JYC 2009: Cover

In order to make the cover I cut two pieces of plain grey cardboard in 7x13 inch pieces. I painted using red distress ink, but then changed my mind and wanted it green (LOL!). So, I used Ranger's white paint Adirondack dabber after adding a bit of water in the bottle because I wanted it less thick and painted the whole thing in small circular movements going up and when reaching the top going down and so on. Then, while the paint was still wet, I sprayed the whole with a water and Ranger's Perfect Pearl mixture.
Here's a photo:

Then, I positioned the Winter Crystal Tattered Angel's screen (it's the first time that I use it and really liked it) and covered the whole thing with Ranger's Distress inks in green shades. And here's the result:

LOL!!!!!

Then I wanted to make a window in the cover so I used a round frame to draw a circle and then cut it.

Next step, I thinned a bottle of Ranger's Rock Candy crackle paint with water, mixed well and covered the front and back cover, using not the brush but a piece of foam to spread the paint.
Here's a photo:

Whent it was dry I made holes around the window and threaded red ribbon through them and finally added a bow. Last step, I added the title (Basic Grey chipboard letters that I painted with Ranger's Distress inks and then added Ranger's Rock Candy crackle paint) and added the hole on the right and the red ribbon for the closure.

And here it is:

For the binding I used the Bind It All and the biggest O'wires available, not the smartest thing to do because the album is very chunky, next time I want to do something fat I 'll propably do a gatefold album.

The binding was ok but I wanted to make sure that the pages wouldn't fall out, so I did some extra wiring: I used a nail to make a tiny wire:

and then catched the loops of the O'wire with it:

If you want to try this, it helps to tie one end of the wire to a table leg and then use the nail in circular movements, so as to make the tiny wire.

JYC 2009 officially over, can't wait for next year!

JYC 2009: Day 37

The last prompt was about the conclusion of this journey, and I thought this little waving girl (Dover publications free sample that I printed in BW and colored with my copics) would fit just right.  I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder on white cardstock for the bacground and then I printed and wrote my journaling on the back of the little cards but for copyright reasons of the manufacturer (duh...) I messed them a bit on Adobe Elements so they can't be copied as they are (...).
Last step was the title, I used Basic Grey alphabet stickers that I colored white.
JYC 2009 almost ready, the only thing left to do is the cover!

JYC 2009: Day 36

Prompt 36 was about putting the tree, decorations, etc away. So I took some photos, "cooked" them a bit with filters in Adobe Elements, adhered them together and then I adhered them on green cardstock in order to make the mat.
Then I did the red folder for the journaling tag: I used the Nestabillites Labels 1 die in order to cut the upper part of the cardstock and colored the edges with distress inks. Then I used the negative scrap paper of a snowflake die cut as a mask for the snowflake, where I first used distress ink in dark green and then I sprayed it with a Perfect Pearl and water mix (as seen on a Jennifer Mcguire video). For the tag I used two layers of cardstock and on the back I sprayed again with the Perfect Pearl water mix and then adhered a printout image on top.
Finally, I attempted to make the date using twine, well, we'll see if it will remain in place...LOL!

JYC 2009: Day 35

Today's prompt was about organizing next Christmas by writing down things that we want to remember.
I kept it simple, but I really like the bookplates: I cut them on white cardstock colored lightly and in random with pink distress ink, stamped with Versamark using a stamp with a branch design and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. Then I colored again with deep red distress ink, so that it filled the spots that were not embossed and the result is almost a crackle/marble effect. 
Then I used a clear Copic Atyou Spica pen on the tiny Prima flowers for a little sparkle and added the little embellishment on the left, it's a BW image (Dover Publications free sample) that I colored.
Last step, I added the title using ready made Basic Grey adhesive alphabet, it goes without saying that I used Sakura Stardust pens on them!

