What I learned: A travel themed mini book

Hello everyone!
I've been holding this project back for over 3 months but I decided it was time to share it and get your feedback.

I've made mini books before- my December Daily project from 2011 is an all time favorite of mine.
But this mini about our family road trip from New York to Salt Lake City was a challenge.

Here's a look:

I found you CAN spray Hambly transparencies!
Just let them dry out over night.
Materials: Hambly Screen print cover, Maya Road Tangerine mist, washi tape from Target,
American Crafts layered embellishments and Ormolu journaling spots.

I wanted try out two things with this new book:
1. A transparent Hambly Screenprints cover with a machine stitched spine
2. Border sewn and gessoed interior pages for an art journal look.

I used brittle vintage travel magazine pages for the inside of my book so
I covered most of them with gesso to guard against breaking.
The resulting pages are a joy to turn!  

The sewn spine became a challenge when I tried to run the finished pages through my sewing machine.
As I quickly found out, hand sewing a couple of stitches to keep the pages together BEFORE you run the whole thing through your machine is a very good idea- especially when working with slippery transparency material.

The mini quickly became an art journal project. Here I'm using a chipboard stencil from Retro Cafe Art.
 I also tried to make a confetti page with a glassine envelope but the resulting look was down right ugly so I ripped half the envelope off and just left one side. 

I made three false starts and punched holes all over the place before I got anything resembling a straight line.
Washi tape now covers the holes.
Unlike fabric, paper does not recover from a missed seam.

The gesso also provided plenty of journaling space for my travel memories. I really wish Hambly hadn't gone out of business- I love their products so much! A left over piece of their "Uncharted" design holds two of my favorite photos from our family vacation.

Stitching the gessoed page edges together made them sturdy and gave them the flexibility of fabric.
I no longer worried they would crumble apart and HUGE bonus- it feels great to touch and turn the pages.

Also, Hambly transparencies don't bend very well.
I used my Martha Stewart Score Board to make the spine but the material is so thick it resists permanent bending and doesn't close properly.
I used a piece of washi tape to hold the book shut this time but next time I plan to make a little fabric button hook for the closure.

Jenni Bowlin Studio kraft tags and Studio Calico car veneers-some of my favorite CHA summer 2012 items. The quote snippets from from a Glitz print from 2011- I wish I had gotten an extra sheet because the quotes are amazing.

Photographing the book was a dilemma as well. 

Since it doesn't lie flat I had to hold it while shooting.

Next time, I will use a knife to score a line on the transparency which should get it to lie flat for photos (and reading!)

The mini has very few actual embellishments. I used a pack of October Afternoon die cuts, Hambly camera rub-ons and  an arrow from A Flair for Buttons. The compass stencil on the right-hand page is from Prima. Stamps are from Studio Calico, Studio AE and Viva Last Vegas Stamps (which is awesome- check out their website)

Here is the back cover- I loved the texture from the stenciled gesso so much I left it mostly blank.

The Greek coffee cup was such a New York City corner deli thing!
It's not really available anymore so this stamp from Viva Las Vegas has major nostalgia factor.
The bubbles stencil from Studio Calico is AMAZING- I just reminded myself I wanted to try it again on another vintage paper project- the writing shows through the borders and looks really beautiful.

So what do you think?
Any tips?

Lots of tape used in this mini. Most of it came from Target and the Recollection's
brand sold in Michael's but I also used American Crafts Amy Tangerine tape and
Tim Holtz NYC subway tape (FAVE!!!!)

I'm very glad I pushed my technical limits with this project. 

I loved working with gesso even if I had to wait 48 hours for it to dry evenly.

And the final take away? Never be afraid to make mistakes while making what is essentially a "memory" project.

You can always go back and fix those mistakes.

Or you can decide- like I did- that the mistakes are part of your process.

The next book will be better but only because I took so many "risks" with this one.

Halloween cards made with Paper Source die cuts and stamps.
(Someone's been having fun at work!)

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Mama don't take no mess! A 4x6 post card exchange

So I'm loving the whole 4x6 postcard swap thing.
It started with one I made for the Brooklyn based Art House Co-Op.
I love that I bring a tiny bit of scrappy joy to someone I admire and that I get to do it with paper.

MATERIALS: Stencils and stamps from Retro Cafe Art, Viva pearl pen,
Tattered Angels Mist in gold and Glimmer Glam in Mermaid, Tim Holtz Grunge
embossing powder, Studio Calico text stamp

This project wrought all kinds of drama.
I won't bore with the details since frankly exactly NO ONE cares but let's just say right up front
THIS girl doesn't take to scolding or "humbling" of any kind.
If you need to trip all over yourself to "put me in my place" PLEASE

Check yourself

Before you wreck yourself.

Lyrics from a master of tough guy talk.
They never made more sense than now.
I'm not here to hurt anyone or ruin their day.
I just want to be happy and share my FUN times with you.
I want to listen to your personal stories and cheer you on.
I want to help you raise your circus tent and be awesome(r).
But I won't play along with power trips.
It's incredibly wasteful.
Wasteful of general goodwill.
Wasteful of time.

SURPRISE!!!! The back is in on the fun as well.
I had to send this along in an envelope. Can't wait to get mine!
Making Memories stencil foam stamp, Grunge backdrop
paper from Paper Source.

And I just don't have any time to waste.
I. don't. have. time.
Writing this sentence took 4 seconds.
Time I no longer have and needed to work on something else.
So if I can't spare time to write a six word sentence WHAT makes you think I have time to explain my schedule, methods or thinking to someone who's busy drawing lines in the sand?

BING!
This turkey is DONE.
I've been setting limits on foolishness lately and this was just one more chance to practice.
Believe it or not,
I'm happier now!
Sometimes you have to fight you own neediness, feelings of guilt and comfort in group think.
And before this becomes much more melodramatic
(Can you HEAR the sweeping music? This is the HERO of the story speaking "truth" here! Here is THE VICTIM. Feel for her story! Go along with everything said!)
NOT!

Let me assure you,
I am perfectly aware
many times the things we find most vexatious in others,
are things we see and despise about ourselves.

Funny how things work out. I now have more time to notice when this face laughs.
I was around to take the picture.
Winning!

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle