January Journal

welcome to my 2013 journal as I begin to fill the blank pages ...

With my focus statement clear & prominent at the beginning ...

The hummingbird is cut from my craft dictionary.

The centre of the flower swings on a brad
to reveal the hidden journalling.

The beautiful words are from Papyrus ...

In the second week of January, I tried a new recipe ...

Chocolate Orange & Walnut Brownies

The tag is held in the journal by two paper corners.

I took seven ingredients ...

Followed the recipe ...

Well almost ...

They were delicious.

In January I learnt something new & made my first hand stitched book.

I began a new challenge for 2013, which utilises my craft dictionary.

The image of the girl is from the Graphics Fairy.
The crown & word stickers are handmade from a Sunday Times supplement.
The butterfly image is from Dover.
The head image is from Michelle Ward.

I will continue to add to these pages until February, when I will start a new section.

Curious?

The Craft Barn has revealed the next letter in the Alpha Challenge, which will run throughout the year.

The second alpha is C.

This is the front of my tag, using a definition torn from my dictionary.

This is the reverse side.

"Curiouser & curiouser !"

cried Alice
Lewis Carroll

I have used patterned papers Life's Journey Pansy by K & Company, Distress Ink (antique linen) & an image from the Graphics Fairy.

I am creating a tag for each letter of the alphabet & you can see more detail here.

Alpha Tag Book

The Craft Barn has started a challenge which will run throughout the year.

The Alpha Challenge is to use one letter from the alphabet

as inspiration for our creativity.

The original challenge idea was to alter a dictionary, which some participants are doing.

I decided to use my remaining Krammers tags (from Pink Porcupine) to create a small alphabet tag book.

I have completed the front & back covers together with the first tag.

I cut up the title page torn from my well used crafting dictionary, to create a washi tape sticker for the front cover. You can see how I create my washi style tape here.

We are starting the challenge with the letter V.

I chose the word variety for my tag & used the word definition torn out from my dictionary. I have also punched out the title letter, with a small circle punch.

On the reverse I added the quotation

"Variety is the spice of life"
William Cowper

I am using patterned papers Life's Journey Pansy by K & Company, Distress Ink (antique linen), with a few extras along the way.

A new challenge letter will be revealed every two weeks.

Book of Memories

A project for 2013, which will last the whole year, is to create a journal & make an entry once a week on something that has struck a cord with me during the previous week.

I have already begun making the blank journal, using a lovely set of double-sided papers by Scribble Scrabble from their Felicity range.

I cut each 12 by 12 inch scrapbook page in half & then folded it into a folio. I trimmed the folio down so that each page is approx. 6 by 4 inches. Each folio was pierced with six holes down the spine. All the folios were then hand stitched together to create my journal.

The journal will be closed using brown grosgrain ribbon, which allows dimensional elements to be used.

At the end of the year I will have a book full of new memories ...