Happy Grungy Monday everyone
I have been so excited as our lovely hostess
Linda at Grungy Monday asked me to be a guest designer for this week and I have really thought hard as to what to make. This week we are focusing on a fabulous Tim Holtz product - Grungeboard or Grungepaper. You can use it in any way you like.
Tim shows examples on his blog and there are videos on You Tube. Please go over and see the amazing contributions from both
Linda and
Dawn who is the other fab guest this week.
One of the things I have thought about making for a long while now is a travel pouch. It is an idea that has been mulling around in my head for a few years and what I mean is a small wallet that can hold postcards and journalling tabs for when I am visiting somewhere new or on my travels. Often when we go away to a new country I end up buying a small notebook to jot names of places and things we have seen, and end up keeping pictures and brochures etc. in the paper bags they were bought with.
So this is the sketch of the wallet I visualised with notes about it. I quite often start with a picture and ideas when embarking on a larger project. As you can see I wanted 2 pouches, a way to hold a pen or pencil, somewhere to keep some stamps (that got lost along the way), and some way to secure it. I knew I was going to get the sewing machine out on this one as well as use the usual glues and eyelets or brads.
I made a paper one first and realised I needed to have gussets in the sides of the pouches to let them expand a bit so they would hold a reasonable amount if needed. I also found my own 'suggested' measurements needed adjusting too (hence the crossings out on my sketch). Once I had done all of that, I was off.
In making this I learnt that grungepaper shrinks when made wet and then heat dried so I lost some of the dimension - but everything still fits ok. I also learnt that this process buckles the paper too and I ended up ironing it with a damp cloth to get it flat(ish) again. My sewing machine found the double thickness difficult and also archival or stazon ink didn't like the finished surface. But saying all that this was an incredible project to make. At one or two points I thought I had bitten off more than I could chew but I am pleased with the end result.
I am not going to give a blow by blow account of how this was made but I hope the photos will give you a good idea.
The back of the travel pouch
A view showing the whole length of it.
A view of the front - you can see the fastener for the leather strap.
Inside - one pouch holds postcards, the other holds cut card for journalling.
A view inside - you can see the gussets and how much more room they give to the pouch.
I sewed on the little pieces to hold a pen.
A side on view again showing the gussets - they were very difficult to get sewn in.
The fastener is a leather strap and buckle from 7Gypsies. I bought a couple of these the last time I was in California - about 5 years ago and this is the first time I have used one and it worked a treat.
Main Products used
12 x 12 Grungepaper
Distress Inks - worn lipstick, fired brick, tumbled glass, vintage photo, black soot
Tim Holtz paper stash - shabby vintage
Distress staind - fired brick, vintage photo
Fresco paint - vintage lace
Tim Holtz stamps - the journey, lost and found
Dies - Tattered florals, Sizzix flower layers 8
I get most of my products on-line and and as I am DT member for the
Stamp Man I tend to buy from their on-line shop.
This feels so soft, I love holding it - just like sheep-skin leather.
We are so looking forward to seeing what you make with Tim's grungeboard or grungepaper. This is the only requirement for this challenge, anything else you use can be from your own stash. You might like to wander over to the All Things Tim discussion group at Yahoo. Gloria, the list mom, has a Grungy Monday file there where participants can upload their art for the group to admire. The address is: groups.yahoo.com/group/allthingstim
Have a fabulous week.
Luv and hugs {brenda} xoxox
Edit - Sorry folks just realised Mr Blogger scheduling didn't work as I was out at work yesterday and didn't get back in till 11.00pm last night. Oh well here we are now xoxox
