Monochromatic Observations

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on all my projects for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge in June.

It was a real honour, one I probably shouldn't have said yes to, given my time constraints, but I ended up enjoying every single theme and making some projects I really love.  (If you missed any of them you can find them all via the links at the top of the side bar.)

I also want to do a quick plug for my blogaversary candy... Yes, Words and Pictures is four years old, so do come and celebrate with me.

But right now it's time for a new challenge at A Vintage Journey.  The brilliant Tracy is our host this month and she would like to see your Monochromatic projects please.  So here's what I came up with...
















... a handmade nature journal in shades of brown, simple and natural.  I love working monochromatically, especially in neutral tones and - given my limited time at the craft table this year - I decided just to enjoy myself!

Every now and then I manage to keep things simple on a project, and when I do the results are always pleasing to me.  (If you check out my Beautiful Things Pinterest board, you'll see that actually my tastes are pretty minimal.)

The how-to is pretty simple for this one too.  It's just some sheets of watercolour paper torn in half and distressed a little around the edges.

They're then spritzed with Distress Sprays and allowed to dry.  (Do click the photos for a larger view if you'd like to.)

On each page I've added one of the gorgeous Tim Holtz Wildflowers stamps, stamped in Coffee, if I remember rightly...

... and clear-embossed to make them stand out a little more from the inky splatter behind.

That, of course, means they catch the light too - always a favourite effect of mine.
















The spritzing was completely random, as you can probably see.










Some pages are very inky - and it takes slightly differently on the textured side compared to the smooth side (it's pretty cheap paper).

But I just let what happened happen... and I really didn't concentrate on matching up inkiness when I was binding the pages.  So it's all just happy accidents when it works out!

The cover is made with one of Tim Holtz's beautiful Book Cover stamps - the large one, 6x4 inches, so that's the size of the book too. You may remember my Year in Poetry which this is based on - but this is a simpler version, with more space to add "observations".













It's stamped onto heavy kraft card for sturdiness, and I adorned it quite simply with one of my much-loved WordBands, coloured with alcohol inks to fit the monochromatic tones of the rest.












On the inside front cover where the brads came through I added another kraft panel which you can write the owner's name on - but really it's covering the brad ends!














The binding couldn't be simpler - some rustic twine threaded through the hole-punched holes and tied in a knot behind.












So I hope you like my minimal, monochromatic journal.

You'll find plenty more Monochromatic inspiration over at A Vintage Journey - my fabulous team-mates have excelled themselves yet again.

I hope you'll hop over and take a look, and that you'll be inspired to come and play along this month.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and I'll hope to be a better blog visitor in the coming weeks.

If you make listening and observation your occupation you will gain much more than you can by talk.
Robert Baden-Powell

Accuracy of observation is the equivalent of accuracy of thinking.
Wallace Stevens






It's not exactly frenzied, but there are plenty of florals, so I'd like to add this to the Floral Frenzy challenge at Stamps and Stencils