'Professor' Tinkham for Mini Album Makers

Hello Friends

A new month means a new challenge at Mini Album Makers!  My very dear and generous friend Kath Stewart gave me lots of the new Tim Holtz stamps and I have incorporated two of those stamp sets into my journal, plus one older set.

A little story - Kath has always called Tim Holtz her 'adorable Professor' and Tim designed this 'Professor' stamp set and credited Kath with the name, how lovely is that!

The Professor in my case is an explorer and adventurer....

I am including a tutorial today, as I have recently joined Eileen Hull's Educator Group and Eileen is our generous Sponsor this month at Mini Album Makers, so the two go hand in hand quite nicely.  This is a picture heavy post!

I started with some cream Calico fabric and some of Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements Transportation Ticket fabric (a gift from my lovely friend Zoe Hillman).  I used Pebeo Matt Gel to attach both fabrics, one to each side of a sheet of mat board (mount board), gel is less tacky than glue.

Using Eileen Hull's Wrapped Journal die, I die cut the journal.  I felt the cover was a bit too 'light' and I dry brushed some Gathered Twigs Distress Paint over the cover and then used the same colour to dab through a Tim Holtz Burlap stencil quite randomly.

I used three stamp sets by Tim Holtz, Ledger Script, Distinguished and The Professor.

Here is a view with all the stamping added.  I also added some rough machine stitching all around the edges (I keep a separate needle for stitching card/paper)  and I cut out a couple of tickets from the left over material and used Matt Gel to affix them.  I also added some colouring to a few of the elements just to make them 'pop' more.  I used watercolour paints that are permanent once dry.

I created four signatures, using the same method for each.  I used 12" wide cardstock by Tim Holtz, cutting four pieces 12" x 5".  Scoring at 2.1/2", 6" and 9.1/2", fold on each score line.  You can glue each end flap in place completely or create two pockets by just attaching the flaps at the top and bottom.  Making your signatures this way gives the covers more stability.

I usually attach the inserts to my signatures using a simple pamphlet stitch.  As you can see I also added some more stamping to my signature covers.  I also added some Tim Holtz Idea-ology tabs to each of the signatures for added interest.

I always like to add a pocket in my journals and here is how I did it...

Using more Tim Holtz cardstock I cut one piece of card  to 4.7/8" x 5.1/4" and scored as shown above, at 1/4", 3/4", 4.1/8" and 4.5/8" and I scored at 4.5/8" across the bottom.  Fold the sides in an accordion style to give some depth to the pocket.

For the fold over top cut a piece to 3.3/8" x 2.1/2" and score at 7/8" and 1.1/8".  Cut and shape as shown above.

 I attached some closures (punched circles attached with eyelets) and then added the envelope to the middle part of the journal (glue the top part in first and then add the pocket element last so that you can 'fit' it properly to the journal).  At this point I added the elastic holders for the signatures and also the band to close the journal, all with 1.5mm black elastic, tying both off neatly.

I decided to add a ticket pocket to the inside front cover (a Tim Holtz die).  The tickets were made using another TH die and Tim stamps and coloured with Distress Inks.

Here is a final view of the back of the journal.

Our Sponsor this month is Eileen Hull who is offering a $35 Gift Voucher for her Etsy Shop to one lucky winner over at Mini Album Makers.

Website: http://www.eileenhull.com/

Blog: http://www.eileenhull.com/blog

Facebook Live: http://www.eileenhull.com/video-tutorials

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eileenhulldesigns

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/eileen_hull/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EileenHull

Shop - https://www.etsy.com/shop/EileenHull?ref=pr_shop_more

We do hope you will join us at Mini Album Makers this month, we would love to
have you join in.  The rules are very simple and are outlined in detail on the blog.

Thanks for your visit, I hope to see you again soon!

Hugs, Anne xxx

Eileen Hull - HeARTfelt Creations Journal

Hello Friends

Today I have another couple of Journals to share with you.  I guess some of you may have been wondering how long it would take me to use seahorses on one... well, today is the day!

I cannot stop making these wonderful Journals.  I am so thankful to Eileen Hull for designing this particular die, which is out later this month.

Rather than showing individual steps, I am using a collage to show you how this came together.

