Junk Mail Journal

Ok, I am video challenged and particularly video sharing challenged. I actually did get a video which I have posted to my reels on Instagram. But to put it here in the blog, has proved a task I am unable to successfully complete. I'll keep working on that. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, there is so much going on in here- I even forgot to open one of the pages in the video. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I’ve included it in the list of photos though. Here is the full journal. Thanks for looking! 

Remember this started as junk mail envelopes. The base of the whole book is this large envelope that opens at the top, under the flap.

Left side opens further so there are two large pockets. 

*This is the one page I forgot to include in the video. Right side opens up to another large pocket, with a small pocket and two tags in the center page. The right pocket page has a hidden paperclip embellishment. I love making those!

Close the page on the right and open the whole thing out to another pocket and another center page with a pocket and tags 

That all opens again to the right revealing the center page with a double door opening pocket above, and a pocket and tags below. 

The double door pocket also has a teeny envelope and letter clipped to the outside with a photo, letter, and tag in the pocket. 

To the right is another pocket page with a pocket attached to the outside with a tag. 

The smaller pocket on the right has another hidden paperclip embellishment, and also opens to the left, revealing yet another large pocket. 

There is so much to unload in this one book! Each of the pocket pages, as well as the base of the book started as a junk mail envelope. What a super fun way to upcycle and reuse. If you have any questions, please email me and include your return email if you use the link here on the blog (it will not reveal your email address; you must include it in the message if you want a reply). 

Happy crafting - and save your junk mail. It could become a masterpiece!

ETA: I'm adding the link to Toni's youtube channel. It was her video that I followed to start my project. Check out her version here

Junk Mail Junk Journal

Coming soon!

Here is the finished piece. It's made from junk mail envelopes, another brilliant idea from the brain of Crafty by Toni. I love this so much and it was a great make. Once we made the folio, we then made some pockets and tags and such to go on the inside. There's a LOT, so I'm going to try and capture it all, but that will be in the coming days. For now, check out this fabulous Junk Mail Junk Journal Folio design.

My largest envelope (which I actually cut down some for this) is 10 1/2 inches by 6 1/4. It's not a small folio, for sure. You'll find digital papers, rub-ons, washi tapes, sanding, inking, pockets and flaps, handmade ephemera bits, stamping, eyelets, ribbon, twine, clips and whatever else I could find in the studio. Some of the rub-ons I've had since 2005! Anyway, I hope you'll come back and check out the insides when I get pics of the whole project posted in the next few days. 

 

Mixed media tags

Watching youtube videos I came across this wonderfully talented crafter, Luise Heinzl, Junk Journal artist, in Germany. Her projects are amazing. And I'm learning a lot about how to use much of my stash that has only been sitting unused for ages. Oh am I having fun. :) I hope you like my first experiments with one of her ideas that I found last week sometime. Here is the link to her tutorial video that inspired my tags. 

I was intrigued when she said she used photo paper for this ink technique. As most photo paper is glossy, liquid just sits on top of it, right? Well, this happens to be a matte finish paper that I already had in my stash, and it is the perfect medium for this inking technique as the color dries quickly and doesn't sit on top. Of course, I was only playing so I didn't get pictures of the process, but you can see all that goes into it by watching her video linked above. Super simple to do, and you will be amazed at the results when you use the right paper. 

For this one I used peacock feathers and a touch of rusty hinge. Some enamel dots and tiny gems I've had forever, washi tapes, digital prints, and one of the faux enamel tags I made previously. The sweet little girl is one of Tim Holtz paper dolls. 

This one is peacock feathers and rusty hinge. Washi, digital ephemera, and Tim Holtz paper dolls as well as a TH acetate moth. I love how this turned out.

Again, peacock feathers, rusty hinge, and this time with a touch of black soot. Digital ephemera, TH paper dolls, enamel dots, lace, and another faux enamel tag. Barely seen is translucent grit paste through faded dots stencil, also TH. 

This was my first try. I used aged mahogany and tea dye inks; TH paper doll, bricks mini stencil with translucent grit paste mixed with a tiny bit of walnut stain. Also, digital letter and numbers, washi tape, lace, and a tiny paper flower.

What do you think? Is this something you'd try? Please check out Luise link above and see what fabulous ideas she shares for junk journaling. I'm in love with this technique. Thanks for looking!

Mini envelope book

This is so stinkin cute. I watched a reel by Crafty by Toni on Instagram the other day and she made this adorable little specimen book from mini envelopes. I grabbed an envelope die and cut out three mini envelopes and got to work. What a fun little book. You could do any theme you want, of course, and how fun to put pictures in the pockets or journaling tags or whatever. She doesn't have a tutorial for this one on her youtube channel, so there is no link; sorry. Here's my finished book. 

Finished size, closed up, is 3x2 inches; opened up it's 3x6.

 

Outside, unfolded
I didn't get individual pictures of the outside cover but you can see it all here pretty well. No pockets or anything interactive, so you see everything there is to see in this pic.

Inside, unfolded

The inside "pages" are the pockets of the envelopes so each can hold a tag or whatever.

The center page is a pocket as well, but also has a little pocket on the outside with a tag .

And the last pocket page inside. 

I made the mini envelopes using a die (I chose this little one, though you can use whatever size you want. The size of the finished envelope will be the size of your closed album). To cover them, I grabbed a piece of scrap from another project (this pale blue cardstock) and, the weirdest thing - it was nearly exactly the size I needed! I cut the pieces (to cover each envelope, front and back) and had a 2x1/4 inch piece of scrap leftover. It was obviously meant for this project!!

