Tag : scraps

83 posts

Welcome back to Halle’s Hobbies. Glad you could stop by today to check out another page for Words to live by on Art Journal Journey which I happen to be guest hosting this month. Yay!

I had really thought I posted this earlier but I had only uploaded the photos. I guess that’s what happens to our brains during the last week of school. Mush…mush for brains. Anywho…

I started with a page of thin blue/green mop up paper. Since it was too thin I adhered it to another sheet of thicker paper. Next I began using my favorite tool…my fingers…to paint over the chaos with bright happy colors…yellow, pink and orange. It was a little crazy so I muted things down with some white paint. After setting it aside to dry a while I cut it down to my 7×7 scrapbook journal size.

I pulled out some scraps that complemented my color scheme at this point. I began to play with layers until I found something that pleased me. Before gluing them down I decided some spatters of black were needed to help form a cohesive look.

Next I added some cheery flower stickers that just happened to match my color palette. The last thing was the words. I searched through my stash of words and phrases and quickly found the perfect one. 

Share the joy.

It wasn’t until I was taking these pictures did I notice that the scrap with the words had JOY visible twice.

I’d love it if you’d join me for Words to live by at Art Journal Journey this month.

Art Journal Journey

I’m super excited to announce that I have the honor of hosting over at Art Journal Journey this month.

Art Journal Journey

I have chosen the theme of Words to live by.

An art journal page just doesn’t seem complete without at least one word on it if you ask me. I’d say that I’m a stickler for the rules and true definition of a journal but that would be a big fat lie. I’m more of a rules are meant to be broken sort of gal…just don’t tell my kids at home or school. However, the gals over at Art Journal Journey do have some rules to adhere to if you want to play along so be sure to check them out.

For my first journal page of the June theme, I began with an abandoned piece of painted watercolor paper. I think Mini-me was attempting a night sky perhaps. Or maybe it was even me…who knows…who cares. It became the base as I began to stack layers of papers and fabric until I found a pleasing arrangement.

I used my sewing machine to loosely stitch the background layers together while I still contemplated where my page was headed. I rarely have an end goal in mind when I sit down to create. It really tends to stifle my creative process.

After a time, I decided on an image I know I have used at least once…but I’m thinking perhaps twice in the past as my focal point. I slipped a piece of dictionary page and scrap of vellum under the image before attaching it with brads. 

The page was really coming together now. I added a few extras such as washi tape, a punched medallion and vintage button before searching out words for my page.

In general the words are my last but critical step in my journal process. As I said before, I cannot seem to create a page with words. Found text is really my favorite way of adding words. The challenge to find something relevant that speaks my mind is so much fun!

When I noticed this phrase I thought it very fitting for the crew in the photo. What is up with this group anyway? Siblings, co-workers, man and his many wives, school chums, glee club…what’s their story? I bet it could start with the phrase “Strangest thing happened…”

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

Art Journal Journey

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.

Last week after a small binge of creating a stash mini collage pieces for journals and cards I decided to make some tags as well. I was inspired after watching a YouTube video by The Mushroom Market. She created lovely tags to go in her journals with just leftover strips of paper layered up in a seemingly random fashion. It looked like great fun!

Since I’m not big on following rules or doing things exactly as I’ve been shown, I began to layer up papers from my scrap bucket. Different sizes and shapes…all glued down on a piece of glossy printer paper that had yellowed around the edge. Obviously not the greatest quality paper but I’m not complaining since it came in a gigantic lot of craft supplies I acquired several years back.

As with so many things I don’t have a true “before” photo of the uncut sheet. I get so caught up in what I’m doing that I completely forget to document the process.

But you get the idea of what the sheet looked like before I cut them apart, cut the corners and stitched the edges.

I think they are kind of fun. At any rate they used up some scraps and will be put to use as journal tags, gift tags or embellishments someday.

Ok I think I’m a little obsessed again. I’ve been creating tons of mini collage pieces.

While making embellishments for my December Daily I rediscovered my love of fabric and paper collage at my sewing machine.

I haven’t made any of these in a very long time. Likely since I made them for the article I wrote for Sew Somerset. Of course my style has changed since then a bit but that’s to be expected. We shouldn’t stagnate in our creativity in my opinion. 

These blue ones make me want to created a winter theme journal or set of greeting cards.Although these I think are my favorite. I love the pop of orange along with the teal and blue.

Trust me you haven’t seen the last of these pieces…

I got my vintage vibe back today. I really felt like art journalling. Getting paint covered fingers and messy grungy pages was all I could think about.

I didn’t really give a whole lot of for thought other than wanting to use some really watered down sprays so show off the texture I was going to create.texture on art journal page

In the end I used gelatos and water color crayons as well to add the depth of color I sought.

I layered strips of yellow and blue scraps on both sides of the spread before adding the first layers of color sprays. Layer upon layer until I got the look I desired.  After I found this woman on a pattern envelope I knew she needed something sort of snarky to say. She just had that look about her.Then this image from one of the Reader Digest books I tore apart magically appeared. Well not magic but darn close…it was basically the first image I saw in the stack. 

 From where I’m sitting it looks to me like a secret society

Yep…in those days the ‘good old boys club’ pretty much was a secret society to women.

 

Art Journal Journey
Linking up to with Art Journal Journey for this months theme for Vintage or Modern.

Taking time to play in my art journals has been a challenge. I’ve been suffering from bouts of extremely busy schedules followed by times of extreme sloth. No, I’m serious. I’m not sure what’s up with that but I find if my schedule or to-do list isn’t packed with stuff, I have a hard time getting motivated. I justify it to myself as “I’ve just been so busy, I’ll just sit down for a bit and __(fill in the blank)__.  These options often include a screen, but of course not a useful screen such as learning something…no, just time wasters.  Netflix, Pinterest, phone apps, iPad games. WHY!!??!!

Ok…now that I got that confession off my chest I’m ready to move on since I actually have broken my slothful ways the past two days. Taking time to create. Let’s hope it continues, shall we!

This page went together as so many of my recent. I begin with what is around me. Gluing pieces down as the mood strikes.

Next comes the color. My fingers are truly my best tool….second best being the baby wipes I use to clean them off.  As I add paint with my fingers I remember the joy this brings me. I recall why I consider art my own private therapy.  I let go. Let it happen naturally.

I honestly cannot walk away from a page with adding words. They don’t have to be mine. They can be a quote, a sticker, handwritten or stamped. You may not even be able to see them. I often will “journal spill or mind dump” on a page. Sometimes its so messy that it’s illegible. Other times I cover it up with paint or papers. Just the act of writing it out helps ground me but really what it says is no ones business but my own.

These words struck me. Not in the way they were likely meant to.  For me it was more about how creating is good for me, for my soul.

And that is a beautiful thing.

Linking up today with Art Journal Journey is Art for Art’s Sake hosted by Chris of Pearshapedcrafting.

Art Journal Journey
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