MIM #167: DIY Notebooks

“Find magic in the little things"  - Isa Zapata

Erin Lincoln demonstrated a "little bit of magic" in the latest episode 

of Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday. Video link: MIM #167: DIY Notebooks. 

The decorated notebooks are so adorable and so much fun to make. 

I know I'm going to make more. Don't you think they 
would be great for Christmas stocking stuffers? I'm going to 
have to check my Christmas stamps for more ideas!!

I wanted a notebook with a bright and cheery spring time look, 
so I chose a colour scheme of white, yellow, light green and pink.

PTI Supplies, unless noted.

Notebook Cover: Stamper's Select White card stock; Stitching Impression Plate

Frame & Lines: Label Basics;  Sweet Leaf Ink (Close To My Heart)

Butterfly & Hearts: Heart-2-Heart #10 stamps and die; 
Hibiscus Burst ink; Grey Wool (CTMH)

Sentiment: It's Official

Back Cover: Recollections Patterned Paper Pad

 

The Button Card die was the perfect size for the notebook pages.

Inside Pages

I was able to cut 9 pieces from one piece of 8 1/2" x 11"  
card stock, although I didn't use all of them in the notebook. 
I used a thinner card stock (Recollections) 

so the individual pages are not as thick as PTI's cardstock.

6 White Pages 
I used the same details as the notebook front.


   
8 Yellow Pages & 8 Pink Pages 
Label Basics stamp, Harvest Gold inks, Hibiscus Burst; 
Sentiments: LLD Journal It - Top Ten (My Favorite Things); 
 Grey Wool ink (CTMH); 


9 Green Pages 
Label Basics stamp; Sweet Leaf & Grey Wool inks (CTMH); 
Sentiments: Monthly Moments: Library Card.

Green Pages

I chose 3 sentiments and stamped each of them on 3 pages.

Thanks for visiting today.

Karen C.

Vintage Inspiration Notebook

Happy Sunday to Everyone!!

     It's Labour Day Weekend here in Canada, so everyone I know is in great spirits ... Monday is a "sleep in" day!   Even though I have retired from teaching, Labour Day still means the end of summer's lazy days and the beginning of cooler, shorter ones.  We're having family over for a barbeque today - just hope the weather is sunny and warm. It's been very cool, rainy and windy here the last few days.

     I wanted to update my Inspiration Notebook - I've been collecting card sketches and other ideas for cards in a little notebook that I bought at the dollar store. The only problem... it was getting full and I had no way of expanding it. So I cut it apart and used binder rings to create a notebook that I will be able to expand over time. 

     I started by covering two pieces of heavy cardboard (6 1/4" x 9 1/4")  with brown paper  
(inspiration from  PTI August Blog Hop Challenge).  This patterned paper has been in my stash for a long time, but I've never been able to make it 'work'. Since I have quite a few 12" x12" sheets it was a good choice...if I 'messed' up I wouldn't be destroying my only piece of patterned paper!!   As you can see it's fairly subtle with very muted colours.  It just needs some zing!

Back of Notebook

     I was was so impressed with Betsy Veldman's  botanical collage and her Moxie Talk on the Moxie Fab blog, I decided to experiment!! 

  

Front of Notebook

     
     I don't usually make cards and paper projects with a 'vintage' look, but I kind of like it... I want to try it again, now that I have figured out some of the techniques!! 

     Betsy comments that this trend is "popping up in home decor, stationery and paper crafting products" and  "the look is layered, full of details...lots of times with text and ledger backgrounds".  

     So I pulled out all kinds of stamps, punches, accessories and kept adding to the front cover until I was happy with the results.

I made a Pocket on the inside 

covers for both the front and the back.

Inside there is a section for different styles of 

cards with instructions and "mini" samples.

And another section has some card 

sketches that I would like to try or 

ones that I have made and really like.

Project Details:

Stamps: PTI - It's Official; Library Card; Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs. Stampin'Up - Rough Type; Tiny Tags; Vintage Vogue. Close to My Heart (CTMH) Air Mail. Hampton Art- "K"

Inks: CTMH - Black, Cranberry, Olive, Indian Corn Blue. PTI - Vintage Touch Tea Dye Duo.

Papers: Recollections Olive & Cranberry. Patterned Paper - Karen Foster "Bouquet"

Other Supplies: Scalloped Border Punch; SU Tiny Tags punch; Boho Blossoms punch; circle punches. PTI- Spiral Notebook Die. Embroidery floss; binder rings; ribbons; Prima flower; brad; Marvy markers; cardboard; brown paper bag.

Book Worm Notebook

     Here's a fun little notebook that I made using the Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs stamp set and matching Mini Book Page Die and Tab Die from Papertrey Ink. I cut out LOTS of lined pages and plain card stock in varying colours of blue and bright green to make this notebook. The die sure made it easy to create all of the pages in a uniform way.

