2018 - The Year of ... for Frilly and Funkie

Hi everyone and welcome! Phew, well it's been a whirlwind start to 2018 - the annual AFCI trade show 'Creativation' has just finished in Phoenix and many of your favourite brands have officially launched new products and designs to retailers and customers around the World. I was lucky enough to attend again this year to meet up with the incredible Linda Coughlin, owner of The Funkie Junkie Boutique. Boy, does she work hard to bring you the goodies you want/need to add to your stash! And as if that wasn't enough I travelled out with my crafting buddy Anne Redfern to join other members of Eileen Hull's Inspiration Team at the Sizzix Booth. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet up with old friends and make new ones in the industry.

2018 - The Year Of...

Meantime, over at the Frilly and Funkie Challenge blog we are already half way through the latest challenge, '2018 - The Year Of... '. Our host Suzz explains more; "I am not very good at New Year Resolutions but I do like to think about what I want to focus on in the New Year. To help me do this, I pick a word that is my word for the year and try to use that word to keep me focused on what is important. The challenge to you is to pick a word that will be your inspiration for 2018. Create a vintage or shabby chic project that includes your word of 2018. The word can be part of a sentiment, phrase or stand alone on your project as long as it is featured somewhere in your art."

As ever, the Design 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.

You will have seen from the photos that my word is more of a phrase - Be The Difference. It reflects a lot of personal goals and a desire to become a better 'influencer/motivator' for all of you out there. Confession time; I created a journal to record all the high points of 2017 but discovered that having a set number of pages in advance stifled me and hence my ability to fill it - some months were busier than others so then came the challenge of working out how fit those in. Put up a challenge like that and it can easily deter me from getting it finished!

So this time I've created a new journal with a binding system that's going to allow me to add pages as I go along, including inserts of differing sizes and shapes - how's that for flexibility! I'm leaving more of the detail on this system for another post very soon. The cover itself is made from strong board that has been covered in Tim Holtz Memoranda Paper, stamped with Archival Inks, stencilled to add texture and then brayered with Distress Paints to add colour. All of that provided a base to layer Ephemera, die cuts and Remnant Rubs to build the design. Inside black gesso covered the board in preparation for brayering and stamping with the same Distress Paints and stamps.

Here are some close ups so you can get to see more of the detail. I love the fact that brayering paint gives you uneven layers of colour. Giving the finished cover a thin coat of Matte Distress Collage Medium protects the Ephemera, die cuts and Remnant Rubs as well as giving them a consistent appearance. You'll notice the layers have been kept flat to allow for the covers to sit open and be more portable. The full list of products used can be found at the end of this post, all of which can be found at The Funkie Junkie Boutique.

That's it for my DT project for the current Frilly and Funkie challenge. My talented team mates have also created lots of amazing projects for this challenge so make sure you hop on over and check them out HERE. And remember to link up 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 with more details of the binding system I've used for this along with lots more tutorials which are currently 'under construction'. In the meantime if you have any questions please make sure you leave a comment below.

Take care of yourselves and get creative! Jenny xxx