Tag : embellishments

9 posts

January Journal embellishments

Since the cold weather finally found Minnesota, I’ve been doing a bit of lap crafting. It’s too cold in my basement craft space to spend any length of time. I had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr day so I spent a bit of afternoon time by the fireplace re-watching a series. Re-watching something lets me craft while still getting a bit of entertainment value simultaneously.

I’ve definitely been more inspired by junk journaling lately. I watched a YouTube video the other day that talked about using those 6×6 paper pads for an easy and practical embellishment. A full page pocket.

They were super simple yet slightly boring on their own. I decided to add clusters to them to jazz things up a bit.

As you can see they are kind of like chips…can’t have just one.

Here I grabbed an ATC to show the pocket part. When the pocket get glued to the journal page it will be adhered only on three sides creating another pocket behind.

After embellishing the pockets with clusters I decided that my stash of clusters needed a bit more interest. I grabbed a container of paper flowers and set to work.

I had so much fun working with this limited palette of flowers.

As you can see I went a bit crazy, but I used up the whole container of flowers from my stash. I’ve been think a lot about all the stuff I have for crafting and how meaningless it is to have around if I’m not using it. I made a pledge to myself to use things. Even if I don’t have a specific plan at the moment. Moving forward with creating. Not everything has to a a plan. I’m being BRAVE and using the stuff. Creating without an end goal in mind per say.

While I crafted, my buddy Marvin kept me company. He’s sweet like that.

This is a poor picture taken as the sun was setting but look at the blossoms! This plant has never bloomed for me. I’m so pleased that it finally did!

Over the long weekend I had plans to have Bloody Mary’s with the neighbors but they came down with a cold. I wasn’t too sad since it was so frigid outside. I didn’t relish the idea of walking across the street. Instead we all had our own and shared a photo in our group chat. :) I suppose we could have done a zoom call but that really would have been overkill.

It was back to reality for me today. The end of semester is Friday so suddenly all the kiddos want to get some work done! Imagine that! Keeps me busy and makes the day go by really fast.

Linking up with Elizabeth and friends for T Tuesday where we share a beverage and whatever else comes to mind.

T stands for Tuesday

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Building a card stash

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been sending more cards. This, in turn, depletes my stash. Over the past week, I’ve been having fun creating some new designs using some scraps as well as previously created card bases.

I have an index card box full of precut layering pieces for cards. This comes in handy for quick card making. I also have a wooden cigar box filled with mini collages for cards or journal pages. Doing some of the mindless prep work ahead of time leaves more time for the creative process and doesn’t interrupt the flow of ideas.

I am also starting to pre-make some sentiment pieces. I grabbed my tag and mason jar punches to start. The mason jar is so darn cute. The punch itself is a bit finicky. It jams almost every single time. UGH!!!!

I am willing to put up with it though because…look how cute this is!!!! After I stamped the pale seafoam green I realized that it was beginning to look like an old-fashioned blue mason. I used a cosmetic sponge to shade in two colors of blue dye-based ink. Then rubbed the top of the jar on a gray pigment ink pad to act as the zinc lid.

I used foam tape to lift it off the page so I could add some sticker flowers to the jar. So fun!

I can 100% guarantee that you’ll be seeing more cards and postcards. They are really quite addictive to create.

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T Tuesday: changes edition

This week is one of change. J heads back to college for the Spring semester. Our school is having its final week of the semester. Next week brings new classes for me and Mini-me, just to name a few.  With J heading back to college I’ll once again be expanding my crafty space to include the desk in his room. Perhaps then I’ll catch up with a couple of projects that have hit the back burner over the last month.

New projects

I’m creating an embellishment storage booklet. I was inspired by Gayle Agostinelli. So far I only have one page of the booklet completed. It’s not pretty but that wasn’t my purpose. I’m using up papers and extras that I’ll never use. It’s strictly utilitarian. Waste not, want not.embellishment booklet

I slipped a few random paper pieces in the pockets so they’d actually show up…

embellishment booklet

It will make better sense when it’s all put together but basically I want to have a book or booklet with all my small or fussy cut embellishments at the ready instead of searching through half a dozen places for just the right piece I know I own.

Another new project is actually an old one that I never started. The sketchbook project that I purchased over the summer. Of course, at the time the due date seemed so far away…now its only weeks away.sketchbook project page

sketchbook project page

I’m sure you’ll be seeing a lot more of these pages in the weeks to come. My only disappointment is that the pages are so thin…any wet media really soaks through very quickly. I definitely have to keep this in mind instead of just intuitively creating as I prefer.

