A Sketchbook for Venice, Italy!

A few weeks ago, Carolyn Dube from StencilGirl Products sent me her new Venetian Building stencil and asked me to have fun with it.  The image is based on her travels to Europe and this stencil is a set of buildings that you can see from the St. Mark's Square area in Venice, Italy.  Fast forward a few weeks when a friend told me she was going to Venice, Italy and asked me if I could make her a small sketchbook to carry around with her in her purse.  

Sure I can!  And I knew the perfect stencil to use for the cover. 

Step by step:

1.  Lay the Diamond Waves stencil across a piece of white cardstock - vertically - and spray with Lemon Zest Dylusions Spray by Ranger.  Remove the stencil and clean it well with paper towels.  Remove any excess ink from cardstock also.  Then lay the Diamond Waves stencil across the design again but, this time, lay it horizontally.  Spray with Vibrant Turquoise Dylusions Spray. Remove excess with paper towel.

Now, do this again but with the other piece of white cardstock. This time I used Lemon Zest and Fresh Lime Dylusions spray (in place of the Vibrant Turquoise).

These will act as your front and back covers for the book.

2. On ONE of the pieces of white cardstock you just prepared, lay the Venetian Buildings stencil over the design and adhere pieces of scrap xerox paper to the edges of the stencil. Secure with tape. Spray with the After Midnight Dylusions Spray. Remove excess spray and remove stencil from cardstock.

3.  Lay the CLEAN Venetian Buildings Stencil back over the area you just sprayed, secure with removable tape, and outline with a Uniball Gel Impact White pen by Signo.  Parts of this stencil are very flexible and will shift easily - such as the 3 windows - so...work SLOWLY.  Do NOT rush.

4.  Trim your front and back pieces for the book to 8" x 8" and, if you are using a 12" x 12" piece of chipboard, cut two pieces to 6" x 6".

5.  Apply glue to one side of each of the chipboard pieces and lay them in the center of the front and back pieces.  Smooth with bone folder.  Trim corners with ruler and sharp knife or scissors. Apply glue to 4 sides and pull over back. Then glue the inside 5 78" x 5 7/8" cover pieces. 

6.  I then sprayed a scrap piece of white cardstock with the After Midnight Dylusions spray.  Used a heat gun to dry it.  Then die cut the words "VENICE" and "ITALY" with the Typewriter Upper Alphabet Set from Memory Box.  Glued them to the front of the book.  Cut 24 inside cardstock pages at 5 7/8" x 5 7/8" and bound the book with my Cinch.

Supplies used:

Venetian Buildings Stencil by Carolyn Dube for StencilGirl Products

Diamond Waves Stencil by Carolyn Dube for StencilGirl Products

2 pieces of white cardstock for front and back covers (8.5 x 11 or A4)

2 pieces of chipboard 6" x 6"

2 pieces of scrapbook paper or cardstock 5 7/8" x 5 7/8" for the inside of the front and back covers

Dylusions Sprays by Dyan Reaveley for Ranger in Lemon Zest, Fresh Lime, Vibrant Turquoise, and After Midnight.

Scrap xerox paper

Scotch tape or removable tape

Roll of paper towels

Uniball Gel Impact White Pen by Signo

White glue/brush

Bone Folder

Scissor or X-Acto Knife

The Cinch or Bind It All

Typewriter Upper Alphabet Set by Memory Box (98367)

Hope you liked this tutorial!!  

Hugs -

~Michael