Using the envelope as the first page in my new Traveler's Notebook

I love having envelopes scattered throughout my TN.

They come in handy for small photos that

don't need an entire page and also for journaling.

Especially if one is quite windy. LOL.

 In this case since the photos are different,  I plan

to journal about each photo on the side

of the tag facing the photo.

 A two-fer basically.

I have this "thing" in my head about space (we live in our RV)

 which is why

I have switched over to TN's and have become

quite cautious about pages - trying to keep

the books down to a mild roar.

Which totally stifles the creativity.

I need to get over it and just create pages that

matter to me - no matter how stuffed the pages get

 or  how many TN's I need to tell the stories

because where's the fun in only doing the highlights.

Help.

Well I gave in to the matchy matchy

Sort of. 

I still have the other TN - see yesterday's post.

I still would like your opinion over there.

This TN started out with Dylusions whitewashing the

chipboard and then again using the splat

TH stencil.

WELL..............

I didn't quite apply the paint correctly through the stencil

SOOOOO...

I had to smear it on purpose because it wasn't a good look

and there was no fixing it

UNLESS

you smoosh it about. So I did.

THEN

I broke out the TN stamps. 

(you knew TH would be there somewhere)

Love how the front cover turned out........

and the rings.

Here is front and back together.

And here are the inside covers.

I sort of cloned them.

I have no idea why.

Here is the first page in the notebook - which is an

envelope and a tag with some washi.

I figure I'll work it as I go.

(And I did work them so tune into Monday

and you'll see what I did.

(Quite the tease I am)

ALSO

I didn't put all white papers inside.

I tried to match up the colors on the covers.

Well colors do come in shades.

 I am so diggin' the tags, however, changes
can be made and pages rearranged.

That's the beauty of rings.

Here is just a "pre-done" page that'll hopefully

compliment the page next to it.

I'm loving this of course.

I'm loving the other one.

I'm working on getting over my bad self.

😂

Created a new Traveler's Notebook

I love how it turned out.

Used a few of the Tim Holtz stencils -

I especially love the splatter one. Sigh.

 I have a love hate relationship with the arrow stencil

but it totally works here.

This is the front and the back.

 I used Studio Calico paints - the brown #11 and 24 karat LE.

I love that gold paint and I have two of them.

You may want to check out the gold - it is a limited edition.

 

Above are the inside flaps.

Again with the Tim Holtz. - It just works so well.

 

I do love the other TN's don't get me wrong 

BUT 

I can't seem to get over the "slim to no" dimension

therefore - the RINGS.

I LOVE THIS BUT....

most of my embellishments are happy, flowery,

blue, pink, orange, etc colors.

Or does it all have to be a matchy matchy.

Decisions Decisions.

I'd love your opinion.

Christmas cards for the grands.

I need to remember they're getting older.

Sigh.

They turned out cute.

 Front side - inside.

Now to remember to mail them on time.

Remember that adorable raccoon photo - it's scrapped.

 Love the Tim Holtz words and phrases.

They work perfect with this page.

 Got to use more of those precut die cuts and I love that.

Still sort of watching the dimension 

and I'm loving this new book I'm using.

Don't you love that die cut from a flash in the past

when we looked at those viewfinder thingies.

Actually it's the old campground book - 

that had really REALLY UGLY

pages that I ripped out to start anew.

Loving the new look in the book now.

That baby raccoon was so adorable.

Just sitting in the grass at sundown (I was there to

capture the sunset) when an eagle-eyed 

photographer saw him gazing from the grass.

Using up extra photos

Had a couple of photos laying about that didn't make

the Traveler's Notebook cut.

What to do, what to do.

Well, so glad you asked. 

I have this book - it lays flat with kraft pages in it

and decided it would be good for odds and ends.

Of course, going flat still applies.

Of course, who pays attention to flat.

 As you can see - dimension won.

I love the die cut embellies and they do work with this photo.

As of this post - I have organized all my die cut embellies.

