On The Cutting Edge with Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and welcome! It's Suzz's turn to host the latest challenge over on the Frilly and Funkie Challenge blog and she's called it 'On The Cutting Edge'; this challenge is all about using your dies, punches or other cutting tools to create a masterpiece featuring at least one die cut, machine cut or punched image. Make sure your art is in the vintage or shabby chic style and incorporates a cut out.

The team will choose their top four picks with the winner being invited to join us in a Guest DT spot at Frilly and Funkie and the next three will receive badges to display on their blogs. Everyone who enters and follows the rules will be entered into the draw to have the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique, so there are plenty of reasons for joining in the fun.

One of  the dies I have used most used this year is Eileen Hull's 'Journal' die - with it back in stock again at The Funkie Junkie Boutique it was a no-brainer to make a new journal. It was designed with someone in mind and need to have a robust cover with a relatively flat surface to prevent being caught when taken in and out of a bag. So I cut an inner layer from Sizzix Paper Leather because it doesn't tear but is flexible and painted the spine to match the old book covers that were glued on top for strength as well as look.

Decoration came in the form of fabric, pages from an old French text (picked up on my recent travels) and stamped masking tape. The focal points for both the front and back covers were the die cut Broken Maze shapes (using Seth Apter's fabulous die). These were cut from a piece of card which had a multitude of Dina Wakley Paint layers applied with brushes, a spatula, Seth's French Script stamp and a craft mat. Adding the white edging with a pen was a trick Seth teaches in his classes and I added stamping behind using one of his 'Rotators' stamp set.

After adding the name plate (the sentiment is one from Wendy Vecchi's 'Artful Thoughts' stamp set) and Nail Heads I strung the spine with 2mm elastic and added a piece of sari silk to close. Inside is rather boring and practical (hence no photos) as it's just lined notebooks that can be slipped in and out when being used for recording notes, ideas and designs. Here are more close ups;

That's it for my DT project for the current Frilly and Funkie challenge 'On The Cutting Edge' I hope you've been inspired by my latest journal. Do make sure you hop on over to see what my talented team mates have been inspired to create. And remember to link your own die cut shabby chic or vintage projects, to be in with a chance of winning one of the fabulous prizes.

I'll be back again soon with lots of new projects. In the meantime take care of yourselves and get creative! Jenny xxx