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Grungy Journal - handmade Journal

Grungy Journal - handmade Journal
Hi folks, how are we this very fine day?  Any word of Spring making an appearance around your neck of the woods??  It was 10 degrees at the hottest point of the day in grey Northern Ireland so that's practically summer around here!!

Anywhoodles, I just wanted to show you this Journal I made for my very good friend Fiona (YouTube Jennings 644).  This Journal was actually the first one I ever made.  From scratch I mean.........sewing the papers, making the covers, putting the book together.....proper making a book from scratch.  And I just love how rough and ready it turned out.  It wont be to everyone's liking I'm sure,  but I really love it and Fiona was so chuffed when she received it too.

Im not going to waffle too much and just get on with the photos!  WHAT?  I hear you cry!!  And no, I do not have a temperature and Im not sick!  In fact when I have a temperature and am sick......I tend to waffle more!  Or is that moan more??  Who knows!
As always, I handmade all the flowers on the book.  Lets face it, it wouldnt be something from me if it didnt have handmade flowers on it!  The lace I used on the book cover and to make the large flower was actually lace that I used in my wedding!  Though I did grunge and stain the lace up a bit.....it wasnt like that on our wedding day!  I just love how grungy the flowers look.

I wanted the Journal to look like it had travelled about quite a bit.  So I added ink spots and added torn paper to the cover along with torn book pages. The actual "Journal" word was from Tim Holtz Grunge Board Alphabets pack and I painted each letter with Burnt Umber Acrylic paint and then added Crackle Accents over it and it gave it this great beaten up leather effect.  Im not even sure I could repeat the process.....it was a happy accident!

I wanted the inside cover pages to look a lot cleaner and more feminine.  The outside can get battered and bruised all it wants but I wanted the contents and inside pages to be kept well. 

And as I said above, I made and bound this book myself.  I didnt just buy a book and alter it.  It was made entirely from scratch by me.  I have Bookbinding Video Tutorials coming up soon so watch out for those and you could be making your very own journals too.    
The completed book.  I just love it.  I wanted it to be a journal that could be stuffed into a bag or left on a table and a coffee cup set on it or whatever.  A functioning Journal I suppose.  Something she could pick up at any time and scribble in if she wanted, or write a serious journal entry or just doodle in it or stick in a clipping from a magazine she read.  The book doesnt need to be handled with kids gloves, its meant to be chucked about and have tea stains on it.  Its the contents that is the important thing about it.  So, so what if it falls in a puddle or a kid scribbles all over the front of it!  Its meant to look grungy, well loved and well used.

That's it from me folks. I hope you like this journal.  My room is slowly but surely getting there.  I might show you a before, during and after video once its all done, but Im not sure yet!  We'll see if and when it gets finished! lol

Toodles Noodles......Lee aka Crafty Loops xx

Would you like to buy me a coffee?  Here is the link to my Ko-Fi page.  Thank you so much xx



Comments

  1. Spring Lee ? Well Sunday is was, yesterday and today most definitely not, but I live in hopes.

    What a wonderful journal you have created, so much texture and mediums all blended together perfectly.

    B x

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  2. Absolutely fantastic!! You have great patience as well as skill!

    "its meant to be chucked about and have tea stains on it"....did I read that right???? After all that hard work?

    Off to enjoy the summer in Belfast now.

    Ruth x

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  3. This is beautiful and what super work has gone into this.. WOW.
    Love it Hugs Elaine

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  4. Hi Lee,hope you are all ok in your part of the world.This is so Beautiful i LOVE it,you are so creative.Huggles xx Cuddles for Nimbus xx

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  5. wow this is fantastic lee.i love all the texture and beautiful embellies :D

    xx coops xx

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  6. Oh this is sooo gorgeous and scrummy I could eat it! Well, not really, but you know what I mean :-) I love all that beautiful lace and your flowers are fabulous as always! Tell Mark to get his backside in gear and sort your room out (oh, maybe you shouldn't say I said that in case he gets annoyed with me - he's a big chap! :-) Tom says hello, and we've named the smallest chick Nano! Love Maddy x

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  7. Another fabby book Lee, you really do have some great ideas and a super imagination. Can't wait to see the room when it's finished! xx

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  8. Yummy, delicious and oh so gorgeous! Can you tell I like it? Such a beautifully made project Lee - your are seriously talented Karen x

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  9. Wow i love the texture and embellishments and what a fabby thing to make your friend too, Luv Sam x

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  10. Its beautiful Lee no wonder Fiona loved it! You have such a good eye for colour and style!
    HUgs Laurie xx

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  11. Wowww Lee it's absolutely blummin gorgeous! Love that wording on the front...

