Notebook November fun - Rosalie Duke-Stanley

I thought I would create a journal cover that highlighted the nature within the mood board for November. 

My Tree of Lights journal cover. I selected a journal that have a fabric cover for extra texture however any cover is fine to use. I clear gessoed the cover as the fabric needed to have a workable surface. Tip - put in a fairly generous layer, 2 if you need to, to make sure that fabric cover doesn't have any spaces where sprays and medium can soak through to the inside card. 

Once the gesso layer is dry, I used a light brown rust paste with the Dusty Attic burlap stencil. Don't worry if it comes out a little chunky as the texture adds to the look.

I used a variety of Lindy Stamp Gang (LSG) sprays to add some colour and take of the flatness of the dry rust paste. I used Canna Lily Burnt Orange ( a recent favourite of mine) and Steampunk Sepia (this colour is the one that I use the most and always have a spare one ready to go just in case). Tip - if it gets a too wet, dab with some hand towel to remove any puddles. 

I painted the Dusty Attic chipboard in a range of colours including Hot Chocolate, Forest, Pesto and a gold paint. For the border and tree, paint with Forest and then dab Pesto on it and spray with water to take the flatness of the colour. Tip - cut the crooked fence chipboard to size first so you can use the spare piece for another project. Light globes - cut the ones that you want to use of the frame first and again, put the reminder aside to use on another project. 

Start assembling by gluing the fence piece on. Use the square frame as a guide to where to glue it so that you end up with it sitting in position underneath. One the fence is glued on and dry, add some of the Canna Lily LSG spray by painting on so that the fence blends in with the background. Glue the Frame on next however leave some unglued spots on the inner edge so you can slip the light globes underneath. 

To finish of adding the embellishments, add the tree and glue the globes under the frame and tree branch. Add the grass pieces however you will need to have some sitting on top. Tip - when you add Art Stones (final step) this will help prop them up if you put some lightly under the chipboard. 

To add dimension, use a Finnabair wax paste on the frame to add a colour tone and  Tim Holtz Oxide Distress Ink in a green colour with your finger over the tree to add a grungy tone. I also added some Tim Hotlz Oxide Distress Ink in a  brown colour (watered down and added with my finger) on the grass chipboard pieces to add a differant colour tone. 

Final step, add some large Art Stones and glue in and around the grass chipboard and once dry, paint some LSG Steampunk Sepia to add colour and take off the 'whiteness' of the Art Stones. Tip - if you notice that the frame may not have glued onto the corners of the cover, add more glue and put a weight on the corners. the chipboard will bend slightly and adhere to the cover. 

Larger Journal Cover - you use this design for a larger rectangular journal cover by using a larger frame and one of the other bare tree chip boards. You can also add more globes to fill on the negative space around the tree. If you want the fabric look under the main feature, glue a piece of textured fabric to the journal cover and clear gesso as per my instructions.