Sprucing Up My Notes

It's time to share my DT sample for the latest Frilly and Funkie Challenge - Spruce It Up. Rebecca has asked us to take a look around our desks or workspaces and the things on it that we use to organise, communicate and run our lives. These could include calendars, birthday/anniversary planners, writing implements, checkbooks, iPads, index card files, cell phones, file folders, etc. Then she wants us to set ourselves the challenge of making one of these 'plain jane' items into something that makes us smile every time we use it. So what to transform? Well the answer right under my nose.

So, from plain notebook to something I'll enjoy recording the highs and lows of crafting in!

Yep, all the good stuff and the disasters are written/displayed in here in an attempt to prevent repeating the mistakes and remember how to replicate the good stuff.

The beginnings of this project was a tutorial about creating faux leather by Susi (see it HERE). It took a mix of DI Vintage Photo and Walnut Stain followed by a covering of Glue n Seal to spruce up the plain cardstock (courtesy of a large online company!)

Next came one of those paste embossed experiments - in this case plain white paste roughed up slightly with water as it was drying and then smothered in DS Tarnished Brass/Antique Copper and some DI Rusty Hinge/Tea Dye. Some tin mesh and a piece of stamped/fussy cut Vintaj Patina card were layered over the top .

Then it was just a case of choosing/altering the ephemera that would be scattered over the top. The buttons and lace were very easy. As those of you who saw my desk a few weeks ago will know I have a rather large collection of them so I'm a little spoiled for choice in this regard!! A couple needed the post removing so they would sit flat and glue properly.

The rest of the bits and pieces seemed to take forever to choose. I tried postcards, images, oh all sorts of stuff before I finally settled on what would look good (in truth I could change my mind even now!!!)

For those of you who have visited the Frilly and Funkie Challenge Blog you will have seen my 'button' on the sidebar. Linda wanted us to find something that represented us. This little dog image was found at The Graphics Fairy and after a spot of digital alteration it looked like I do - surrounded by a pile of paper wondering what to do next!! I used Brenda Brown's UTEE in the freezer crackle method again (see my last post).

Next came a real treat from my last Funkie Junkie Boutique package - a fabulous brass key!! Love this to bits and as I felt reluctant to put it on something that may leave my sight it seemed sensible to add it to my own notebook (for future inspiration of course!!) It took a spot of Verdigris Vintaj Patina beautifully.

Here it is in all its glory. I was rather proud of the leather strap - well actually this is grungepaper with DI Vintage Photo rubbed into it and holes punched into it. 

You can just see the main part of the pocket watch - oh yes, those new X-Cut dies came into there own here - which was cut from more of the Patina'd cardstock and other mirrored card covered in archival inks and Versamagic.

The buckle took a bit of doing - some clear UTEE stamped with a buckle and then painted on the reverse with DS Tarnished Brass.  Behind it is another piece of embossed paste (Gold Ferro with extra Rennassaince Treasure Gold  to highlight the raised parts).  Oh, and a few more buttons of course!

So there you have it. Hope it inspires you in some way to improve something useful but plain in your life . To see what the rest of the team have come up with pop over to the Frilly and Funkie challenge blog . There are some superb transformations on display.  Thanks to everyone for visiting and to those of you kind enough to leave comments  thank you so much. They are really appreciated. Hugs, Jenny xx

Rusty Tin Wire Net	Bronze Metal Keys Scrapbooking and Mixed Media	Ranger Vintaj Patina Kit - Weathered Copper	Venise Lace Trim - 1/2 inch wide	Tim Holtz Idea-ology Grunge Paper	Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black	Ranger Archival Ink - Coffee	Ranger Archival Ink - Sepia
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Tea Dye	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Antique Linen	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Walnut Stain	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Rusty Hinge	Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo	Tim Holtz Ranger Distress Stain - Brushed Corduroy	Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Stain - Tarnished Brass	Tim Holtz Ranger Metallic Distress Stain - Antiqued Bronze