Journal for Alex

My friend, Ann, asked if I could create a journal for her granddaughter, Alex, who would be traveling to France, Spain, and Italy in December of 2008 and part of January 2008. I couldn't pass up the challenge.

Ann and I talked about the size and color of the journal, and other items that were important to Ann. My friend Maggi came to the rescue as far as binding the book since Ann wanted the O-wire binding and not the type of binding that my machine does.

The idea, planning, and organizing can take me a long time, but I could sort of see this book in my head... so that was a good start.

I found some great decorative cardstock to use on the outside of the front and back covers. I had recently purchase grungeboard letters, for the first time, and was anxious to use them! And I had a stash of some embellishments that came in handy. I used my metal alpha and number embellishments on the front cover to spell 'adventure' and '2008/2009'. I found some Jolee Embellishments specifically for France and Italy, but I'd have to come up with something on my own for Spain. But one of the hardest things to do and something I am still struggling with as I write this is... how much to charge!!!! I can add up some of the expenditures very simply and others I need to quess at, but there is no way I can calculate the time or effort and put a price on that. And... I don't intend to. After all, it is for a friend and I enjoyed the time I spent working on it.

This is the inside of the book's front cover. I painted a piece of white cardstock with various golden fluid acrylic colors hoping to achieve a 'Tuscan look'. I didn't know at the time if this piece would be used for the outside or inside of the covers. After painting, I stamped with a texture stamp. I used half the sheet for the front cover and the other half on the inside of the back cover.

It only seemed appropriate to have maps of the 3 countries that Alex would be visiting while on this adventure.

This page signifies the start of the section for France. I used colored cardstock and sponged distress inks along the edges. Then I added a couple of corner flourish stamps before attaching the painted grungeboard letters and the Jolee embellishments.

This is the back of the section divider for France. I stamped a grapevine image along the left side of the page before attaching some images of France. The middle image is a sidewalk cafe and I had some Jolee Embellishments to go along with the picture. On the right is the start of the journal pages for France. In the lower right corner is a postal image with the eiffel tower.

After the journal pages I created a 'keepsake' page. I used double sided decorative cardstock and adhered a plastic sleeve to the bottom half of the page. This can be used for storing momentos that Alex picks up along the way. I printed an image of a French postal stamp and then also typed the word keepsake in both english and french.

On the left is the back of France's keepsake page. Just as on the front, I attached a plastic sleeve on the lower half of the page. I printed an image of the Arc de Triomphe and attached to the top. On the right side you can see some photo sleeves. There are 4 of them and I included some at the end of each country's section so that Alex could include some photos that she takes while on her adventure.

The begining of the Spain section. I used a piece of brick red cardstock and sponged the edges with distress ink. I stamped a couple of flourishes and then added the pictures of the Spanish flag and the bullfighter..... when I think of Spain, I think of bullfighters!!! The letters are painted grungeboard like the other countries, just a different color and a different style of letter.

The back of Spain's page is decorated with a strip of scrapbook paper and 3 notable places found in Spain. On the right you can see one of the journal pages that has an image of a bullfighter in the lower right corner. I know, again with the bullfighter!!! What can I say? It's an image stuck in my head!

Spain's keepsake page. The double sided cardstock worked well for this page... sturdier than the journal pages, but not as thick as the divider pages. A Spanish postal image in the upper right and some decorative ribbon laced down the upper right of the page. Actually, the ribbon is there to hide the mistake I made when punching the pages!!! At the end of the ribbon is a metal embellishment that says 'adventure'.

This is the back of the keepsake page for Spain. And you can see on the right there are, again, some photo sleeves for any pictures of Spain that Alex may want to include here.

On the right is the start for the Italy section. I used a rust cardstock and sponged on some distress inks along the edge. A couple of flourish stamps were used in the corners once I knew where the placement of the letters and embellishments would be. The letters are painted grungeboard.

Here is the back of the Italy page. Just as with the other 2 countries I printed images of 3 places in Italy. I stamped a couple of 'Italian images' that I have on the rust colored cardstock first. I also had a gondola (Jolee embellishment) to add next to the picture of Venice.

On the right you can see the first of the journal pages. Each page has an image of the Italy map in the corner.

This is the front of the keepsake page for Italy with the word 'keepsake' and the Italian equivalent typed and adhered near the top of the page along with an image of an Italian postage stamp.

This is the back of the keepsake page for Italy. The set up is the same as for the other 2 countries with a plastic pocket attached to the bottom half for holding various momentos. On the right you can see the photo sleeves.

I used the same paper on the inside of the back cover that I used on the inside of the front cover. I used 3 images, that I found on the internet, from each of the 3 countries that are represented in the journal.

The outside of the back is covered with scrapbook paper. I found 3 'poster type' images on the internet to represent each of the 3 countries.

Well, it's done.... And I am very happy with it!!! There is at least one thing Iwould have done differently; it has to do with how I incorporated and punched the photo sleeves. BUT, I really like it and I sure hope that Ann and Alex do too!