Customized Journal with hand-tinted flowers using CTMH rubons

One of the requirements for getting your Black Belt at our martial arts school is to keep a journal to show your development and progress in several areas - physical, mental, leadership, etc.  Well, if I'm going to lug something around for a year or more documenting all that I'm doing then it might as well be something cute!  This is what I came up with for my Black Belt journal...

I went to the local business supply store and picked up a lavender colored 3 ring binder - the kind with the clear pocket on the front that you can slip paper behind to decorate.  I pulled out a sheet of our clearanced Love Story Rubons (you can get them for just $2 for a set of 3 here) and put the big branches on a sheet of blue patterned paper.  Then I went to town putting the flower rubons on white daisy cardstock and hand tinting using our Waterbrush and ink pads in oranges, pinks and purples.  The leaves I tinted by applying Topiary ink directly to the B&T paper (patterned paper) inside the rubon shapes.

I added a name plate using our Old World Alphabet.  Don't you love that font?  It looks like caligraphy!  And then I added a sentiment that really rings true for me - Life isn't about finding yourself, its about creating yourself.  I think that has been central to my personal journey for the last couple of years.

Here's a close up of some more flowers - love our pink and purple sparkles for the bling centers on these!

If you'd like to make a journal like this, get these supplies:

Paper:  Gypsy Cardstock, Sophia (orange paper mat), Twitterpated (blue paper)

Stamps:  Old World Alphabet, Life's Creation (retired), January SOTM (butterfly)

Inks:  Gypsy, Pansy Purple, Sunset, Cotton Candy, Topiary, Brown Stazon (butterfly)

Other:  Love Story Rubons (get them while they are still available - and CHEAP!), Red, Pink, Purple Sparkles, Waterbrush, Sizzix Tim Holtz die cut (for name plate)