String Art

I was looking through some old ATC trades recently and came across these ones I received in 2016. Wow, was it that long ago? It must be as that is the date on the back of them. I was fascinated with the string art on them. I did try my hand at it when I first received them using a small scalloped circle punch I had but never pursued it after that.

A friend recently reminded me about the string art and suggested I try it again as I was looking for something new and different to do. So, I went searching on Amazon for some scalloped circle dies and found a set from a company I never heard of before. I ordered them. They were not overly expensive and I figured if they did not work, I was not losing much.

Turns out, they work fabulously! I cut a few out of card stock to experiment on. I actually glued two scalloped circles together to make them sturdier. I tried a couple of test pieces. For the yellow one, I used red sewing thread. On the black one, I used a fine yellow yarn. The middle is a bit dimensional on that one but workable. I'm going to try using crochet cotton and embroidery thread also. Metallic thread or yarn might be fun too.

I have to figure out how to wrap the thread or string so all the intersections are not in the middle. That will be my next step. I will share the results when I am done.

Getting Back on the Bandwagon

I really need to get back on the decluttering, organizing bandwagon. My brother, who was off work for six weeks due to medical reasons, kept himself busy going through and getting rid of a lot of accumulated stuff downstairs. I can’t even remember how many times I took him to the dump to get rid of things!

My progress has been slowed right down since my recent fall at work. Most of my injuries have healed but the knee is still very unhappy and bruised. I’m so afraid of falling again, that I have been extra careful. I was lucky that I did not get really injured this time. I don’t want a next time. I may not be so fortunate.

There is one box ready to drop off at the thrift store, mostly clothes that my granddaughter and I do not wear anymore. Hopefully, that gets me back on the bandwagon. My brother wants to have a yard sale this summer so some things will be set aside for that. A yard sale seems like a lot of work though. I hope it is worth it in the end. Anything of mine left will definitely be going to the second hand store. I will not bring it back in the house.

Autumn / Halloween Journal Cards

I found some free autumn images on a Facebook group I belong to. I copy and pasted four to a page in Word, to get four journal cards per page. I took the file to Staples to have printed on their colour toner printer. My printer at home is an inkjet and does not print colour pictures very well.

After tea/coffee tying the pages, the colours were toned down and muted a bit. This fit perfectly with a Halloween theme. The images were glued to black card stock next. I added teeny, tiny diecut bats on each of the cards.

Coffee dyed paper was added to the back of each one and I stamped a different image on each with archival ink. I love how they turned out!

Creating With Used Postage Stamps

Over the years, I’ve accumulated a lot of used postage stamps. The first thing I ever created with them was postage stamp mandala. What is a mandala, you ask? We often associate the word mandala with the circular designs that have repeating colors, shapes, and patterns radiating from the center. Mandalas can be precise, carefully measured, geometric, and perfectly symmetrical, or in contrast, free flowing, organic, and asymmetrical.

Here are some of the first ones I made with used postage stamps.

I was inspired to try this from a couple of ATCs that I received in a swap.

By using the same stamp design you can get a totally different look depending on the way you orient them.

I made a whole bunch of these ATCs for a group swap, one for each member.

Here are some other ways that used postage stamps can be utilized in projects much to the horror of some ardent stamp collectors. Let’s start with Christmas gift tags.

Artist trading cards.

Mini journal cards.

Dangles to hang on junk journals. (These were made by a friend.)

I have SO many used postage stamps, mostly hoarded over the years that I’ve decided to see how many other ways I can use them in my crafts this year. Just while writing this post, I've thought of a couple more ideas.

Digital Papers

Not only am I addicted to acquiring scrapbook paper pads, but also to collecting digital papers. Digital paper refers to electronic artwork files used as background patterns, often in image formats like JPG or PNG, and mimicking the look of traditional scrapbook paper

The real benefit of these is that they don’t take up much physical space to store. They are all on an external hard drive the size of a small notebook that holds two terabytes of data. I’ve only used 34 gigabytes so plenty of room left for more.

The range of themes is quite broad…Halloween, Gothic, Christmas, fairies, gnomes, vintage ephemera, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Rabbit, spring, winter, autumn, nature, flowers, etc. You get the idea. There are more themes than I can name. I’ve purchased them on Etsy or Kofi, and many of them are freebies from various digital artists.

