• Art - Creativity - Kitchen

    T Tuesday: mixed media edition

    April 13, 2020 - By 

    Who knew that inspiration could strike while randomly gluing bits and pieces of paper from the scrap bin. Seriously…this is too weird. I was feeling the need to craft something…anything. I had watched a couple of YouTube videos of folks making these insanely beautiful collaged papers. Of course, the bits and pieces that they used were amazing. Pieces that I wouldn’t be “just trying to use up”. But this thought got me to put paper and glue together.serendipity background beginnings

    I started with a double-page spread from a children’s music book. I added bits of paper from my scrap bin until I was pleased or in this case…just “done” with this process.serendipity background

    Not bad right…not super but workable. I added some washi tape, stamping, and stickers.

    Next, I took the sheet to my guillotine cutter and needed to decide how to chop this up.

    serendipity background

    I decided on three postcards and several tags or perhaps journal cards.

    I added some paint and embellishments to the postcards before adhering them to plain paper. I then ran them through the sewing machine to make sure everything stayed firmly together.

    serendipity postcard

    serendipity postcard

    serendipity postcard

    Super fun!serendipity background

    These are the completed pieces that are ready to use. The gaps are still WIP. Not sure what I’ll do with them but that’s ok.

    I had so much fun with this process that I made another collage sheet.serendipity background

    I have 5 postcards and 2 tags with a fun springtime vibe.

    I made this sheet on Saturday…before this happened on Sunday.Merry Eastergiving

    SNOW!! What a crazy weather day. Mini-me and I decided that we should say “Merry Eastergiving” since the outside said Christmas, I was making a Thanksgiving style meal with turkey, all on Easter Sunday for just the 4 of us.

    The card in the collage above was made by a sweet friend of mine.  She is a tremendous card maker. I’ve been sending more cards lately. A card in the mailbox is a tiny bit of joy I can send someone. Just getting a handwritten card by a real person these days is nearly cause for celebration. We need that these days.

    Distance learning continues at our house…both on the teaching and learning ends of things. chromebook styleMy school issued Chromebook is getting a workout. Stickers optional but fun indeed.

    T stands for Tuesday
    What are you doing today?
  • Blog - Creativity - Tutorials

    A second look: recycled t-shirt bags

    April 2, 2020 - By 

    Since we have entered April, which happens to be Earth Month…or at very least the month that we honor Earth day…I thought it fitting to “recycle” one of my upcycling posts for Second on the 2nd.

    Take a look….

    2/22/2013 Recycled T-shirt Bags

    t-shirt

    First of all, I have to admit that this is not my original idea. I’ve seen many versions of this on Pinterest.    box pleat

    But after going through the kids clothes and coming up with 2+ garbage bags full to pass along to a friend, it inspired me to keep a couple school shirts for this project.

    This project couldn’t be an easier. I turned the shirt inside out then stitched the bottom closed.  Next was the box pleat to create a flat bottom. Basically you sew perpendicular to the bottom seam at each corner. You end up with a triangle of fabric that is not usable bag space. Gosh, I think I’m making that more complicated than it really is!! Here’s a link that shows the process if I just confused you.

    Anyway…then I turned the shirt back right side out and cut off the sleeves and made a scoop cut at the neckline. No pattern just start cutting. We all know what a plastic handle bag from the grocery or discount store looks like….that’s what you are going for in shape.

    All in all, not too shabby for a few minutes work. It saved a couple of shirts from the rag pile since  they’d likely never be worn again.

    Little J claimed the lime green one as soon as she returned home. It was her shirt to begin with so now it will continue to serve her in a different capacity.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Won’t you join me for

    Second on the 2nd
  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    Old image, new page

    March 29, 2020 - By 

    I can’t even begin to count how many times I have used this particular image. When I was first learning how photoshop and my printer played together I inadvertently printed multiple copies of the same sheet of images…which happened to be all the same image. Since I don’t like to waste and printer ink costs a small fortune, I have become very fond of this odd foursome.foursome art journal page

    I always wonder what the story is behind this photo. Siblings, extended family, sister wives? I decided to play on the latter with a bit of printed vellum.printed vellum loves me loves me not

    The background of this page is simply a book page.  After adhering a piece of Tim Holtz tissue paper over the entire page, I added color with gelatos. I softened and blended the color with baby wipes.

    More instances of this image: