Still, if inspiration is a little thin on the ground here at Words & Pictures, you can be sure my fellow Creative Guides over at A Vintage Journey will be filling in the gaps if you hop over to take a look, and we hope you'll come and share your book projects with us somewhere along the road this month. But before you hop off, take a look at my simple project and see what you think.
With several failed mixed media efforts biting the dust - I was just in one of those moods where nothing made me happy, and with every failure the mood got darker! - I've definitely cheated slightly. Rather than hand-making my books from scratch, these are simply little notebooks which I've covered with some experimental Oxide tags which had been sitting around pretty much since the release of the (much longed for here) Stormy Sky Distress Oxide pad last July.
Underneath, these are just small kraft notebooks (3.5 x 5.5 inches). I use them a lot for taking notes during previews when I'm working in the theatre, so I always have a few sets of them hanging around.
When I'm playing with ink and tags, I usually work in pairs, dipping and mopping, so there was a tag for the front cover and a tag for the back cover for each notebook. All I had to do was snip the tops off, glue them down, and trim the corners to fit.
The tags were standard #8 manila ones, and they weren't quite wide enough for the whole cover, so I used some sticky-backed linen ribbon to create a "binding" for the spine.
Regulars will know how much I enjoy my wrinkle-free distressing...
... and often there's so much delight in these inky splotches and splatters that I'm reluctant to cover them up.
So, as far as that goes, this project is actually a resounding success. The fabulous combination of Oxides and Distress Inks and water splatters gets to take centre stage.
I love that misty Oxide effect and the vibrant ink splatters in between.
Just the simplest of embellishments... these will be working notebooks, after all.I applied the Stormy Sky Oxide pad direct to the Idea-ology Muse Tokens' surfaces, and it created the perfect highlighting of the lettering.
Job done! And they look good from the back too... Given they're in my favourite blues and browns, and given that I'm of a minimalist mind when I comes to the look of my personal possessions (not that I succeed with minimalism in terms of amounts of stuff, of course), these do please me rather a lot in the end.
I just feel a bit guilty that they were so easy to make! But just occasionally a shortcut is allowed, I hope. Thanks so much for dropping in today, and do hop over to A Vintage Journey to see the literary delights the other Creative Guides have come up with to inspire you. We hope to see you en route. Happy bookish crafting all!
A room without books is like a body without a soul.
Marcus Tullius Cicero
34 comments:
You have no need to feel guilty. You gave us examples of two wonderful book covers. I would never have thought they were originally tags if you hadn't told us. Beautiful colors and two products I don't own. Great job and I love the minimalist feel to these book covers and this project.
sometimes the muse just isn't flowing! great use of the tags and who'd have known that's what the cover is made from.
Well, I for one absolutely adore the simplicity of these!!! You are so right, those wonderful distressed blotches and spots really don't need much in the way of adornment! They will be useful and a joy to take notes in I'm sure and I love those hessian spines!! Love the little notebooks themselves too, perfect size and I would love to know where you purchased them...
I love the covers you made. I shall have to see if you did a previous post about them as I would like to have ago myself.
No need for guilt here Alison, these notebook covers are stunning!! I love the minimalist look and always adore your blue and brown combinations! Looove these!! xx
We all have days like that. But this is a great way to take a plain little purchased notebook and turn them into really cool little notebooks. Hopefully your artist block won't last too long and next sitting will be more productive. Happy weekend Alison. Hugs-Erika
These are gorgeous. Using that edge binding makes it look like they came made this way. Perfection!!
I love your color combinations, Alison!
A great way to use and play with your Distress oxide. Sometimes, the less is the more!
Now,I think you could have fun (and with similar results maybe, but you could compare!) by doing direct application of the inks on your plain kraft notebooks, isn't it?.. Just need Clear Gesso before (but then, maybe the inks will not resist everywhere or well I guess... well, at least we can try what do you think?... :)
Corinne x
WOW -- they look superb! You have such an eye for style Alison! Happy weekend my friend!
Big hugs, Susi
Gorgeous effects Alison! xx
I know you think they are fairly simple but honestly Alison, if I created four tags as beautiful as these I would never want to cover them up at all, so they are just perfect as notebook covers. The binding is such a lovely touch and gives them such a professional finish. I love them! Anne xx
Some challenges are truly "challenges". However you won out beautifully in the end. Your books are inspiring. Hugs, Sandy
Well despite your struggles you have created two beautiful notebooks Alison, I adore the depth and interest on those lovely inky Distress Oxide tags and the linen binding was the perfect finishing touch! Thanks so much for sharing them with us, Deb xo
Its a great idea to use the tags to make beautiful covers for your note books.
