Detectie Case Journals 2-3

  Some of you may have remembered the first Detective Case File journal I did. I had plenty of material left after the first one, so I made two more, having finished these both back around the first week of July.    For those who enjoy simply junky, somewhat grungy file folder journals, the video above is for you.    I'm glad I decided to use my Roman font stamps for the second book. A big classified in red is more eye catching compared to the little tiny title I used on the first file book.   Also, the second book made from an old Mead journal already had shiny silver font on it.

Here the two books are side by side, as you might see them on a detectives desk. My inspiration to make two more of these books all started when I pulled the old Mead cover from my stash.   The material is like a faux leather, slick yet durable. I didn't know what I would be using it for till I remembered all the leftovers I had for making a few more detective case file books.  This time though I decided to add fewer pages to each, splitting up the pile into two parts so the books would have room to expand as content is added.  I know for a fact they'll get thicker as I work in them because the first file book has already gotten chunky, and I didn't even do that much to it, other than add some collage.   Here's a peek at some of my favorite sections. I glued part of a grungy map to a folder and added a Netflix paper to pick up on the red in the map. I even had fun adding a gauze packet, which I'm sure can lead to some interesting stories. The rest is pretty simple, added some planner paper, envelopes, and calendar pages.

I even used paper that's not so perfect, like this page which came from a larger sheet of paper that someone stepped on with a dirty boot. I thought that was funny, so I added it in as a "clue". I also added part of a map page from some big map book I've had in the stash. Second book is pretty much the same, only it has some of the better parts of the grungy map, and textured envelopes. I also added some of my own things, like the page with a pentagon, a practice sheet from the time of sacred geometry study. Along the way I added in some rejected striped paper sheets that I had printed for a different project. And the second book also got part of the map which was large enough to split for both books. Can you believe after making these I still have scraps which can be turned into a mini detective case journal....That idea is on the list, so you might be seeing it sometime.

Chocolate Happiness Journal

"Chocolate Happiness Journal"

(Completed Sep. 13, 2016)

As mentioned, I had leftovers and certain chocolate packaging left from my first chocolate book, the Traffino journal. Since I plan on selling the Traffino journal, I decided to make a second chocolate journal of my own, having some chocolate art ideas in mind. I also want to keep record of the chocolates I enjoy eating, a way to remember brand names and flavors.

I used a cereal box for the cover, and this time chose out some scrapbook paper that seemed appealing for a chocolate book, then sealed it with satin Liquitex varnish.

I used some leftover Nouveau scrapbook paper for the spine of the book, seemed to match rather well. I also really like the heart locket on the back cover, the pink flowers and aged paper images reminding me of old love letters, something usually read while eating chocolates.

The front page and inner cover were assembled in a way that the colors complimented each other. I added tuck spot pockets to the front and back inner covers, a nice way to keep track of stuff while I'm working in the book. 

The paper choice of happiness, smiles, and good times seemed appropriate for what chocolate revolves around or leads to. One bite and you smile, then you feel happy, and things start to feel better for a brief moment. I also chose that paper because the red text matched the packaging of the front page.

I used the tabs from the chocolate packaging to make pull tabs for tags, having fun with a mini peanut butter cup bag from Trader Joes to hold them.

I love the bright green color of this package, having had in my stash for years. It went well with the M&M bag behind it, used as a pocket.

My favorite spots in the book are the ones that have matching colors, like this Lindor caramel chocolate package next complimentary shades.

I even found a place to slip in blue packaging, creating a section for different colors throughout the book. The first section is for orange and green themes, second section for blue, and third for red.

Some pages I like more than others in the blue section, like this spot with Bahia chocolate, the gold letters looking nice with a silver chocolate chip bag.

Here's where the second signature ends and the red section begins. Most of the book consists of blank pages ranging from black, tan, white, and red, with a few junk items tossed in.

Back page has a tuck spot, and the inner cover pocket for the back side as well.

It's already quite thick from the side, containing four signatures in total. (left).

And now for the flip through video, just for fun. :)

Truffino Chocolate Junk Journal

I have a lot of things stashed into categories, stuff I've been trying to go through and get into books. The Truffino journal is a book themed around fancy chocolates, and was a way to use certain elements I've saved forever. 