The ephemera pieces and bugs are almost all digital prints from Vibe of Vintage on Etsy. There is also some stamping, inking and sanding, and a little fussy cutting for some of the bugs. I also used some washi tape, a circle punch, flag punch, and hemp twine. I love the twine made by Hemptique and have it in lots of colors. Other miscellaneous materials I used: tiny attacher, distress oxide ink, and sanding discs by Tim Holtz; and hole reinforcer and ribbon by Heidi Swapp.

Faux metal enamel tags

Am I wrong? Or do these faux metal enamel tags look pretty realistic. Super simple really, and I think they really do look like rusty old painted metal. What do you think?

Technique I used for this version here on Crafty by Toni's youtube channel. Thanks for coming by the studio! I hope you've been inspired to try something new in your crafty space. :)

Making cluster tabs and tags

Planned on doing another little mini book, folio-type project, but realized I had no more tabs and had to make some more. So I've been playing some in the studio. I don't now what happened but I quit stressing and decided to just play. It's been nice. I've always put too much pressure on myself to have this done and that done by this day or that day; why do we do this to ourselves??? Valentine's Day will come and go whether or not I have made the cards I wanted to make or the crafts I wanted to complete, so do what you can and don't worry about the rest. (She said in her head..... LOL) For now, here are some of the things I've been doing since I finished the Heidi Swapp Paper Hearts class. 

Aren't they so much fun though.

Next I made a few cluster tags. The tags themselves I had in my stash from a while back when I ink dyed a bunch of papers, tags and tabs. Except for the dome topped tag (the one with the bicycle) - the entire background on that one is a lovely 3 inch vintage washi tape. 

Added glossy accents and ink to this moth I cut out from Tim Holtz Entomology stamp set. 

Oh and I only just discovered this faux rust technique that I had to try. Super cool, and really fun to watch it become rusty looking. This is about a 4x5 piece of heavy white cardstock and just three distress ink colors. There is no grit or anything else on here but inks and water. I love it! There are so many ways to do this, but here is the link to the video I watched to create this piece. Annette Green from Elizabeth Craft Designs

close ups: 

I love trying new techniques and while this one can be quite messy LOL it's a lot of fun and each piece ends up looking so different from all the rest.

Paper Hearts, class by Heidi Swapp

After the January junk journal project, I thought I might be bored. Well, hold onto your hats because there is no such thing when it comes to my craft room and all the yummy stuff I have to play with...er, I mean WORK with...in here! Up next is Heidi Swapp's newest class, Paper Hearts. I knew I would love it when I saw the Valentine release. And boy, do I. I love how much eye candy Heidi crams into ever luscious layer, every lump and bump, and every design that comes from her brain. I've tried to capture all the interactive parts and pieces so you can get the full picture of each card. I urge you to check out Heidi's IG for videos. WARNING: PHOTO OVERLOAD AHEAD!

Grab a cuppa, sit back and spend some time oohhing and aahhing over these projects. Then go sign up for the class, if you haven't already. All the  special Valentines in your life will love you for it. 

First up, this gorgeous envelope. Put in it anything you like, we didn't do a separate card for this one in class, so you can do anything you want. 

Next up, this adorable little berry box envelope card. Heidi loves designing super cute closures, and I'm all for it.

Take a look at this adorable berry box. This is from the January Stamp Society stamp set that I tried to cancel but was too late. I'm glad now, as the Chinese food take-out box is the cutest berry box! Also on that set are a tone of little tiny fortunes/sayings that can be used anywhere, not just with this set. It's more versatile that it first may seem. 

This next one is an envelope and card in one. Plus, it has this awesome spinner element that takes it to the next level. Always adding more and more eye candy to each and every project, Heidi's cards are the gifts that keep on giving. So super cute!!!

If I counted correctly, there are 13 messages on the spinner! 

But that's not all. We come to the back of the envelope where it opens to an attached card inside. 

Adorable! I love the matchbook elements that are part of the Heart Throb stamp set.

This one may look pretty plain at first glance, compared to all the lumpy layers of the previous projects. 

But wait until you open it up. (Don't you love these lips?? This is from one of the pattern papers, but there is also a coordinating stamp on the Heart Throb stamp set that stamps perfectly.)

Inside the envelope is this super cool card that looks just like a box of matches. 

The image is from the pattern paper. Look how realistic looking these matches are.

We made a pocket with slide out tag that really does look like a box of matches. Just. So good.

Last in the line up is this AMAZING card full of interactive goodness and tons of flips, flaps, openables and liftables and...well, it's filled with tons of fun!!! Starting with the ribbon closure on the front. 

We used one of the ribbon slide dies from a previous release and added this little heart for fun. 

First we open to this adorable little 'I love you' deer and scalloped hearts window. 

That piece opens up (and why not!)

And that whole piece flips up.

The queen of hearts opens up.

and we have another window pocket

The guest check also has an openable element

which opens as well to reveal the bottom of the "envelope"

which also has a sweet little liftable element. 

Whew!!! Can you believe all the fun elements and interactive pieces in this one card?! Amazing. I love making this kind of project where there is so much going on, so much to see and so much to play with. As always, I highly recommend Heidi's classes, and this one in particular if you are at all interested in creating interactive, layered, lumpy goodness. 

Thanks for visiting! :) Happy Crafting!