Idea-ology No SEW Fabric Journal

 How can you not love the idea of a canvas journal, chock full of ephemera, textures and delightful findings?  When I saw the new Fabric Journals from Tim Holtz Idea-ology, being a scrapbooker at heart I wanted to make one, but I was a bit intimidated with the idea that I needed to stitch things onto each page. While I greatly admire the stunning journals made by so many talented artists, with  amazing sewing, stitching, and vintage lacey details, I knew my rather elementary level of sewing skill would make it challenging.

May I introduce you to two new items that will allow even the "sewing-challenged" like me to make a canvas book that looks like you can sew? First, is the aforementioned pre-stitched Fabric Journal This book has 10 canvas pages. The front and back cover are two of those, so that leaves you with 18 pages to decorate with pictures or ephemera or whatever you want.  Not only did Tim introduce a sewn journal, but also some Stitched Scraps. Fourteen scraps of various fabrics with stitching already on them that can be adhered in the journal and it looks like you sewed, but you didn't! Hah! Genius!

Okay, before we get started, let me say that this book is a blast to put together because you can get out your entire stash of Idea-ology and just go crazy. So.Much.FUN! I did try to contain myself somewhat and used some of the same products over and over, such as Keepsakes Ephemera pack, Remnants Layers pack, Salvaged Tags, Ticket Booth, Fabric Tape, Stitched Scraps, Paper Dolls, Found Relatives, Photo Booth, and Clippings Stickers.

**Be sure to read to the end as I do have this blog post in PDF form and I will tell you how to contact me to get a copy.

 The journal comes already stitched together as a book, and I wanted to add some Collage Paper to the outside front and back covers. I put some of the packaging sheets under each cover as shown above to protect the inside pages. You attach the Collage Paper by brushing an even amount of Collage Medium across the entire cover. You want enough medium that it can easily be seen, but not so much that you can't see the canvas texture. It will soak through, so that is why you want to protect the other pages.

 Once you have the Collage Medium on the canvas cover, gently lay a piece of Document Collage Paper onto the cover. Once you set it down it is pretty much down. If you try and lift it, it will usually tear, so line it up before you set it down, then gently press it onto the canvas. Once I felt that I had it pretty well in place, I ran over it with a clean, dry brayer. The brayer will press the Collage Paper onto the canvas. 

 I dried it just a tiny bit, but before it was completely dry, I took out the Tim Holtz Tonic Craft Scratcher tool, and gently scratched the Collage Paper off the edges all the way around the outside of the cover. When the cover is completely dry, the Collage Paper will kind of shrink down onto the paper is such a way that it looks like it is printed on it. You really can still see the canvas texture.   I learned this technique from Paula Cheney and I think it is absolutely genius!

 I wanted the Collage Paper to be the star of my journal cover so I didn't want to hide it with too much stuff. With that in mind I just made a Measuring Tape Ribbon belt to secure it. Cut a piece of measuring tape ribbon long enough to fit around the journal and with room enough to grow.  If you aren't sure how thick the book will end up being, leave this step until last. I adhered the glue to the tab on a Buckle. Then secured it with a Hex Fastener.

 When I was ready to attach it to the journal I glued it onto the back cover, then wrapped it toward the front and poked a hole in the ribbon where the tooth from the buckle would go through to keep it closed.

 Then I sprayed each page with water, then some Pumice Stone and Antique Linen Distress Spray Stain.

 I dried each page and then repeated the process on every page until it was all done. I did the same thing to the Stitched Scraps so that they would match when I attached them to the journal. Don't worry about getting this step to be perfect. Most of each page will be covered when we are done.

 The first page of my journal is the inside of the front cover. There really aren't any techniques on each page, but I will point out products and detail what I did so that you can choose to use what you like and ignore what you don't.

 On page one I adhered some of the new Fabric Tape to the page. Then attach the map from the Remnants Layers, one of the tickets from the Ticket Book, a little ephemera from the Keepsakes Ephemera, a Mini Paper Clip, Stitched Scrap, Paper Doll, and Clippings Stickers.

One of the parts I thought was the most fun, apart from getting to use a bunch of my super cool stash of Idea-ology goodness, was making up stories on each page about the various characters from the Paper Dolls, Photo Booth, and Found Relatives.

"Claire, far from home, all the confidence in the world her dreams would come true."

I hope they did come true Claire! I really do.

 I used the cigar box from Remnants Layers on this page, then a Found Relative that had a badge.

"Ladies and gentlemen, We must all stand together to tell the world, '

Preserve this keepsake. Memories of lives lived.'"

 II felt like this was a perfect opportunity to add one of the new Vintage Flair on a torn piece of Keepsakes Ephemera, and finished with an Index Clip.

 Pages three and four - I added two pockets on these pages for some of the new Salvaged Tags.

 On page three, I made a pocket from a large piece of Keepsake Ephemera, adding adhesive on both sides and the bottom. Before I adhered it I attached a large ticket to the background from the Ticket Book.

 On the Salvaged Tag, I adhered a piece of Keepsake Ephemera, a Photo Booth picture, a Mini Paper Clip, and the Clippings story:

"Maggie Sue, bidding farewell to the warm, merry day. Her eyes gleamed.

She had a feeling she was herself again. "

 On page four, I used a large Remnants Layer for the background. To make a pocket for the small pink Salvaged Tag, I glued only the side and bottom of a floral piece from the Keepsakes Ephemera. At the top of the page I attached a small ticket from Ticket Booth and a Photo Booth picture with a Clipping that says Friendship. On the tag I put the Clippings story.

"A lasting friendship, two gentle hearts, all their secrets, hopes and dreams to keep."

 Pages five and six are on the masculine side.

 For this gent, I layered a Salvaged Tag and a large ticket from the Ticket Book. The Paper Doll has his foot on a torn piece of Keepsake Ephemera. Save the other half! Then I added the Clippings story:

"The stars before him, his heart full of bright hopes, demanding something different."

  I made a tab with a piece of the Fabric Tape. I adhered one of the new Machinery Heads for texture and interest.

 On the corresponding page, add a strip of Fabric Tape that matches the tab on the other page. Remember to add the other half of the torn Keepsake Ephemera in the top left corner.

 Make a pocket from one of the large tickets in the Ticket Book by putting adhesive on the left and bottom of the tag and tearing the excess off the right side. Put a piece of Keepsake Ephemera on the pocket. Tuck a Found Relative in the pocket after making a Clippings story.

"After the last long rain, looking out the window, beyond the immense horizon, 

Clyde found himself in a strange land."

 Attach a bit of a small ticket on the Found Relative with a Tiny Clip.

 Make a tag out of one of the Stitched Scraps by folding it in half and adhering it to both sides with Collage Medium.

Pages seven and eight both have bases cut from the Idea-ology Abandoned paper pad.

On page seven, adhere part of a tag, and then find the butterfly card in the Remnants Layers. Cut the center with the butterflies, out carefully. The outside of the butterfly card will become the mat on the next page, so measure carefully and cut judiciously. Then tied a Thought Token on the middle of the card with some Eclectic Elements Craft Thread.

Use Antique Linen and Stormy Sky Distress Crayons to color the words on the Thought Token to highlight the word FLY.

On page eight, frame a Found Relative with the leftover piece of the Remnants Layer butterfly card. Attach the London ticket from the Keepsake Ephemera in the top left corner with a Mini Paper Clip, and the bird from the Keepsake Ephemera Pack.  Finish with the Clippings Sticker that says My Sweetheart.

Pages nine and ten have a punch of color from the Abandoned Paper pack.

On page nine, the background is a Remnants Layer.

I slipped a small yellow Salvaged Tag under the the left side of the Layer. Added a Milk Cap and placed the Paper Doll so he is leaning against it. The Clippings Stickers story says:

"The brothers, curiously intent upon behaving badly, from sunset till the shadows grew."

I added a Stitched Scrap near the bottom with a bit of Collage Medium and had the Paper Dolls standing on it.

On the second page I put a piece of Abandoned paper on the page, with the eye chart Remnants Layer.

To highlight the E on the eye chart, I placed an Optical Lens.

Then I chose two Photo Booth pictures with people wearing glasses so I could use a Quote Chip  colored with Distress Ink with the phrase Focus on the Good. I added two Hardware Heads on each end of the quote chip, put a Fabric Tape tab on the side, and wrote a a Clippings Sticker story that said: 

"Kindness in our eyes look around for light, the light of hope."

Pages eleven and twelve are about different types of bravery.

On page eleven I put a thing piece of some Abandoned paper along the left side, then the Broadway postcard from Remnants Layers.

At the top are some tickets from Ticket Book, clipped on with a Mini Paper Clip, and a large Adornment Star that has been sprayed with Resist Spray and dusted with Distress Platinum Glitter. There are two more glitter dusted stars at the bottom. Add a Photo Booth photo to the bottom of the postcard with a Mini Paper Clip. I chose a photo of two young ladies who looked like they dreamed of being Broadway stars and were brave enough to try for their dream.  I told the story of their bravery using Clippings Stickers. 

"O little friend, see the silver stars, that shine and sparkle everywhere around us."

Page twelve celebrates the beauty of a brave, gentle nature. Begin with a large piece of Abandoned paper. Add the lovely floral card from Remnants Layers.

