Altered Journal

Hi everyone, I am first going to give a shout-out to Laurel's Place, a blog I follow, who is giving away some great blog candy....Check it out for yourself!

Secondly, drum roll please...........I will be featuring my first page by page layout on this Abundance Journal post. I made this for a dear friend. She has been so sweet and {{{real}}}}!!! Don't you just love it when someone is real and not phony or stuffy? I surely appreciate the great words of encouragement she's given me and the great connection we've made since our kiddies have been friends! Today is her birthday and I wanted to show you what I made for her...you rock!!!

It's more than a Prayer Journal or Gratitude Journal, BUT Abundance Journal. All the great things about our lives, our homes, our kids (she has 7!!! Mwahhh-love 'em all) - our creativity, our passion for this great art form, family, food, (yes, I've even fed hers and my family=16 total for a great Italian dinner this summer, we can still smell the basil in the air and taste the salt of the Lupini beans on our fingertips - Mama Polizzi @ her best!) - OK, get it? Am I getting the point across? We are more than just blessed, we are all living in the Abundance God has given all of us! I think its this attitude could help so many of those suffering in our current economy...I know it's more than atttitude, but maybe it helps with the mindset primarily!

Here's my journal....I altered a tabbed chipboard book measuring approx. 5 X 7 - it's only $4.95 (The Angel Company), so it's economical for a handmade gift. Of course, the book needs to be painted to allow a nicer backdrop to your pages you create....I used acrylic paint from Americana, Anita's & Delta - Lt. Ivory & Moon Yellow mixed and painted, make sure to get all your edges, too!! (Here's a Go Green moment: I like to use empty & cleaned applesauce or fruit & pudding cups to mix my paint and use it for a palette).

Each page that I made to adhere to the book's pages measures 4 x6 1/2 and to keep my pages in a uniform color theme, I used an 8 X 8 paper pack from Daisy D's Paper & Die Cuts called, Chasing Butterflies. Such awesome papers! Love them!!!!

Here's a close up of the front cover, the title is punched paper & stamped words. Look at your stamps differently, too! Have a fancier letter, replace it over the regular "A" for the fancier one, and it gives almost a drop cap feature like as in your MS Word documents, etc.

Here's a close up of the bottom tag of the subtitle embellished with coordinated die cuts & a punched heart w/foam pop up tape.

The Pages

Each page features stamped images, journalling lined blocks, unwritten decorated reference tabs, and stamped with flourishes. I keep my flourishes consistent throughout the book - again, goes back to that uniform look....

After all the pages are adhered down, I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch a hole into the front & back pages to add the large grommet (The Angel Company), making sure to catch the ribbon (source unknown) for a good closing medium. I like ribbon, it's more feminine! :)

Then, I will use an alphabet set to write the journal name on the spine. I like this touch, it's a quick reference thing again! Always sign your work (I used a stamp on the back cover, then signed my John Hancock in my artistic way...doesn't everyone do this?

Thanks for looking at my Abundance Journal, this is a great idea for a personalized, handmade but also a gift from the heart!

Thanks for looking!

Supplies used:

Inks: Palette Hybrid Ink, L'Amore Red, Landscape, Burnt Umber, Cognac; Tim Holtz Distressing Ink Tea Dye; VersaMagic Chalk Ink, Spanish Olive, Aegean Blue.

Embossing Folders: Provo Craft.

Stamp Sets from The Angel Company: More Abundance, Girlz & Boyz, Pray Hard, Be Authentic, F is for Family, He Loves Me GWP, Journalling Lines, He Said She Said, Trust in the Lord, Fruit of the Spirit, My Story, Spring Dream, It's the Little Things, Life is Short, Express Yourself, Peaceful Hearts, Autumn Memories, Everything Nice.

Stamps: Pineapple from Darcie's LLC, Matryoshka Dolls from My Cute Stamps, Enjoy Every Moment from SU, Foursquare & Primitive Beginnings from CHF, Hand-in-Hand from Gina K, Boards & Beams from PTI, Pointy Pencil from Whipper Snapper, Clothesline from Inky Antics, New Mom Bunny w/Baby Bunny from Art Gone Wild; Prayer Journal set from Clear Dollar Stamps.

Embellies: Brads & Large Grommets The Angel Company, Ribbon source unknown, button source unknown, Antique medium sized brads by Making Memories.

Punches: small heart by Martha Stewart, scallopped circle by Marvy.

Coloring Mediums: Spica Markers, Copic Markers, Prismacolor Pencils w/Blending Pencil.