 

JYC 2009: Day 34

Today was the first day at work after 2 weeks off, so the truth is that I don't feel any christmassy at all, but I thought to keep going with the JYC.
That being said, this prompt was about our favorite moment of the holidays and we "had" to use a special paper, ornament, etc. so I used a large chipboard ornament that matched an adhesive paper snowflake from the collection I've been using (Figgy from Basic Grey),  I also used Ranger's Liquid Pearls around the photo and also in order to make the little pearls.
On the journaling spot I used a mini mask by Tim Holtz and distress inks.
Final step the title, I used ready made Basic Grey adhesive alphabet that I covered with Sakura Stardust pens and...ready!

JYC 2009: Day 33

Prompt 33 was about moments of innocence during the holidays and the challenge was to use only white color. I used a photo where my niece is sleeping, I didn't do any journaling because I think that the image speaks for itself! Then I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the cardstock, cut the frame for the photo using nestabillities dies and white DCWV cardstock with glitter, stamped the butterflies (they are from the Hero Arts 2010 collection, it's a clear stamps set called "Antique Engravings") with Versamark on white glossy photo paper and heat embossed with white embossing powder.
Tip: if you want to heat emboss on glossy photo paper, be careful with the temperature: you have to use the heat gun on low temperature and for a few seconds each time or else your photo paper will melt. So I heated it for 5-6 seconds, let it cool for 5-6 seconds, heat again for 5-6 seconds, let it cool, and so on until the picture is overally embossed.
Final step, I added the title, I made it using the Cuttlebug Harmony alphabet and...ready!

JYC 2009: Day 32

Prompt 32 was about resolutions for the new year and the challenge was to use something that we don't regularly use, like a color, etc, so I did a dark color combo. About the resolutions, I made seven pockets in the patterned paper and inserted a tag, each one with a resolution for 2010. Then I used the Fiskars Threading Water punch and made the borders, I also used Ranger's Perfect Pearls in order to make the little dots, and...ready!

JYC 2009: Day 31

Prompt 31 was about the New Year's Eve (obviously). We also "had" to use sparkle, so I 've gone wild with stickles! I made a mini album, I made a frame for the cover using the nestabillities rectangle dies and DCWV glitter cardstock. Then colored the cute Tilda on the left, added the journaling and the title and...ready!

JYC 2009: Day 30

This prompt was about looking back to the events of 2009, so I made a kind of timeline, but the events are picked rather in random because I did it really quickly and didn't have that much time to contemplate on 2009. I used stickles for the titile and when it was dry I coated with Ranger's Glossy Accents, it seals the stickles and it gives a nice glossy and 3d look, and...ready!

JYC 2009: Day 29

In this prompt I journaled about the vasilopita that we make on the 29th, I distressed the edges of the cardstock for a worn look and also used (what else?) distress inks. The ribbon is American Crafts but I toned it down with a Copic marker. The christmas images are printed images from Dover publications free samples, and...ready!
Just to add that this year my niece Rania found the coin in her piece!

JYC 2009: Day 28

Prompt 28 was about what we indulge in during the holidays, so here 's a quick layout. I did the journaling on the back of the tags and used the tiny printed images (Dover publications free samples) and brads that I colored red with my copics in order to secure them in place in combination with the green twine and..ready!

JYC 2009: Day 27

Prompt 27 was about sleep during the holidays, so I couldn't resist the temptation to use again the little sleeping girl image (Dover Publications free sample), I printed it on BW and colored it with my copics.
Then I used a nestabillities round scallop die on white cardstock and distress inks in order to do the clouds. I used the white Sakura Soufle pen to do the journaling, it's not visible in the photo, and then I added the title and the snowflake, I used distress inks and Stickles on it and...ready!

