My first creation is something from the heart. I love animals of all kinds and we keep hens as pets: they are the most uplifting little critters we’ve ever owned, with their comical natures.Watching them as they go about their foraging, clucking softly to each other is so relaxing. Over the eight years we have been keeping hens, the only downside has been that they are not long livers and I have so many photos on my computer that I wanted to put into a proper record, but with a twist.
Eileen’s Mini Album die is ideal for a photo journal. This die allows the creation of a thin or thicker book and I wanted to create a really chunky journal to capture the lives of all our hens, other garden visitors and flowers right up to date…in fact it is so chunky, I will soon be starting the next volume!
I wanted it to appear quite rustic: a mixture of photos, my own sketches, stamped images and journalling. The album was die cut using grey board, given a base coat of gesso and finished with a dull pink chalk paint. I used a honeycomb stencil with wild honey distress paint on the cover, ( just very faintly) and stamped the hens and nest, heat embossing the images. The lettering is from Tim Holz’s Alphabetical die set, inked with Vintage Photo. I added metal edgers to the corners, die cut flowers and then button brads on front and back to hold the ribbon to tie the book when closed.
I used Eileen’s own tutorial for making pages by folding 12×12 card into half and then quarters and placing the long fold just short of the last score-line on the die. This gives two sets of pages. I inked the edges of each page with wild honey distress ink to give it a more vintage appearance.
The pages were bound to the book using string, it is really easy to add more…if there were room…
Now for the inside: I decided to try it out on ‘our girls’ but only one of them really took an interest and she was our young hen, Tilda. I guess that Cara, our oldest girl had seen it all before!
On this page I used Eileen’s bird die from ‘Birds and Butterflies‘, the wings lift, so I wrote a little message underneath. I took so many photos of the project and will share more on my blog tomorrow.
I love the ‘feel’ of the finished album, it’s lovely and chunky to handle. It isn’t completely finished, I aim to fill the pages with more sketching and journalling, plus there are a few pages left at the end to add some photos from this post.
Summer Colour
My second creation is very summery and was made using a mixture of Eileen’s dies.
The Watering Can die has fast become one of my favourites and I think it will make a fabulous alternative to a birthday card for gardening friends, or can be used all year round for decor makes – autumn and Christmas for starters.
I used grey board again and a base coat of white gesso. I wanted a ‘Country Style’ so I sponge painted the main area with salty ocean distress paint and coloured the handle and spout with green and yellow promarker. I drew the checker pattern on the base and along the top, then coloured with pens and stencilled the flower.
The bee, butterfly and ladybird are all stamped images and the flowers from various dies. I attached them to thin sticks (which I had coated with wild honey distress paint). I added the bird die, I love the way the wings open. All were arranged using a florist’s oasis for stability.
I do hope you have enjoyed my projects today, please ask if you have any questions. Thank you for looking and have a great Friday!
Happy Crafting!
Carole X
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I love Carole’s sketches of the chickens – she is quite the artist! I think my favorite pic is the the photo pf the chicken reading the book- it seems that they each have their own personality…
I hope you all have enjoyed seeing the work of our talented friend Carole and that you will check out more of her work on her blog, Carole, thanks so much for sharing your projects and thoughts with us!
Keep checking back- we have a report on the just completed Paper Trail 4 trip and also our Winner’s Post for March coming soon! There’s a lot going on here these days! Thanks for reading- see you next time!
HI Eileen, Thank you so much for inviting me as your featured fan this week! I was thrilled to be asked and had such a lovely time creating these projects to share..I really am a big fan of your dies, they just inspire creation! Carole X
Carole as you can see from the comments, you have quite a fan club here 🙂 Including me! Hope you will continue to create with us every month 🙂 Thanks so much for agreeing to be a Featured Fan!
I absolutely adore Carole’s work, she is a wonderful artist and a visit to her blog is a must in my book. I love Carole’s creations here today and I always love to see her beautiful chickens being featured! Huge congratulations on being featured here today Carole, you are so worthy of having your wonderful work displayed here. Hugs, Anne xx
Thank you so much Anne! X
Carole, your chunky photo journal is so full of charm! I just love it to pieces! And your photo of the chickens checking it out is too funny! I have been obsessed with mini-albums lately, and yours is terrific inspiration. Your garden themed projects are equally delightful!
Thank you Elizabeth, I really pleased you like it! X
What super projects! Every single one is great, from the mini album to the home decor pieces, and the cute gardening set. Thanks Carol for sharing with us your creations.
Thank you Judy, glad you enjoyed the projects! X
Carol your journal is fabulous! I love how you used your wonderful sketches. That is such a super charming way to use this die! I really loved your pictures, how fun to let the chickens peck thru it before you shared it with us. I am sure you were just getting their approval! LOL! Your garden set is also just as great! Thank you so much for sharing with us! I loved it!
Thank you very much Donna, I was relieved that for once at least one of hens was up for a photoshoot! X
Carole, your mini album is so perfect! I love the sketches and how you used the bird die in a unique way. Also the chicken checking out the mini is a hoot. 🙂 Your watering can and gardening projects are wonderfully done too. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Thank you Tonya, so pleased you enjoyed these projects! X
I love these projects. The garden display is delightful. I adore the chicken album. LOL. I had no idea that the mini-album die could expand THAT much. Well done and a joy to see.
Lol Jean, I was determined to take it as far as I dare and it worked – it really is great to pick up and thumb through 8 years of garden pics! Thank you for your comments X
Absolutely stunning creations! So much gorgeous texture and detail and I love the rustic feel!
Rebecca.
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Hi Rebecca, thank you for popping over and leaving a comment! X
Hehehe – the pictures of the chickens checking out the album had me cracking up. This is such a cool, rustic project. Love the painted elements.
Thank you Becca, glad my girls raised a chuckle! X
Carole’s work is as gorgeous as she is. She is so super talented, so lovely of you to feature her wonderful album here. Cx
Thank you so much for your comment Claire X