The Secret Diary of Barry Bear

Hubby bought me a mini binding machine about a year ago, and after making the calendar project that I had been itching to make, it's been in the cupboard collecting dust since then.  So I decided to pull it out and put it to use for this fortnight's challenge at Top Tip Tuesday where the theme is Stationery.

I've designed and printed out a full year of a diary, with a week's view to each page and bound it all into a mini book using some mount-board covers (I had some leftover mount-board from making my clocks).  I did actually put design paper on the front and back, but then stamped over it with some floral mini stamps to match the colour theme of the image, so you can't see much of the design any more.

I also tied little strips of matching ribbon around the rings, but wasn't sure whether I liked them after I'd done them.  I did end up pulling them off, but they were on when I took the photos.

I designed the diary insert pages to fit four weeks on an standard A4 sized sheet of paper.  I chopped the printed sheets into quarters and that's the size of the diary.  I cut the mount board slightly larger to create the covers.

This is also my final challenge designing for Top Tip Tuesday.  I've been on this fabulous team since June 2011 and have had a wonderful time with a great bunch of designers and our lovely leading lady, Samantha.  But I've been feeling in a bit of a rut for the past couple of months and decided I need to inject some change in order to get my mojo back.  I am addicted to crafting.  It's a much needed 'release' from a stressful day job so over the next month I'm stepping back from four of my longest running teams, hoping that will free up some time to enable me to go in search of my missing mojo by trying some new creative challenges.

Card Recipe:

• Image - Barry Spring from Stampfairy
• Colouring - Distress Ink Reinkers
• Clouds - Dovecraft chalks
• Card-io mini stamps
• Maja Designs Vintage Summer Basic papers
• Spellbinders Labels 18 die
• The Langton watercolour paper
• Stazon Ink Pad
• Ribbon - Fantastic Ribbons
• Glossy Accents
• Mount-board
• Zutter Bind-it-all

I've been inspired by:

• Simon's Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
• Creative Inspirations - Flower Power
• Sparkles Monthly - Back to School

Happy crafting
Annette
xx