Junk Journal and how to use up your stash!

Hello cyber friends! I have got the answer for that BIG question, how do I use up my ever growing stash?  Ok here it is, make a junk journal!  Doing so, will provide you with hours of entertainment as you sort through your stash and wonder what on earth prompted you to buy some things and with other things, you'll be so tickled that you finally got to use that special item!  Those bits and pieces of leftover paper collections are perfect in a junk journal.

These journals are so easy to make if you use Sizzix's XL journal die designed by Eileen Hull.  You just cut out two chip or mat board covers, add your favorite design paper inside and out and then assemble with elastic bands.  The process is so easy, I am guessing that if you give it a try, you will be addicted as am I!!  Though this is my 1st junk journal, it's my 4th journal using this die, in less than a month. Can you say addicted?!

So the next question is, what is a junk journal?  Well it's pretty much like its name, its a journal of junk.  They are often made from old music sheets, paper bags, maps, note papers, junk mail, really anything goes!  I chose to use scraps of scrapbook paper that I have accumulated over the years along with bits and pieces from my very old embellishment stash!  You can then use the journal for whatever you want.  I am using mine simply as a conversation piece.  It's filled with quotes and pictures and just fun "stuff".

I had so much fun searching for just the right "thing" in my stash of "stuff" that I haven't touched in years.  Sometimes I was wondering, did I really buy that, what was I thinking??  But, seriously, what a great way to use up my stash!

These journal dies have been selling like hot cakes and it's been hard to get your hands on one.  The Funkie Junkie Boutique has one in stock as I am writing this.  I made this book for me but I am also entering it in the current Frilly and Funkie challenge, Read Any Good Books Lately,  which is to "create a vintage or shabby chic project that depicts a favorite book or use book pages on your project, alter a book or even make a journal or journal page! "

I made a video to share my journal with you and hopefully inspire you to make your own junk journal.

Here are a few of my favorite pages.

I did age some paper to use in my journal.  I simply took copy paper, dipped it in tea and then dried in the oven for a few minutes.  That gave me gorgeous aged paper.

The fun thing about junk journals, is that there are no rules. Just have fun, be creative, put your imagination to work!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at my journal!  I really appreciate it.

Beautiful, layout for Creative Embellishments

Hi there paper peeps, sharing a favorite photo of my sweet fur babies today scrapped with Photo Play papers and perfectly embellished with chipboard from Creative Embellishments!  The girls adore each other so much that most of the time they are cuddled up together like in this photo.

I recently discoverd Photo Play papers and this one, French Flea Market is just so feminine and perfect for my poodles!  I love the pink with the toile like paper, it really pulls the photo into perfect harmony with the layout.

Creative Embellishments first had these word borders that fit a 12 x 12, now they've made the word borders in smaller sizes.  I love how the word sits perfectly under the photo as if it were part of the photo.  I used shabby pink embossing enamel to finish off the chippy.

Underneath my floral clusters I used corner flourishes and although they are partly hidden, the flourishes still give the clusters that extra something that makes them really stand out.  I used a two part process to treat them, first I covered with Prima's vintage gold Metallique Wax and then I added some embossing enamel, being sure to leave bare spots where the gold would shine through.

Creative Embellishments producs used:

Gorgeous Small Border Word Set

Flourish Page Corner 5

Other Products:

Photo Play French Flea Market collection

Petaloo Fairy Rose Bud

Petaloo Gypsy Rose Branch

Stampendous Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel

Prima Vintage Gold Metallique Wax

Creative Embellishments has a great challenge every month, check it out on our blog.  It's the first post in the list and there's always a great prize!

Thanks for stopping by today to visit!  I appreciate it.  

Cheery Lynn Hot Air Balloon Die

I love bright, bold colors and Graphic 45's World's Fair collection sure fits that bill!  What could be a more perfect collection to show you the vintage Cheery Lynn Designs Hot Air Balloon  die?   It is part of the Cheery Lynn Designs newVeriloquent Vintage Die release.  Isn't it pretty?

 Again, using cut-aparts from the paper collection, I  diecut a layer using the Horizon Fish Tail Banner  to place underneath the sentiment, to make it really stand out.

The Ferris wheel cut-apart from the Graphic 45 collection is framed with layers of different sized diecuts.  I used the Alpine Flourish diecut directly underneath the cut-apart.  I placed a piece of cardstock under that and then a Scalloped Frame  overtop the yellow Purple Stacker .  It's really great how Cheery Lynn's die sizes are coordinated so that you can make perfect layers.

Cheery Lynn Designs Dies Used:

Alpine Flourish DL 282

A2 Scalloped Frame CM6

Horizon Fish Tail Banner DL 278

Hot Air Balloon B897

Purple Stacker XL16

Thanks for visiting today!

Graphic 45's new Christmas collection, Winter Wonderland

I love this year's Graphic 45 Christmas collection with it's traditional reds and greens and so perfect for this layout of my great niece and nephew. I wanted this great photo to be the focal point so it is centered on a large punched doily with two floral clusters, simple but effective.

