attitude of gratitude...

Hello! The Papertrey Ink team is back again to share with you a new stamp set called Gratitude Journal designed by Dawn McVey. Perfect for this time of year, to reflect on all that we're grateful for! I wanted to make a little mini book that I can add pages on to, and I really wanted to try an unusual color scheme - something other than the traditional "fall" look. I chose to use Pink Paislee's Nantucket line of papers!

Here you can see I've used some new Pink Paislee wooden alphas and stamped "life is beautiful" across them with the Gratitude stamps. One of my favorite things Pink Paislee came out with this month is these beautiful Vintage Vogue Spool Buttons, so I couldn't wait to try them on a project (the black wooden circle). I added a tab to the front that is cut from one of the patterned papers and stamped with, "gratitude, a journal".

The tabs were cut with a new set of dies called Journal Tabs, then I stamped on them and stitched the bottoms of the tabs for an extra detail.
Page 1: I used a sheet of vellum for journaling and layered it over a large photo of my daughter Taylor. I had a lot to say, so I decided this would be a good way to fit a lot of journaling without blocking the photo all together.

Page 2: My girls are getting so close now that they are getting older. They are 11 (almost 12) and 6 years old. I love how well they play together sometimes, and this photo really captures that! I'm grateful for all of the little happy moments we have together.

On this page, I stamped the "Give Thanks" twice - once in a lighter brown and once in a darker brown, then layered them on top of each other. The doilies are just purchased from the craft store in the baking supply section.

Page 3: Here I stamped onto the envelope and sprinkled white paint over the top. There is a little note (journaling) tucked into the envelope. Watching my girls dancing in the rain makes me so happy!

More of the Vintage Vogue wooden spools and a Papertrey Ink button and twine! I stamped "treasure" 3 times, stitched and then shabbied it up with paint. LOVE the chevron paper that Pink Paislee came out with! I could use it on everything!

The last page is one of my favorites, because I really love the mix of patterns and colors here, sort of an eclectic feel. I used a vintage book paper for my journaling and folded it up 3 ways, then punched a hole and tucked it into my book. The brown polkadot paper is a paper by October Afternoon, floral button is Crate Paper and sticker/twine/other papers are Pink Paislee. Ribbon is Papertrey Ink.

One of my favorite things when creating mini albums is making little "fun finds" inside, little surprises like this folded page of vintage book paper that I journaled inside.

Love repeating a stamp on a background. I left the bottom open for journaling. I think I'm going to add more open pages that are ready for journaling, so I can add MANY more pages to my book this month! There is so much to be grateful for!

When finished, I tied the book together with embroidery floss, an inexpensive way to bind your own books.

 Gratitude Journal:

STAMPS: Gratitude Journal, Simple Circles
(star on front cover) by Papertrey Ink

INK: True Black/ Dark Chocolate by PTI, light brown by Ranger,
pink is Chewing Gum by Jenni Bowlin

PAPER: Nantucket line by Pink Paislee, (brown polkadot) October Afternoon

DIES: Journal Tabs by Papertrey Ink

OTHER: ribbon/twine/buttons by Papertrey Ink,white floss, doilies, Vintage Vogue wooden spools by Pink Paislee, white flower by Pebbles, envelope by Maya Road, seam binding.

Thank you for visiting! Please visit the other ladies to see what they have made with the Gratitude Journal stamps and dies!

Betsy Veldman  

Dawn McVey  

Erin Lincoln  

Heather Nichols  

Jessica Witty  

Lisa Johnson  

Maile Belles

Melissa Phillips
Michelle Wooderson
Nichole Heady