Day #5 of May Arts / Graphic 45 Blog Week!

Be GRATEFUL

Every year I keep a Gratitude Journal, jotting down the things I am grateful for in my life.

Just as I was ready to create my 2011 Gratitude Journal, word came that May Arts and Graphic 45 were going to come together for a fabulous blog week.  What perfect timing!  The combination of Graphic 45 papers & staple embellishments, along with an array of wonderful ribbons from May Arts, and I had all I needed to create my Journal of Gratitude.

 

 

To create my beautiful journal, I used the following supplies:

 

 

• Graphic 45 Le’ Romantique  decorative paper.  Every page in the pack is double-sided, with different images on each side, so the selection of designs is wonderful.

• Graphic 45 Envelope Tags

• Graphic 45 Chipboard Buttons—the pack contains various size buttons.

• May Arts Ribbons:  SK02, JP02,NP10,NP09, SN48, 379-58-66, BT90, XL09, 382-34-02, RG10, HY10, 373-58-09

• American Crafts Brads

• American Crafts Metal Embellishments (butterfly)

• Misc. Chipboard pieces

• Double-sided adhesive tape

• Foam Mounting Tape

• Composition Notebook ($1.00 at your local discount store)

 

 

The first step in creating my journal was to cover the front cover.  My composition notebook already had a 1” black edge binding, so it worked beautifully with my color theme.  I placed my Graphic 45 paper (fleur-de-lis pattern) at the edge of the binding and covered the remainder of the front cover. 

I used May Arts ribbon, RG10 in a tucked and ruffled pattern along the left edge of the cover. To give my ribbon a vintage look, I pulled along the outer edges of the ribbon to open up the weave.  I love the worn and tattered look this gave to the ribbon. 

I placed ribbons BT90 and HY10 horizontally along the bottom of the cover. Graphic 45 circle letters were used to spell out Be Grateful!  The circle letters are part of the Le’ Romantique paper pack.

 

 

To create the flower on the cover, I covered a circle chipboard piece with G45 paper and then layered two sizes of G45 chipboard buttons on top.  Small metal brads hold the buttons together. 

To create the flower petals, I cut ribbon XL09 into individual petals and adhered them to the back of my chipboard circle with my double-side adhesive tape.

As a final embellishment, I covered a chipboard tag with G45 paper, layered on a sentiment I printed off my computer, added a crystal brad and natural raffia bow made from JP02 ribbon.

 

 

I wanted to create several decorative pages inside my gratitude journal so I began with the inside front cover. 

G45 decorative paper was embellished with a G45 Envelope Tag, Chipboard buttons and ribbons SK02 and BT90.  Another inspiring quote adds a little something extra.

 

 

For the next inside page, I framed a quote with satin pleated ribbon (379-58-66), and added an American Crafts metal butterfly.  G45 rose stamp paper was used as the background.

 

 

For a bit more drama, I used a black and green G45 flower design as the background of my next page.  A G45 Envelope Tag was embellished with CC16 (green sheer), BT90 (ivory/black center stitch) ribbon, and G45 circle letters, spelling out JOY.

To finish the edge of the paper, I placed HY10 ribbon along the inside paper edge, created a loop at the top and added a green brad to hold the loop in place.

 

 

The next page of my journal used a favorite poem as the centerpiece.  I edged one side of the poem with my twill ribbon (382-34-20) and added G45 circle letters to spell out THANKS.  The inside edge of my page was trimmed with the same twill ribbon, a layer of black ringlet ribbon (HY10) and a decorative brad.  I created a loop with my ribbon on this page also. 

 

 

The last page I decorated inside my journal was trimmed in black crochet ribbon (NP10) and embellished with a large G45 chipboard button, crystal brads and G45 decorative tags.  G45 circle letters spell out BLESSED along the outside edge of the page.

 

 

I couldn’t leave the inside back pages of my Gratitude Journal blank, so I went to town with all my goodies.  Ribbons (379-58-66 & NP10) are used along the bottom edge.  G45 paper covers the middle of the page, along with an oval chipboard piece.  The oval piece has layers of G45 circle pieces and American Crafts pink pearl brads.

 

 

Striped G45 paper covers the inside back page of my composition notebook and is dressed up with a ribbon flower using RG10 and NP09 ribbon.  A G45 Le’ Romantique tag and crystal brad finish it all off.

Oh, and to keep my Gratitude Journal closed, I used G45 chipboard buttons and 373-58-09 to create a tie closure.

 

 

If you’ve never kept a Gratitude Journal, and reflected upon all you have to be Grateful for, why not start today!

I’m Grateful for May Arts and Graphic 45!

 

Blog Post By: Shelly Dozier-Mckee

 

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