You can make really pretty floral clusters by first fussy cutting flowers from design paper and then layering dimensional flowers over the fussy cut ones. In this case I used a pine cone and berries branch along with a single bloom. I dry brushed a little white paint on the pine cones and flower to add a touch of winter. 

I used a chipboard title from Creative Embellishments that I heat embossed with Stampendous aged ivory embossing enamel.

Then, to add a festive look, I highlighted some of the flower petals and berries on the design paper with red Stickles.

Graphic 45 Supplies:

Graphic Winter Wonderland 12 x 12 Collection:

·        Winter Wonderland

·        Yule Post

·        Nordic Greetings

·        Woodland Whimsy

Other Supplies:

Bazzill Cardstock -  French Vanilla

Petaloo Botanica Anemones

Petaloo Pine Cones and Berries

Martha Stewart Cherish Punch Around the Page punch set

WRMK Lucky 8 Frilly Lace Punch

Stickles - Christmas Red

Creative Embellishments Merry Christmas words

Stampendous Aged Ivory Embossing Enamel

White paint

Fancy this Fan - Creative Embellishments

Let's take a trip back in time and think of the days when ladies coquettishly fanned themselves and used their fans to cover their bosoms.  This fan would have made quite the statement back then!  It's trimmed up with pretty laces and flowers and Prima's Rossibelle papers.

I used Creative Embellishments chipboard Victorian Fan 2 as the base for this piece.  There are several styles of Victorian fans in the store, that are all so pretty!  I think this would be such a beautiful wall piece in a feminine bathroom.  I'd love it in my bathroom!  Hmmm, my husband might not though, LOL!!!

I traced the fan blades onto design paper, then cut and adhered to the chipboard.  I sanded around the edges for a perfect finished look.  Then I glued them together and added Petaloo's new roses and a pretty organza ribbon.  That's it, really this is an easy project but oh so pretty and feminine.

Victorian Fan 2

Thanks for joining me today on a little trip to yesteryear!

Bee Happy with Cheery Lynn Designs!

I made this cheerful card for a friend that is a bee lover, I know she's going to love it! It is an easel card make with Graphic 45's French Country DCE, definitely one of my favorite paper collections! I created some pretty layers using Cheery Lynn vDesign's Horizon French Flair Boutique Stacker Frames and the French Flair Pierce And Cut Tool. Then I used the Distressed Honeycomb from the new Cheery Lynn vintage die release. It is the perfect thing for this card!

I used the Pierced Stacker 3 to diecut a small label for my sentiment.  Those adorable bees are laser cut wood veneers from Creative Embellishments.

A strip across the bottom with a fussy cut sunflower that has been popped up with foam, and two bees, serve to hold the easel in place.

I left room on the side to write a note.

Supplies from Cheery Lynn Designs:

 Horizon French Flair Boutique Stacker Frames 3 Piece Die Set - DL271

French Flair Pierce And Cut Tool - LG Silver Pierce Tool 6 Piece Die Set - LPC12

Pierced Stacker 3 6 Piece Die Set - XL21

 Distressed Honeycomb - 1 Piece Die Set - B887

Other Supplies

Graphic 45 French Country DCE

Creative Embellishments wood veneer bumblebees

Bazzill Beeswax cardstock

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Baby card with Cheery Lynn Designs

Graphic 45's Precious Memories collection is so perfect for making baby cards along with Cheery Lynn's Baby Pram die.  Take a look at that sweet Baby Pram, isn't that just the most perfect die for a baby card?  It's part of the new vintage die release from Cheery Lynn Designs.   I've layered it over the Distressed Honeycomb die, which is also part of the vintage release.

This is a step card, here you can see how it stands on its own.  I made cherry blossoms to gussy up my card.  They are easy to make, just a couple layers and a pearl center.  Ink the edges and center to make the flowers more realistic.

I stamped a sentiment onto the Pierced Stacker .  I also used the Pierced Stacker  in a larger size behind the pram diecut.  

When I make step cards I always like to have my diecuts extending beyond the card's edge.  I used the Horizon Coved Rectangle Boutique Stackers to cut a large frame and layered that at the bottom allowing it to extend over the top of the card.

Cheery Lynn Designs Die Used:

Pierced Stacker 2 6 Piece Die Set - XL20

B898 Baby Pram - 1 Piece Die Set

B887 Distressed Honeycomb - 1 Piece Die Set

Ivy Corner Flourish Die - B315

Horizon Coved Rectangle Boutique Stacker Frames Die - DL251

Cherry Blossom 2 Piece Die Set - B129

Thanks for joining me today!

Christmas in July at the Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog!

I am so tickled to be guest designing again for the Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog!   Their challenges are always fun, I hope you'll join in sometime.   The current challenge is Christmas in July so it's time to get a head start on those Christmas projects!  I designed this cute little gingerbread house for my Christmas in July GDT spot.

