Wednesday 28 August 2013

Journal cover for Sin City Stamps

Hello everyone and I am so happy you came to visit.
Today I am showing you my first project using Sin City Stamps!

I was over the moon excited when they asked me to become part of their team as I adored their stamps just from looking at the pictures of them in the store. But when I received my stamps to work with, I got even more excited as these are the best stamps I have ever laid my inky hands on, - they are so deeply edged you just cannot go wrong. No ink in places where you don't want it with these stamps!

Anyway, on to my project: I decided to finally make the cover of the nature journal I have been working on all through my summer break, the Art Journaling with Terri Sproul set seemed just perfect for this, specially when teamed with the Love of Butterflies set, because of the nature theme of course.
I started by embossing a piece of 5 x 7" white card with one of the new Spellbinders 3 D M Bossabilities folders.



Next I coloured it with the help of some Ranger Distress Stains and Inks in the following colours: Willd Honey, Shabby Shutters, Rusty Hinge and Forest Moss


I squeezed some of the stains onto my craft mat, swiped my embossed piece of card through it, spritzt water over it to blend the colours, dried it with my heat gun and then blended the inks over and around it all until I was happy with the result. By that time I had lost quite a bit of the embossed detail but I did not mind that for this project. If however you do want a deeply embossed background, it is better to colour your card before you emboss it.


Next I cut and embossed one of my labels dies that matches this embossing folder and coloured with the same inks while it was still in the die, I then stamped some of the background stamps of the journaling set in Forest Moss and Rusty Hinge Distress Ink, these little stamps are just perfect to add some interest to a background..
Here you can see some of the detail:


Now for some more stamping to add a vocal point: - I stamped one of the butterflies twice in Library Green Archival Ink, cut them out and blended some Peeled Paint Distress ink around them to colour them further. I then adhered them together just in the middle, bent up the wings of the top one a bit for some dimension, added a pen nib and glued this onto my label


Time to start layering my background to create the actual cover....

This is what it looked like to start with:


I covered it with Kraftcard, inked around the edges with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink and stamped one of the journaling stamps along the left hand  side


Next I made a layering piece from a saved bit of corrugated card, coloured with various sprays and distressed around the edges

I then adhered it all together with a tiny scrap of lace tucked in between one of the layers.


Time for the final embellishments and some more stamping fun:
I cut a piece of plain cotton ribbon, coloured it with distress stains, distressed it a bit and stamped another one of the butterflies in Library Green archival along it:


Then I put it all together with some further stamped and cut out butterflies and some home made flowers and leaves. 


And here finally are some close ups still:
Another stamped butterfly, tugged between the flowers

Two words from the journaling set adhered with foam squares for some dimension


The stamped ribbon attached together with a little key charm
Well, there you have it, hope you like my first project and there are just a few days left still to use a fantastic fun scratch coupon code to get yourself a bargain! Click HERE, hover your mouse over the squares and your code will appear, how much fun is that, - keep scratching and you can get up to 40% off!!

See you next time


34 comments:

Aquarius said...

A wonderful finishing touch for your beautiful art journal pages. Thanks for showing so many photos of the detail - great colours used.

Nicecrane Designs said...

Waht a creative idea,,,,on the butterfly body,,,,Astrid and I love your embossing and colors....

Marianne said...

Thanks for sharing all the photo's; it's like a tutorial and I totally love the outcome. What a beautiful cover.
xxx Marianne

Fliss said...

This is absolutely beautiful Astrid. Amazing texture and detail and I love that green, a real favourite colour of mine.
Congratulations on your new DT position too.
Hugs, Fliss xx

Scrumplescrunch said...

Hello Astrid
It's almost grungy, but adding the flowers and Yellow hues softens and warms up the whole piece. Love all the little elements you have included; the words look great.
Smiles:)
Sue

Daniella said...

Astrid, you know I am obsessed with your work!! It is gorgeous!! Lately, I feel like I am running all the time and not giving enough effort to my work. Just trying to hurry up to make deadlines, do you know what I mean? I have to SLOW down and make sure I make quality pieces. Of course they will never look like yours!! Your work is amazing!!!
xxDaniella

Miss NiceRoad said...

stunning piece of art!!

Maryanne said...

This a perfect cover for your nature journal! It's really beautiful. The colors are wonderful and those stamps are fantastic! I need to have some Sin City stamps, that's for sure!

chrissie said...

