A Mini Journal by Amanda Pink

Hi Everyone

Welcome to my weekly post as a Guest designer here at That's Crafty! 

This week I've embraced my love of the darker shades and created a mini journal/notebook.

The journal itself is created from one That's Crafty! greyboard panel - 4.5 x 9inches or if you work in metric 11.4 x 22.8cm. To measure out the width of the front, back and spine I worked in metric calculating that a spine of 3cm would leave a front and back panel of 9.9 cm each in width. I marked these measurements out and then lightly cut along the marked lines using a paper trimmer. Note: I said trimmer not guillotine and yes, I did say 'cut' but do so lightly and if you have a 'well used' blade even better still. Due to the thickness and excellent quality of That's Crafty's greyboard one run of the blade shouldn't (?) cut all the way through the greyboard but will instead cut into it slightly making it possible to bend.

I primed the greyboard with black gesso and painted with black Acrylic paint.When dry I punched three holes across the top and bottom of the spine - they will be where I will thread my elastic to hold the signatures.

I covered the outer walls with 13arts papers. These are very reasonably priced, quality papers/pads - fabulous designs too. This particular one had my name written all over it! 

The insides are covered with a complimenting Prima paper.

Using one of the other paper designs from the same 13arts paper pad I was working with I covered a That's Crafty! MDF Heart which I 'grunged up' a little with Distress paints. The butterfly that sits atop the heart is fussy cut from yet another paper from the pad. I adhered it to cardstock to give it more rigidity and manipulated it with fingers to give it some dimension. The butterflies thorax is decorated with Tim Holtz ideology.

I also created a pocket from the rest of that particular paper design and adhered it to the inside back cover. 

Now for the signatures. I made 4, each from a different kind of paper and each holding a small message, all held in place with elastic threaded through the eyeleted holes I made in the spine.  

Theres plain white paper: 'Enjoy today'

Graph, square paper: 'Love, love love it!'

some coloured paper: 'Go and make some Art'

and some teabag paper: 'Just start and break a blank page' .

The final addition to my mini journal is a hinge clip that serves as either a page marker or alternately it can be used to hold the back and front covers together.

Products I used 

That's Crafty! Greyboard Panel 4.5 x 9in square corners

That's Crafty! Surfaces MDF Heart 2 x 3.5in

Black Gesso 

Black Acrylic Paint 
Tim Holtz Distress Paint  Black Soot, Tattered Rose. 

DecoArt Matte Medium 

All Purpose Adhesive 

13Arts 6x6 Paper Pad: His and Hers Remastered 

13Arts Stickers: 'Small messages' - others can be found here 

White Cardstock 

Tea Bag Paper

Tim Holtz Ideology: Game Spinner, Hitch Fastener, Hinge Clip, Eyelets

Prima Paper Pad - Engraver 6x6 

White Paper

Coloured Paper

Paper Trimmer 

Ruler, Pencil 

I hope you have enjoyed your time here with me today and that maybe my project has offered you some creative inspiration. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Wishing you all a great week 

Take care 

Amanda 

(ink-a-pink) 

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