I love little Christmas houses so I decided to create this little cottage using Graphic 45's St Nicholas collection from 2016.  This is such a fun little piece and will look great nestled in with some greenery on the mantel.   Another idea for this piece would be to thread a loop through the roof so that you could attach a hook to it and make it an ornament.  The house is small enough that it would be adorable hanging from a tree branch.

You need two dies to make this cottage, both are Sizzix Bigz dies, at the bottom I've listed all my supplies.  One of the dies builds the basic cottage and the other die provides all the fun trim pieces, roof shingles etc.  The basic cottage works with several other dies for building other structures. Check out the Funkie Junkie Boutique as the Boutique carries many Sizzix dies including the ones for this structure.

The body of the cottage is cut from the St. Nicholas 12 x 12 Patterns and Solids pad.  I am so loving the large size pads that G45 has started producing.They are great for projects like this and when you can't find a matching cardstock!

To make the snow effect, I used a very white modeling paste and just smeared it on with a trowel.  Then I went back over that and added some Aleene's Glitter Snow.  I didn't have a lot of Glitter Snow so that's why I used the modeling paste underneath.

I fussy cut the peppermints and candy canes with holly from the design paper.  if you have some small circle punches, they are great for cutting out little things like these peppermints.  Sure beats trying to fussy cut a perfect circle!

To top it all off I had to add some Petaloo sugared blooms.  I just can't stay away from the flowers!  😅

Supplies Used:

Graphic 45 - St. Nicholas 12 X 12 Patterns & Solids Pad 4501411

Graphic 45 - St Nicholas 12 x 12:

  Bells and Bows

  Sweet Tooth

  Candy Cane Wishes

Red Cardstock (for the two large candy canes)

Sharpie - White (to make the stripes on the large candy canes)

Sizzix Bigz Die - Village Gingerbread by Tim Holtz

Sizzix Bigz XL Die - Village Dwelling by Tim Holtz 660992

Aleene's Glitter Snow

White modeling paste

Petaloo Botanica Sugared Minis - burgundy

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today.  Be sure to stop by the Frillie and Funkie  Challenge Blog  and see all the marvelous creations from the Frillie and Funkie design team, you're sure to be inspired!

A Cook's Notebook

 Yep, it's another traveler's style notebook, but this one is for a cook.  It's bright and bold, and has lots of my favorite color in it, RED!  I chose red because it is a hot summer color and more on that in a minute.

 I used Sizzix's Heartfelt Journal designed by Eileen Hull to cut the cover and papers from Graphic 45's Home Sweet Home collection.  The cover is cut from chipboard and I used matte medium to adhere the papers and seal them so that the cover could be wiped clean.  I assure you that I will slop something all over any cookbook that I am using!  Layers of design paper, pretty lace adorning the spine along with knife and spoon dangles (the fork is MIA apparently!), flowers and a gingham bow all work together to make this such a pretty cover with a homespun look.

I am entering this in the Frillie  and Funkie Blog Good Old Summertime Challenge that my friend, Kathy Clement is hosting.   The challenge is to create a project that shows what you love best about summer using summer colors (remember why I chose red?)  Well I must confess, I do not like summer.  I hate hot weather and I retreat to the AC in the summer.  In fact the neighbors have inquired of my husband if I was still alive.  Ha ha, he tells them if they will look in the garden at 6 am, they will find me.  Yep, I can be found most mornings in the garden up until maybe 9 am and then I am in the house for the day, as in enjoying the air conditioning!  However, in the spirit of meeting the challenge, I will tell you that I do love my garden and that is all that I love about summer.  The reason I love my garden is because I LOVE all the fresh produce that I harvest all summer long.  Baby butter beans, southern peas, potatoes, squash, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, blue berries, peppers, jam, pickles, relish, salsa, I freeze and/or can as much as possible all summer long.  Eating all that "good stuff" is what I love about summer!

Inside the front cover, I wish you Bon Appetit (diecut with Cheery Lynn Designs die)!  On the right you can see the cover of the first of 3 signature inserts.

Inside the back cover.

I made 3 signature inserts for my notebook. 

  One has a collection of some of my go-to recipes.  They are mostly good old fashioned southern type casseroles.

I fussy cut some things from the design paper to decorate my pages.

Back cover of the 1st insert.

 The 2nd insert has just lined pages in it so that you can record your own recipes.

Pocket on the left to hold collected recipes, maybe torn from a magazine or jotted down on scrap paper.  

Back of the insert cover.

And the 3rd insert has pockets for recipe cards and I'll add some cardstock for saving photos.

On the left I've tucked in some blank recipe cards and on the right I made some tags that can be used for recipes or notes.

These journals are so much fun to make, I am loving them!  The die for this journal is selling like hotcakes and they are hard to find.  The Funkie Junkie Boutique had them in stock at the time of writing this post, so check there if you're looking for this die.

Ok I am getting this in just under the wire as the challenge ends tonight!  Better late than never I say. The Frillie and Funkie Blog has great fun challenges, why not check it out sometime?