Learn How To Create A Grungy Heart Notebook For Valentines

by Lori Warren

This project is all about making something out of nothing. At least, nothing as in a piece of corrugated cardboard from a discarded box and lined paper from an old notebook. These reuse items, paired with a few Imagine Fireworks sprays, create a beautiful notebook that would be a great gift for friends or family. In the tip video, I will show you how to use Fireworks sprays with a liquid varnish to create a permanent finish. This is a helpful tip especially if you are into Mixed Media.

Skill: Intermediate
Time: 2 hours

Directions

Step 1

Start by drawing a heart shape (approximately 4 1/4” x 4” in size) onto a piece of corrugated cardboard. Cut out shape.

Step 2

Trace the heart onto a piece of heavy weight cardstock and cut out.

Step 3

Line up the corrugated and cardstock heart shapes and punch a hole in the upper left hand corner.

Step 4

Tear off sections from top layer of paper on the corrugated heart, exposing he corrugated layer underneath.

Step 5

Paint a layer of Gesso over the front and back sides of the corrugated heart. Lay a stencil down over the corrugated heart and apply modeling paste. Only apply in small sections around the heart.

Step 6

On your craft mat, mix Rhubarb Stalk Fireworks with a liquid varnish (2 parts fireworks to 1 part varnish).

Step 7

With a paint brush, add puddles of the Fireworks/varnish mixture to the top of the corrugated heart. Add/spray water onto the puddles of Fireworks mixture. Allow the mixture to run and drip down the heart. Blot with a paper towel to stop run. Add more Fireworks mixture and repeat, as needed. Allow to dry in between layers.

Step 8

Repeat inking with Desert Sand Fireworks. Once the Fireworks mixture is completely dry, seal with a coat of liquid varnish. Stamp a script stamp randomly across the corrugated heart with Jet Black StazOn ink.

Step 9

Add splatters to the heart with some watered down black acrylic paint.

Step 10

Spray a few resin roses with Rhubarb Stalk Fireworks and heat set. Repeat, a needed. Fireworks can also be applied with a paint brush, if preferred.

Step 11

Once the Fireworks ink (on the resin roses) is completely dry, edge the roses with Jet Black StazOn inkpad and a dauber.

Step 12

Edge the circumference of the corrugated heart with StazOn and a dauber as well. Deconstruct twine into individual threads and shred the fibers to create a “bed” for the resin hearts to sit on. Adhere the shreds of twine down into the upper left corner of the heart (be sure not to cover the punched hole). Then adhere the roses over the shredded twine.

Step 13

Stamp a title word onto the upper center portion of the heart with Jet Black StazOn ink. Trace the heart shape onto lined paper and cut out. To keep the paper from moving, staple about 4 to 5 sheets together prior to cutting. Repeat for more sheets, as needed (keep in mind the size of book binder ring that you are using). Line up the 3 booklet elements (front = corrugated heart piece, center = lined paper, back = cardstock heart) and attach a book binder ring. Finished!