May Stamp Club: Altered Notebook Tradition

It's that time of year again--it's almost time for a new Annual catalog.  Time to say goodbye to some of our favorite DSP.  Two of my favorite ways to use up my HUGE stash of DSP is to make envelopes and altered notebooks.

Making altered notebooks at May's Stamp Club has been a tradition for several years now.

You need four total pieces of DSP.  Two 9 x 12 for the outside covers and two 9 x 7 for the inside.  

Supplies used:

Composition Notebooks (stock up during the summer 4/$1)

Park Lane DSP

Big Shot with Top Note Die and Typeset Alphabet Dies

Canvas Creations

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

Ribbon

See previous posts for more altered notebook ideas:  

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2011/06/june-stamp-club.html

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2012/05/may-stamp-club-altered-notebooks.html

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2011/04/altered-composition-notebook.html

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2012/10/altered-composition-notebook-update.html

http://mariamitsdarfer.blogspot.com/2014/05/may-stamp-club-altered-notebooks.html

I just realized that this month's project had absolutely no rubber stamping on it--oh, the horrors, ha!! Happy Notebook Creating!!  Bye for now, Maria

Inspiration Journal

As a rubber stamper and demonstrator, I always get asked, "where do you come up with your ideas?"  This is the one question I get asked the most.  Most of my ideas come from Stampin' Up!'s annual convention--being able to attend is a demonstrator perk.  Between the swaps and displays, I see more than enough to carry me through the entire year.  I must take at least 1000 pictures when I'm there--so glad they invented digital cameras!  Our demonstrator magazine and online community have soooooo many ideas, pics, tutorials (yes, another perk, wanna sign up?).  So many ideas, so little time! 

Paper-crafting magazines (there are still a few of them around), blogs, websites, Pinterest, and even google, are great places to get ideas. The Stampin' Up! catalogs have tons of samples.  Feel free to CASE--that's copy and share everything!   When something flashes across our screen, we "pin it!"  What did we ever do before Pinterest?!  But, what do you do with a magazine clipping, or an old post card that inspires you?  How about placing these items in an Inspiration Journal? 

Inspiration and ideas can come from lots of places--think outside of the crafting/stamping world.  Think about your favorite things, places and stores.  What is about it that you love so much ?  Is it the color, textures, graphics, color combos?  Jot those down in your journal.  When you're stuck for an idea, pull out your journal.  Those ideas can be a spring board in your card-making and scrapbooking. 

Where do you look for inspiration?  Bye for now, Maria

Altered Composition Notebook

Well, it's that time of year again. Each spring we create new Altered Composition Notebooks at Stamp Club to say good bye to all the DSP I've hoarded over the last year.  Here's our project for May.  I won't bore you with the details.  See this post for instructions and measurements.  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria

Altered Composition Notebook Update

Another altered composition notebook using Spice Cake Fabric and matching DSP--oh, how I wish Stampin' Up! still sold the DSP!

It's personalized with Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die.

The fabric is tied around the front cover and knotted.

Creating altered notebooks is addicting--espeically when you can get tons of composition notebooks for cheap before kids go back to school!

May Stamp Club: Altered Notebooks

It's that time of  year when we say goodbye to one catalog and say HELLO to the new one.  This year the new catalog is starting a month early, June 1st.  Our stamp club has a tradition of making altered notebooks annually right before the new catalog starts.  Start with plain composition notebooks.

Paisley Petals DSP is used on all the following notebooks. 

Sheila added an additional piece of ribbon to use as a bookmark!

For more great notebooks and instructions, please see this post from June 2011.  Happy Notebook Creating!  Bye for now, Maria

June Stamp Club

Altered Composition Notebooks

It has become an almost yearly tradition at Stamp Club for the Rubber Duckies to make covered notebooks.  Mostly because I have been stocking up on (a.k.a. hoarding) DSP all  year, and SU! is getting ready to retire all of it!  So, it's time to get out the fancy papers and ribbons you've been hoarding and create something beautifully useful.  I really do use the notebooks I create.  They make great gifts that can be personalized with the recipent's name hand-stamped on the cover. 

Start with a blank composition book.  For the covers, you will need 2 sheets of 9" x 12" DSP.  Since your DSP is already 12 x 12, just slice one side at 9".

Use a generous amount of adhesive--doesn't matter what kind--snail, tombow, sticky strip--just use a lot!!!  This is one project you do not want to be cheapo with the adhesive especially if you or your recipent are going to be carrying it around.  I start with putting my adhesive on my notebook cover, and then placing my DSP on top of my tape.  Line up the edge of the DSP with the edge of the black seam of the notebook. 

This is how I finish the corners...

Open the notebook.  Turn up the corners and tape in place--again, don't be cheap with your adhesive!  Use your bone folder to smooth down your edges.  I also like to run the pointy part of the bone folder on the DSP along the edge of the notebook so it will fold over toward the inside easier--just don't press down too hard because you don't want to poke through your DSP.

Fold up the flaps and tape or glue down.  Your corners will have a nice smooth covered edge.  Move over Martha Stewart and Anna Griffin--no mitering the corners for me--this is papercrafting not carpentry!!!!

Add a 9" x 7" piece of DSP to finish off the inside cover. 

Repeat with back cover.  Tie ribbon around front cover wrapping ribbon on the inside front cover.

Embellish as desired.  I added chipboard and some letters from Play Date Quick Accents. 

Even though summer is just starting, be sure to keep an eye out for composition notebooks to be on sale--sometimes 4/$1--before school starts again in September.  Here are a few more examples from stamp club...

Here are a few of this month's swaps...

If you need to order retiring stamps and acessories from the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog, hop on over to my SU! website no later than June 30th.   Happy Stamping! Happy Notebook and Journal Creating!!

Bye for now, Maria

Altered Composition Notebook

Hi Stampers!  Here's something I made recently.  I needed a notebook for bible study.  Of course, it had to decorated!  The notebook is just one of those cheapy composition books you can get everywhere before the start of a new school year for $1.

Decorate it with the DSP and embellishments of your choice.  The DSP is from Ice Cream Parlor from the Salabration brochure.  The pom-pom trim is from the Occasions Mini in Daffodil Delight and Tango Tanergine.  The words are stamped with Contempo Alphabet with Chocolate Chip ink. 

To cover the corners on the inside of your book, just fold the DSP like you were wrapping a present.  Tape down to secure.  Add another piece of DSP to finish.  Don't forget the inside back cover too!

I added a chipboard heart from the Hearts and Brackets die, emellishments from the Ice Cream Parlor pack, and some buttons with linen thread. 

Decorated notebooks make great personalized gifts.  They would also be great items for make for fund raisers.  Happy Stamping!  Bye for now, Maria