2015 #22 Quick And Easy Art Journal {by Kim Dellow}

2015 Topic 22: Masterboards

Hey folks, Kim Dellow here; as it is Masterboards fortnight here on the PaperArtsy blog, I am using them to decorate a DIY journal cover. Making journals and notebooks are in my top favourite things to do. I, like so many others, came to the mixed media world through the papercraft route. I’m a card maker and memory keeper and as such I have a quadrillion sheets of pretty patterned papers. I’ve counted them and it was actually a quadrillion and six, but, hey let’s not fall out over accuracy here, it is a lot of paper! But sometimes making sure that I use them all up can be tricky. So one of my go-to uses for them is to convert them into art journals and notebooks.

One of the simplest ways to do this, if you fancy having a go too, is to make pamphlets and that is my make today: a pamphlet, or single signature, style art journal with Masterboard covers. If you want something bigger than a pamphlet, you can always make a number of them and string them together into a bigger book, something I also enjoy playing with from time to time and I bet the book makers amongst you do too!

I’m sure you have spotted what stamp set I have used? It is the EDY14.

Step One: For my starting point I’ve used some old 12” by 12” scrapbook pages. I’ve picked out a few from my stash that are more heavy weight and that can take a few layers of paint and gesso. I’ve covered each with a couple of layers of gesso just roughly applied and I’m not too worried about covering everything up.

Step Two: Next I’ve added a touch of colour using the Fresco Finish Acrylics. My colour palette was: Blueberry, Spanish Mulberry, Autumn Fire and I painted a sheet for each colour. Then I also used Snowflake and Little Black Dress to add tints and shades as well as Caramel with Snowflake to make a buff colour.

Step Three: On each painted sheet I then covered it with stamping in the same colourway, each time stamping with the corresponding paint. Don’t forget to wash your stamps immediately afterwards!

Step Four: Next up is the fun part, cutting up each stamped masterboard and jigsaw puzzling it together onto another piece of scrapbook paper and, once I was happy with the arrangement, I stuck it all down with Golden Gel Medium and let it dry completely before trimming the cover to size. I added more paint to each masterboard piece to add some extra pop. If I had had the time my first plan was to stitch the borders, but paint will just have to do!

Step Five: To make the focal point decoration, I stamped out one of the main stamps from the set with a combination of Memento Desert Sand and Tuxedo Black ink. I stamp the Tuxedo black inking out once on spare paper then use the lighter colour to 'juice' up the black ink left on the stamp to stamp onto the painted layers. I find I get a better impression doing it this way, you can just see the black but it isn't enough to interfere with any subsequent layers.

I then went around the stamping with gesso and Blueberry paint. Once it was dry, I used a Stabilo All pencil and water to pick out the stamping. Then I finished the image by painting the inside of the flower head with shades and tints of Blueberry and touches of the Autumn Fire.

Step Six: To finish the cover I stuck the circle in place and added another, smaller circle cut from the Autumn Fire masterboard with the sentiment stamped on and cut from masterboard too. You can add the elements with foam or heavy gel if you want more dimension, but I wanted my cover to be flat for ease of slipping the book into a handbag to art journal on the go.

To add the inside pages of my pamphlet journal, I used some old scrapbook pages again, this time slightly lighter weight paper but still able to withstand a bit of gesso if needed. Then I pierced two holes in the spine and tied the pages and cover together with a piece of embroidery thread.

I know it is simple and there are a ton of more elaborate books you can make out there but sometimes simple is best and you can mass-produce a few of these and have some ready-made journals to get up and go with!

That’s it from me, Kim Dellow, thanks for popping in. 
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Love this quick and easy project Kim, we all have way too much scrapbook paper that never sees the light of day (wait ... is that just me!!). Loving the juicy colour palette you chose to work with .. an all round fab use of masterboards. Thanks for sharing your creativity with us. ~Gillian

We would love you to join in with challenge #22: Masterboards If you are inspired by any of our guests who blog with us over the fortnight, then please join in and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Masterboards link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, Dec 6th winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.