Embroidered Matchbook Journal

I was sent an interesting Mini Matchbook Journal from Alpha Stamps recently and pondered over what to do with it. The base is (as you may have guessed) the same size as a regular matchbook and has a separate accordion folded insert with five pages for decorating. I considered gluing the pages so they would unfold sideways, or perhaps cutting out shapes with punches, and maybe painting or spraying or coloring the entire thing in bright rainbow colors. There were just too many ideas! My last thought was to doodle a tree along one side of the pages and add a short poem. In the end though, the ladies on the Gothics Collage Sheet caught my eye, and the rest of the journal drew from that. 

A little found poetry for the inside:

Adding a bit of simplistic embroidery gave the pages some texture and interest. I also used pieces of torn tulle and Mica Fragments because, why not?

Here it is unfolded. Obviously.

To prep the pages, I dry brushed white acrylic paint over the pages, spritzed them with shimmery spray, and rubbed on some dark brown distress ink. The last page on the right was glued to the inside of the matchbook.

The torn tulle and an image was glued on before the embroidery was stitched. To do that, I just used a needle to punch holes where I wanted them, then went back with needle and thread and stitched the decoration.

The matchbook itself was covered with a thick paper, spritzed, inked, and also sanded. I used a strip of Dresden along the bottom part of the matchbook.

And there you have it. A cool pocket sized piece of art. I think the Mini Matchbook Journal would be perfect abandoned art...just need more little matchbooks!

Supply List can be found right HERE.