JYC 2009: Day 26

Prompt 26 was about "Boxing Monday" a UK custom, so I didn't follow the prompt and did a layout about what I did on the 26th.
I made a mini accordion album on the right side of the page, I added the brad on the right to fasten it, then I noticed that it opened on the left side too (LOL) so I added another brad on the left. The thread is a pearlescent DMC that I colored red with a copic market, I really love the sparkle in these threads.
Then I added the journaling spot and the photo on the left and used silver stickles all over the page.
Final step the title, I used the Cuttlebug "Baby Face" and "You 're not the Boss of Me" alphabets on silver DCWV cardstock and ready!

JYC 2009: Day 25

In this layout I wanted to use as many photos as possible, so I came up with the "gift" idea: I cut a patterned paper at 10""x12" and scored it at 4'' and at 8'', so I made something like a trifold card. I adhered the middle section on my page, and on it as well as on the two flaps, top and bottom, I adhered my photos, so I managed to fit three rows of small sized photos in this space. I used the white back side of the flaps to do my journaling, then I used distress inks on them and on top I did the gift image using a Pebbles stencil and the Sakura Stardust pens.
Then I added the ribbon and the images (Dover Publications free samples), I adhered the tiny image in the bottom using a thick foam pad so as the upper flap of the "present" will stay in place.
Then I added the title using Basic Grey alphabet stickers that I covered with a Sakura Stardust pen and ready!

JYC 2009: Day 24

In prompt 24 that was obviously about the Christmas eve, I wanted to use the image of the little girl on the left (Dover Publications free sample). So I printed it in BW and then colored it with my copics. Cuuute!
Then I wanted to add a photo of the two last cards I did for this year, so I made a pocket, used the Fiskars "Threading Water" border punch on the top and some pink string, and inserted the little cards inside it.
Then I added the title using Basic Grey alphabet stickers that I enhanced with the Sakura Stardust pens (as usual!) and ready!

JYC 2009: Day 23

Prompt 23 was about Christmas stockings and more generally the customs in the presentation of gifts.

So I just stamped and color with my copics the cute Sarah Kay (Noel Eve). Then I embossed a piece of white cardstock, I also used distress inks, and used it as a mat for the stamped image.

Next step, I folded a white cardstock sheet in half and I cut a piece about 5x4 inches so as to make a card. Then I sketched on it with a pencil the shape of a stocking and cut around it except from the upper part. I inked it with distress inks and used a white Sakura Soufle to make the faux stitches. Then I added a piece of white felt on top and the letters (Basic Grey) and finally I covered the letters with Ranger's Glossy Accents for a 3d look. I did my journaling inside.

Last step, I added the embellishments on the left (Dover Publucations free samples), I used Ranger's Glossy Accents on them too and ready!

JYC 2009: Day 22

Prompt 22 was about the "To Do" list, what you've already done, what's left to be done, etc. I inserted the list in a tag style (the tiny embellishments are printed free samples from Dover Publications, I used Versamark and UTEE to heat emboss them for an epoxy look) inside a pocket that I made in the patterned paper. On the right I did a mini album with a visit we did that day to a mall, and on the left I adhered Basic Grey plain chipboard ornaments, first I used distress inks on them and then a generous amount of stickles and ready!

JYC 2009: Day 21

Prompt 21 was about "right now", so I did a quick one!

JYC 2009: Day 20

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

That being said, back to the JYC, day 20 was about the unexpected, but since nothing unexpected occured so far, I'll just skip it!LOL

Updated 10/01/2010:
 
Well, something unexpected did occur and that is that I got a Slice as a gift, totally out of the blue! And I love my little new toy!
Happy happy happy!

JYC 2009: Day 19

Prompt 19 was about writing a letter to Santa but I've already done this in prompt #3 so in this prompt I did something a little different:
I incorporated a small size copy of a "letter from Santa" that I printed for my niece using THIS template.
I also added an image from the Dover Publications free samples and a photo of me with Santa!
I also bought a Robo Craft Lite, (it wasn' planned, I saw it on sale (119 euros, not bad!) and I just couldn't resist!) so I wanted to picture this too.
Ready!