The oxides give fantastic colour effects.
Yvonne xx
They are lovely!
Alison, they looks like old marbled covers, - they are so very beautiful, and I love the tags you used to create this gorgeous covers.
Hugs, Dorthe
Funny how we feel guilty when we've produced something "easy". Isn't the result that counts? Anyway, I love the look of your Distress inks background, it does remind me of the covers (actually maybe the inside of the covers) of old books.
Those tags are stunning Alison x love the colour tones too x I understand your frustration but you had your tags to call upon and they are the perfect solution x your notebook covers are truly fabulous xx
Huge hugs
Annie x
I'll tell you what I think Alison! this colour combination is stunning! I love the notebook, the binding and that little embellishment is perfect. However I must demand that you take the stuff out of the rubbish bin! you never know when an idea might pop up and you will regret throwing them away. When I was teaching Textiles I used to check all the bins before going home as my exam pupils would regularly throw stuff away and we nearly always managed to turn it into something brilliant so go on get it out! Sending hugs, Angela xXx
I think these are really beautiful Alison, they remind me of marble. We all have days when everything ends up in the bin (mine was yesterday) I just never thought that you did lol. I love the linen binding that you've used, and also the fact that you will use the notebooks - too often we make things and they never get seen again. Have a very happy week, Sue x
These are simple, but still so beautiful!
Go catching up with your posts:-)
What fabulous colours and I too love the misty oxide effect with the vibrant ink splatters. Great to think they will be well used and I think they are wonderful, unique and very personal and in your favourite colours. Fabulous inspiration Alison.....Thank you x.
Oh goodness Alison, I would say these are brilliant! (not simple : ) Love the 'mottled' blues and browns very much~ A clever re-use of the
tags! How fun to experiment with the inks/oxide. You are a natural. The look you achieved is beautiful. (& I would be so interested to know where to find that sticky linen ribbon;) The B.side of the books is beautiful and interesting; great effect & so lovely!
Thank you for sharing~ Hope your week is off to a good start : ) Hugs, karen o
Your always seem to know just what colors to smoosh together Alison! Love the watery spottiness and lovely color mix on both of these as well as the rough texture added with your bindings! A beautiful place to write thoughts or keep memories! xx
Yummy covers - the hessian tape really helps them to pop!! Have a lovely evening xx
Crash and burn huh?!! As if! Your wrinkle free distress technique is fab as are the combos of colors. Always a great idea to have simple notebooks hanging about in case you need them. Im always afraid to have overly embellished ones in my bag because I'll destroy it. Love this idea.
Sometimes simplicity is the best. No need to add someething to these wonderful book covers. Fabulous effect of the inks combined with your talents.
They may have been easy(for you) to make but they look wonderful! Hugs, Chrisx
I absolutely adore how you have altered yur otebooks , Alison. Stormy Sky is one of my fave DI colours so yu got me there at the get go and I LOVE how you have let the WFD backgrounds take the stage so the viewing eye can truly enjoy all those splotches and splatters.
Kudos to you for not feeling the need to add / cover up those fabulous backgrounds.
The word discs make for an ideal embellishment .
If i saw these in a shop to purchase my wallet would definitely be taking the hit .
Apologies for my late arrival- lifes just ket getting in the way this past couple of weeks .
hugs x
Your book covers are beautiful! The design is so elegant with the pretty colour combinations that you used and the splits and splatters of the inks 😁. The simple embellishments finish them beautifully too, I love the words! I hope you've had a lovely week and wishing you a wonderful weekend! J 😊 x
Inky, splotchy notebooks, perfect!
Sorry to be late! I've admired these lovelies on my opened page for days, now and I think they are nothing less than stunning! I think many of us are very intimidated by creating a full blown mini album or journal, and your 'simple' booklets are just the inspiration we need. Those inky covers are fabulous, and I'm so happy you didn't cover them up--the word token is the PERFECT embellishment! Hugs!
Shortcuts most definitely are allowed, especially when they turn out like these notebooks have. Nothing worse than trying to write on a wobbly surface so the addition of the simple embellishment is perfect as is the hessian spine. Another winner!
Hugs, Neet xx
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