Inspired Book- Creative Mess Booklet #1

Hello Topflight Stamps Fans, I have post #2 for my Inspired Book that I made last month. November has been a crazy month of travel, teaching & kid stuff. This is going to be an inky post with a favorite technique for making the booklets that go in your journals. If you are on the Journal craze or just want to make a creative notebook I hope you have a chance to make one of these books. 

My 1st booklet is to write down ideas, inspirations & anything artsy that comes to mind. I made the cover a separate piece & the lined booklet was sewn together. This way I can simple replace the booklet when full leaving the cover intact. My pages were cut from lined paper 8"wide x 6.5" tall. It is hard to see the booklet in this pic, more on that below.

I have been playing with Gel Plate a lot lately mainly due to some of the classes I am teaching. I love the way ink moves so differently on the plate & allows for some unique quick & easy backgrounds. For the cover of my book I decided to experiment with Infusions to see how it worked on the plate. Basically sprinkle the Infusions on the plate & spritz with water. Dab the paper on the plate picking up the colors. A little goes a long way so just sprinkle a bit to start with and add a generous 2-3 spritzes of water. 

Infusions colors are so rich & concentrated. I did one layer (left hand side) of dabbing the paper down, dried with a heat gun & then added a 2nd layer (right hand side) more sparingly. Love how rich this color is! The interesting thing is I think the gel plate holds the walnut crystals allowing for more pigment to show through. 

I added a 2nd color- Royal Blood and just added a touch here & there. Love this background!!! I think you get a richer color with the Gel Plate, less of the brown from the walnut crystals. Just an extra tool in the tool box. 

Speaking of tools, did you know that on the Topflight Stamps shop page, a lot of the stamps shown have inspiration right there for you? Just click on the mini image to the right of the main image. I used this sample by Rachel Greig owner of Darkroom Door to inspire my cover. 

Loving the look of the background created, & not wanting to potentially wreak it meant putting the sentiment on another paper. The sentiment was embossed so it would really show. Adding the quote in Glistening Glass which is clear seemed a good idea. That means my sentiment will be white like the card stock. I put a few sprinkles of A Bit Jaded on the Gel Press, spritzed with water & once my image had cooled dabbed the paper in it. The emboss will resist the ink as it is water based. Sorry the colors are off in this photo you see the true color below.

I mistakenly rubbed off some of the word "am" but mistakes often create opportunity. I  re-stamped the word on white paper & cut it out, distressed the edges & popped it on my card. Love how that looks, really adds to the sentiment. I also carefully stamped some of the splats from the stamp with black ink, then distressed the edges.

Lastly I stamped some random images on my background just to add some interest. I used Grunge Marks & Arty Hexagons both from Darkroom Door Stamps.

I used a variety of stamps which I got from Topflight Stamps to add fun & interest to my pages. Some of the images were direct to paper but because it is thin the images were seen on the other side. Most were stamped on copy paper & cut out then glued.

Just stamp away- off course I used a trusty stamping press to make sure my images were crisp. These stamps are Seth Apter.

I also added some stenciling using different colored inks & a dabber to get a nice image. Some pages also had washi added for more color & interest. What I love about this project is I can use any colors or themes as the book goes on, it doesn't have to be matching. This washi is Alexander Renke & the stencil is Pronty.

Seriously love how these wee foxes look! They are from washi tape. The stamps are PaperArtsy Scrapcosy 5. Look at the fox looking up are the mushroom- too fun. 

Lastly I added some more Glistening Glass embossing powder to the outside of my book to give it the same shine as the spine. It will also protect that crackle paste so it doesn't chip off. I also added the A Flair For Buttons butterfly. For the full tutorial on this book you can go here. That's it for this post. I hope you can get some arting done today!

Supplies:

PaperArtsy- Infusions in Blackcurretn, Royal Blood & A Bit Jaded

"          "      Stamps-Zinski Art 41, Scrapcosy 05,

Seth Apter Stamps by PaperArtsy

Eileen Hull Glistening Glass by Emerald Creek

Stamperia Steampunk News Stamp

Darkroom Door - I Am Creative,
Collage Stamp & Polka Dots Stencil

Pronty Grunge Circle Stencil

Washi Tape- various & Foxes
Gel Press 

*Affiliate- some of these companies have given me product to use, play & experiment with. The ideas are my own but I tend to work with companies whose products I like so enjoy the inspiration. 

**some of these links are affiliate, I receive a small percentage from the company at no cost to you. This may help me continue to bring you techniques & more inspiration.