GASP FAINT THUD.

 My big shot resides in a cabinet under the table

and once its out - there's not a lot of room to keep it out.

So once that bad boy is rescued from the cabinet, I try

to die cut everything and then some that I can think of and

using in different colors so that I have them on hand and

not have to drag the big shot out every.single.time.

It works well, except I have a ton of die cuts

that had prior to my superior organizational skills came to fore,

were tossed in a big super satchel, that had to be

searched through to find said embellie.

Also, having all the die cuts tossed in one big box

willy nilly - did NOT keep the embellies pristine.

So....

a quick trip to M's to get a "bead box" and wa-la....

organized die cuts.

Easy to find - easy to use.

I also organized those pesky but amazing wooden embellies
AND

 them other odds and ends that had to be looked
through to find the perfect fit.

Looking at these boxes it appears

 I need to get cranking on the die cuts.

Baby Girl Album 6x6 Size

I used the 8x8 Paper Studio Baby Girl paper pad and love how

it turned out. Really Really cute stuff and some

to fussy cut.

 

I enjoy doing staggered pages and all photos can be tucked

in and under. Keeping it simple as it is a gift.

Also trying not to be real bossy - as this can be used anyway

my great niece would like doing it.

Love the thread and doily and a really neat tag

tucked in that can be used for

either photos or journaling.

There is a baby blanket in the works but

it does not match color-wise.

Quite the rebel on this one LOL.

I do want to get some ribbon and tie a bow

on the rings.

Drives me crazy not to have one, however,

in looking at it, it actually doesn't look bad without the bow

and maybe because it won't get in the way when looking through the book.

Catching up with fun new pages in my Traveler's Notebook

 Only a few pages remaining this TN - woohoo!

It went really fast and it's is relatively FLAT!

I'm really enjoying the challenge of slim to none dimension.

So this cutie pie is our great nephew Mateo

who was a long time coming.

Happy, sweet, inquisitive and friendly babe.

Loved his Uncle Tom right out of the gate. 

Need to fix my bottom sentence.

How can one forget a word when writing. 😐

I am so diggin' the MS alpha punch but those little

devils can be found hiding everywhere.

They work perfectly in this album.

I also used a lot of die cuts on this page. 

I must say those small-medium size embellishment 

triangle immediately went to a quad.

Sigh.

And it just kept getting bigger because more

colors were required (in my mind)

to "balance" things out.

 And here we have the parents.

I actually look pretty okay in this photo.

Usually my hair is a hot mess and I look chubby.

I did leave a lot of space there and hopefully

more journaling. I wasn't very windy when I wrote this

and also had issues with words.

Sigh.

Anyone else play charades in their head when hunting

down a word that just brings it all together?

 And I found a REAL scrapbook shop.

Swoon.

It was jam packed with goodies. I think it 

took me 5-6 spins around before I actually saw 

everything and then I missed a bunch.

 I have a wide variety so this oughta be fun

working it all in. LOL.

I need to locate my other blank TN OR maybe

DIY one. I do like the rings because I can add stuff

in like the national park pamphlets.

Additional pages in my Travelers Notebook

I am actually loving how this notebook is coming together.

Even with the lack of dimension.

This photo was made in the collage choice in Easy PhotoPrint editor.

So in the background is a faded covered bridge that

covers the entire page and the others nesting in it.

Pretty cool - there is supposed to be text in the first block

but I couldn't figure that part out. LOL.

Finally got that 82 out of my stash!

 Just having fun with die cut embellies and love the 

photo with the lighthouse behind our home.

And because the patch had bling - there's bling going on there.

It's so much fun exploring and that bridge

is amazing - high and deep sprouting up from the gorge.

 This is from our ride through the backroads that take

you from one cool town to another.

And then my favorite road to hate. LOL.

 The abandoned mine was huge.

The conveyor runs at least 1300 feet and was

designed by Henry Ford.

It made the workers lives easier in getting the coal to the train.

