I'm travelling into a new way of working, a new country, a new language, and a new hobby which I'm passionate about. Come with me for some of the journey...

Monday 13 June 2016

Travelling the World with Simon Says Stamp

Hello all (for the second time today, and after the quietest week on Words and Pictures since I started the whole shebang four years ago)!  If you didn't catch me at Destination Inspiration over at A Vintage Journey, I'd love you to stop by (it's pink, if that's any temptation!), but right now I'm delighted to be back In the Spotlight at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge this month.


It's a thrill to be their Guest Designer for the month of June, playing alongside the fantastic team there.  And the theme for this week is World Traveller, which is pretty apt for me this year!  I've just been able to fit this guest spot in between work trips - it's a bit of a squeeze but I couldn't bear to turn it down!


So here's what I came up with for my World Traveller.  It's a document case and journal all in one... securely fastened on the outside...


... but opening up to reveal a sketchbook of journalling pages with a large pocket at the back to keep important documents or collected ephemera in.


I'm afraid this is the second photo-heavy post of the day.  My World Traveller has already been to many places and she has tales to tell, so this is one of my War and Peace-length affairs... or should that be À la Recherche du Temps Perdu?!







So what's lurking underneath this glamorous travel folder?  A simple piece of Amazon packaging...









I covered the outside with these fabulous vintage rulers from the Tim Holtz Dapper Paper Stash, inking the edges with Vintage Photo and then Ground Espresso for a weathered look.













I'd been coveting the gorgeous Globe Thinlits die for some time, so this seemed like the perfect excuse to indulge.

It's cut from plain card which I then embossed with Frantage Aged Silver.  










I added Distress Paint in Stormy Sky and Evergreen Bough, spritzed with water to blend, and heated it to cause a texture reaction with the embossing enamel beneath.

A touch of highlighting with some White Fire Treasure Gold brings that texture to the fore.










I also used the Treasure Gold on my metal embellishments.  (They all started out in the nickel silver finish.)













The Quote Band, Muse Token and Philosophy Tags had a simple touch of the White Fire gilding wax with a little fingertip full of Quinacridone Gold...

... whereas the Compass Coin got Treasure Gold plus the Distress Paints layered in.













The words, cut with the Adventure Words Script Thinlits, have had the same treatment as the globe.














They shimmer nicely in the sunlight (when it deigns to put in an appearance!).









Hitch Fasteners provide the simple closure, with dyed crinkle ribbon wrapped round to keep the wallet closed...


... weighted down with some more Idea-ology bits and bobs (including a Tag Label), plus a key to lock away anything particularly precious.  (Click the photos for a larger view if you would like one.)







Time to open up...

The construction of the inside was slightly more complicated as I wanted to add my journalling pages.  To create those pages I tore some sheets of 9x12 watercolour paper in half and distressed the edges.  (These Canson papers are very similar to what I used.)










I stamped the Tim Holtz Cityscapes in Sepia Archival, front and back.  There are five pages, so one for each city in the set - luck, not judgement!


I used my favourite inky smooshing to add some ageing to them.  I think it was just Pumice Stone DI on the mat.  Then I inked around the shabby edges with Vintage Photo.







You'll see in the finished pages that I also added some shading with Stormy Sky Distress Stain and a water brush, taking the soft blue from the cover through into the inside of the wallet.













You can also see that one side of the paper is much more textured than the other, creating lovely inky variations.













I needed a way to bind the pages into the wallet, so I scored and folded some stiff card to create my binding and glued it firmly into the fold of the packaging.

You can see the great pocket flaps at the back here, and that I'd already been using the packaging to spritz the flowers from last week's Summer Garden.













Then I simply put a thin line of glue down in the depths of each crease and pressed the pages into place, giving them some support as the glue dried!













I covered most of the interior background with the lovely U.S. states map from the Correspondence Paper Stash, all apart from the pocket flaps at the back.








There's not much of the paper left visible as, unlike me, my glamorous world traveller is sorting out her photos and ephemera as she goes (rather than leaving it all until months - or sometimes years - afterwards and trusting that she'll remember what's what and from where).













