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Saturday 22 February 2014

Notebook Inspiration

Hello everyone and so lovely to have you visiting. I am sharing an altered notebook with you for today's post.
Recently I was hugely inspired by the stunning faux leather makes of my two crafty friends, mother and daughter Rita and Annie. They shared a link to a tutorial on this technique and I simply had to give it a go.

This little notebook started life as a cheap little notebook with an ugly cover (well to my eyes anyway). Of course being me I forgot to take a "before" photo, but here is a picture of the inside covers, that will give you an idea of what the outside looked like:
So the faux leather technique is very simply achieved with some Kraftcard, a little glicerine mixed with water and an embossing folder. I used a Sizzix one.
I made a front and back panel and a separate piece for the spine.
Here are some close ups:

The central embellishment is a Tim Holtz Ornate Plate, altered with various Distress Paints. For the inside of the plate I used some old book paper and some of the little word stickers.

A Kraftcard die cut ruler, a gift from my lovely friend Zuzu, altered in the same way. I also added some sprays and some Golden Turquoise paint to get a bit of a Verdigris look on the front cover.

I used the same embossing folder for the back, to give the note book a unified look and sealed everything with two coats of glossy Glue and Seal and some Decoart Traditions Multi-surface sealer.

Of course I had to cover the inside covers too, so this is what they now look like
Vintage Photo, Bundled Sage and Peacock Feathers spritz and flick,a little spritz of Dylusions White Linen and some over-stamping with Picket Fence Distress Paint.
Same on the back and as you can see I finished it all with some Tissue Tape.

The paper inside the notebook is dead thin, so it can't really be used for journaling, but as I will have to take a lot of notes for work in the next few days, I needed a note book anyway, and this will be a lot more fun to use than your ordinary shop bought note book.


Hope you like it... I am definitely going to use this technique again as it is so easy and loads of fun to do.
HERE is a link to the original tutorial, in case you want to give it a go yourself.

Thanks for visiting like always and I hope you will make some time for creativity yourself!

50 comments:

  1. Your book looks fantastic!!! And you know what , I will go today to a workshop to make such a book in laether look, so next week I will show you my book on my blog too, and lucky you , you found this on internet , and it looks amazing!!!

    Greetings
    Maria

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  3. Loving your version of fleather Astrid, stunning touches like the hint of turquoise really adds something to the finished look.

    Experimented with the glycerine on both 350gsm & 80gsm card & paper which was not turned into fleather but resulted in making very soft pages for further embellishing.

    Love your notebook cover:-) xxx

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  4. It really is the most fun technique ever isn't it and the result look so professional, I really love it too. Your little notebook is fabulous Astrid, that touch of the verdigris is such a clever idea and really gives the 'leather' a lovely finish. Anne xx

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  5. Beautifully grunged and vintaged effects Astrid, the finished look with the ruler and bookplate is magnificent and your clever use of colour has introduced the oxidised and patinas that make this look so authentic. Love it xx

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  6. loving your take on the technique...wonderful creation.

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  7. What a wonderful transformation Astrid, fabulous colours and techniques.

    Hope you have a good weekend.

    B x

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  8. This is amazing Astrid. Off to follow the links

    Love Chrissie x

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  9. What a fabulous transformation to a plain notebook Astrid. In fact I think this technique could be used to enhance lots of different projects. Have a lovely day. Hugs Rita xxxxx

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  10. this looks fabulous - love this technique and you've used it so very well xx

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  11. I´ve seen this technique in www and you made it really professional as usual! Very great transformation of a simple notebook.
    Have a nice weekend!
    xxx Evelyn

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  12. A wonderful altered notebook. Texture and colors are fabulous.

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  13. Fantastic transformation, its a super faux leather look, I'm going to try this soon.
    Yvonne

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  14. This notebook has changed into an stunningly awesome artpiece Astrid!
    This is another sensational masterpiece of you to which I lost my heart Astrid!

    xxx
    Susi
    Happy weekend!

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  15. Fabulous faux leather - and the whole thing is just beautiful, inside and out!
    Alison x

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  16. WAUW I sure must say that mission completed to perfection Astrid. It is so gorgeous and perfect made, and it looks fabulous. Youjust are a wizard with these things.

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  17. Gorgeous, Astrid! I saw Annie's and Rita's post about this technique and I want to give it a try. Your little note book is fabulous! The Tim embellishment fits in perfectly. You will certainly have fun using this now.

