Thursday, August 9, 2012

Taking Notes

Just wondering....how do you take notes?  I do it because it keeps me awake when I'm not listening to riveting material.  I've sat through so many workshops that I can't even recall now, even though I'm sure they were important at the time.  Unless I'm excited about the material I so easily get bored and restless.  Kind of helped me relate to what my own students went through back when I was teaching.
Anyway, when I take notes, they are usually in the form of doodles.  Creative ways of writing the important points down for future reference.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  I sure hope that's true because otherwise, those doodles are not going to mean a thing when I go to them for reference.  Here's an example of a notebook page:

 
See what I mean?  Half the battle is to have something beautiful to write (or doodle) your thoughts in.  At a recent Technique Night, I had these projects prepared  for my class to make:


It turns an ordinary boring old coil notebook into something you might look forward to writing in.  It might even brighten up otherwise dull lectures.  These were so easy to make and used several new Stampin' Up products.  The grey polkadot background is from a new DSP series called Howlstooth and Scaringbone in the new Holiday Mini Catalogue. It has some great graphic designs you're going to love for all your fall projects.  I love how well it coordinates with Daffodil Delight and to make the rosette on the front, I used two strips of Polka Dot Parade DSP, 2" x 12" and scored them every 1/4" or every 1/2" on the Simply Scored tool, depending on the height you want your rosette.  Every 1/2" is easier, but it produces a rosette that's about 1/2" tall, which can make it kind of difficult to write on the left hand page.  You then join both ends of the 2 strips of scored paper and gather one edge together a little and press in the middle to flatten the rosette.  I used the new Jumbo Sticky Rounds from the Holiday Mini to secure the back and the front of the rosette, fastening it onto the notebook cover and using it to adhere the flower on the front of the rosette.


The flower was made using two stamp sets, Quint-Essential Flower formed the top three layers.  I stamped it three times using Basic Grey, Daffodil Delight and Real Red.  I punched out the entire grey flower with the 2 3/8" Scalloped Circles punch, I fussy cut the Daffodil Delight flower at the inner scalloped circle because I don't yet have the 1 3/4" Scalloped Circle punch, and I used the 1" circle punch to punch out the center of the Real Red Flowers.  The back Real Red base was stamped using Daydream Medallions in Basic Grey and cut out using the Flower Collection Framelits.  I used my paper piercing tool to pierce a hole through the center of each layer and secured them with an Antique Brad, then attached to the rosette using the jumbo sticky round previously mentioned.  (I've really got to get the technology to make tutorial videos going soon!)

The ribbons on the front are two lengths of Victorian Crochet trim and Daffodil Delight Seam Binding ribbon in between them, adhered with Snail.  My favourite part is the little tag at the top.




I used a background stamp from Affection Collection, stamped off once first, in Daffodil Delight, and the sentiment from the Creative Elements set in Basic Grey.  I punched it out with the decorative label punch, which coordinates perfectly with the new Flourish Designer Frames from the Holiday Mini Catalogue.  A few Rhinestone Basic Jewels to add a little bling, and there you have it.  You might also like this alternative design.



Let me know how you take notes, and which of the two designs you like! 


Stamp sets:  Quintessential Flower (w126790); Daydream Medallions (w126465; c126467); Affection Collection (w127946; c127949); Creative Elements (w122645; c122647)
Paper: Howlstooth and Scaringbone DSP (126906); Polka Dot Parade DSP (126902); Real Red (102482) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Basic Grey (126981), Daffodil Delight (126944), Real Red (126949)
Accessories: Victorian Crochet Trim (118481); Daffodil Delight Seam Binding Ribbon (125583); Antique Brads (117273); Flourish Designer Frames (127835); Mini Brads (122941); Rhinestone Basic Jewels (1192416)
Tools: Simply Scored Scoring Tool (122334)
Howlstooth and Scaringbone DSP

Flourish Designer Frames
Quint-Essential Flower

3 comments :

  1. Hmm, I must have inherited that doodle thing, because all my notes from University are filled with drawings. Although, they are not always related to the lecture, I just found that if I could keep my hands busy, I could listen a lot better. I think some people thought that it is rude, but it really did help me listen (it probably didn't help that all my friends wanted to sit and watch me draw though). I like the first design best, btw.

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  2. Great project Heather. Was that just a regular coil exercise book like we used in school? Very nice!! What adhesive did you use to add the DSP to the cover?

    Terry H

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    1. Thanks, Terry! It was just a regular coil notebook and I used sticky strip to adhere it.

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