Saturday Showcase - Positivity/Gratitude Folio with Stamperia Time is an Illusion Paper

Hi there, it is Cec here with the Saturday Showcase for this week and I am going to show you a folio I made using the Stamperia Time is an Illusion paper pack.

I thought the papers in this collection would make a fabulous folio and while it looks a lot like a mini album, it isn't meant to store photos.  I made it with the intention of having a place for the recipient to write down thoughts and words that mean something to them.

I chose Positivity and Gratitude as the theme for this folio.  I do believe strongly that being positive works far better than dwelling on the negative. As I get older I am grateful that I have the ability to keep plugging away because slowing down is the first step on the way to stopping and I am definitely not ready for that.

Here is a look at my folio with a few tips along the way.  There are a lot of photos and if you click on any photo you can bring up a larger size to get a better look.  I am sorry they aren't a bit brighter but we had miserable rainy weather the day I took these so the light was horrible.

I started by making a base from card stock and here are the steps I took:

Cut 2 pieces of card stock 6" x 7". score at 1" on the short side (correction) of each, fold and then glue the two flaps together to make a strong 1" spine.  Note:  I used Scor Tape as my adhesive of choice.

Cut 1 piece of card stock 4 7/8" x 4 7/8", score at 1/2" on one side, fold and glue the flap to the top of the inside front cover to create a flip up.  Add a magnet pair to ensure that this piece will stay down when closed.

Cut 2 pieces of card stock 5 1/8" x 6 3/4", score at 3/8" on the long side of each and fold.  Glue beside each other inside on the spine facing in the opposite direction so the edge of the flap is against the edge of the spine.

Cut 1 piece of card stock 5" x 6 1/2", score at 1/2" and 3 1/2" on the long side.  Fold and glue the narrow flap to the inside back cover centering on the right side.  Add a magnet pair to ensure this flip out closes (the other half of the magnet is on the one section I forgot to photograph).  Note:  I designed this folio as I went and if I were to make this again I would just make a single page flip-out because it is pretty thick to fold over and then over again.

Tip:  Before gluing each of the narrow flaps, cut a small angle at each end - this will allow the patterned paper to hide the join.

Using Vintage Photo Distress Ink, ink all edges that will be visible after the paper is added.

Next add a strip of ribbon, which will act as a closure for the folio.  I used seam binding that I dyed with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

Now it is time to add paper to all the surfaces and this should be done before you add pockets, tuck spots and embellishments.  Note:  All paper was distressed and the edges were inked with Vintage Photo DI.

To make a regular pocket as in this close-up, measure the finished width and height and then cut a piece of card stock 1" wider and 1/2" taller than that measurement.  Score at 1/2" on each side of the width (long side) and 1/2" on the bottom (short side).  Cut the corners out at the intersection of the score lines and then cut a little angle at the ends of each flap.

Punch a thumb notch in the top of the pocket.  Cut patterned paper to fit the pocket and punch a larger thumb notch in the top of the paper.  Adhere the paper to the pocket front.  Fold the score lines, add adhesive to the outside and glue the pocket  in place.

To make my tuck spots I die cut some paper using Spellbinders Labels Thirteen and then sliced off one edge, added a strip of 1/4" tape to the flat edge and adhered it to the edge of the base paper.

To make the angled pocket I determined my finished height and width, added 1/2" to one side and the bottom and then cut the angled edge and straight side and top.  I scored at the extra 1/2", cut the intersection out and angled the ends.  Once the flaps were folded, I used the shape to create a pattern for my paper and then finished it by adding the patterned paper and adhering it to the page.

I collected a bunch of quotes about Positivity and Gratitude to put in the pockets and tuck spots along with a couple of images from the paper pad that I fussy cut and inked.

I also made four little mini journals by binding some old school lined notepaper in a card stock cover that I inked with Vintage Photo DI through a Bubble Stencil from Tim Holtz.  A belly band was added to each book to keep it closed.

The filigree metal corners on the angles pockets - and the filigree heart on the cover - were altered by coating with Versamark and then heat embossing with Patina Oxide Baked Texture (Seth Apter).

The leaves on the front were die cut from Rose Gold Metallic Kraft Stock using the Garden Greens die (Tim Holtz).

I die cut a crochet doily (Prima) from card stock for the front cover and then rubbed it with a bit of Aquamarine wax paste for some shimmer.

Vintage Photo DI was used to dye some venise lace for a couple of pockets and to alter some quote chips (Tim Holtz).  The quote chips also had a bit of metallic patina acrylic paint splattered on them.  The quote chip on the front cover is actually recycled from a card I made for my husband's birthday - he won't miss it.

Here is how it looks inside after it was decorated:

Inside of Front Cover

Front of First Page

Back of First Page and Front of Second Page

Back of Second Page

Inside of Back Cover with Flip-out Closed

Inside of Back Cover with Flip-out Open

Back of Folio

I hope you are still with me and would consider picking up any one of the fabulous Stamperia paper collections and creating your own folio.  This one had a bit of a life of its own but you can certainly make one much more simple with less inside.  Just remember to do a bit of planning before you cut into your paper and if you plan to add magnets, make sure you do that before you add paper.  The same holds true if you plan to use ribbon as a closure.

Supplies List:

Stamperia - Time's An Illusion 12x12 Paper Pack SBBL33
Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo TIM19527
Rayon Seam Binding
Venise Lace Trim - 5/8 inch
Antiqued Bronze Filigree Pieces - Set of 4
Antique Bronze Branch Heart - Set of 4
Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Layering Stencils - Bubble THS002
Seth Apter Baked Texture - Patina Oxide 17g
Scor-Pal Scor Tapes (1/8", 1/4". 3/8")
Tim Holtz Tonic Studios Paper Distresser 370E
Ranger Inkssentials Mini Ink Blending Tool - With 4 Blending Foams IBT40965
Artificial Flower Pearlized Stamen - One Bundle
Magnetic Snaps, Large MET522
Kaisercraft Pearls - Self Adhesive - Pewter
Sizzix Thinlets Die by Tim Holtz - Garden Greens
Prima Crochet Doily Die
Ideaology Quote Chips by Tim Holtz
Labels Dies, Circle Punches, Card Stock, Wax Paste, Flowers, Card Candy Dots, Adhesive Foam Dots, Hemp Cord