Sunday, July 30, 2017

The binder I'll keep my July AJJ pages in


I have my friend Kathy to thank for this three ring binder.  She brought it to me recently filled with magazine images, techniques, and tutorials she had torn from various altered art magazines, including Somerset, Art Doll Quarterly, Belle Armoire Jewelry, and Altered Art.  Many of the techniques I had already tried, although some I had no supplies for, or no interest in trying.  So, I passed them on to my neighbor who lives across the street.

I was thrilled to be able to alter this binder cover, though.  You'll note one side is sort of my style and one side is what I would call "cutesy."  Regardless, it is definitely appropriate for Art Journal Journey, where I'll be keeping the Summertime Love pages Bleubeard and I created this month.

I created this side specifically with Try it on Tuesday's Let it Shine theme in mind.

Nothing shines better than a lighthouse when the sky is dark and the sea is dangerous.

And sunshine definitely shines.

Here I've captured both.

Then there's my incredibly handsome co-host at Art Journal Journey

He is the light of MY life, and my love for him shines brighter than the glittery paper I used for the background.

Even the two gold hearts shine.  Of course, since I live in "Tornado Alley," when I found a photo showing a tornado, I had to cut it out and add it to this shiny tag.

Next, it was time to alter the spine.   I forgot to take a photo of this before I inserted it into the specified slot, so it's really shiny, but only because of the plastic covering.

I used the same papers on the "2017" tags that I did backing the lighthouse (can be partially seen on the right).  I wanted a way to be able to tie this in to Bleubeard's and my month of hosting Art Journal Journey, so I created a smaller heart than the one I used for the front page at AJJ.  It was only after I had it in place, I realized it clashed horribly with the red and blue I used for the date.  I'm hoping no one else will be as critical of the color faux pas.

Next, I inserted the front into the binder cover.  The plastic covering plays havoc with the lighting.

The spine was already inside the protective cover.  You really can't tell the blue is corrugated cardboard, which made it difficult to write on.

That heart still looks garish to me!


I didn't have enough of the glittery paper to add it to the spine, so I chose another color.

The back page I created for the binder is not me at all.  One nice thing is if I find a better back cover, I can punch holes in this one, since it's the same size as most of the other pages (8.5 X 11 inches).  However, two years ago, I bought a ton of 3-D stickers for a single sticker.   Then I had all these left over with nothing to use them on.

In my stash of gifted images, I found the three colored die cuts I used on this spread.  In fact, there were two of each of these (as some of you saw in the ARTifacts post from two days ago), and I have many more, too, including another "Summer Fun" sun I used on the front.

I wasn't sure how well the dimensional images would slip into the binder, but I was going to find out soon enough.

Here are a few detail shots of the images, both flat and dimensional.




From this angle, you can definitely tell which are dimensional and which three are not.

Luckily, the  dimensional images went into the protective portion of the binder with no trouble.

Here is the completed binder.

But now it was time to fill it.

When I created the Summer of Love page, my good friend Cindy worried that it wouldn't fit in the journal.  I didn't mention anything to her because I already knew I was going to use this A 3-ring binder to hold my Summertime Love entries.

Unfortunately, I haven't been especially careful storing them until I could add them to the altered binder.  Several of them have curled or bent due to my inattention to protecting them.

This view is from the top, and you might be able to see I've placed Summer of Love first, and my favorite spread of all, the Bleubeard County Fair, second.  It may not have been my best spread by any means, but it was my favorite!


Today I'm sharing this entry with both Try it on Tuesday's Let it Shine,







and Bleubeard's and my Summertime Love at Art Journal Journey.  Thank you beyond belief for your continued support of my art.  It means the world to me.  Bleubeard is just happy you dropped by.


15 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said...

You have made a beautiful and most appropriate binder for all of your pages. Glad you had fun doing the month with your theme, you invested many hours and a lot of thought and effort in it. Have a great Sunday, hugs, Valerie

chrissie said...

Terrific binder for your pages Elizabeth and you have made so many for the theme. Great inspiration

Love the shine half of the hinder and pleased you used a lighthouse as well.

Have a great day and thank you for joining us at Try it on Tuesday

Love Chrissie xx

Dortesjs said...

great binder, love the spine. your very creative

Jeannette said...

oh my,this is a awesome binder for all your beautiful pages,this is a clever idea and i really,really love this.
happy sunday.

hugs jenny

Neet said...

Wow, what a work of art - and such a great piece of work to look back on time and time again - plus it features Bleubeard himself which has to be a bonus for anyone looking at it.
You know Elizabeth, I am with you on not doing cutesy things but I can't help but like the side of the folder with those fun stickers on. They kind of make me feel all happy and summery.
Such a thoughtful gift from your friend - love the way you decorated the binder.
Love to you, Squiggles and, of course, Bleubeard himself. xxx

CJ Kennedy said...

Your cover design is a perfect to house your journal pages. My favorite page was Bleubeard's fair, too. There's still another month of Summer left. Will you be doing pages for August, too?

froebelsternchen said...

Your binder turned out fantastic and I love to see it filled with all your amazing thought up and so beautiful created pages! I was a lucky girl to have you as a host at Art Journal Journey and hope so to get you again for one or two months next year - that would be a pleasure for Art Journal Journey!
♥♥♥
Thank you so much and also thank you for supporting Moo Mania & More and Try It On Tuesday dear Elizabeth!
And a special THANK YOU to Mr. Bleubeard for his continued help this month - he is a gem!!!

oxo Susi

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow! I am looking at this and thinking what a great collection of pages you are going to have! I love the brightly coloured stickers that are definitely Summery and then there's the shine side with your wonderful shining star Bleubeard featured too!So pleased that you have joined us at Try It On Tuesday! Hope you are having a lovely Sunday - ours is a little sad as our Minister is moving on today so his last service today! Hugs, Chrisx

pearshapedcrafting said...

Wow! I am looking at this and thinking what a great collection of pages you are going to have! I love the brightly coloured stickers that are definitely Summery and then there's the shine side with your wonderful shining star Bleubeard featured too!So pleased that you have joined us at Try It On Tuesday! Hope you are having a lovely Sunday - ours is a little sad as our Minister is moving on today so his last service today! Hugs, Chrisx

Birgit said...

It is always hard to go out of ones comfort zone so a job well done with the cutesy side. I enjoyed your July page because you show your precious kitty and some fun but also your reality with the tornado pic. I have never seen one and hope I never do...they look so scary to me. I like that you created a nice piece in the small part of the binder as well. Great!

Lula said...

Thanks bunches for sharing your beautiful binder with us at TioT !
Big hug!

Meggymay said...

Wow, you have created a fantastic binder cover for your journal pages.
It has been so good seeing all your inspirational pages this month, I can understand you filing the pages with the ones that prefer first.
I am so pleased that you have joined us over at TioT's, that front cover fits our current theme so well.
I smiled when you mentioned that cutesy wasn't your style, but that back cover does look good.
Yvonne xx

Jeanie said...

What a good idea and wonderful way to keep them all together! I love the cover and seeing your work over time, it makes me happy that you'll have it collected together!

My name is Erika. said...

Nice cover. I think it really will be perfect for your collection of pages. Congrats on making a page a day, which is an accomplishment. (I am assuming you will have a post again tomorrow...)It was a great month Elizabeth. I really enjoyed your challenge. It flew too. Almost August. Wow. Hugs-Erika

Cindy McMath said...

This is a great way to store your pages. I was wondering as some of them had so much dimension to them. Lovely cover.