Tim Holtz and Eileen Hull Steampunk Travelers Journal Tutorial

Hi my friends!  Today I'm sharing a steampunk themed travelers journal and a neat idea for upcycled packaging idea with you, as inspired by recent conversations on the Tim Holtz Addicts Facebook Group.  If you're not a member, you should be!  This is such an incredible group with so much talent and daily inspirational shares.

Now, normally the first thing I do when I get a haul is unpack everything and sort it into containers.  I always throw away the packaging because it takes up so much room and I have a tiny space.  I do save my acrylic packaging and use it for making shaker cards, but everything else goes.  Someone had mentioned using the backings for their projects and when I unpacked a new stencil, I saw the backing in a whole new light!  :)  I decided to cut off the top and emboss it to see what it would look like.  I lined up the folder along the bottom and embossed a second time for a continuous pattern.

I sanded the raised portions and dipped the panel in Distress Oxides (Fired Brick, Iced Spruce, Frayed Burlap), then dabbed my Veramark randomly and embossed with Seth Apter's Baked Texture, first in Rocky Road, then in Chunky Rust.  OH MY GAH!  I could have eaten it like rusty candy!  LOL!  Now, I was just playing around and supposed to be doing something else, but when I had gotten this far I just had to turn this awesome panel into something cool!  So I reached for my Eileen Hull Travelers Journal die.

I was thrilled that the stencil package backing was exactly the right width to use for this journal die, but it was too short.  To make it work with my size, I centered the rusted panel on my cover, then marked pencil lines to cut off each end.  Then I traced the front onto the back and cut off the ends of the back cover.  BTW, I used Graphix black chipboard to cut my covers.

I used the cut off portion to help mark new holes and cut those with my Crop-o-Dile.

I wrapped a piece of Tim's tissue tape around the spine of my front panel and extended to the inside so it didn't come off.  I put a bit of glue stick below it, then sanded it and coated it with matte varnish. This worked perfectly to remove the sheen and seal the tape.  Next, I lined my insides with Tim's Dapper paper stash.  I ADORE this script!  This time I lined the center panel, which is connected to the back side when the covers are sandwiched.

You can see how great it looks inside without the mass of black space.  I like making my journals with two inserts so the spine lines up better.  I used more Dapper paper and kraft paper with a long reach stapler to make my inserts.  I left things simple inside for the recipient of this journal to customize.  I have to say how much I LOOOOOVE the kraft paper inserts!!!  I cut my sheets all to 8.5 x 7" and folded them in half for a finished insert of 4.25 x 7".  

I put a huge stack of books on them to help them flatten, since kraft paper is a bit thicker than copy paper or graph paper, which I usually use.  I only added 4 sheets of kraft to each insert.  I wanted room for ephemera and pockets, and maybe a pen inside.

Now back to that collage...  I used one of Tim's older ephemera pack to build my composition.  I sponged a Small Talk sentiment with Antique Linen DOX.  I tried tinting my paper doll, as inspired by the one and only Paula Cheeny.  Only I don't have any Distress Markers.  So I tapped my ink pad onto my mat then used a dry brush to paint him.  I had sanded him, so you see how those areas accepted the ink more.  I sealed him with Distress Micro Glaze.

Behind him I added a die cut Bigz Gadget Gears #2 cut from chipboard and repeated the same embossing process.  I added some Fluted Fasteners in all of the corners with a brush of Prima Rust Paste, watered black gesso, and Walnut Stain DOX.  I covered the backs with the interior lining as shown above.

Oh my gosh how I love those gears!  Now, I used an old gear texture fade for my background, but imagine this technique with Tim's new 3D Mechanicals Texture Fade!!!  What!  #wishlist  The only thing missing is a matching back panel, so I need to buy a new stencil for that packaging!  I truly hope you've been inspired by this post and have thought of some new ways to use your packaging and die cuts.  Have an amazing weekend, Autumn

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