Hello friends and Happy Monday!
Hope you all had a good weekend and as we head into a new week, the Simon Says Stamp Monday DT are ready for you to join us for a brand new challenge, which this week is all about FOOD & DRINK!
At this time of year, if you're like me then there's always something food & drink related going on and even though the holidays will be slightly different for all of us this year, I still want to make this Christmas, one to remember because I have so many fond memories of Christmas' past and some very special times that I have spent with my family.
...and that's where my inspiration for this project came from ~ family and in particular my Mum and Nan. Even though Nan isn't with us any more, I will always remember how special she made Christmas. From the feast that she used to prepare to the family get togethers, it was always a wonderful time to remember and after my Nan passed, my Mum carried on the tradition, making Christmas the most wonderful time of the year! But what I remember most about both of them ~ is the time spent in the kitchen cooking, and that old handwritten recipe book that's been handed down through the generations, with new additions and some old traditional recipes ~ it's a book to be treasured but also one that needs to be preserved before it becomes to worn. So, now it's time for me to take over and this was the ideal time to place that old book safely in my memory box and make a new book ready to fill with some Christmas recipes and here it is...so, let's get started!
To begin with I found a really cheap notebook from my local £1 shop. It's a lined notebook and has a hard front and back cover, which I painted with a coat of gesso on the back and front, inside, and out. Once the gesso was dry, I then painted the covers with a layer of gold paint, let it dry thoroughly before dry brushing a layer of Picket Fence Distress Paint over the top. I've explained dry brushing may times before and all this is, is taking a dry paint brush, dipped into paint before removing the majority of the paint from the brush and just dry brushing it over the surface of your substrate, allowing the minimum of paint to be applied. It's that easy but creates a beautiful vintage look to a project.
Before I started the covers of the book, I did decorate the inside...
...and for this, I used some decorative paper that I took from one of Tim's Christmas paper stashes, (I think this was actually from last years), cut the paper to measure slightly smaller than the cover and adhered it with Matte Collage Medium. I then attached a Salvaged tag to the inside cover, together with some Christmas Ephemera pieces, all from the idea-ology brand.
On the right hand side of the book, I cut a panel of Mixed Media Heavystock card, again slightly smaller than the actual page size and inked with Old Paper and Antique Linen Distress Sprays. I then applied some of the Christmas Trim Tape to the top and bottom before machine stitching a border around the outside.
Now because this book is all about home comforts, I found the perfect stamp to create the title ~ 'HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS'. This stamp is from the Stampers Anonymous Bold Tidings stamp set by Tim Holtz and I stamped it using the Stamp Platform in a combination of Barn Door and Black Soot Archival Ink.
I adhered the page into my book with matte collage medium and once again, added some more ephemera pieces, including the little December calendar, circling the big day in red pen.
Right now to create the covers and I started by cutting two panels of Cracked Leather Cardstock, both the same size and coloured these with a combination of Speckled Egg, Iced Spruce, and Pumice Stone Distress Inks. I used the wrinkle free Distress technique and just built up the intensity of colour from applying the inks to my glass mat.
On one panel only, I added some stamped layers using the script and music stamps from the Vintage Holiday stamp set and just stamping randomly over the background. This will become the front panel of my book.
After machine stitching a border around the outside of each panel, I adhered them to my book covers, back and front.
I wanted to make the book look as if it was slightly worn and tattered and to create that look, I used some cream coloured Vintage Foil Transfer Sheets from Ranger Ink. I have these in my stash but if you can't get hold of them, then any neutral shade of foil transfer sheets will be ok and give you the same effect. To apply the foil, I used a glue stick which I applied to the edges of the book and then pressing the matte side down, I applied the foil to the sticky areas.
To add some texture to the covers, I used the Stunning Snowflake die ~ I had these die cuts already cut from a previous project but never used them and as they sat on my desk, I just thought they would be the perfect texture for this piece. So after painting each of the snowflakes with a little Speckled Egg Distress Paint, I adhered them to my front cover with some Matte Collage Medium. Once the medium was dry, I splattered the cover with a little Picket Fence Distress Paint.
Now for Santa to make his appearance!
Santa's Wish Colorize Die is one of my favourite dies from Tim's Sizzix releases, I just fell in love with him the minute I saw him and after die cutting each of the layers from watercolour card, and hand colouring each piece with Distress Inks and Polychromos Pencils creating the tones and shading that I wanted ~ I then assembled Santa. If you want to see how to layer Santa, and it really is so easy ~ then just click HERE as this YouTube video shows you how to do it!
To complete Santa, I added some Rock Candy Dry Glitter touches to the holly and berries and onto his hat.
Santa is now ready to put into place and I attached him with foam pads, placing him on the centre of a Vignette Frame, painted with Speckled Egg Distress Paint and mounted onto a panel of Worn Wallpaper, which creates a border around the edge of the wooden frame.
To add a touch of shimmer to the frame, I added some more of the Vintage Foil Transfer sheets, this time using the gold foil but applying it in exactly the same way as I applied it to the edges of the book cover. I also added some die cut gold stars around the outside of the frame.
To create the lettering, I used the Sizzix Alphanumeric Shadown Upper Thinlits die set and cut each letter three times from Mixed Media Heavystock card before layering them over the top of one another to create the thickness of a chipboard letter. I then painted them with a little Candied Apple distress Paint, allowed them to dry before using the Embossing Dabber, applied over the top of each letter and then sprinkling them with Tim's amazing Embossing Glaze in Fired Brick and combining it with a little sprinkle of Emerald Creek Rocky Road Baked Texture Embossing Powder by Seth Apter.
I attached my letters to the cover, placing them beneath the frame and adhering them with Matte Collage Medium before adding a Ruler Piece directly underneath.
To add more of vintage feel to the ruler, I inked it with Frayed Burlap Distress Spray Stain, dabbed away any excess colour and once dry, sanded the edges back before adding some red cotton around each end.
As the final detail, I added a Type Chip that I wrapped around the edge of the book and then placed a Tiny Clip onto it.
We're nearly there and all that's left is the finishing touches...
...including some green Christmas Velvet Trims tied down the spiral binding on the side of the book.
I also attached a Christmas Token onto a Mini Pin and pinned this to the ribbon.
Inside the book, I added some tabs, the salvaged tag as mentioned before, a strip of fabric tape and a Christmas Milk Cap, (love that this set has this milk cap included, it's such a cool touch and a little nod to someone we all know and love, Mr Mario Rossi).
I also added a sticker from the Sticker Book that I placed along the top edge of the book.
So that's my project for this week finished and complete and I hope you've enjoyed the creative process and the inspiration that was behind this piece ~ it was definitely a project from the heart and something that will be treasured for many years to come!
All I need to do now, is fill it with some of Nana's recipes....which includes her amazing Christmas Cake and her relishes and chutney.
Don't forget that every week, one lucky random participant has the chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Simon Says Stamp and you can join in up to 5 times, which means you could have 5 chances to win. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time. 1pm UK time, 2 pm CET to join in and good luck....
Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by today ~ stay safe and well, and see you again soon.
Love Emma xxx
Recipe for project:
Tim Holtz Idea-ology: Christmas Milk Caps, Christmas Velvet Trims, Vignette Frames, Mini Pins, Christmas Tokens, Christmas Sticker Book, Fabric Tape, Christmas Worn Wallpaper, Ruler Piece, Salvaged Tags, Type Chips Notebook from my own stash
