Hi crafty friends. It’s Kristine and I’m back again with a quick project for you using the Stamperia Amazonia papers. This time, the project will be using rice papers from the collection to alter a composition notebook. If you’ve never used rice papers in your projects before, I highly recommend trying them! They’re surprisingly easy to work with, add another texture to your design, and are perfect for book covers.
Supplies Needed
- Standard composition notebook
- Rice Papers - orchid and water lily
- Amazonia parrot stencil and texture paste
- Amazonia Decorative Chips and inks/paints
- Stamperia Glamour Gel in Gold
- Black cardstock (two sheets of 8 1/2 x 11)
- Mod Podge or similar adhesive for rice papers
Covering the Composition Notebook
The first step is to cut two pieces of black cardstock to the size of the front and back covers. These pieces will be glued to the covers so the original cover does not show through the rice papers.
Once adhered, select the water lily rice paper for the back cover and trim to size so there is no excess on any of the sides. Using Mod Podge or a similar medium, adhere the rice paper to the back cover. Use a piece of wax paper between the cover and pages to prevent glue from seeping into the pages.
Then, select the orchid rice paper for the front cover and trim the paper to fit top to bottom. However, we will want some extra rice paper on the left side to wrap around the composition notebook spine. Starting at the right edge, adhere the rice paper down and then wrap the extra piece to the backside. Finally, add another layer of Mod Podge to the entire top surface of the rice papers to seal them.
Adding Embellishments
Next comes the fun part - adding embellishments! Here is where you can make the composition notebook cover as plain or ornate as you like. Don’t be afraid to add fussy cut images from the Collectables and 8 x 8 papers, wooden pieces, and chipboard stickers. Another option here is to use a stencil and texture paste to add dimension. On my cover, I will be using the decorative chips to add just a bit of embellishment. These chips are white so I will use my inks to color them before applying them with glue. Then, I will add a layer of Stamperia Glamour Gel for extra sparkle.
In order to keep my composition notebook closed, I will add eyelets and ribbons to the covers. These will tie together and I like the pop of yellow along the paper edges.
Inside the Composition Notebook
For the inside cover of my composition notebook, I will be using the Amazonia stencil and texture paste. However, first I will cover the entire surface with white gesso. Once dry, I will use the stencil to carefully add the parrot and foliage along parts of the cover.
After the texture paste is dry, I will then begin adding color to the surface. For this step, I will use my distress inks. However, paint is also a good choice. After applying color, I used my finger to wipe the ink off the texture paste ad add a layer of Glamour Gel to the surface. Then, I will use some of the fussy cut images from my leftover papers for extra embellishment.
The inside back cover can be decorated the same way as the front cover. However, I will be using some of the leftover papers from my 8x8 paper pad to make a pocket for the back cover. Then, I will add some of the leftover fussy cut images from the Collectables papers to the pocket. When using my composition notebook, I can use these fussy cut pieces for decorations.
I hope you have found this simple DIY composition notebook project inspirational. It’s a reminder that projects don’t have to be complex to be beautiful! This project is also perfect to make with your kids or grandkids! They’ll love having their own design on a composition notebook for school. Try it out with your favorite paper collection and check out the FotoBella online store to pick up some fabulous new products today!
Until next time, happy crafting!
~Kristine, FotoBella Design Team