I really need to start using more of them. If only there were more hours in a day and more energy in my body!

Listen to Your Own Good Advice

I recall saying quite recently that falling is not a good idea. I know this from personal experience on many occasions over the years but fall I did this week.

It was Monday, around 4:55 p.m. Work was wrapping up for the day. I got up to prepare to head home when my left knee gave out on me. I could not catch myself and ended up going for a flying leap. My forehead hit the desk across from me cracking the drawer face. I also landed on my bad knee pretty hard and well as on the desk size garbage can under my right arm.

People came running by which time I was sitting up, legs outstretched, in a LOT of pain and wondering how the heck I was ever going to get up off the floor. An ice pack was provided for my head while I sat there trying to get my bearings. No dizziness, no nausea, no bleeding thank goodness.

Luckily, someone strong enough to get me up on my feet again was there to assist. They helped me get to my car and I immediately drove myself to the local hospital ER department. Three hours later, after four x-rays on my left knee, four x-rays on my right shoulder and a CT scan on my head I was released and able to finally go home. I had no broken bones and my brain was still where it should be.

I saw the video footage the following day at work, and it was quite spectacular. I am really lucky that I was not seriously injured. They are recommending a new ‘uniform’ to wear at work now but I don’t think it will be very comfortable.

Long Weekend Excursion

On the Victoria Day long weekend, my cousin and her husband hosted a ‘cousin retreat’ at their Bed & Breakfast in Napanee. What a lovely place they have just outside of town on the bay! Here is the view from the floor to ceiling windows in the living room.

Four of us headed out from Ajax early Friday morning for the long 3 hour trip to get there. No highway driving for us, we took the scenic route. We stopped at Tim Horton’s once for steeped tea and a bathroom break. We also ended up stopping at a closed farmers market with a Port-a-Potty in the back because we were getting desperate again and could not find anything else.

When we finally arrived, we were awestruck by the beauty of the place. My cousin and her husband treated us like royalty. It was amazing! The food was fabulous. The accommodations were first class. No wonder they have a five star rating.

We talked and talked, catching up on what we’ve been up to, later that most of us typically stay up at night. It had been such a long time since we spent any time together that was not a family funeral. There have been too many of those in the last few years. It was good to be able to relax and laugh together and enjoy each other’s company.

I would never have been able to get there on my own and am grateful to the cousin who volunteered to drive us all there. And I am especially grateful to my other cousin and her husband for inviting us to spend some time with them. Thank you!

What I Have Learned About Junk Journals

I consider myself a beginner at making junk journals. Mine seem to lack ‘something’ that I see in others. I acknowledge that we are our own worst critic but I still feel that I have a lot to learn. And continuing to move forward and not give up is the path I’m choosing.

But what have I learned by watching videos, and looking at the work of others? Let’s look at it together.

1. All the pages do not have to be the same size or shape. Variety adds interest to a journal. 2. A plain page can be boosted up a level by small things; a cluster of small bits in one corner, some rubber stamping or stenciling in random areas of a page. 3. There is no right or wrong way to create a junk journal. There are no ‘junk journal police’ around to enforce a plethora of unwritten ‘rules’. Any journal you make is a reflection of you and an expression of your style & creativity. 4. Everything does NOT have to be ‘perfect’ or whatever version of perfect you are stuck in. There is beauty in imperfection. There is charm in asymmetry.

A junk journal can be as big or small as you choose. They can be bound many different ways. They can have hard covers or soft covers. They can have a specific theme or purpose, or not. You can add fabric, lace, buttons or beads and such, or not. Basically, if you can conceive it, you can make it. And it is good.

I have purchased several journals from other artists over the past couple of years. I have swapped or been gifted journals too. I constantly flip through them to get ideas and inspiration. What I have to do is not compare my work to others and not to criticize my own work as 'not up to par'. I need to keep reminding myself that 'What I create is uniquely me, and is special.'

Making Journal Cards

What do you do with all those election cards left in your mailbox or tucked in your front door? As you might have guessed by the title of this blog entry, you make journal cards with them! They are typically printed on a thin, glossy card stock and most, if not all of them, usually end up in the recycling bin.