She's got some of her favourite photos scattered around, in the midst of deciding which ones to stick down onto the journalling pages.














They're from the Found Relatives Occasions pack, as you probably already know.  I've tried to choose ones which have that summer holiday happiness about them.













This one's my own favourite.  There's something so perfect about how it captures the golden age of travel, when it was still an unusual, romantic, glamorous thing to do (hmm, and only for the wealthy of course - so perhaps not that golden).













Around the photos and ephemera I added those colours again - the Stormy Sky and Evergreen Bough - first in watery Distress Paint and then the same colour Distress Stains layered over the top.













I like how it echoes the look of sea/land on a map, and again we're bringing the blue-green tones into the interior of the wallet.














She's started sorting out which bits of ephemera - tickets, leaflets and snapshots - belong to each visit, and is clipping them to each page as reminders for when she comes to write her experiences down later.













I'm imagining she's done the little sketches of each city at the foot of the pages herself, by the way.

The ephemera are mainly from the Expedition Ephemera Packs, either plain or vellum.













The gathered elements are attached with Idea-ology Mini Paper Clips...














... or with Hinge Clips.  Since it's on the New York page, I'm pretending that's the Coney Island Ferris Wheel (I know it's not)...













... and still in the States over the page, I was very pleased that the Minnesota Avenue ticket matches up with an advertisement for trips to Minnesota and Michigan on the leaflet (from my beloved Pocket Cards) underneath - small things please me!










From New York to London, and thence onwards.

You'll notice that her relatives in England, despite having come to see her off on the next leg of her voyage, are very disapproving of this young woman gallivanting off around the world on her own.











Yes, she's headed right around the world.  And the sea voyage to Australia is still a long and arduous one - about six weeks at sea - usually attempted mainly by families looking for a new life in the 1950s post-war migration...













... or by hardy groups of men, keen to make their mark in a continent still relatively unexplored.  A woman alone is unusual to say the least.















But our adventuress is full of courage and curiosity (as well as being wealthy), and she's not going to let society's conventional expectations stand in her way.















(I'm simply ignoring the fact that lots of the city landmarks in the sketches wouldn't have been there for my 1950s world traveller.  I hope you will too!)






Besides, she feels safe and well-prepared.  At the back of her travel wallet is a sturdy security pocket, allowing her to carry documents, travel tickets and visas with safety.





There are some more of those lovely wooden rulers, and some fabulous travel luggage advertisements which she may need to study if she's to have room for all the souvenirs she's been buying en route.














There's a simple clasp to keep it secure, and more Adventure Words to sum up the whole idea of her journey.








And I'm pretty sure she's enjoying it all from beginning to end!


So that's my recycled packaging project for you.  Apologies for the mammoth post, but there's not much else going on this week at Words and Pictures (aside from the small matter of a blogaversary!), so I hope it'll keep you going for a while.

I hope it's inspired you to come and play along with the World Traveller theme this week.



https://simonsaysstamp.com/

There's lots more inspiration from the amazing Simon Design Team over at the blog and, as always, there's that generous $50 voucher to be won, so happy travels all!

The traveller sees what he sees.  The tourist sees what he has come to see.
G.K. Chesterton

I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.
Mary Anne Radmacher

It's a whole journal rather than one set of journalling pages, but I'd like to link up at Art Journal Journey where they are playing with Maps this month. 

64 comments:

Jennie Atkinson said...

Oh oh oh !! Jawdroppingly stunning Alison ..... just everything from the cover, the embellishments, the beautiful journal pages. Absolutely stunning and a real treasure. Jennie x

Diana Taylor said...

Just gorgeous work - I never knew an Amazon folder could look so good! What a great idea to recycle it. I love the photos, you've achieved a real vintage holiday feel and it feels like a happy book! The colours are just stunning, and I love the globe - it really is eye catching. You've done an amazing job on this - every little aspect of it is perfect.

simo said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!! Loved everything about this Travel Notebook, the dies used are great and that vintage look is amazing! So much talent...and so much fun reading the post!

Sandy said...

What a fantastic idea - I love it!!! I think I am in love!!!! If anyone is a world traveler, you are sweet lady!
sandy xx

Mary Elizabeth said...

