stamp and if you make a multi-colored version of this book, you can color each pencil in a different color.

I love this sentiment from the Prima stamp set.

Customize Deco Tape with alcohol ink and turn it into any color. The title was die cut from wool felt with Tim Holtz's Deco die.

Another stamped sentiment by Darkroom Door and more Small Talk stickers.

I really like the chunky look of these journals.

You could also add a title to the spine.

Here's the back of the journal, with even more stamping and words.

I love this Happy Quote stamp by Darkroom Door and have used it a lot. The stars were die cut from wool felt with Tim's Stacked Stars die.

Anton picked the number tissue tape himself, since he loves numbers.

I also really like this stamp with all the paint brushes, and one of my favourite sentiments.

Here is Anton's drawing and writing books next to each other. You can find the tutorial for the Alphabet Notebook here. I have also made another three journals with Eileen's Journal die, if you want more inspiration: Tree Sketchbook, Seaside Journal, and the most recent Christmas Journal with the SSS Making Spirits Bright release.

I hope you will join us this week in our Monochrome challenge. As always, you have a chance to win a $50 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.

Don't forget to follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram, they post great stuff daily. 

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

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog today!

Happy crafting!

Anna-Karin

Supplies: 

Sizzix JOURNAL ScoreBoards [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Sizzix DECO ALPHA DIE [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Sizzix Die STACKED STARS [ SSS ] Darkroom Door Cling Stamp PENCILS... [ SSS ] Darkroom Door Cling Stamp WILD AFRICA... [ SSS ] Darkroom Door Cling Stamp HAPPY Quote [ SSS ] Prima Marketing ART SUPPLIES Iron... [ SSS ] Sizzix LITTLE SIZZLES MAT BOARD PACK... [ SSS ] Ranger WHITE STICKY-BACK CANVAS [ SSS ] Neenah Classic Crest 80 LB SMOOTH... [ SSS ] Canson MONTVAL WATERCOLOR [ SSS ] Simon Says Stamp Wool Felt Sheets... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology DECO TAPE [ SSS ] Dina Wakley Ranger OCEAN [ SSS ] Dina Wakley Ranger TURQUOISE [ SSS ] Dina Wakley Ranger WHITE GESSO [ SSS ] Tsukineko Stazon JET BLACK INK PAD [ SSS ] Ranger Archival Ink Pad JET BLACK [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink TURQUOISE... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad PEACOCK... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology SMALL TALK... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology 1088 CHITCHAT... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology BIG CHAT Stickers [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Idea-ology CHATTER [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium MATTE [ SSS ] Ranger MULTI MEDIUM GLOSS [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Flip Top Distress Paint... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Distress SPLATTER BRUSH [ SSS ] We R Memory Keepers Cropadile CORNER... [ SSS ] Sizzix BIG SHOT MACHINE [ SSS ] Sizzix EXTENDED CUTTING PADS [ SSS ] Sizzix PURPLE WITH SILVER GLITTER... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Distress COLLAGE BRUSH SET [ SSS ] Tim Holtz DISTRESS SPRAYER [ SSS ] Dina Wakley Ranger PALETTE KNIFE [ SSS ] Ranger MINI ROUND INK BLENDING TOOLS [ SSS ] Ranger MINI ROUND FOAM REFILLS [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Ranger ALCOHOL INK APPLICATOR [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Ranger ALCOHOL INK... [ SSS ] Hero Arts Rubber Stamp CLEAR ACRYLIC... [ SSS ] Hero Arts Rubber Stamp SMALL BLOCK TRIO [ SSS ] Hero Arts Rubber Stamp CLEAR ACRYLIC... [ SSS ] Ranger Inkssentials Non Stick CRAFT... [ SSS ] Tim Holtz Tonic GUILLOTINE COMFORT... [ SSS ]

* 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.