Last weekend we finally put away all the Christmas decor. I snapped this late even photo the night before for my obligatory T Tuesday beverage reference. T Tuesday obligatory photo

Something fun that just came in the mail that I had to share was our “free” Marvin puzzle.

Marvin puzzle

I say “free” because for the puzzle itself we had a coupon code making it $0 but then the shipping seemed a bit overpriced so they definitely were making their money somehow.

I snapped this pretty sky photo when I got to work this morning. The sun was behind a veil of thin clouds…it was a perfect orange disk. The view almost made up for the slick driving conditions from the overnight snow. Almost.snowy morning sky

Such a bummer…we’re getting snow again right now…in fact, we are getting snow basically every day this week during one or both commutes. Not fun.

T stands for Tuesday

What are you doing today?

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Warm in the summer

Today, since it’s the first official day of summer, I thought I’d share a salute to summer journal page.

The page began as so many do with a piece of what I like to call mop-up paper. Basically copier/printer paper. I have tons of it in various colors that came in a lot of scrapbook supplies I acquired several years ago. Working in loose sheets allows me to use thinner substrate knowing that it will be adhered to an existing page in the final journal.

For background interest I glued book text in random places before covering the whole sheet with tissue paper. I love the texture tissue paper provides plus it softens the background.

I used gelatos to colorize, blending with a baby wipe.

After the background was settled, I chose a photo I had taken while on vacation a couple years ago. After resizing by tearing, I used my trusty sewing machine to stitch it into place. While I was at it I created a stacked fabric and paper collage embellishment for the top edge of the page.

Next it was time for the words…the oh so important and vital part for me. Warm in the summer jumped out at me. I layered the words over script stamped tissue and fabric.  At this point I thought I was done, until I noticed a tiny pinwheel charm in my box of bits. It was the finishing touch that the page needed.

Won’t you join me for Words to live by on Art Journal Journey?

Art Journal Journey

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T Tuesday: AJJ edition

Since I’m guest hosting over at Art Journal Journey this month I thought I’d make this a twofer post.

The journal page I created for my theme of Words to live by completely fits the bill.

I wish I could remember exactly who gave me the stamped handmade paper piece but I’m not sure.

I have an idea but maybe if she recognizes it she can speak up and I’ll know for sure.

I have quite a bit of coffee themed items that were collected and traded for long ago to create an altered book. With that book complete, I now have lots of fun items to use in other creative ways.

The background for the page was layered with random papers from my scrap bucket. Over the top I spread red, turquoise and cream with my fingers in a loose fashion…almost giving the appearance of peeling paint. The colors were a bit to bright so I first used some distress paint then glimmer mist to tone it down. Now I was at the color I was searching for.

I added washi tape with my sentiment boldly across the page then softened it with some torn washi in a complementary color. I then added a stacked button flower embellishment from my stash for a bit more interest.

This is another loose leaf journal page sized for a new art journal I’m working on. I love working in loose leaf. Being able to add stitching, eyelets or brads simply anywhere frees my creative process. Of course this page is not an example of that.

My new journal is an old recipe binder. I cut pages to fit out of black card stock and will adhere each completed journal page to the card stock.

The binder is yet undecorated as I’m not sure what I want to do with it. I was thinking about giving it some gorgeous texture but now I’m leaning more towards a fabric slipcover. Indecision at its best.

I’m not even worried that the journal pages I create are an exact fit for the pages.

This page from my previous post will leave a bit of black page showing on both sides. I almost prefer this look to the fit of my coffee page.

This week has a college visit tied into a mini-vacation for Mini-me and I. We are both super excited for a little time at the lake. Hopefully the weather cooperates with us!

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?
Art Journal Journey

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T Tuesday: card making edition

One evening last week, while sitting with Mr. G in front of the TV, I decided to make some cards. I gathered some supplies and set to work.

(pretend this photo was taken pre-card making) Also imagine there is a glass of water off to the side…

Between the pre-folded cards from Micheal’s and the stack of mini collage embellishments previously created it was quick work to put together 29 cards.

 

 

Most of these cards will need a sentiment of some sort such as this one…

I am so pleased that I now have a plethora of cards to chose from for all kinds of occasions to come.

T stands for Tuesday
What are you doing today?

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Quick cards

In my last post I shared more of my mini collage embellishments that I’m currently obsessed with creating. I’m sure some would wonder if I will ever be able to use them all. I can’t speak to using them all but they are very handy when pressed for time.

Having these on hand allowed me to make some thank you cards just by adding a stamped sentiment.

Each of these embellishments also included a previously created button flower embellishments. I’ve nearly used all of those up. Nothing goes to waste.

Besides, some times it’s just about creating…not about the product.

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