... Give me a moment ... still processing it all ... seriously ... just another minute while I go back and absorb a few more details ... ok ... it took about 15 minutes of detail-absorption ... now to collect thoughts ... now for my comments ...


WOW!


I think I could just let it stand at that. That word sums it all up. Well, you know I can't just stop there. Such a fabulous upcycle. Thanks for showing us how you created this gorgeous travel book from the cardboard up. Love how you created your own binding and inserted the pages. I would have made a complete mess of that! With all your world travels this year, this is the perfect challenge for your Guest Designer spot at SSS Monday Challenge (congrats on this honor by the way ... so well-deserved). I love treatment you did on the globe and words (Heating Distress Paint after you have heat embossed them with the Aged Silver ... amazing effect). Love the waterbrushed color around Tim's Cityscapes stamps. So many fantastic layers of ephemera (lovely grunginess, by the way). Going to Pinterest now to pin away!!!! Hugs -- ME

Lorraine A said...

Oh my goodness what a FABULOUS project! this is totally AMAZEBALLS! the whole design of this is stunning! You can see that this took ages to make, but so well worth it, I LOVE IT!! :-)

luv
Lols x x x

Catherine said...

This is stunning, Alison! I can't tell you how fun it was to see all the photos. Each detail is meticulous and stunning. I agree with Lols, this must have taken ages to create. Amazing!

Hugs,
Cathie ♥

Irishtiger06 said...

Wow...this is just stunning! The evolution from cardboard packaging to travel folio & all the layers of details is fascinating enough but then add in the story of "adventurous young lady from the 50's" and I'm just blown away! Fantastic job, thank you so much for sharing

Juliz Design Post said...

Oh I am in love Alison......please no apologies for a photo heavy post. My all time new favourite of your projects and what a super idea in recycling your Amazon box.
Julie x

Monika Gulyas said...

Oh my god, Alison! I can't believe this was an Amazon package before! I always throw it away (of course to the recycle bin). It's amazing outside and inside as well! So many interesting details! I love it!

Amanda said...

Absolutely fabulous piece, stunning!
Love
Amanda x

Chrissy said...

OMG..this is outstanding and will be back in a minute as I need to check out your pink creation first..

luv CHRISSYxx

Helen said...

what a masterpiece... going to go back and linger over each page again now.

Chrissy said...

WOW..I really do love this Alison..That globe die is fantastic and love the metal details and inking and everything...brilliant.

Luv CHRISSYxx

chrissie said...

Such a wonderful project Alison. I wonder if Amazon realise how many of their packages are made into works of art. Maybe we should send pictures lol

Love Chrissie xx

sally said...

Lovely travel journal/pochette! I, too, have been coveting that globe but the budget won't stretch at the moment so I'll have to see if I can find some diecuts on eBay. Amazon packaging is SO useful lol.

Sally x

rachel said...

Oh my goodness Alison - this is amazing and I adore the colours - fantastic - so much detail - love it xx

Meggymay said...

WOW, an amazing project Alison, have had a double look at all the photos and saw something new each time. Its stunning.
Yvonne xx

Inky and Quirky Designs said...

Ooh stunning Alison, I could gaze at it for hours as there's so many details to admire, must have taken you absolute ages to create too!
Hugs
Donna xx

Margik said...

Fabulous project, Alison! Great design and a wonderful way to used the different elements. Brilliant!
Hugs, Mar

Nikki Acton said...

wow wow wow - just a flying visit - back to read the details later, but had to just say - what a stunning creation! xx

Rupa Swaminathan said...

Wow...I just love the way you weave a story along with your creations! This is drop dead gorgeous and i must admit I did flick the exact same folder from my Bro's place this time and I am waiting to lay my hands on them! thanks for the inspiration.Hugs.

Inkypinkycraft said...

wow Alison where do I begin, just absolutely gorgeous, full of delicious colours and yummy details xx

Vintagehandmade said...

