SEWN-Paper "fabric"

There is something very satisfying about sewing paper. Not that I will never sew fabric again but with the right needle (denim, heavy duty) and bright thread, this could/has become addictive.

This week's project was taking more of our painted papers. Cut them into strips, piece together, cut again (and again if you want) and create a beautiful piece of patchwork.

sf

 Yes, you can take this one step further and cut to your hexagons and piece as a lovely flower. But I have to admit, I'm enjoying this big piece of loveliness hanging in my window.

SEWN Pattern Portfolio

Part 1 of SEWN is done and what fun. My pattern portfolio is finished and i have LOTS of papers still to make more.
I chose to use a manila folder as my book cover. (Why? Well, I love folders and it was the perfect size)
Spent some time selecting that papers that would live happily together, and using a hexagon template provided my Mary Ann, I chopped away. Using a glue stick (a cheap one, not too strong) I dabbed a it of glue in the middle of each hexie and created my final design. (The pieces are sewn to the cover stock so you only need to keep them in place with the glue-don't use a ton because you might gum up the sewing machine needle)

And here is the inside cover. No, I'm not going to cover it with anything. Will just sign and date. I like to see all those zig-zags. (great excuse to use fun colors in your bobbin too!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday SEWN

Painting continues in the Pink Room. Acrylic(Craft) paint on sketch paper, vellum & watercolor paper and watercolor paint on anything! I'm still disciplining myself to use a certain palette of colors. That is more of a challenge for me than anything else.

There and back again.

The blog has languished and waited for me. And I'm asked every week if I'm still blogging. Well yes, but not as often as I might like. But then, I'm doing and not blogging.  painting, and sewing and all the other things that one does when one is not blogging.
This is where I will be for the next 5 weeks.

SEWN from MAM on Vimeo.

This is all consuming. And it's wonderful. Am I a painter? Oh yes! i am indeed! An artist even? Absolutely. Will i get rich from it? Nope. And that's just fine with me. learning to use different mediums, water color, acrylic and such. Ginormous learning curve for moi. Luvin' it.

here are the beginnings of my designs. I'm using colors that are typically not my go-to choices. Can't wait to see how they will all live together!

I'll keep you posted! Thanks for visiting me in the Pink Room.

Journaling your life.

Yep, still journaling and sketching and collaging. (and gardening and reading and...) well, you get the point.
 Here is where I am spending time with a fantastic group of awesome Artzy sistahs!! Hosted by her greatness Effy Wild,who is amazing. The talent and energy here is contagious! Stop by and see what you are missing.
Oh, and here is my very first face. Who is she? No idea, but I think I might name her Esme.

Journals N' Stuff

So, it came down to the doing instead of the looking. The creating, the mess, the lost sleep, the paper everywhere. Torn between the clean surface and no visual clutter and the need (no, the compulsion) to cover that surface with creative flotsam & jetsam. And many days that's what appears on my craft table. I find things and stuff and bits that catch my eye. "I can use that", "that's pretty" or "I'll eat one more chocolate because I need the foil for my project!"
The drawers are full and I pull out the little pieces and touch them and fold them, or smooth them-like we did as children with the foil on the big Easter eggs. Carefully pushing the wrinkles out to the edge. Smooth.
When I was growing up in the UK, we saved all the finds in a scrapbook: not the carefully planned and color colo rcordinated scrapbooks of today but construction paper books, big and ready for little hands to Sellotape(Scotch Tape) the treasures in. Chunky, bulgy pages. Today it's called a Smash Book. The same thing, just a new "go-round". Or is it a Junque Journal? Either way, anything goes.  I have been inspired by Jennibellie, love her use of materials and her tutorials are great. She inspires and the rest of us follow! So...here is what I have been working on. A journal that will evolve.
I began by gathering card stock from my stash. Nice and heavy and lovely pictures. Some will remain as backgrounds, some will be covered, painted, collaged etc.

I scored and folded. Added some water color paper to create signatures. Added greeting cards that I could not part with. And poked holes (carefully)

to bind.

I don't have a binding maching so have 3 hole punched the hand bound signatures. They will all fit on loose leaf rings and my thought is that I can add more as I wish.

Jennibellie loves to add dangles and beads to her journals and you will notice these when you watch (and listen) to her tutorials. Tactile. So..... I added a few trinkets of my own.

and then, I was on the internet again (!) and found this tutorial and just had to make some of these too!

Hope you like what you see and perhaps it has given you ideas to create your own junque journal or scrapbook or smash book. I'll show you how the pages evolve.

Christmas in...August?

Yep! Another swap, this time at Maryjanes Farmgirl Forum, August one on one ornament swap. I just finished mine and will be mailing it to Beth, hope she likes it. I have not made one of these in close to 20 years but I still have the Leisure Arts pamphlet with the directions. So, here goes....Victorian Kissing Ball Ornament.

1) Cut out approx (60) 3 1/2" squares. Fold in half/iron

2) Fold into triangles/iron

3) Start pinning around styrofoam ball using sequin pins.

4) Stop when you get halfway

5) Do the same on the opposite side of the ball until both sides meet.

6) Cover the open edge with ribbon (I useda strip of one of the fabrics)

7) And your ornament is ready.

ATC's, Apples & Shrinky Dink

I'm participating in an ATC sawp on Splitcoast .Even though we rae in the middle of a July heatwave, we are thinking ahead to Fall and the Apple harvest. Here is my finished ATC.

The little apple "charm" on the right is made from Shrinky Dink. Remember that from the 70's! Well, it's back and so much fun to use. Check out the before & after size on the apples. The stamped images are SU Tart & Tangy stamp set. I colored with SU markers being careful not to touch the colored image as it does rub off easily. I hole punched (remember, the hole will shrink too) and then cut out the shapes. Just a minute in the oven and lots of cute little charms.

Crafty Catch up

Just wanted to share some lovely yo-yo flowers that my sister sent me. How pretty are these? She repurposes all kinds of fabric (old curtains, lace tablecloth) when she makes these yo-yo flowers which are 3 or 4 inches across. They are embelished with trims and buttons and attached to dowels as "stalks"
Can you imagine these all clustered in a big Mason jar?

Eat, Pray, Create.

Loved the book and it's so interesting to hear from the author herself on this subject. Did you read the book? What was your favorite country?