Tim Holtz, Studio Calico, MS alpha punch (ooohh)

 prima flowers, Quikutz dies

More entries in my Travelers Notebook

Had so much fun with this.

We were camped in a friend's backyard and

this little groundhog was our neighbor.

Every now and then he'd scamper across the yard

into the woods.

I couldn't resist.

Oh and if you know about the Shadow - you're really old.

My pal Holli stamped and mailed that fun critter. 

LOL

 Had that birthday sentiment for a long time and

kept forgetting to use it.

Well.

Stash Bust.

Loved that we could get together and celebrate

my brother in laws birthday.

 Of course I had to document our trip to Hershey and

chocolate covered bacon.

Yum.

There were 4 slices 4 different ways and each

had an abundant of chocolatey goodness.

And for the TH phrase up there - I actually finally

bought a Tsquare ruler and guess who

STILL had trouble making straight lines. 😐

And some of the leaves are changing.

It's going real slow

and I wanted to get our home in on the

leaf peeping action.

I have had that acorn flair button forEVER.

Finally.

There's a mix of a lot of stuff that of course

I don't have the packaging too.

So you'll have to guess. LOL.

I'm also doing pretty good with the no dimension rule.

More or less.

😉

Started a new Travelers Notebook

It's an old Studio Calico and happens to be

perfect because it has fall stuff in it.

And here I am in NJ in the Fall.

Twas meant to be.

Also, I got to use the Tim Holtz SNARKY word

phrases - I love them - you really need

a sense of humor.

 So my challenge is to do this TN withOUT dimension.

 That challenge lasted to page 2. 

LOL.

The banner that hysterically cute monster is holding

has some of that craft dimension stuff (can't think of the name)

behind it so it's not as thick as regular pop dots.

 I have been enjoying doing simple pages

and NOT OVERthinking things.

Snort.

 And okay - page for has a tad dimension but

it's not my fault.

Blaming it on my pal Holli who sent goodies

in a card - all those cute monsters, that girl and a pink

flamingo clip that I forgot to add to the photo.

It's been fun passing things back and forth via snail mail.

It took awhile to get to me so it was a fun surprise.

 I have WAITED a LONG TIME to use

that slice of pizza - also Studio Calico - very old PL card

that I fussy cut out.

Broke out the die cut machine and made a lot of stuff that made it in

these pages, along with stamps and fussy cutting.

It's been fun.

Since space is an issue - when I break out the BigShot

I cut a lot of stuff ahead of time, except alphas,

that I needed because I tossed

out a bunch of thickers I had because

I thought they were too big 😐

so the BigShot came out again as

 the alphas are QK Holiday mini's which

are a fun font.

This is going to be a fun notebook. 

I think I'm getting the hang of it.

TN - Completed already!

Shocked me too.

For some reason - I thought LAYERS as oppossed to DIMENSION

would make a difference.

 LOL!

And it did in the fun, but not so much how fat 

the book became.

But I love how it turned out.

I found these pages in the book really, really fun to do.

 Mostly because I let myself not worry about

design, embellishments (whether they matched or not)

or if it was cohesive.

 It was a blast and I'm gonna do it again

as soon as I create my next journal.

 I do love the rings - because it appears I canNOT resist

dimension or layers. LOL.

I really would love the use the premade books

but alas, I can't contain myself to keeping it flat.

 Using up so much stash has been fun as well.

Some of these cards I had literally from forever.

I'm okay with using old stuff.

 Because in a 100 years from now no-one will know its

not the latest and greatest.

 This is a mix of a lot of different mfg's.

The mix works well I'm thinking.

 Those envelops - I am totally gonna miss them when they're gone.

 The paper for this is from a 6x6 basic grey pad.

Tea garden.

So this is how fat that bad boy is and would believe

there are only 5 WHITE PAGES in the book?

LOL.

It's all the other layers of patterned paper that make it pudgy.

I'm okay with that.

However, I'm gonna have a lot of books LOL.

Sigh.