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At Pam Cook's request, I have put together this page and instructions. Here are links to the journal I am referring to: Original Post: http://www.paperartistsonline.com/forum ... ts+journal
and the finished journal: http://scrapquil.shutterfly.com/1389

Step 1. Basic Decisions
Decide what size you want your signatures. I like to use 8.5 x 11" cardstock in some ugly color because I don't
use much cardstock and it will be covered up. It can be any weight since it will be reinforced with another
piece later. Later if the edges show you can always paint or ink them to match the page. Choose some papers and
fabric for your background. Something I learned with the leaf fabric: it is an upholstery fabric therefore it is Scotchgarded, nothing would stick to it but Pitt Pens. If you use a fabric like this, wash it first to get rid of the coating.

Step 2.Piecing the Background
Cut up fabric and paper as desired. Use a glue stick to attach it to the cardstock lightly. Avoid much glue on
the edges as it will be sewn later. Don't use a heavy glue, it will clog up the sewing machine needle and break
threads and needles. If you want to do some free motion stitching on the whole thing later don't use much glue in
the middle either. Using a glue stick means you can easily remove fabric or paper if you change your mind later. Trim
around the outside edges to remove excess paper and fabric.
Step 3.Gathering Focal Points
Gather stuff for your focal points and the next layer. Keep in mind that you will need some signatures with
pages that can stand alone. Don't make all double page spreads. When it comes time to sew two signatures back to
back, one will be the double page spread and the other will be two single pages opposite other single pages.

Step 4. Placing and Painting
Now the fun begins! Start placing the focal points on the page. Add other things like lace, ribbon, ephemera,
text, drawings, stamping, whatever suits your theme. I wanted pictures of eggs and didn't have the right thing
so I printed them on a transparency. Tried a transfer but it didn't work so just put on the transparencies cut
to fit the paint chips.
Add ink or paint to tone down or highlight areas like behind the bird,on all the leaves and the flowers. Extend
parts of the design into other blocks with paint. As you tear or trim paper or fabric, add the little bits
somewhere else on the page. I removed the ticking fabric bottom left and added the tan swirl and the text with
sticks for the bird to perch on.
I also made a light line down the middle where the fold will be so I didn't put too much bulk there. Step 5.Stitching and more stuff
Add free motion stitching on background before you glue down other things like the flowers.Continue to add
little bits of stuff and paint and ink. I wanted to cover up the long vertical piece of fabric so I added torn map strips of the bird's territory and wrote info on it and added the scrap of lattice paper. Step 6.
Glue on foreground items like flowers and dragonfly. Add some details with dark marker or pen if needed.
call it done if you want. Then sew it back to back with another signature. The pages are thick even without
dimensional embellishments so choose a binding method that will allow expansion at the spine.

Last but not least!

Step 7 Cleanup your Table
I put leftovers that I actually used on the page in a
baggie to add to another page in the same journal rather than file them away individually.

Hope this helped!

Great job on this Marianne. My bad - no sewing machine in this house

Thank you Marianne. That was a very helpful and well done tutorial. I know it must have taken you awhile to do. The journals IRL are gorgeous!

I love it! I looked at it several times today - all the detail!

The transfers in your book - you outlined some of the details? painted some? I wanted to ask you about so many details...where does the time go!?!

Great directions.
I love the album.

pamcook wrote:I love it! I looked at it several times today - all the detail!

The transfers in your book - you outlined some of the details? painted some? I wanted to ask you about so many details...where does the time go!?!

Yes, the transfers on fabric that were in the book were painted and inked and anything else I could find to do to them until I liked the result.
I think everyone goes to a weekend like ReCreate with such an agenda of what they want to get done and they stay focused on that. I can certainly understand that when most people work and have other commitments during their real life. But I love walking around and seeing what people are doing so it means I don't get much done myself.

can we skip this step...
Last but not least!

Step 7 Cleanup your Table

ChristyB wrote:can we skip this step...
Last but not least!

Step 7 Cleanup your Table

I can't but maybe you can!

cleanup -according to my grandkids, get a trashbag, line up at end of table.
take arm and slide everything in it. Ta Da All clean!

Jill
Marianne, I agree. I love to walk around and see what everyone is doing too. Even though I do want to get something done, the best part for me is seeing everyone, catching up and making new friends.

I am a pro at step #3. Especially the way you phrased it under the photo: Step 3 Gather more stuff.

Seriously, I am going to give this a try. This is wonderful Marianne. Thank you for taking the time to do it.

Judy

This tutorial is fab Marianne. I can't imagine how much work this must have costed to photograph, work, glue... I wished I had read it a couple of weeks earlier as I had the glue problem with my sewing machine. My thread kept breaking and it drove me nuts. I had no idea untill one day after a lot of swearing it finally dawned on me that it could be the glue!
I am so glad I got to see your book in real life - I did, didn't I? Or is this a trick my mind is playing...
I will try to make a next page with your tutorial next to me!
Thanks for sharing your methode with us...

I clarified things a bit in the first message with links to what the pages in the journal looked like before and after.
The sample page here is not in the album. I just made that to explain my process-if you could all it that-sounds better than 'trial and error.

Thanks for all the comments.
I think we can all relate to "gather more stuff", Judy!