• Art - Blog - Creativity

    AJJ: recycled bag

    July 23, 2025 - By 

    Today’s page for my Botanical theme over on Art Journal Journey was inspired by a paper shopping bag.

    A few years ago a teacher I worked with knew my love of collage. One day she brought me a stack of colorful and unique shopping bags she didn’t have the heart to throw out. She was a bit sheepish about giving them to me but I was thrilled!

    The background is one of those bags…slightly wonky and torn. I loved the cyanotype leaves and chartreuse “A” over the top. The words up the side made me think of a sunny morning when the dew glitters in the sunlight. The birds are singing and butterflies fluttering about.

    After selecting a strip of scrapbook paper that fit my color scheme, I once again I used some pieces from my Tim Holtz ephemera pack…can you tell I’m trying to use up some things from my stash? I layered these on top of a bit of mulberry paper as well as a scrap of handmade paper and a label.

    Simple collage that fits my Botanical theme.

     

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    AJJ: fabric floral

    July 19, 2025 - By 

    I had a little play this morning with some fabric I picked up at a church rummage sale on Thursday.

    I cut a paper scrap down to 7×10 to fit in my planner journal then tore the fabric to approximately the right size. Next I put a bit of tape runner in the center to hold the fabric in place while I stitched around to create a stable base to work.

    Teal and orange are such a wonderful color combo. The bits of teal against the warm palette were very inspiring.

    I pulled from my stash and starting the layering process.

    Adding more and more bits from my table.

    I keep this glass cookie jar on my sewing table to toss little bits of this and that in as I am crafting. This system works really well for both containment and inspiration.

    This color scheme really spoke to me. It was hard to decide when this one was done.

    The mix of fabric, lace and paper has me very pleased with the end result.

    I’d love it if you’d stop by Art Journal Journey and play along with my Botanical theme this month.

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    AJJ: asymmetrical page

    July 17, 2025 - By 

    Welcome back for another page for my Botanicals theme over at Art Journal Journey.

    I went a little different with this one. I decided to go asymmetrical with the background. Just layering three pieces of paper that I loved. I placed them within a 7×10 grid as that is the page size of my planner journal that I’m using.

    Once again I used a piece from a Tim Holtz ephemera pack.

    I added a label and word sticker but it felt as if it needed a little something more. I remembered I had gotten a large stack of acrylic dome stickers and found the perfect color to add that little bit of texture I was missing.

    My page is very simple but I really like how its out of the ordinary.