Friday With Friends and Unity Stamps

Welcome to this segment of Friday with Friends.
Today we have Crew Member Mickie Tucker showcasing how well Unity Stamps work with Canvas Corp Brands products.

In Mickie’s Words

Do you love supporting small companies? I do! With this project you get a twofer, Canvas Corp Brands and Unity Stamps. These are great small companies that have fabulous products, friendly people, and great service. Unity Stamps are good quality rubber stamps uniquely designed for Unity Stamps. Plus, there are so many options that you can create something uniquely you.

See Mickie Create

Friday with Friends Crew Member Mickie Tucker Unity Stamps Canvas Corp Tattered Angels 7gypsies Architextures Travel Journal

Step 1

Let’s start by turning that 12×12 Kraft envelope into a journal. Cut the envelope in half with the open ends on each half. If you have a sewing machine, you can add a little more interest by sewing the cut edges closed to form two long thin envelopes. If you don’t have access to a sewing machine, you can use tape or glue. Next, let’s fold the long thin envelopes in half and stack them. Sew (or glue) these together on the fold line. You will have a small home made book at this point.

Step 2

We want each page to also be a pocket, so open the sealed ends of the envelopes being careful to not tear the flaps. Also, in order to have a little more strength and depth in our background pages, let’s smear some gesso to each side of your newly created book. You don’t want to over think this part. Just give a thin smear. It will have thicker and thinner spots as well as some areas that have no gesso. That is perfect! Set this aside to dry. I did all the pages at once and stood the book up to dry.

Step 3

While that is drying, we can make the inserts, pick papers from your choice. I used Architextures Mixed media pad. Cut down your papers to fit inside your pockets. For added interest and detail, cut individual images from other sheets. Attach these by sewing or gluing them onto the front of your inserts. I left some of the ends open for tuck spots later. I can tuck or attach pictures, tickets, receipts, and other small souvenirs to the fronts of these later when I use the journal. I used the lined paper pages from the pad attached on one end only to the backs for lots of journaling. These will fit perfectly into the pockets of the pages! I can also put larger items from my trip into those pockets as well. I love when things do double duty.

Step 4

With the gesso now dry, we can paint the backgrounds on the book pages themselves. For this I used Tattered Angels Naturally Aged Kit in Weathered Copper but there are several different looks to choose from. Pick the one that speaks to you. There are detailed and easy instructions for these in the kit but it is so easy I can talk you through it here. Use the first spray in the kit, for me that is the bronze. Spray it all over your background letting it pool in some areas and by thinner in others. While that is still wet, spray the Verdigis in select spots, again letting it pool in places. Next, while that is still wet, spray the Splash all over. Finally, with everything wet, use an old paint brush to flick the Coconut Shell onto it. I also used the brush to paint areas like edges that would naturally have more “rust”. Use your heat gun to dry it all. Repeat for all the pages making sure you get the flaps of the book as well as the pages. I love the way these backgrounds turned out! They look like old weathered metal out of paper!!!

Step 5

Now to decorate those pages! Remember to stay simple as you will be adding to them when you use the journal. I used a Kraft tag and craft bags decorated with Unity Stamps. I used Stazon permanent ink to stamp the images. The images I stamped onto the tag to cut out. I did the same with a couple of the phrases I loved. I colored a few parts of the images with a white gel pen to make them pop while still remaining simple. I used the black sharpie to color the edges of the fussy cut images and the phrases so that they would have depth on the page.

Step 6

All that is left to do is attach the images and bags to the pages. I put one bag per inside page (this also gives me another place to put items I pick up along my journey) and the two fussy cut images and the two phrases on the front and back. I attached them with my scotch tape gun but any tape or glue will work. Just make sure it is a permanent adhesive. Also, remember that gel pen is dissolvable and not use any wet glue on the surface of the stamped pages. Lastly, I used the black sharpie to put shadows to one side and underneath the bags on the inside pages to add depth to them.

Friday with Friends Crew Member Mickie Tucker and Unity Stamps

Mickie’s Video

Where to find Mickie

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Products Used

CCB Products:
Canvas Corp 12×12 Kraft Envelope
7gypsies Architextures Mixed Media Pad
Tattered Angels Naturally Aged Kit – Weathered Copper (Bare Metal Faux Finish Paint Kit)

Unity Stamps:
Angie Girls:
Brystl Girl
Abby Girl
Beach Girl
Bernadette Girl
Blooming-Rebecca Girl
Willow Girl
Other Stamps:
Hello Love
Best Girls
Moving Forward