This book was completed on Aug. 14, 2016.  It's spine width is about an inch, which means I couldn't add more than two fat signatures which caused it to bulk even at that. To keep it less splayed I added a black satin ribbon around it as a closure (left). 

To the right is the back inner cover, a brown swirly scrapbook paper that's been glazed and then accented with craft tape. I simply folded over the box sides to complete it.

The cover itself is made from a Truffino box, the gold foil eye catching to me since I'm big on shiny stuff. Not only can you reflect your thoughts in the book, but the book reflects you, literally. :P

Side views, you can see how the book splays on the left, and how puffy the contents are on the right.

First page and the front inner cover make the introduction warm and inviting. Great part is the inner part of the box came like that, so I only had to cover the back side of the book. 

Most of the packaging I find pleasing in this book are the ones for liqueur chocolate cherries.

I liked the color of this Belgium Blonde Ale box, it matched the chocolate boxes I chose for the book, so I settled on using it and even created a tuck spot, complete with tag. 

Speaking of tags, all throughout the book I added tags to my tuck spots and pockets, each made from basic flat toned papers that matched the color scheme. And in each of the journals I make, I face the challenge of finding ways to use up every bit of the packaging I incorporate into the book, that includes the end tabs of boxes and such. I find that using the ends of packaging as pull tabs on tags is a fun way to use up the scraps.

The thing I love about chocolate packaging is all the foil paint they add, like on the Godiva package to the left. One of my favorite pages though is the one where I used a Toblerone box and Lindor bag (right). I'm not sure why I like the colors of it, but I do know this is the only spot in the journal where blue was incorporated.

This had to be my favorite pocket spot in the whole book. I loved the bag before, and now I'm happy to have found a place to use it. These chocolate cherries were great, one of the reasons I saved the bag to remember the brand. 

I was inspired to add my own hand cut cherries on a string, made from scrapbook paper, marker, and clear emboss. the idea of hanging things from center strings came from Ephemeras Vintage Garden, her trademark to add hearts on the ends of her signature strings.

I made a video flip through of course, just of the basic book with its tags.

I'm not sure yet whether I want to keep this one or sell it. This is an issue I've been having trouble settling on for all my journals, having to figure out which ones to keep and which ones to sell. If I do decide to sell any one of them I'll be sure to add a link in the video description or somewhere....but currently I haven't made a decision.

Bringing up that subject, I may start trying to add more scrapbook paper to my books in the near future, and lean towards making quirky scrapbooks with less junk stuff.

Candy Cane Cookie Journal- incomplete

As mentioned in the Jingle In July Journals-sneak peek I'm sharing the first of the three journals displayed in that post.

The reason I say the Candy Cane Cookie journal is incomplete is because it's missing a few small details. The front cover has part of a Candy Cane Joe Joe's box glued to it, but the back remains being flat. I wanted to add the same image to the back of the book as I did the front, but only one side of the cookie box has a vertical image, the other half didn't look right as part of the book cover. Unfortunately I only had one saved cookie box, and Trader Joe's only gets these cookies in during December, so I'll have to wait till the season comes around again to get another box of cookies and complete the cover of this journal.

By that time I hope to have completed internal details and made it into a kept journal that I can then share in its complete form.

I used a cereal box, brown paper that's been crinkled, brown and metallic gold paint, Candy Cane Joe Joe's box, and scrapbook paper to make my cover. All of it has been sealed with Liquitex satin varnish.

The spine of the cookie box served well as a spine accent on the book I think. Kind of has a Nutcracker story vibe to it. You can see from the side it's a rather filled book of random materials making up a total of five signatures.

It has everything from Target holiday bags that have been sewn together, plain paper, striped paper, old calendar print outs, scrap doodle pages, flier pages, envelopes, and food packaging.

The main themes I was going for with this book revolve around holiday desserts, candy, gifts, and surprises. My front page choice was a flier image of a peppermint candy cake, complimented by candy cane colored scrapbook paper as the inner cover.

I had to think of creative ways on how to make signatures out of the many different materials I wanted to use, some of them varying in size and shape. after some experimentation I found a way to add everything in while keeping my favorite pictures in tact. 

The second page of this book makes me happy because on one side we have the cake and its recipe, on the other we have a bag that says icing. Put the two together and you have icing on the cake. :P

Below I have a video flip through of this incomplete journal. One day I hope to show a video of it with more added, but till then enjoy the following.