Go Team Altered Mini Journals

HELLO HELLO HELLO!!  It's me Shari with you today!!  Here in the U.S., many a football fan are gearing up for the big Super Bowl Sunday extravaganza taking place in 3 weeks.  I myself, am not a football nut, but, I'm definitely a zealot for our Go Team stamp set! 

These mini journals were really fun to create--Let me show you how I did it! 

These little notebooks were one of those 'while standing in line, last-minute impulse buys', but being a crafter, I knew I'd get around to doing something with them!  These measure about 3 1/4" x 4 1/4".

Since I have two sides to alter per notebook, I created everything in bulk.  I started with the background panels.  I cut 8 pieces of mixed-media paper to size and stenciled each with the Measured layering stencil and Picket Fence DP.   



I sprayed Peeled Paint DS onto my craft sheet, spritzed with water, then ran each panel through the color. 



 You can see the resist of the stenciled Picket Fence DP in the background--COOL!!

I then rubbed each panel with Vintage Photo DI, heat set, then spritzed and flicked water over all of the surfaces.  I just have to have some water spots!! 

At this point, I adhered the front and back panels to each notebook and pressed between some heavy books.  These backgrounds aren't done just yet--I've got a couple more things I want to do to them. 

But, while the notebooks got pressed, I started on the stamping--and there was a lot of it!!  I stamped all of the images onto mixed-media paper with Jet Black Archival and rubbed with Tea Dye DI.   

I also stamped and heat embossed a bunch of the loving cups in silver and gold and the footballs were stamped onto kraft paper with Jet Black archival and I used my white gel pen to add the detail to each football.  I can tell you, my fingers and neck hurt by the time I was finished with all of this fussy cutting--But totally worth it!!

Before I started adhering all of the fussy cut parts onto the front and back panels, I added some paint elements using an old gift card, a paint cap and a pencil eraser.  I trimmed and distressed each notebook with my paper distresser and inked the edges with Ground Espresso DI. 

I bound the notebooks with black duct tape then started adhering all of the fussy cut pieces into place with matte Decou-Page.  I adhered all of the pieces to the front sides first, pressed between heavy books for a spell, then adhered all of the word bands onto the back panels and pressed between heavy books until secure.

 
I finished with outlining everything with a combination of watered down DAM Translucent White Paint, Hickory Smoke DI and my water brush and white gel pen, then a spritz of Ground Espresso DM with my air art tool. 

I have to say, I'm really happy with how these turned out!  I love their vintagey and nostalgic look--like they've already seen a tackle or two! 

And, of course, I love the quote--It goes hand in hand with the images in the Go Team set as perfectly as it goes hand in hand with life.  It's a quote that will stick with me always.

I hope you've enjoyed how I've altered these plain little notebooks into fun mini journals--isn't that funny how art turns every day items into something a little bit more special?  I love it!! 

Thanks so much for joining me today--Hope you'll come back to see me next week!!


Designer:  Shari Trumbull
Ain't That Artsy Fartsy