Design Team Project

Vintage Junk Journal – Amada Herring

Hello There

I have a new project to share with you today.

I have always loved bookbinding and decided to make a new junk journal using and old book for the covers and because I have used interesting mixed pages inside, I decided to do an exposed tape bound spine.

There are so many layers on this book cover! I started by adding a layer of primer and some stencilling with glossy gel paste to add some extra texture to the book cover.


stencilling on front cover and then  painted with primer 


I then painted over these prep layers with acrylic paint in  dark red and brown acrylic paint.


Detail on back cover showing how well the hairspray technique worked.

I wanted to try a technique to crackle paint using hairspray, and I really love how well it worked. I gave my base painted book covers 3 generous coats of hairspray allowing each layer to dry before adding the next. I then painted over this with Ivory acrylic paint.
I painted the Vintage Chipboard frame in the same colours used on my book cover and added some crackle medium to these, even though the detail is so small that it hardly shows but I liked how it helps to make everything look old.

When assembling the frames I added a base paper that I stamped with distress oxide on photo paper. This was a technique that Luise Heinzl shared with us on YouTube that was a  great way to get a permanent stamping that is waterproof. Her video is worth watching Waterproof stamping with Distress Oxides


The Stamped photo paper looks really old and distressed once dry and is waterproof once  dry.
For the vintage frame I have used acrylic paint and patina waxes to distress and colour the assembled frame. I have also coloured the Cherry Blossom chipboard piece with acrylic paint pens,I then added a layer of embossing powder in vintage beeswax which gives an aged effect.


I have lastly added some paint splatters to finish off the frame assembly. The vintage patina and the distressed watercolour background give a really nice aged effect to the Cherry Blossom center piece. 

Supplies Used:

Dusty Attic Chippy: 

Cherry Blossoms DA3311

Vintage Layered Frame DA2340

Stampers Anonymous Baroque Stamp CMS400 Distress Oxide Inks in Walnut Stain and Vintage Photo.

Stamperia mixed media glue, primer, gesso and Glossy Gel,

Stamperia Allegro Acrylic paint Super Gold, Earth, Old Ivory

Paper Artsy Crackle Glaze and acrylic paints in Rose , Gold Rush and Blood Orange.

Seth Apter Vintage Beeswax embossing powder.

Stamperia stencil KTSDQ35 , Stamperia Aqua colour Leather and vintage Antiquing Paste

Art Alchemy patina waxes White Gold, Vintage Gold and Peacock.

Thank you for stopping by 

Until next time 

Mandy xx