    Hugs
    Christine x

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  12. hi sweetie, wow fabulous over stamping and love all the texture and of course the gorgeous flowers a truly stunning piece
    Hugs Kate xx

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  13. Gorgeous and fabulous journal Lee just love this
    Hugs Dianne xx :)

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  14. Just love your journal, it,s fab. I have a diary somewhere on my desk that i'm supposed to be decorating, so far i've covered it with paper, think I may have to send it to you to finish. Irene xx

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  15. My giddy aunt Lee!!!! This is really awesome!!!!! Absolutely a wonderful project!!!! Way to go my friend!!!!!

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  16. this is just stunning Lee, and it's so amazing that you actually made the book too - kinda puts me to shame when I just buy a book to alter :(
    looking forward to the vids
    Debz
    xx

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  17. Oh Lee, This is absolutely stunning - as always, your attention to details is amazing. You are so skilled. I adore your flowers, they are beautiful. Hugs, Teresa xx

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  18. Well done, dear LEE! Looks fabulous :) Have a good day!

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  19. Wow Love your journal. The way you have put it all together is amazing. So looking forward to your bookbinding tutorial. Have gone and bought some spiral notebooks to alter. Not brave enough to do everything from scratch just yet. Im loving watching and learning. Fiona has so many videos, ive been up late so many nights watching lol. x

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  20. This is so stunning Lee, I love the look that you have achieved, the flowers and lace look fantasticand the letters background papers and ink blots look fab, a really gorgeous make, inside and out, hope you are well
    Lindsay xx

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  21. Hi Lee...this is absolutely beautiful.
    Debbie x

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  22. This is fabulous Lee,I love it so much detail and texture and as always your flowers are wonderful...
    Mandy x

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  23. Wow Lee, stunning work! LOVE it. xx

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  24. WOW Lee, This is absolutely gorgeous, so much work gone into it, fantasic..Enjoy the weekend.
    Wendy xx

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  25. oh my goodness Lee that is absolutely fantastic ... and I am sure that Fiona will treasure it ... love your flowers what a talented lady you are ... have a great weekend happy crafting and love sandy xx

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  26. Oh wow Lee, just love it! Gorgeous! Thanks so much for dropping by to say congrats about the demos :) Have a great weekend. Kimx

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  27. How on earth you manage to make one of these,or continue to have enough inspiration to complete it always amazes me!! It is STUNNING!!!

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  28. Hi Lee, Just found your blog via "Sally H" and love your flower tutorials to bits. Have made small roses for my projects but somehow managed to find myself agreeing(at the weekend) to make the table roses for my Son's upcoming Wedding. I need to make about 260 to be scattered over the tables!!!! Have managed to purchase the Spellbinders die at a very good price on e-bay and already have some 300gsm paper so raring to go. Love your journal too. I made one using an altered book. Boy did I have fun making the pages stick!! you can see it on my blog. Following you now so I don't miss any of your creations. Hugs Mrs A.

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  29. Hi Lee! This journal is very pretty. Thanks for sharing it with us! Hope you are doing well. I haven't heard from you in quite a while, but hope you're doing great. I did make my corned beef and cabbage AND....your dessert recipe yesterday for U.S. St. Patrick's Day. My family LOVED the dinner/treat. I served with fresh strawberries and whipping cream. YUM! THanks again, and hope to hear from you soon.
    Hugs,
    Karen

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  30. Loops this ia absolutely gorgeous! Just what a jouranl should look like I think. I bet your friend was chuffed to bits to receive it, I certainly would be.
    I have bought a couple of small books to alter but would definitely like to have a go at making some of my own. I look forward to your tutorial.
    Sorry it's been so long between visits too :-( Shame on me!
    x

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  31. Oh my good gosh...this is FABULOUS!! Wow!! What an awesome journal!! I love, love your amazing design, Lee!! The way you distressed it is perfect and the flowers are so gorgeous!! This is stunning :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  32. wow Lee this is a superb piece of work,Tim Holtz would be proud of this stunning journal...stunning
    Mina xxx

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  33. This is just amazing Lee! Absolutely gorgeous!

    And a BIG thank you for your always sweet comments on my blog! You're the best!

    hugs...
    Melissa

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  34. Wow this is stunning Lee,i love it
    hope you are well
    hugs Lorna xx

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  35. Stunning work sweetie! xx Jenny xx

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  36. Hi Lee - this journal is gorgeous!!! You are so talented! xo

    -pamela :)

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Helloooooo! Anybody out there??!! Hey....there you are! Thanks for leaving a comment and stopping by my Blog. Lee x