• Art - Blog - Creativity

    AJJ: Flower Specimen

    July 26, 2025 - By 

    Todays journal page came from a little sewing table organizing. This always seems to happen to me. I go to organize then get distracted or inspired, abandoning my original quest and dive in to my latest thought.

    There happened to be a stack of sewing pattern paper at the back of my table begging to be used, as well as some fun orange papers I picked up in a grab bag at a recent rummage sale. This was enough to get my mind onto creating instead of cleaning and organizing.

    I folded the pattern piece to the approximate size of my journal, then stitched a rectangle in the center to hold things together as I began building the page on the other side.

    I used a length of eyelet lace and a scrap of vintage plaid for the next layer…giving them a little stitch together before using Fabri-Tac to adhere the piece to the sewing pattern paper. The teal brought out the leaf color from the orange floral paper just perfectly. Plus I love that combination. I also really love pink and orange together.

    I decided to highlight the “specimen” with a circle die cut before layers some ticket and label stickers.

    Behind the floral paper is a pumpkin vine embossed piece. Not really my cup of tea so I covered the majority of it with the floral paper. I ended up adding the bit of fabric ruffle to hide the rest of the pumpkins…out of sight, out of mind.

    The upper corner felt a little lacking so I stapled a tiny piece of handmade paper and added a tiny specimen card with a butterfly. These additions made it felt complete.

    I had so much fun making this page. Getting distracted isn’t always bad, I guess.

    Stop by Art Journal Journey and check out the linked pages everyone is creating based on my Botanicals theme this month!

  • Art - Blog - Creativity

    AJJ: Adore

    July 25, 2025 - By 

     

    My journal page for today I simply Adore…yep, I said that…couldn’t help myself. When I came across the handmade paper in my stash I knew I had to use it. The leaves and flower petals that are embedded were so inspiring!

    Just look at that texture!!

    Next I found the back of an envelope that was beautifully aged. The ideas really started flowing at this point. I thought about a romance…love letters….flowers.

    Whoa…I didn’t think I was that much of a romantic.

    This couple looked like they really adored each other.

    I used elements from several different ephemera packs including some Tim Holtz.  I’m on a mission to use up some of the things that I “just had to have” which pretty much turned into hoarding them.

    I hope you’ll stop by Art Journal Journey and check out some of the other artwork that is being created for my theme of Botanicals this month.

    Side note: Yesterday I realized, while updating my challenges and collaborations page, that this is my fourth time hosting over on Art Journal Journey.

  • 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.