Worn Cover Quote Book

Can't believe we have arrived at the 13th Challenge!  I hope all of you have been enjoying these CC3 Challenges as much as I have!

This week we are using Tim's Worn Cover.  The technique can be found on Page 35 of his Compendium of Curiosities III book.  Remember, it's still not too late to get your autographed copy of the book here.

Our sponsor this week is The Inspiration Emporium.  They are once again providing a $50.00 certificate to a randomly selected winner!  Tim has yet another super prize package for the Curiosity Crew's Choice as well.

Not sure about the rules?  To be sure, head on over to our lovely hostess's website, Linda Ledbetter, to study them and learn how to create a project to share with us.  

Here is my project using the Worn Cover:

This is the front cover.  I began by cutting a label for the front cover using a Sizzix die (Frame Back, Ornate #3).  I added color to the label by blending in Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap Distress Inks.  This frame was then adhered to the front cover.

I decided I wanted an album to store all the quotes I have been collecting, so I used Tim's Sizzix Alterations Block Talk lower case alphabet and die cut the letters for the word "quotes" out of chipboard.  I then painted the letters with Aged Mahogany Distress Paint and adhered them to the center of the label.

To finish the front, I adhered butterflies from the Thrift Shop Ephemera Pack which were lightly watercolored with Aged Mahogany and Scattered Straw Distress inks above and below the word "quotes".  I just HAD to use two Word Bands (I love them!) that were perfect, "Collections" and "Encourage Your Hopes Not Your Fears" which I had previously painted with Aged Mahogany Paint and then wiped off, allowing the paint to remain in the recesses of the letters.  I added two brads for each Word Band and adhered both to the front, above and below the label die.

Finally, I adhered a Custom Knob to the front using a clock face.

I then proceeded to alter the inside of the worn covers as follows:

I started by using Tim's Burlap Texture Stencil and one of my new favorite paint colors, Aged Mahogany.  I randomly added paint through the stencil directly to the cover, carefully picked up the stencil and let the paint dry.

Once the paint was dry, I added a decorative paper panel to each inside cover.  Both are from the fabulous Wallflower Paper Stash.  On one side I stamped the Stampers Anonymous Butterflies and Moths 1 image using Wendy Vecchi's Potting Soil Archival ink.  I then lightly watercolored a bit of Scattered Straw Distress Ink onto the wings.

The second paper panel is from the same paper stash.  I stamped Stamper's Anonymous "Be Confident, Find Your Wings and Fly" towards the bottom of the panel.  I added this beautiful bird from the Thrift Shop Ephemera Pack to the upper right of the panel.

I carefully tore around the edges of both panels and finished them by adding some Walnut Stain Distress Ink to the edges.  The panels were then adhered to the inside covers of the album along with some greenery die cut from the Spring Greenery die and colored with Peeled Paint and Vintage Photo Distress inks.

I used some wonderful words from the Life Quotes Remnant rubs in various places on the covers.  Finally, I added a metal butterfly from the Adornments Nature collection which was previously painted with Scattered straw and Aged Mahogany to the right hand panel.

The final touch was adding the Ring Binder to the inside of the Worn Cover by threading a Black and White Natural Trimming over the Ring Binder and through the holes in the cover to the front spine.  I tied a knot and clipped the ends of the trimming.  To finish off the project I used a Swivel Fastener  which I added to the trim knot and placed a Word Key and Philosophy Tag at the clip end and chain end.

Here are close-ups of the inside covers:

Finally, the Book spine:

Hope you like this project and are inspired to create your own Worn Cover!  You will eventually be adding pages to this album which can be used for a number of purposes such as a photo album of quote book!  Use your imagination - the sky's the limit!

Have fun!  Susan

Stamps and Framelits (and Family)

They're BAACK!  Yes, some of you have commented that you would like to see more projects done combining Tim's fabulous techniques with my family photos and stories.  After taking a break from using my photographs last week and instead using Tim's Three Gentleman (love that stamp!), who anyone can claim as relatives, I decided to use a beloved photo of my grandparents (my Dad's parents) on their wedding day for this ninth challenge. Here it is:

For this Stamps and Framelits challenge, I used Tim's wonderful French Flight set which includes Paris scenes as well as the butterflies we all know and love!

My grandparents had very little money when they were married.  Belle and Irvin met in Devil's Lake, North Dakota and instantly fell in love.  Grandpa traveled for work logging, harvesting wheat, etc. eventually settling in Bellingham, Washington, quite aways from North Dakota.  They exchanged love letters which I was thrilled to inherit in which Grandpa always called Grandma "Sweetheart"  He was determined to marry her and worked hard to save $50.00 to send her for the train fare to come out to Bellingham and marry him!  She got on that train and never saw her parents again (that part I find so sad)

As they had very little money, they had a simple wedding.  This photo was taken in front of a house.  I decided to create a canvas of a place where I imagine they would have loved to have been married and honeymooned, Paris...

I used a small white canvas as a base and colored it, using Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet and Shaded Lilac Distress Paints slightly watered down to paint the canvas.  I wanted a pastel, soft, romantic background and these colors worked well together.

I then found and printed out the sheet music to the song "Let me Call You Sweetheart" which seemed appropriate for this piece.  I tore around the edges and adhered it to the canvas with Matte Medium and more Distress Paints.  I wrapped some of Tim's Music Tissue Tape around the bottom on the canvas and painted it as well.

Following the technique found on Page 63 of Tim's Compendim of Curiosities III book, I stamped and cut out the Eiffel Tower and Paris signs, colored them and added them to my collage long with some wonderful Ideology pieces, including the Word Band and Word Key which I colored using the Shaded Lilac Distress Paint.  One of my favorite pieces is this adornment I created  from a length of Trimming,  an Accoutrements Fanciful Button and a Bauble placed in the top left corner.  Here is a close up:

I also used the Heart Charm and the Plaquette with the number 17 representing my father's birthday.  I used the  Stampers Anonymous Tiny Words stamp, stamping it directly onto tissue paper and cutting the words apart.  I then adhered my chosen words to the canvas with matte medium and, once dry, drew around them with Victorian Velvet and Shaded Lilac Distress Markers.

Hope you all have fun playing with Stamps and Framelits!  I sure did!  This 9th challenge is generously sponsored by The Inspiration Emporium who is providing a $50.00 gift certificate to a lucky random winner and, of course, by the fabulous Tim and Mario, who will be providing the wonderful package of goodies to the Curiosity Crew Choice winner!  Good luck to everyone.

Just joining us?  Head on over to Linda Ledbetter's blog where you can find all the information you need to play along with us, including how to get your very own autographed copy of the Tim's book and all the contest rules.  Upload your creation based on the technique and enjoy viewing the wonderful projects made by so many talented people!  

Thanks for joining us!

Susan