Stunning and very beautiful use of the colours and textures. A great cover for an Art Journal

Love Chrissie x

Redanne said...

What a beautiful cover for your nature book Astrid, I love the colours and the embossing still looks wonderful. The butterflies do it for me though, they are stunning! Hugs, Anne x

Maryann Laursen said...

Absolutely stunning work here again Astrid. They must be over the moon to have you hun. Your work is just always sooo gorgeous and this one is no exception, that´s for sure. I love what you´ve done to this one here too. Just gorgeous.

Paper Profusion said...

This looks, and I bet feels, stunning Astrid. Superb inking and texture. Love all the wonderful elements and how you have merged them so beautifully. Nicola x

Stamps and Paper said...

Absolutely fabulous Astrid, wonderful blend of colours and textures

Anne

veronica said...

this is really lovely, adore the colours

Shirley said...

A stunning debut masterpiece Astrid with superb colour toning and a very pretty layout on the album cover.

Crafty hugs from Shirl x x x

Words and Pictures said...

An absolutely beautiful cover for your wonderful pages. The butterflies are lovely - both the pen nib one, and on the ribbons. That embossing folder is stunning, and looks so wonderful with all the blended ink colours. And you know I love the corrugated panel...!
Alison xx

Meggymay said...

Gorgeous cover for your beautiful pages. Love the textures and details as well as the wonderful colours.
Yvonne x

Terry said...

Love the transformation! Beautiful journal page with great texture and colors! Lovely!

Dianne said...

I've been waiting to see this, it's perfect for the gorgeous journal-ling you've been doing, that new spellbinder is fabulous, right up you alley for sure and just gorgeous, I've never seen them before,wow the colors you blended are stunning, then the butterfly with the nib, looooove it, OMG that corrugate, it fantastic, that cover is the BOMB****** just like you, thanks so much for always inspiring me and sharing with us,have a wonderful week.....

Lorraine said...

Oh wow! Astrid. That's fabulous. Love all that texture and your colours are gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

They are so lucky to have you on their DT.
This is such an "Astrid piece" - the texture, the colours and the theme.
It is glorious.
Cannot wait to see what else you create for this DT.
Wishes
Lynne

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

GORGEOUS!!! Love the fabulous texture everywhere...awesome embossed image!

Almo said...

Love the rich autumnal colours you have used here Astrid. Such textures are a joy to see. Pretty hand made flowers and butterflies -just lovely Thanks for sharing this. Hugs Mo x

May said...

Gorgeous work Astrid, Love the layers & fabulous texture... Those stamps are Fantastic...Love how you used them...your flowers & butterflies are perfect! Hugs May x x x

Margaret Mifsud said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!! Totally adore this Astrid. Love the embossing, the perfect blending of the colours, the stamps are fantastic ... and on top of all that you gave us a step by step!!! Magic!!!!! oxox

Sandie said...

I love the way you do your embossing always looks so crisp and clean ... and the way you colour it!! This is an amazing and beautiful project Astrid.

Dorthe said...

A beautiful piece, dear Astrid,
so beautifully inked ,- and your butterflyes and flowers ,-I can`t get enough of them ,so gorgeous, -as is the inked cardboard ,too, and it makes an amazing background for the embossed piece snd the flowers!!
OH ,and love your stamped fabric ribbon !!.
Hugs, and xx-Dorthe

Gloria S said...

I always love your projects, but today, I felt like I have to take the time to come over to your blog and let you know how much I LOVE the journal cover. The colors and composition is splendid. I haven't been "playing" in about 3 wks, but I think this just may make me go try something. Thank you.

Brenda Brown said...

Fabulous Astrid, so much gorgeous texture.
hugs {brenda} x0x

Janny Jager said...

Fabulous Astrid.
Love very detail and the butterfly is great.

Greetings Janny

Marisa Job said...

Beautiful project! Love the home made flowers!!

Marjie Kemper said...

What an exquisite cover! Love the rich colors and embossing. Gorgeous!

Rossella said...

What a wonderful cover
Rosie x

Unknown said...

QUE BELLOS TRABAJOS ... MUCHAS GRACIAS POR COMPARTIR Y POR PERMITIR DISFRUTAR DE ELLOS....SALUDOS DESDE MEXICO.

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