Wendy Vecchi Mini Album

Hello there, crafty friends and welcome to Monday! I'm super excited to share a new project with you today, which features many of Wendy Vecchi's newest products! WooHoo! (The crafty fairy sent me a box of goodies to play with...she's the BEST!) You can find links to all of the products used in my project listed at the end of the post.

The first new product? Wendy's new Mini Mat Fat Little Book! This darling little book features four mini pages (4.5" x 4.5") made of mat board, which is a very heavy duty material that can stand up to whatever you throw at it (no, you can't cut it!), paint, glue, ink, you name it.

I painted the front and back covers of my book with black gesso and then used the Checkmate stencil and a baby wipe to remove some of the paint. Once that layer was dry I mixed Wendy's embossing paste with Dina Wakley's Gilt paint to create gold paint. (And, yes, using Wendy's gold embossing paste would work just as well!) The paste was applied using the Classic Words stencil. When the paste was dry I got to work on my decorations. The front cover features the new Stamp It, Stencil It set Mirror Flowers. I stamped the larger flower three times to create lots of dimension. (There's also a bit of stamping seen on the text oval, behind the flower) The sentiment is from the new Birds for Art set and the tiny hearts is from the Just Say It background stamp (yes, I cut apart all of those fabulous sayings!). 

I opted to use my album as a photo album showing off my three favorite guys. Because the majority of our photos are now in digital format, it's nice to actually print some out and put them in an album that you can look at regularly.

Since I had a lot going on in the background of each page, I opted to keep the photos black and white. Love that contrast! These first two pages feature a leaf stamp from the new Blooming Art stamp set, and seriously, this leaf stamp is going to show up on everything I make...love this image! The bird and birdhouses...are they not to die for...are Wendy's new Mat Minis, which perfectly coordinate with the Stamp It, Stencil It Put a Bird on It set. Stamping the details on to the chipboard is so much fun! This has to be my favorite product from this latest release. The sentiment on the left is from an older set and the one on the right is from the Blooming Art set.

Next up we have more mat minis! The hearts, which were colored with Distress Ink, covered with polka dots, thanks to the new Lots of Dots stencil, and coated with Glossy Accents look so cute popping out of that tiny envelope, from the Birds for Art set. The buttons on the right are also new Mat Minis. I simply colored them with Distress Inks and used some random stamps to add decoration. The sentiment, that I slighted altered, is from the Just Say It background stamp.

The next two pages are all about stenciling. I used the the Fence & Foliage stencil along with the older Layered Tree stencil. The stars are even from a stencil! I just inked the stars, from the Little Bits stencil, with Distress Ink on a piece of cardstock and then cut them out. The bird is from the License Plate Art stamp set and the sentiment is from an older set. 

And here is the back cover, which I think might be my favorite page! I die cut a circle (from a book on the cold war...can you tell by the text?), and layered on a love card (from Tim Holtz), some film tape, an Art Parts star (covered with Distress Ink, a plaid stamp, and teal splots...love the teal!), sentiment, and another tiny flower from the Mirror Flowers set. (I loved those teal splots so much that I went back and added them to every page in my album!)

Want to get your hands on the new Wendy Vecchi goodies? The Funkie Junkie has everything you need! Products should be shipping soon and get your order in now! Follow the links below! Enjoy and happy crafting!

Supplies:

-Mat Fat Little Book

-Mini Birds and Their Houses

-Mat Mini Have a Heart

-Mat Mini Custom Buttons

-Fence and Foliage Stencil

-Lots of Dots Stencil

-Classic Words Stencil

-Checkmate Stencil

-Little Bits Stencil

-Layered Tree Stencil

-Mirror Flowers SISI

-Put a Bird On It SISI

-Blooming Art

-Birds for Art

-Just Say It Background Stamp

-Embossing Paste

-Large Collage Background Stamp

Mixed Media Book with Catherine Scanlon Stamps

Welcome to day three of eclectic Paperie's 12 Days of Christmas Celebration!  WooHoo!  It has been an exciting few days and I have been amazed by the beautiful projects posted by our design team...they are the BEST!  And I'm thrilled to be sharing a handmade book project with you today, featuring today's product...Catherine Scanlon stamps!  Catherine is an amazing artist and I was so excited when she launched her stamp and stencil line.  And today only, you can save 30% on one of Catherine's stamps, when you buy one at full price!  Wow, great deal!

I created a video for today's project, which will walk you through the steps needed to re-create a similar book.  And you'll find links for all of the products that I used at the end of the post.  I'm not going to post all of the photos here in the post as you'll see the completed project in the video.  Enjoy!

