Scrappy Journal #30

A Bit of This, A Bit of That

Scrappy Journal # 30

This book is inspired by Remains of the Day (pages) and Full Tilt Boogie (exposed spine sewn tape binding), classes offered online by MaryAnn Moss. It includes a variety of papers, including scrapbook, painted and gelli prints, paper bags, and plain cardstock. The pages are embellished to create visual interest as well as pockets, flaps, and little places to tuck photos and things. Machine stitching to add things to pages; hand stitching for binding. Covers are an old repurposed book. A fabric collage is attached to the front cover. There are 8 signatures with 3 or 4 folios each; approximately 134 pages!

Unfilled, this book is a piece of art, created to be visually stimulating, with some pages left blank to give the eye a place to rest. There is some consideration to page placement, but mostly I generally place colors together that are pleasing to me.

I generally use my scrappy journals to “document life.” I love looking back at them to remember what was going on at a particular time. They are like small snapshots of life. They are more interesting (to me) than a regular scrapbook or photo album because photos and text intermingle with found images, papers, and "junque."

I'm working on a few that I'll list on Etsy. I love making these and I love it when they go out into the world.

A side "project" has been an exchange of mail art with students in the Sewn class. 

I love receiving mail art - it is sew much fun!

Pattern Book

Here is a slide show of my pattern book ... it is unfinished but I wanted to show the progress I've made with it.

Sewn projects

Here's the pinwheel from my painted papers. I'm in love with the colors (which unfortunately don't show as well on the computer.)

It's not very sunny so it doesn't show well in the photo.

And here is a patchwork piece. I wanted to see the colors mixed with black/white zen doodles. I'm pleased with the way it turned out except for the very bright patch that doesn't go with the softer colors. Alas ... it's all in fun and all a learning process.

I found this piece of fabric strips that I'd sewn together ... 

and added a backing for it with some zigzag stitching. This may become a book cover or a page in a future fabric journal.

 

 

These are postcards that are either in the mail or on the way to the mailbox.

In my next post, I'll show pictures of the pattern book.

Creating pattern "fabric"

Strip A
plus

Strip B
equals

Paper fabric
Not sure what I'll do with it yet ... 

Pattern Book

A project for the Sewn class is to create a pattern book. Papers for the cover are mostly scrapbook papers with some of the pattern paper I've been painting.

The inside of the cover is my painted paper. I used mostly 140lb watercolor paper as we will be painting in the book. A couple folios are different weight papers.

I added two photos. The back cover photo is my mom who taught me how to sew - using patterns. She also was big on using pattern fabrics for her clothing. I love this photo of her because it shows how much she loved to play - and that is what this class is all about. The photo on the inside cover is from a gazillion years ago when my kids were young (and so was I!) Pattern is evident in the clothes we wear - I made my pants and my daughter's outfit.

I stopped sewing clothing shortly after this photo ... a long story ... However I started sewing paper several years ago when I took a class with Traci Bautista and absolutely love it. My sewing machine is like a paint brush - a fun way to add line and texture.

Having fun with this class!

Painting Patterns

Painting patterns on paper for Mary Ann Moss' Sewn class. Very meditative. I'm thoroughly enjoying my color palette! Fun summer project.
 

 

 

 

 

21 Secrets 2013 inspired art

This is inspired by 21 Secrets 2013 workshop by Cathy Bluteau called Doodling Our Way.

Beautiful Spirit

Detail. I added a fabric flower and petals.

Detail. The paper was an envie that I got from Mary Ann Moss in her class, Ticket to Venice.
 I love the color it adds - painting with paper.

Detail. The flowers are mostly scrapbook papers.

Detail. Small flowers and butterfly collage were from a Mary Englebreit calendar.
I used dimensional paint in  some circles.

What I enjoyed most about this process was breaking the page down into sections and treating each section as a small piece of art. This made it easier to pull the collage together. I enjoyed doing this so much I've completed two more; one on paper to be framed, the other on a small 5x7 canvas.