7/8/2016 0 Comments doodlesI like to knit and crochet (although lately I've not done much in the way of needle arts given my current obsession with paper, ink, collage, and glue). When doing any form of art that involves yarn or thread it can be challenging to create if there is a cat in the house.
I've discovered that the same is true when trying to doodle with a kitten anywhere nearby. This little guy was named Frankie. We found him by the side of the road and took him home. Sadly he didn't live with us for very long but while he lived with us he thought it was great fun to chase my pen when I was trying to doodle. Needless to say there were some...interesting doodle marks on my sketch pads.
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7/8/2016 0 Comments note cards and envelopesI enjoy the thrill of the hunt when it comes to finding art supplies. Some things are recycled which is pretty fabulous. Others are found in the discount bin. I really like the idea that somehow they're no longer offered for regular sale and yet I'm saving them from an unknown fate. That was the case with these cards. Stationary cards that look like tags.
It was a lot of un to go through all of my scraps and come up with a fun assortment of images to put together for each card. At first I was going to coordinate them, making them different but related. Then I decided that since you usually only send one card and envelope to someone at a time it would be more fun to make them each different. I collaged each card and then decorated the envelopes to coordinate with it's card. Such a nice mom, I even added the postage to the envelopes so the cards are completely finished and ready to go. I think the one with the flamingo is my favorite. But maybe that's just because I really love the color green. 7/6/2016 0 Comments one page doodle journalThis sweet little one page journal (also made from a 12" x 12" piece of cardstock) was so much fun to put together. I love using stamps in my art and especially love when I can get my hands on large stamps from other countries. This one from Czechoslovakia is really lovely. I like the juxtaposition of the map on the cardstock behind it because I know it had to go from Czechoslovakia to Denmark on the outside of an envelope to get to the person to sent it to me inside the envelope. It's been a traveling stamp for sure.
I also like using washi tape for the spines on these little journals. I think I may have to double spine though as it may be better to use a piece of cardstock to make a thicker spine and then use the washi for decoration. On on the inside of the journal I used my very favorite almost dead markers to color in [note to self: start coloring before glueing the page edges together] the white undecorated side of the paper. I wanted to give it a little more of a decorative feel so I doodled around the tags which was a lot of fun. I love the effect of the doodle edge and the almost dead marker effect in the middle. It reminds me of clouds seen through a window. The little Beefeater came off a fun card that I had. I just love that he's tucked into a tea bag envelope. I also love that the tea bag envelope gives an extra little pocket. I seem to have a fondness for using (and collecting) them. Especially when it's an interesting one. While I could make them out of paper (really it's just a tiny pocket, folded and glued) somehow it's more fun to incorporate one that's already been used. I've been playing with 12" x 12" cardstock. Using it as a basis to make these cute little pocket journals. If you're looking for instructions on how to score, fold, and cut your paper to make one of these journals there's a good video on YouTube.
One of the really neat things that I've learned in this process is that when you start with a square piece of paper you get a journal that is rectangular. If you start with a rectangular piece (say 8 1/2" x 11") the end result is a square pocket journal. Of course if you've got pockets you need to have something to put in them. So I've been finding all sorts of yummy paper goodness to use for tags or journal cards. In this case it's vintage postcards which are just super cute. I've manage to acquire a large number of 12" x 12" cardstock from someone who was cleaning out their stash. It's only printed on one side which is kind of cool in a way because it allows me to stamp, doodle, color, or do any number of things to decorate it. Then I decorate the tags and have a sweet journal that's highly portable and so fun to use! 7/4/2016 0 Comments bookmarksI had a bunch of leftover pieces of manilla folder. It's one of my favorite journal cover supplies but when I start cutting and trimming there can be rather large bits left over. I realized that these leftover bits looked like they were the correct size for bookmarks. Grabbing some vintage (i.e., old and yellowed) book pages I glue-ripped them to the manilla.
After the glue was dry and the edges were the way I wanted them I gessoed over the pages so soften the effect. I love the fact that book pages were used to make bookmarks but I didn't want the words on the pages to distract from the rest of what I wanted to do. Then using my absolutely favorite art supply ever -- almost dead Marvyy Uchida Brush Markers (really -- I'm in love with these markers. But only when they are about 1/2 full of ink) -- I scrungied [technical term] the edges. Then I began to collage, doodle, and put down quotes. The quotes were a lot of fun and I had a hard time picking out just eight of them. I may have to make more bookmarks so I can use more quotes. [side note: I've realized I need better lettering markers. I'm okay with the scratchy font I put down but the pen I used was not so great] Coated in two thin coats of varnish and these are done. Funny enough they are almost gone. Everyone I show them to wants one so I only have three left. Quick, easy, and fun, I think I'm definitely going to have to make more. 7/4/2016 0 Comments micro mini journalsThe cover for this micro mini album is made from a vintage playing card. Stitched together with an assortment of papers it's just adorable. And I love using decorative mini binder clips as the closure.
This style of journal is a great way to keep thoughts, favorite quotes, or even mini photos. One of my favorite uses for these is writing letters. Because it's so small it's pretty easy to fill and people love getting them. 7/4/2016 0 Comments durango art journeyI've been playing with the idea of making journal blanks and then using them for documenting special moments or events. Previously when I went somewhere I would wind up with a journal of notes and observations plus a collection of souvenir papers. Putting the two together, keeping them together, sometimes proved difficult.
I saw this idea in a YouTube channel and decided that it looked like fun. Putting together an interesting assortment of papers and then taking that blank on the road proved to be a lot of fun. And somehow I managed to come home with more supplies in my art bag than I left with. Can't wait to make more of these. |
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