I used Eileen Hull's fabulous Colorbox Blend inks in Leaf, Golden and Bay to colour my seahorses, the leaves and also the gauze.  The gauze was 'thickened' with fabrick stiffener.  The starfish is from a previous project and the wheel and crab were coloured with a mix of Ebony and Nutmeg.

This photo shows the three stages of creating the covers.  First I painted the blank cover with DecoArt Crackle Paint, just a thin-ish coat.  Once dry I coloured the whole of the cover with Colourbox Blend in Bay, with a touch of Leaf mixed in here and there.

Once dry, I flicked white Gesso and Bay Colourbox Blend over the cover.  To assemble, I added the stiffened gauze (still wet) to the front and then glued all the other elements in place.  I glued them fairly flat so that the Journal can be easily handled.  I added the closure (which I first covered with paper leather to give it strength) and used a Tim Holtz Hitch Fastener as my closure. The whole Journal was then completely sealed with DecoArt Matte Medium.

For the inside, I created three signatures, one with watercolour paper, one with ruled paper and the third one is a pocket envelope.  Don't you just love that great journal quote by Oscar Wilde??  It makes me smile each time I see it, the stamp is by Darkroom Door.

I also wanted to show you this Journal that I made for a friend, David Rose of Craft Obsessions, who did me a huge favour.  I used Tim Holtz's latest release fabric - Correspondence (a gift from my dear and lovely friend Kath Stewart).  These fabrics are beautiful quality and  perfect for covering Eileen's Journal.

The fabric is now available in the UK too!  I just got some more from The Cotton Patch.  They have a lovely selection of the Correspondence and also Tim's other range of fabrics.  I have just invested in a few more pieces of Tim's fabric.

On the bottom left photo you can see that I used a genuine Midori insert in the Journal, it fits perfectly.  I am pleased to report that David loved his Journal.

I hope you are not getting tired of seeing my Journals, I am sure I will be making lots more!!

If you have time to visit Eileen's blog each week HERE you will see more Journals and more of Eileen's HeARTfelt die release projects by the Inspiration Team.

As always, thanks so much for your visit, I hope to see you again soon.

Hugs, Anne xx 

Guest Artist at Creative Carte Blanche

Hello Friends

I am super excited and very honoured to have been asked by the wonderful Hels Sheridan to be Guest Artist today at Creative Carte Blanche!  I have been a huge fan of all of the talented designers at CCB since they were involved in the challenge blog Compendium of Curiosities several years ago.  They gave me lots of encouragement and I am grateful to them for that.

In actual fact it was Hels and another dear friend Kath Stewart who got me involved in

crafting/blogging so I have a lot to thank these ladies for!

Since the theme this month at Creative Carte Blanche is 'Love Is In The Air', I created a love themed card in a paper block style (that I learned in a class with Hels a few years back), adding a large grungy heart, a handmade flower and Hels' trademark harlequin pattern as an accent.

I started by choosing some pieces of Ephemera from Tim Holtz Idea-ology collection and used Ranger Glue 'N' Seal to glue them in place on a 6" x 6" piece of grey board.

I applied a layer of Distress Collage Medium - Crazing and allowed it to dry naturally.  Next I applied a coat of the Vintage Collage Medium.  Once dry I applied Distress Crayon around each piece of Ephemera and smudged it to blend it in.

I stencilled the harlequin pattern using Ranger black Texture Paste.  I drew an outline around a hand cut heart with black Distress Crayon.

The heart was painted with DecoArt Media Crackle Paint and when dry, this was painted with DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic in Pyrole Red.

I applied a layer of Antiquing Cream in Raw Umber, let this dry and wiped it away with a damp cloth.  The Raw Umber is less harsh than black and it fills the cracks in nicely.

To finish off  I added the words (a Tim Holtz stamp) and also a hand made flower.   Here is another look at the finished project.

If you have not joined in at Creative Carte Blanche with your love themed project, there is still time to do so HERE.

Thank you again to Hels and the team at Creative Carte Blanche for having me as their Guest today!  If you do have the time, please pop over there and leave the team some love....

I am joining in Emerald Creek's challenge this month which is - 'Rock the Red'

Thanks to you too, for visiting, I hope to see you again soon.

Hugs, Anne xxx