I barely keep up with everything these days, but I'm having fun. We did 2 trips out in the boat to fish. Caught 38 Crappie last Sunday evening and the Wednesday after that, caught 32. Not including the 2 Bass that got away from my Bestie, after my big catch. The first holiday of the Summer found us back on the road again- camping at Deer Creek Park. We had 8 campers altogether as most of our Indiana Besties joined us. I used some of that time to finish up this project which has been in the making for MONTHS! I started it while still in Florida and kept adding to it as I traveled across the eastern US from Florida, to Indiana, to New York, and back to Indiana again. I keep up with one set of Grandbabies while I am with the other set. The kids will text me things that the Grandbabies say, and some of it definitely reminds me that "children say the darnedest things"!
I hope you had a very pleasant Memorial Day weekend- not only taking the time to think of those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom here in this country, but also took advantage of that to have a bit of relaxation. One of those hard-fought-for freedoms is being able to travel and see the wonders of our world- what a great blessing! Out of the past 8 months, I have traveled/lived elsewhere for 6 of those months! This project really does fit the theme for this next to weeks here on Inspiration Ave: "Get Ready To Travel!" I've got a lot of photos here and have included a few tips for you as well. Travel along with me to see!
Yes, I'm using a Tim Holtz Accordion Folio once again,
and paired it with some of Tim's older Collage Paper Travel.
I only wanted the INSIDE of the Folio covered with the Travel Collage Paper (at top),
so please ignore the outer part of the Folio (which was for another project).
I took some TH Collage Paper Typeset to cover parts of the outer Folio.
I decided to keep some of the manilla coloring, so using some water and
a waterbrush to help tear the tissue. Paula Cheney showed this technique and
it really does make it easier to tear out just what you wanted.
Here are the finished pieces I'm using for this project.
Not to let that Accordion Folio be used all alone...
I picked up some simple file folders (for taxes) back in March, and
thought they were too cheap not to get another package and match it
up for an outer cover for my Travel book. The manilla was perfect and
it was a really good thickness to use with Eileen Hull's Frame Pocket Journal Plus Die.
I cut six of everything. Just in case I made a mistake with two.
Since I was going to need more elements to fill up the extra pages
that would come with using the Eileen Hull die...
this little photo I took while on a Floriday hunt for treasures
hit me on an idea for those extra pages!
So, I dug through all my stash papers I brought and sure enough: I found
just the ones I was looking for. These would fill out part of the inside.
I chose NOT to use the die to cut these, while at first that was my plan.
Instead, I waited to simply cover the base that the manilla folders would become.
In making the base, I layered 2 sets of front and back
(you'll need 2 cuts for one layer plus another cut to make the foldover
that holds the envelope tab closure). I only glued the LEFT SIDE together.
Leaving the top of the right side unglued.
In the covering (Retired TH Stack Correspondence), you can see the page
on the right side is able to be lifted up as there is another page underneath.
Here is the base shown again, so you can see the right side page is flipped to the left,
and there is another flap on the right side that was under that page.
This is so that a map will be able to fold out fully- with another surprise tucked in!
Here's the covered map pages.
You can see there is a folded tab over the right side.
We'll get to that as we see the finished project.
Here's the backside - cut so that the fronts meet on the map,
and the spine has the bottom pasted layered between.
It took LOTS of Distress Oxide Ink in Vintage Photo
to make everything take on that aged look I love!
It took a LOT of TIME, so I did this whenever I could get the chance
over the past 2 months!
But the added elements were coming together-
like this little burlap bag to hold any little doo-dads we tend to pick up
along the way by car, plane, or train.
I picked out some TH IdeaOlogy- some old, some newer-
and left it all mostly as is. The new Large Word Plaque did get
some Distress Paint in Salty Ocean rubbed onto it.
I think the Large Fasteners work better than the Long Fasteners
when it comes to the Compasses, and the Word Plaques- in moho.
However, I find that both types of TH Fasterners are a MUST in any IdeaOlogy use.
Here's TIP #1: If you're finding it hard to get that TH Long Fastener or
TH Large Fastener to fit into a hole smaller than needed...
just use your TH Tonic Studios Black Kushgrip Snip w/Non-Stick Blade & Cap 7"
and push one blade into said hole & grind it around, just till hole is as large as desired.
And here's TIP #2:
I wanted my closure to be added with TH Fasteners but already had
all my papers adhered to the base pages. No problem!
Simple use a TH Craft Pick (or thin hole puncher) and slide
it in between all the layers. Gently move it into an arc until you have
sufficient room for the end of a TH Fastener to go into.
Don't worry about any tears (like shown here) as they will be covered up
with the item you're placing on top with the Fastener.
Go to next photo...
Add your TH Fastener to the chosen item (I'm using a Mini Gear),
tie your choice of string, ribbon, tie, etc, to the Fastener or item,
and use pliers to slightly separate the Fastener "legs" by curling the ends
into 2 "feet" that are going in opposite directions of each other.
Add a tiny dab of Glossy Accents (or your choice of fast-drying glue)
into the space you created in the layers of paper.
Place the "feet" down into that opening
of the paper, and gently push down and outward on the entire thing.
The curls should move into the space and lay flat.
Place entire thing down flat or use pliers to flatten fully.
You'll have a strong grip on whatever closure, tie, or item.
Time to sew the two main books together to make them one larger book.
And make LOTS of tag inserts!
I used scrap paper to make this one while still in Florida...
...and used some more Tim Holtz products along with the new
Backdrops Vol 4 paperie to make several sets of inserts.
Here's a list of links for Products used:
Sizzix Scoreboards Plus Die - Frame Pocket Journal by Eileen Hull
This is what my finished travel book (titled "Fly, America, Fly!") looks like:
Thanks so very much for joining me on this leg of our travels at
Don't forget to check back in every 2 days so you can get more inspiration
from the newest theme as the rest of the Design Team
posts their take on "Get Ready to Travel!".
Remember that
is only one click away for your crafting needs- at great prices!
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