Signs of Spring Notebook

Hi friends! Happy Wednesday! I hope your week is going really well so far! If you live in an area with Winter weather, you may feel like me in that you are ready for Spring! That being said, special guest designer Anna-Karin Evaldsson‘s subject of her project really spoke to me! Read on for more imagery and details. Enjoy!

Signs of Spring Notebook

Hi everyone! I am so happy to be here today with a fun and easy tutorial. We have had a usually warm winter so far, and therefore, also dark and grey, which inspired me to do a springtime project for this post. Sometimes, in the middle of winter, you really need some flowers. As I was finishing up my notebook, snow started to fall and now the world is pretty outside my window.

 

I love to make my own notebooks and journals, and got the idea to make a little book to document signs of spring. It is small (5 x 3 in) and easy to take along. You can make this notebook for any theme, it doesn’t have to be a spring book. Change the sentiments, colors and stamps for a completely different look. For the covers, I used Tim Holtz’s baseboards, which work great for journal covers.

Signs of Spring Notebook

Start by distressing two baseboards with sandpaper and by scratching them with a craft pick. You can also use two of the larger baseboards, if you want to make a larger journal.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Ink the panels with Ground Espresso and an ink-blending tool. The ink will stick to the areas where the upper layer was sanded or scratched off, creating a distressed effect.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Prepare papers for the inside by smearing Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap and Pumice Stone Distress Ink on a non-stick craft sheet, misting them with water and pressing the paper into the ink. Repeat on the other side of the paper. You can use, for example, Ranger’s Mixed Media, Heavystock or Manila cardstock. I inked three sheets of paper.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Cut the inside pages slightly smaller than the covers and make as many as you need. Stamp them roughly with the ledger stamp from Tim’s School Desk set and Tree Branch ink. I only stamped one side of each page, since I wanted the other side blank, in case I will add some sketches of flowers and other signs of spring. Punch holes with a Crop-a-dile about 1 inch from the edges.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Stamp the larger jar from the Flower Jar set on Clearly For Art Modeling film, or acetate. If you want to, you can carefully heat the Modeling Film with a heat tool and shape it into a dimensional jar. It looks really cool and keeps its shape perfectly. I decided not to do that here, since I wanted my notebook to be relatively flat, but if you want to see a dimensional version, check out my Wildflower Mason Jar Tag.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Ink the back of the jar with Turquoise and just a tad of Teakwood alcohol ink. It is important to work on the back, or you will smear the stamping.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Stamp flowers and leafy branches from the Flower Jar set on the smooth back of Ranger’s watercolor paper. I used Jet Black and Leaf Green Archival Ink. You need to use a waterproof ink.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Watercolor the flowers by dipping a fine paint brush in water and picking up color directly from the tip of Dina Wakley’s Scribble Sticks.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Die cut with the coordinating dies in the Sizzix Flower Jar set. Use this sandwich: Sizzix Magnetic Platform, Cutting Pad, paper, die facing down, second Cutting Pad.

Signs of Spring Notebook
These flowers are very delicate and pretty, especially when die cut with the coordinating dies. Tuck them all into the jar. I attached the jar with two tiny staples.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Below the jar, there is a piece of Linen Ribbon, a piece of lace trim and a pink piece of twine, which are meant to look like a table cloth. I also stamped a sentiment on a left-over piece of paper from the inside pages. The sentiment comes from a winter/Christmas set, but works great all year around.

Signs of Spring Notebook
The title of the notebook was stamped on more left-over inked paper, using alphabet stamps. I also used a sweet bird from the Botanical Layers embellishment pack.

Signs of Spring Notebook
The butterfly also comes from Botanical Layers. I used some words and numbers from the Clippings Stickers set for additional text. For a bit of bling, there are a few sequins from the SSS Frosted set.

Signs of Spring Notebook
The back of the book looks like this. The book was bound with Tim Holtz Mini Book Rings, which also means that I can add and remove pages easily.

Signs of Spring Notebook
Here’s a look at the inside of the book. You could decorate it with more stamping or maybe by adding Botanical Layers images.