My cover featured this beautiful Black Eyed Susan image, drawn by Catherine.  The sentiment is also from her new line.  I used Art Anthology sprays to color the paper and a variety of stencils for decoration.  Again, all product links at the end of the post.

The inside cover featured an embossed piece of scrap paper that I had created for another project.  The coloring was perfect for this product and I loved that there was also a gesso resist technique used on the scrap.  Check out my gesso resist video for more details on that technique.  I had the home card in my stash and added the rest of the sentiment using some tiny letter stamps.  One of Catherine Twinchies stamps is above the card.

I'm not the best at journaling, although I should try to do more as it's a great way to record your thoughts, but I love using quote stamps and this big long one from Tim was perfect to fill the page.  I really like stamping directly onto a photo as well.

Seriously, aren't these the moments that make the hard task of parenting all worth it.  Just look at my crazy boys, wearing cardstock masks...and the look my youngest is giving my oldest is priceless.  I adore this photo!  The "so love these moments" stamp is from Ali Edwards.

Another favorite photo...and a great sentiment, stamped in black, and more words above, which have been stenciled.  And a big number eight to signify his age when this photo was taken.  Sigh...that both of my kids would be fearless...not in a reckless way but in a way that keeps them doing what is right and pursuing their dreams.

Inside back cover, with another piece of scrap paper, a card, sentiment, and part of a Twinchies image.  And see my mess up date stamp?  I even like that!!  Embrace the imperfection!!

Check out the full video below, along with all of the product links!  Enjoy!


Supply List:
Catherine Scanlon Stamps (Black Eyed Susan, Twinchies, Good Advice)
Wendy Vecchi Stencils (Three Flourishes and Bar Codes)
Dylusions Stencil (Leaf Flourish)
The Crafters Workshop Stencils (Tiny Circles, US Map, and Cursive Alpha)
Art Anthology Sprays (Timeless and Peacock Feathers)
Claudine Hellmuth Gesso
Copic Markers
Distress Inks (Mustard Seed, Pumice Stone, Gathered Twigs, Pine Needles)
Strathmore Mixed Media Paper


PS - Just realized I have a typo in my video...saying today is the 12th instead of the 11th!  Oopppss...it's late! LOL!

eclectic Paperie - Get Altered Challenge

Hi everyone and welcome to our next Get Altered Challenge, hosted on the eclectic Paperie blog!  Today's challenge was to alter a book...ohhh...loved it when I first heard the idea and then spend two weeks fretting over what to create!  I was actually reading to one of my children one night when this idea popped into my head!

I decided to create a faux book out of square chipboard coasters.  Why create a book?  Well...I just couldn't find any books in our house that I had the heart to alter!  LOL!  I think I need to visit my local antique store to grab some worthy of altering...My faux book opens to a picture frame, which fits pefectly on my night stand.  Let me tell you how I created my book...

 I started by grabbing a stack of chipboard coaster, some paint (Pool & Espresso), a few embossing folders, and grungepaper.  I ran all of the grungepaper through my Vagabond to emboss each piece.  Then I painted the two cover pieces with the Pool paint and the extra strips with Espresso.

 I let the paint dry, which happens pretty quickly with the paint, and then used my sanding block to remove some of the paint (mostly on the embossed areas).  Then I used my blending tool and Walnut Stain Distress Ink to age the cover.  Check out the difference after aging!  (My youngest told me, "Mom, I'm not sure this looks so good...it's all messed up and kind of old looking."  Exactly, kid, exactly...)

 Next I glued all of the chipboard coasters together so two stacks of five coasters; five for the left "page" and five for the right.  Then I roughly covered the inside of both pages with the Espresso paint and glued tissue wrap to both pages (seriously, one of my all time fav products!) 

One the glue was dry, I went back with three different types of tissue tape, tore little pieces, and attached them all over the pages.  Aged with my Walnut Stain, and use matte glue 'n seal to seal the entire piece.

Then I printed out two photos of my cutie boys, in black and white, trimmed them, rounded the corners and attached them to the pages.

To my inside pages I used white embossing paste and the mini cursive alphabet stencil to add some dimention to the outside edges of the pages.  I added a few other pieces of tissue tape to hold each photo and then found some of those random mini stickers we all have lying around our studios to add a title.  I also found some perfect rub ons that I used at the botttom of each photo.

Once the inside pages were complete, I started to assemble, which consisted of adding the three bands to the outside of my book to hold it together.  I simply added a few brads to each band and attached them with Glossy Accents (that stuff will hold anything!)  And then my book was finished!  Super fun, I had a great time creating my book and am looking forward to altered more books!

 

Be sure to check out all of the design team's work on the eP blog, and then enter the challenge for an opportunity to win a $15.00 gift certificate to go shopping at eclectic Paperie!