I decided to cut a few of them up and make journal cards. A light sanding takes off some of the gloss and helps the glue hold better. The backs are plain coffee dyed paper and can be written on. The fronts are collaged with coffee dyed music and security envelope papers, book pages, and brown paper bag.

They all spent some time in the book press my son made for me to keep them flat as the glue dried. On top of the collage are Beatrix Potter images cut from books and inked around the edges frame them. The front and back edges of the cards are inked to finish them off too.

I don’t have a journal to put them in right now. They will go into a shoebox where I’m collecting items for future projects or swaps. I have many more of those little Beatrix Potter books to make ephemera from and as the urge hits me, I’ll make some more. I just love those watercolour images.

I Hate Spring!

I know that sounds totally ludicrous to most people. We wait for months for the warmer weather to arrive and here I am complaining about it. I do have a valid reason for it though. Spring brings the seasonal allergies with a vengeance!

In April, it’s the grass pollens. While I love to see the changing of the seasons, and cannot imagine living somewhere that you don’t experience it, it also causes me a lot of distress. I’m sneezing and coughing. My nose is running like tap and my eyes are weepy. The asthma kicks in and my lungs are wheezing. It’s not a fun time.

Then comes May, and the trees will start sprouting their new leaves. The tree pollen will be visible in the air some days, floating around and mocking me. That’s when my breathing really becomes laboured. More often than not, it turns into a lung infection requiring antibiotics. It is a regular pattern for me.

So, please excuse me for being cranky about Spring. It will pass as it does every year. It simply is not my favourite time of year for that reason.

Gratitude Journal

I think that everyone should have a gratitude journal and write in it on a regular basis. We are so busy with everything happening around us every day that we don’t stop to be grateful for all of our blessings. And there are plenty of good things in our lives if we just take the time to reflect on them.

Gratitude and appreciation are powerful tools for enhancing wellbeing by fostering positive emotions and reducing stress. Regular practices like gratitude journaling and expressing appreciation can improve relationships and increase life satisfaction. Cultivating a habit of gratitude promotes resilience & can lead to a more fulfilling life.

A gratitude journal involves jotting down a few things that you are thankful for and can be done daily or weekly as you so choose. Keeping a gratitude journal is a good first step toward establishing gratitude, and it will help you identify and reflect on people, things, or events for which you are thankful. What are you grateful for today? Take a moment now to think about it and write it down.

Wall Art Progress

I’m still not satisfied with the gel prints I’m making for my potential wall art project. I’m likely being over-critical of my work, like always, but I have not given up on the idea yet. Rather than not accomplishing anything on the weekend, I decided to try to make a small ‘test’ piece out of patterned scrapbook paper. I picked out a dollar store 6” X 6” paper pack to make it with. If nothing else, I proved that the ‘concept’ worked.

I will continue to work on the gel prints and try to not be so critical of myself. I may watch a few video tutorials to help me advance my technique, looking for all the tips and tricks I can find. The test piece is 8” X 10” but I want the ‘real’ one to be bigger with more variety of colours. It’s a long weekend, so I will have more time to experiment. Onward and upward we go!

Gel Print Wall Art

I watched a couple of videos this week about creating wall art with gel prints. Naturally, I want to try it. In the first example, you make a lot of layered gel prints in different colours, cut them into 1” strips of varied lengths and apply them to a canvas or board. I could not find a photo to show you, but it would look much like the jelly roll quilt below. The finished piece in the video had multiple colours, not the narrow colour selection like this quilt. Either would work, I think, depending on your personal preference.

The second wall art example was done in a grid formation using multiple 2”-3” squares with a white border around each. Again, this could be created with multiple colours or a monochromatic colour scheme. You can decide what size to make your creation depending on the size of frame you want to use or where you want to display it.

With this wall art goal in mind, I pulled out my supplies to make some gel prints. Well, I was unhappy with the results I was getting and stopped to re-group and re-evaluate the colour scheme I want to go with. The prints that I did pull became potential artist trading card backgrounds. I believe I have enough of those to last me quite a while now.

I will make another attempt at it to see if I can get better outcomes this weekend. Cross your fingers for me!