Friday 7 July 2017

All Squared Up- A Vintage Journey, July 2017 Challenge

Hi Everyone and Welcome

How you all doing? Hopefully all's good with everyone and you have enjoyed the first week of July.
Today sees the start of our new Challenge over at A Vintage Journey and this month lovely Tracy is our host for the Challenge
'All Squared Up'
Whether a frame, embellishment, die cuts, drawn squares, doodles or windows lets see where inspiration takes you , lets get all squared up and show how creative those right angles can look! Show us your Squared up pieces in a vintage; shabby; mixed media; art journaling; industrial; timeworn or steampunk style.
 
I've 'Squared up' a mini Note Journal and created geometric patterned covers embellished with 'squares'

The mini book itself is created using Eileen Hulls Journal die.
I die cut 2 of the journal covers and kept the width of them the same only adjusting the length to make the journal covers square. As the die cut has rounded corners and I wanted definite right angle corners I started my measurements from the point where the curved corner meets the straight side. I also accounted for the precut holes in my measurements so worked around the bottom 2 holes and the centre hole of the die cuts.

I love geometric patterns so opted to use Tim Holtz Blocks layering stenciling with acrylic paint to decorate the covers. I positioned the stencil in place and drew through the stencil with a pencil to create an outline of the pattern, repositioning the stencil where necessary to achieve a continual pattern on each of the two covers .

I then painted each of the of the individual squares of all the blocks (back and front cover) with acrylic paint working in classic monochrome shades black, grey and white

outlining each of the blocks with a black Archival ink pen. (pic below is the back cover)

Warning: due to the pattern being a grid illusion you will, after painting two covers, end up completely boggled eyed !!


The inside of the covers are lined with black card stock and finished off with Tim Holtz tissue tape

The spine is painted with black acrylic paint, embellished with a square nut over a black gem bead

.and the lacing holes are covered with silver eyelets

The signatures are made from artist sketch paper, writing paper (grey and white)

and in keeping with the challenge theme square graph paper.

The front cover embellishment is a Seth Apter robo square die cut that has been textured with small squares using Tim Holtz linen layering stencil and texture paste. Nestled into two of the corners are two square beaded nuts to compliment the one on the spine

and mounted on top of the textured square is a Tim Holtz  Ideology Quote chip.

Now with my mini journal complete I'm all good to start making notes and as I am a 'notey' kinda girl (I said 'notey', not 'naughty' 😉) I can see it getting a lot of use. 'Note to self' I'm sure will be a regular entry .

I hope my 'All squared up' project has offered some inspiration and you will join us in our Challenge.
At the end of the challenge there will be one lucky winner chosen by Random Org who will receive our Sponsors prize which this month is an MDF Package generously donated by Tando Creative.

The Creative Guides also choose 3 Pinworthy winners who will win a Pinworthy badge to display on their blog and an invite to join us as a Guest Designer for a future Challenge.
Be sure to hop on over to A Vintage Journey to see some of my fellow Creative Guides fabulous projects.
 
Before I sign out today I would like to offer my grateful thanks to two of my lovely teamies Anne and Brenda who very kindly sent me some journal die cuts before my die had arrived . I didn't use them for this project but will be using them soon.
 

I would like to enter this into the following challenge 
That's Crafty- Anything Goes Challenge
Mixed Media Monthly  Challenge #38- Altered Embellishments
Many thanks to all of you too for stopping by today . 
Your visits, comments and follows are very much appreciated . 
Wishing you all a lovely weekend 
Take care 
and 
keep on the happy side 
Amanda 
xxx

15 comments:

  1. Wow Amanda I love your take on this challenge creating a fabulous square journal from Eileen's die cuts and designing a fabulous cover for it. The clever stencilling and monochromatic colouring is very striking and then beautifully layered with your focal embellishments, it all came together beautifully. Have a great weekend xxx

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  2. Just brilliant. I love the fact that this is in black and white.

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  3. Holy cow, Amanda! This note book is so striking! I love the use of the cube stencil on the covers and Seth's robo square looks great with the texture! As always I love your nuts! Very cool project indeed! Hugs!

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  4. Goodness gracious Amanda! what a great job on your stenciling, coloring and outlining all those angles squares on your cover! I love how you made Eileen's journal die a square for this project - the square nuts add great interest - a super square journal!! Julia xx

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  5. I dont know where to start! I love how you have altered Seth's die - brilliant but there is so much more! A brilliant - detailed design - so much patience using the stencils to create the journal cover and you painted each section too! Just fabulous Amanda, creativity at its best xxx

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  6. Great way to use the Journal die for a mini Amanda! I am a notey girl too 😀 and this is a perfect size for quick scribble! Love the square!

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  7. Oh my gosh Amanda! How unbelievably cool is this! The grid paper inside has me swooning - a favorite drawing surface. And how clever to use for the square challenge. The cover is out of this world cool and the neatest use of a stencil I've seen. Really amazing! Hugs, Autumn

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  8. Wow Amanda, that must have taken some painting!! It was certainly worth all the effort as it looks amazing!!! Great use of Eileen's journal die too! Hugs, Anne xx

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  9. Oh wow Amanda, this just looks amazing!! How very cleverly designed, - a real eye catcher, and fantastic use of Eileen's die! Your signature monochromatic colourway, makes for a real eye catching additional element, - super interpretation of the theme!

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  10. What an amazing creation Amanda, you have put so much love into this. I wouldn't want to use it if it was mine..! Thank you for sharing with us over at That's Crafty and joining in with the *Anything Goes* Blog Challenge.. Have a great weekend.. Tracey x

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  11. Your goggle-eyed picture made me laugh - it was exactly what my eyes were doing after just looking at the previous pictures... I can't imagine how you managed to paint it so perfectly without going mad! The 3D effect is so clever and so effective. I love the metal nuts, especially on the spine, and the inclusion of squared grid paper inside is a real treat - such attention to detail!
    Alison x

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  12. I did laugh at your googly eyes, I was just staring at your covers and then spotted those eyes lol. I adore your cover, very clever use of the stencil which works beautifully for the cover. Brilliant idea and I love the square nuts too. The grid paper inside is perfect. Fabulous piece Amanda. Tracy. X

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  13. Oh my gosh Amanda, this is amazing and I laughed out loud when I got to your googley eyes because that's what I was thinking as I was reading, how did she keep focused to paint all those optical illusion squares?! Love your interpretation of the challenge theme and thanks so much for sharing your wonderful project, Deb xo

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  14. Apologies for being so late to comment Amanda xx Absolutely love the details on y0ur notebook cover. Made even more special in the colours chosen....great idea...

    Sending huge hugs Annie xx

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  15. I could have sworn I had popped by before today - SORRY :( WOW that is some painty skills!! Love, love, love the pattern and the nuts and squared paper along with mixed papers - how clever FAB xxx

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