Woooow, Alison, this is my new favourite of yours, definitely! I can't believe what you created out of an Amazon box! What a super cool and a super creative idea! I am going to bookmark it for a future reference! I LOVE every single detail here and your awesome design! It's fantastic! Thank you so much for the inspiration! Big hugs to you! Branka xx

Brenda Brown said...

Wow, beautiful details after beautiful details and amazing colours, techniques and design. Brilliantly put together Alison, love every bit of it xxx

hazel said...

Wow !!! This is amazing Alison, I love it, everything about it is fabulous.
xxx Hazel.

Astrid Maclean said...

Congrats on your SSS stint Alison, your folder looks amazing!

Pamellia said...

Wow Alison, you sure do put your heart and soul into every project you make! This is just incredible, every inch is covered in interesting tidbits! Love it all!! Congrats again on your spotlight! hugs :)

Marci said...

I can tell by the story you had so much fun making this journal. It is in true Alison style, with all the details and natural colors. Lovely!

Cestina said...

Oh this is very, very good....xxx

Corrie Herriman said...

So beautiful ! you must be totally fed up with my 'gorgeous' and 'beautiful' but I can't think of many words that describe your projects !
Oh yes, stunning ! lol
Corrie x

craftytrog said...

What an amazing project!!! xxx

catherine said...

This is such a fabulous project Alison and so beautifully created.great guest spot project for you to make
X catherine

SewPaperPaint said...

Oh my gosh, Alison! First of all, congrats again on a bang up job and GD post at SSS! Wow! You rocked it! I've made a few cardboard covers quite similar to this, but never covered them with paper or added a set of signatures, very clever! Each page is a treat for the eyes, as is each detail. Love love the embossed globe! Truly lovely, so much to say!

Lucy Edmondson said...

This is absolutely superb,alison. I everything about it,

Lucy x

Cocofolies said...

Oh my goodness - what a wonderful travel book you have made from scratch Alison, I'm totally in awe once again!!!
I love the cover, but also the great care to the details and realistic look of your distressed or watercolored pages.. wow. I have also to try absolutely your way of using EB first on some embellishment, then paint over it, then heating again to integrate the paints.. Absolutely gorgeous result here!
Great job as GDT!!!!! xx

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I totally enjoyed this trip through the travel journal. It's so wonderful and has so many details to enjoy. Wow!

Mrs.B said...

Alison this is amazing, so many details and a gorgeous cover too. I loved your story about your lady's travels, brought it all to life.
Avril xx

sarascloset said...

Alison, I'm embarrassed to say how long I've been scrolling up and down and back again to take in all the wonderful details of this gorgeous, vintage travel wallet. I love, love, LOVE your globe and wow! that texture. I'm going to fire up my heat gun and see what I can do. So inspiring! I was literally on the edge of my seat reading all about your traveler. So many things to gush about, but I've got to say my favorite part about this creation is seeing it made! Love that artsy work top! Wonderful, amazing, superlative work, Alison! Congratulations on your Designer Spotlight--you knocked this right out of the park for them! Hugs!

Barbara said...

You will not believe but me too I have kept Amazon's packaging!! You used it in a great way! This is a masterpiece: I love the colors and the whole design, inside and outside your project is fantastic! BArbara

froebelsternchen said...

This project is simply AMAZING dear Alison! AWESOME SAUCE!
I think it would perfectly fit our current Maps theme over at AJJ as well if you's like to link it.
Happy rest of the week!
oxo Susi

Rose918 said...

I am just drooling over this beautiful book! Thank you for all of the rich detail and step by step. You are an amazing inspiration!

Valerie-Jael said...

Wonderful project Alyson, really fantastic, you used your
folder really well. Thanks for joining us at Art Journal Journey, hugs, Valerie

Mary C. Nasser said...

Absolutely GORGEOUS!! Love everything about this!!

Lys said...

Fantastic! So many details to watch and such an harmony! Wonderful!

Kath Stewart said...

absolutely amazing...thank you so much for sharing all the fabulous details...hugs kath xxx

froebelsternchen said...

♥♥♥
I love to see this fantastic project at AJJ ! Thanks a lot dear Alison for linking to us!

experiments in paper said...