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  18. We have an English artist/crafter here who has bn doing demos for this look. It is amazing & your note book is incredibly created (as always). Sorry to repeat myself but my how I wish I had yr talent!! Tfs :))

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  19. It's amazing! I like it very much.
    Kiss
    Milai

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  20. Hi Astrid x I adore your gorgeous notebook and the faux Leather look. It's so easy and I love the painted elements.
    Fabulous work inside and out

    Crafty hugs Annie x

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  21. What a stunning and utterly brilliant transformation, Astrid!

    Your book looks as if it had been forgotten for centuries!

    And the book plate is so beautifully "embedded"!
    Honestly I do not even want to imagine how the cover looked like before *lol

    Hugs,
    Claudia x

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  22. Fabulous work Astrid... I will be doing one of these...they look fun to make...Rita's & Annie's are brilliant too...Thank you ladies for the inspiration... Hugs May x x x

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  23. another wonderful artpiece your have created. Love all the texture you have added to make this Piece a Piece of art

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  24. I liken this to the Ugly Duckling which transformed into the beautiful swan because this notebook is amazing, it looks so authentic in the way you created the texture.
    Wishes
    Lynne

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  25. Isn't this technique great?? I've been having a go last night & today & I love it.
    Your altered book is stunning, the texture really does look like worn leather.

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  26. Have been greatly impressed with these faux leather notebooks in blogland, love your touch of turquoise which really lifts it.
    Annette x

    http://nettysartadventures.blogspot.co.uk/

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  27. I have to agree that the after is much preferred! What a gorgeous transformation of this little notebook using the faux leather technique! Love this! Hugs!

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  28. The cover of this little book went through quite a transformation I would say. You sure do have a good eye for detail and design. Beautifully done and the inside is gorgeous - I like the color!!
    sandy xx

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  29. Hello Astrid,
    Well what can I add that everyone else has already said regarding this book cover. It is perfect and looks wonderful. Gosh you do inspire with your creations no doubt about that.
    A fabulous note book cover.
    Smiles:)
    Sue

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  30. Fantastic Astrid. Loving all this wonderful texture. Karen.x

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  31. This has turned into a vintage treasure, just fantastic, what a wonderful makeover! Valerie

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  32. It is so beautiful - fantastic work and so inspirationally!!

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  33. Fantastic altered book Astrid ! Love the effect of the faux leather! Sue C x

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  34. Brilliantly done! Must try this! Thank you for sharing.

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  35. Just had to come and see some more pics ..... stunning, it will certainly make those notes you need to make a lot more interesting and easier........ I think I'd be spending most of my time stroking the notebook and looking at it rather than opening it for the notes xx

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  36. How gorgeous. Love all the effects and colours.

    Moira xx

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  37. Now that's amazing!! What a transformation ... I'm going to bookmark it and read up on the tutorial when I can ... TFS

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  38. This looks so cool Astrid!!! What a brilliant technique!! I've just had a look at the tutorial and it seems so easy too ... wonderful!!! I love your cover ... such fabulous texture
    and gorgeous colour. A little book like this would make a fabulous gift!! Love it!! ox

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  39. WOW! Wonderful leather effects here Astrid and I adore the verdigris look - You have certainly inspired me to give it a go! I LOVE it so much! Thanks so much for sharing - Love from Laura xxx

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  40. How incredibly gorgeous this book is, I love the whole design! It looks totally gorgeous, Astrid!

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  41. Beautifully done. I like the embossing folder you used to add imagery as well as texture.

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  42. Fantastic transformation, love it!
    Must check out the tutorial for this one!

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  43. Brilliant and remarkable .. I want to run my fingers over the texture xoxo

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  44. What a crazy wonderful transformation! I LOVE your book! The cover itself is amazing!

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  45. THANK YOU sooo much Astrid for sharing your beautiful altered notebook project - it is amazing. Thank you too for sharing the link to Sheena's you tube (which is wonderful too). You note book looks like a real antique leather note book, similar to something from the 'Golden Compass' and I really love the Ornate metal plate attached to the front cover.
    I was delighted to find two small bottles of glycerine left over from making royal icing for the Christmas cake, so will be able to give this a try. Sadly I don't have any of Glue and Seal and some Decoart Traditions Multi-surface sealer I do have a deco patch glossy varnish which I hope will work instead.
    Warmest best wishes,
    Susanne

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  46. Oh Miss Astrid this book is just stunning, I love that technique too the cover is fabulous and I love the inside page too, you just want to touch it :), thanks for sharing..

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  47. So so beautiful, just love this embossing folder
    But you have just tranformed it with the colours effects
    It really does look like leather and oxidised copper

    Love it!

    x

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  48. I just love this technique and you have definitely made it your own with these gorgeous extra touches of colour.
    Angela x

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