I hope you enjoyed this project and that it inspired you to make some notebooks or journals. Not only are they great fun to make, but they are also fun to use and they make really nice gifts. I am keeping this one for myself though and I will start using it when I spot that first sign of spring.
Thank you so much for looking!
Happy crafting!
Anna-Karin

Signs of Spring Notebook

SUPPLIES:

Ranger Inkssentials 8.5 X 11 MANILA…
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology SALVAGED…
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Wendy Vecchi Modeling Film CLEAR…
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Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps 2017…
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Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps SCHOOL…
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Tim Holtz Cling Rubber Stamps…
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Hero Arts Stamps BASIC LOWERCASE…
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Tim Holtz Sizzix Framelits FLOWER JAR…
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Dina Wakley Ranger SCRIBBLE STICKS…
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Tim Holtz Distress Collage Medium…
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Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad ANTIQUE…
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Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad FRAYED…
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Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad PUMICE…
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Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad GROUND…
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Ranger Wendy Vecchi Archival SET OF…
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Ranger TIM HOLTZ DISTRESS Archival…
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Tsukineko Stazon JET BLACK INK PAD SZ-31
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Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink TURQUOISE…
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Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink TEAKWOOD…
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology BOTANICAL Layers…
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology LINEN RIBBON…
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology LACE Trimmings…
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology JUTE STRING TH93139
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology MINI BOOK RINGS…
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology CLIPPINGS…
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Simon Says Stamp FROSTED Sequins…
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Ranger Inkssentials Non Stick CRAFT…
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Tim Holtz DISTRESS SPRAYER Ranger 4…
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Ranger MINI ROUND INK BLENDING TOOLS…
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Sizzix BIG SHOT PLUS MACHINE Gray And…
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Sizzix MAGNETIC PLATFORM Big Shot…
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Sizzix Big Shot Plus CUTTING PADS…
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology SANDING GRIP…
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Tim Holtz Idea-ology TINY ATTACHER…
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We R Memory Keepers CROPADILE Punch…
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Tim Holtz Tonic GUILLOTINE COMFORT…
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Tim Holtz Tonic CRAFT PICK…
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Thanks for reading, and thanks to Anna-Karin for being our guest!

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  1. I love the spring time vibes this notebook gives off. That and it features 3 of my favorite things, birds, butterflies and flowers.

  2. This is such a great idea. I think I better check my stash and see if I need anything to create some of these. I don’t have the rings and love that idea for the binder. These will be great for friends who have up-coming birthdays!

  3. Yes, here in CT, I’m ready for spring, but would also like one more snow day to do creative things! Like you just did! Love your cover!

  4. I work in an old building 1893 it was built and lots and lots and lots of lady bugs reside somewhere and they have begun to creep out of their little hidingplaces, so the whole of the building facade is covered in them…spring for sure ;-)

  5. This is such a refreshing and delightful creation! Loving the mason jar filled with lovely flowers and the butterfly is divine! TFS!

  6. I love this Spring notebook. Every Spring I make a journaling garden notebook. I fill it with records of all my planting’s, pictures of my garden, records of the weather and notes about my harvest. I always enjoy looking at them through the years.

  7. What’s a gorgeous notebook. I have the dies for the flowers and jars but not the stamps. Beautiful together. Thanks for sharing…

  8. I have really enjoyed every stamp and die that I have gotten from you and look forward to all the new things coming out in 2018!

  9. Always refreshing to look for those signs of spring and this journal is a great way to document what you may find or wish for !

  10. Always love how Anna-Karin brings such creative life to her projects… her use of product always amazes me… especial that jar !
    I’m loving this notebook.

  11. I am going to make one of these for my daughter. She is in love with all things journaling. This looks so cool. Hope to win something.

  12. Very pretty notebook. Love the Spring feel to it with the birds and flowers. I think we’re all getting a little weary of winter and can’t wait for some warmer weather. Thanks for sharing with us.

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