     I started with the Bookworm and apple stamps from Imaginisce and then coloured them with Copic markers and some regular markers. I only had a few copic markers when I made this. Next, I cut the two images out and used dimensionals to attach them to the limey green library card that I had downloaded from Heather Nichol's blog. (I have since purchased the stamp - love it!!)

     The library card is layered on top of a piece of card stock that has been stamped with A to Z letter background stamp from Stampin'Up. I used my EK success Stamp Edge border punch to add some interest .  The pencils were stamped using a little single stamp from Clear Dollar Stamps and Take Note is one of the sentiments on PTI Fillable Frames #1. The embellishments are Dots and Donuts from Stamping Bella.

     I decided to create a "spine" on the book by sandwiching an extra piece of green paper between two pieces of card stock on the front and back and leaving a 1/2" showing on the spine" of the note book. I used ribbon ties to hold it all together.

     Here's the first page with Tin types background stamp on the green paper and  a label made with a Disney alphabet stamp set  that I've had for a while (not sure where it's from!!)     I used the Tab die to cut 5 tabs and then stamped them with the matching border stamp and then various labels - ideas; shopping list; to-do-list; doodles and sketches.

Supplies:

Stamps:   PTI - Mini Scrapbook Series: Tabs; Tin Types; Fillable Frames #1.  Imaginisce - Bookworm.  Stampin'Up - A to Z Letter background stamp.  Clear Dollar Stamps - Pencil

Papers:  Recollections card stock;   Sandy Lion - patterned paper

Ink:   CTMH - Choclate; Ocean; Clover Green. Memento Tuxedo Black

Other Supplies:   PTI - Mini Book Page Die; Tab Die. Library Card download;   Copic markers;   Zig markers; Stamping Bella Dots and Donuts;   Stamp Edge border punch;  Ribbons.

Beautiful Blossoms II

     Here's a little notebook  that I made shortly after I received my first Papertrey Inc. order in the spring. I love Heather Nichols Mini Scrapbook Series:Tabs, so I used the wee words from that set and added the tiny flowers from Beautiful Blooms II on a Kraft card stock. The finished size is 2 3/4" x 3 3/4", so it's just the right size to pop into my purse.
     I stamped one of the flowers three times in Orange ink from Close to My Heart and then hand cut them in varying sizes. I 'crumpled' the top two flowers before I attached them to the center of the first flower and then added Stickles all over. (I love my Stickles!!) I used pink, orange and green inks to stamp the words and flowers on the front.

      I had previously cut up some lined paper for another notebook (I'll show that another day) and had a pile of little pieces left over. I hate throwing out anything if I think I can use it, so I cut the stack of papers to make the pages, and then stamped the little flower image on the top corner of each page. I used Scrapper's Floss in a cream colour and stitched through the center of the booklet to hold all the pieces together. I felt it needed more colour on the outside, so I used a copic marker to colour the floss - I think the colour really 'pops' on the folded edge.
     Lastly, 'handmade"  from Just for You  was stamped on the back of the booklet.
  

   The notebook was easy and fun to make and gave me a chance to use my stamps without all the details of a card!!

 Stamps: PTI  Beautiful Blooms II; Just for You; Mini Scrapbook Series:Tabs
Cardstock: Kraft 
Supplies: Close to My Heart inks; Scrapper's Floss; Stickles; Copic marker:Y68

     My next project is a tag I made for my niece. She had a little baby boy last week and I wanted to take her something when I went to visit. I bought a small set of 'orange' scented bath products and creams and tucked them into a bright orange gift bag. The tag is a piece of yellow card stock that I cut with the PTI library card tag. I stamped the upper section with Polka Dot Basics in pink ink and the bottom with the same stamp in orange ink.

   There's lots of layers on the tag. I used a scallop punch from Stampin'Up on orange and white card stock and then mounted a striped paper on top. The Mat Stack #2 die was cut out in orange and then stamped with polka dots too. I stamped and punched the circular image from Just for You and then used the Beautiful Blooms Die to cut out a white felt flower. It's attached with a pink button and tied with yellow embroidery floss.
     I added a message for Andrea on the back of the tag - just reminding her to take care of herself too. Her little boy was so sweet and quiet when we went to visit - but that can change in an instant!!

 Stamps: PTI  Just for You; Polka Dot Basics
Papers: yellow & orange card stock & DP (from my stash) 
Other Supplies: Close to My Heart inks; PTI dies - Library Card die; Mat Stack #2 die; Beautiful Bloom II Flower #1 die; Stampin'Up punches; satin ribbon; embroidery floss; button; brads


Thanks for visiting!!