Wow, pardon me whilst I pick up my jaw from the floor!! Absolutely amazing - I will linger over this post for quite some time! Your travels have definitely inspired you here - and I adore your clever use of the ubiquitous Amazon packaging! I am not one for using printed paper (though you would not know that from all the pads I own!) so am definitely tucking this fabulous application into my noggin, hopefully to be retrieved at some point!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the many step outs and pictures - I know that is a lot of work, but this piece definitely deserves it!! xxx Lynn

pearshapedcrafting said...

I am looking at this on my phone so I know I will be coming back to have a good look without squinting but what I do see is something that is beyond brilliant! So many fabulous details! Hugs, Chrisx

Andrea Ockey Parr said...

WOW! My eyes are in eye-candy overload mode! This has so many fantastic layers and pockets and details! I seriously looked at these pics for so long that my sweet hubby thought I was having some sort of frozen comatose episode! Nope-- just staring at another amazing project by you! You go, girl! LOVE THIS and am especially impressed at the different thicknesses and textures you included. I adore your technique on the globe die to give it some dimension!

Paper Profusion said...

I don't know which superlatives to use!!! WOW!!! And WOW again!! How long did this take you?!?! You've even gone and exceeded yourself Alison! This truly is a visual and tactile FEAST! Gorgeous work. I'm sure that if Simon Says Stamp didn't already know what a terrific guest you would be that they definitely do now! Bravo and happy weekend! Nicola x

Annie said...

You have created a masterpiece here by recycling packaging Alison. Wonderful details and textures on every page..........FANTASTIC !!!!
TFS and best wishes
Annie x

Gio said...

Oh, I am pretty excited when you say 'lots of pictures' because I love to see all the wonderful details and care you put in your artwork. I love every single bits of it, couldn't choose my favourite part, the cover or the inner pages, but those city skyline are so brilliant!

Etsuko said...

Wonderful project!! Love the cover and every pages and great vintage colours.I love this. xx

~*~Patty S said...

What an absolute treasure of a travel journal you've created and shared here WOW WOW WOW!
So many special touches and vintage effects.
Those TH city scape stamps really fascinate me too.
It was a wonderful slide show clicking on each photo.
oxo

Maura said...

This is one fabulous portfolio! Who wouldn't want to go on this trip? Love how wonderfully vintage you have made it with all the trip pages between those beautiful covers!!

Meihsia Liu said...

Wow... this is such a beautiful creation, Alison. Love all the fabulous details and the vintage effect on this project. :)

Julie Lee said...

Such an inspired use of an Amazon folder, Alison. I love how you transformed the packaging into something so completely your own and with a fascinating story to tell through its pages: a fantastic project. xx

Sandra said...

This is so pretty, Alison! Love this portfolio, it has so much details! Everything about it is gorgeous! Hugs, Sandra

Emma Williams said...

Wow Alison...this is wonderful project! From cover to cover, it's a absolute feast for the eyes and has so much fabulous detail! Fantastic work, as always! xx

Dorthe said...

Oh my goodness Alison what a fantastic piece of art journal. Love the cage idea, and inside the journal. Your cover is gorgeous, with papers, ans dyes ,and the inside pages so beautifully telling a story from the 50`ties ,about the young adventurous, girl, on the tour of her life.
Your create just the most amazing things, dear.
Hugs Dorthe

Jenny Marples said...

Truly magnificent! Amazon packaging never looked so good. I love how you've grouped together some of the Relatives and ephemera to build the story and added the Cityscapes at the bottom of each page. Wonderful xx

Evelyn Walter said...

Oh, wow, dear Alison, this is so gorgeous! The use of the Amazon package is spectacular (I hope, I didn´t throw away my packages, and if, I´ll never throw away them again *lol*!). Your journal is absolutely wonderful!
xxx Evelyn

Jackie PN said...

Finally back to reading more of your posts, better later than never-right?
Alison, my dear! you truly are the mistress of disguise! What a clever use of that packaging! Who would have known!
I am ever so happy that you shared some of your steps here- great tips to learn from!
And your storytelling and pretending made me giggle aloud and wish I could follow along beside you while looking at this treasure!
Well done!no, better than well done! Excellent creating!! xoxo