In the top corner, choose a Thought Token that fits your theme. I wanted bravery, so I picked the thought Be You Bravely. I highlighted the word You with a Red Distress Crayon and the other words with Antique Linen Distress Crayon.

I chose this delightful little girl Paper Doll, colored her flowers and added a single flower from the paper Bouquet flowers, and sat her on a Stitched Scrap that hangs off the edge of the page. Her story made from Clippings Stickers says:

"Brave girl, with a gentle nature, see the beauty of this life."

Pages thirteen and fourteen are two more pocket pages that hold removable items.

Page thirteen has a pocket made with a large green Salvaged Tag, made by tearing the end off so it would fit on the page with just a bit of the tag hanging over the side of the page. Make a pocket by putting adhesive, I used Collage Medium, on the sides and bottom of the tag, leaving the top open.
I adhered a floral and portrait piece  of Keepsake Ephemera, and then tucked a Found Relative in the pocket. A Story Stick is tied in the tag reinforcer, and wrote a Clippings Sticker story about the Found Relative I chose:

"Clara, she wanted no reminder of realities and responsibilites. 

With flowers in her hair, she was free to follow her heart."

On page fourteen I decided to have fun with the large piece of Keepsake Ephemera and make a pink pocket.

To decorate the pocket I adhered a Photo Booth picture, Stitched Scrap and two Snaps (retired Idea-ology) The story for the photo says: " Minnie B Murray, a curious pattern to be cheerful and optimistic."

I wanted to try a different kind of tab on this page, so I folded one of the new Type Chips in half to form the tab for this page and the next.

I tucked the pattern ephemera in the pocket with a piece of Ruler Ribbon attached with a Mini Pin, and the millinery ad , both from Keepsakes Ephemera.

On the back of the pattern I adhered this Found Relative and here is her story:

"Josephine, brooding revealed a deep soul. Everything about her was exotic. 

It had been nearly impossible to keep the intensity of her stare."

Pages fifteen and sixteen are two of my favorites!

Both pages have a large piece of the Abandoned paper on the background. I added a Crown Diamonds ad from the Keepsake Ephemera.

The Found Relative I picked was this lovely mother and daughter and their Clippings Sticker story reads:

"Olive, my beloved child, will you promise never to leave me?"

You can see the other side of the Type Chip here.

I used a Stitched Scrap to make a tiny pocket. I just adhered each end securely with Distress Collage Medium,  then once it was dry, I tucked the corner of the Found Relative in it. The finishing touch was to add a a few flowers from Bouquet and hang an Antique Gem from a Mini Pin.

Page sixteen has the same Abandoned paper on the background, and a tea shop menu from the Keepsake Ephemera. I made another floral pocket by adding adhesive only on the top and bottom flowers so I could slip a Found Relative in the corner. I used a Clippings Sticker to name this Found Relative Mrs. Eunace Pettigrew.

I covered the back of the Found Relative with some Abandoned paper and wrote Mrs. Pettigrew's Clipping Sticker keeping in mind that I had used a Victorian afternoon tea menu behind the photo:

"She spoke from her heart, over a cup of tea. 'Do all the good you can,' 

she winked at me. 'Please pass the cake.'"

I made a tab by folding a Stitched Scrap in half and adding a button.

Pages seventeen and eighteen are both stand alone pages.

Page seventeen has some Abandoned paper in the background with a Densmore typewriter card from the Remnant Layers.

I added an Heirloom Floral on the back of the tab.

I kind of imagined this lovely young woman from Found Relatives was Beatrix Potter, and she used the typewriter to write her stories. Although she was a well known writer, she dreamt of leaving her city life behind and living in her Hilltop Farm in the Lake District.

"A writer of influence, I dream of everlasting hills. I dream of stars that glitter. 

Words of love and gratitude speak to my waiting heart."

Page eighteen has a strip of Fabric Tape along the right side, with a Bingo card from the Remnant Layers as the background. 

I clipped two tickets from the Ticket Booth at the top, and adhered a bingo chip from the Junk Drawer Baseboards.

Another layer behind the Paper Doll is a Salvaged Tag. I chose a paper doll with a dog because of the Bingo card. That childhood song came to mind and I went with it.  But in an odd twist, I used the Clippings Stickers and in the story I named the dog Theodore instead of Bingo.

"Theodore, that was my boy, the most noble, faithful friend."

That's it! You have a super fun junk journal. I had the best time making up stories about all the people.  

**If you would like to make a No-sew Journal and want to use mine as a template or guide, I have this blog post in a PDF document and will be happy to send it to you. Just contact me though the Contact Form in the column on the right. I cannot contact you if you just ask for it in the comments.

It was a long post, but I didn't want to break it up, so thank you very much for sticking with me to the end. 

Tami

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