Deserted Island Journal Challenge

THE DESERTED ISLAND JOURNAL CHALLENGE

Have not been on vacation in what seem like for ever.  About time I did some R and R and replenish by mind, my soul, my body.  Booked a Disney 7-night Caribbean Cruise.  Looking forward to this and cannot wait to get started.

The first night of the Cruise was awesome.  Slept like a baby.  The gentle rocking of the ship lulled me into a deep, deep sleep.  The next morning, I felt like a new person.  Sat down to breakfast and chit chatted with some of the passengers.  Everything was perfect.  After breakfast, I took a stroll around the ship, when suddenly, something did not feel quite right.

All of a sudden the waves began to crash against the ship.  The ship started to rock violently.  I ran to my room and grabbed by water proof backpack and life vest.  No time for anything else.  Ran back outside, hoping to get on one of the life boats, but to my astonishment, there were none left.  What to do!  What to do!  I held on for dear life.  What else could I do.

I must have blacked out, because when I came to, I was on the shore of an island.  A deserted island.  What happened to all the other passengers.  Where were they?  Can't worry about that now.  Need to get my bearings.  How long will I be here.  Will there be a rescue?  Does anyone know?  Already late in the day.  Can't worry about that now.  Need to fine shelter for the night.

Day 2:  Woke up hungry, but no food to be found.  I walked around the island a bit and luckily there was a stream with fresh water not too far from where I was.  Water tasted good and help curb the hunger.  Did not find any food, though.  I need to find something to do until I am rescue, and help take my mind off food.  I looked in my waterproof backpack and found some art supplies I brought along with me to do in my spare time.  Let's see.  What do I have.  Ah!  I have some glue.  A brown stamp pad and applicator, a sheet of scrapbook paper, coffee dyed paper, a needle and some sewing thread, rotary cutter and ruler, some old fabric with lace trim and a pencil.  With these items, I can make a journal and document my stay here on the island.

However, it has been a long day already and the sun is starting to set.  What a beautiful sight, especially the way the sun reflects off the ocean.

Day 3:  Started working on the journal.  I made the cover with the scrapbook paper and used the coffee dyed paper for my pages.  Pull some aside to use as embellishments.  With one of the papers I made a tag.  Folding it in half and gluing them together.  I took some of the fabric and stitched a piece onto the tag.  With another sheet I made a pocket, but first stitching on it before gluing the sides. 

 

With the left over scrapbook paper that I cut off I made a tag and use some more of the fabric, gluing it on the top for a pull.  Not too bad, considering I do not have the comforts of home.

Some of the pages were long enough to make a tri-fold with them.  I did this with several of the pages.

Since I had the needle and thread out and some of the fabric, I stitched it down to one of the pages.  

I had some fabric left over, so made a pocket and tucked it in for later use, should I need it.

I think I will stop for now.  Getting late and need a drink.  Don't want to be wondering off in the dark.

Day 4:  I awake to a beautiful morning.  The sun is out and the warmth feels good after being cold all night.  Did not sleep well.  Really, really hungry.  I will explore the island a bit more and see what I can find in the way of food.  Came across this plant.  Do not know what it is, but it had some berries in the pod and tried a few.  They were very, very tasty and helped with the hunger.  I wonder if there is anything like this back at the states.  More importantly, I hope they are not poisonous.

After some berries and a drink of water, I am feeling much better now.  I decide to work some more on the journal.  It will help pass the time.  Stitched on one of the pages and with the extra fabric stitched some to the side of one of the pages.  I am actually enjoying myself.  The peace and quiet and working on the journal is quite comforting.  I stop now and decide to explore the island some more before retiring for the night.  I look out at the ocean to see if I can see some signs of a ship, hoping to be rescued.

Day 5:  I am almost finished with the journal.  I take what is left of the coffee dyed paper and make a small booklet.  With the last piece of the scrapbook paper, I make a back pocket and with the last of the coffee dyed paper, I write a letter to my love ones, should this be found and not I.

I glue the booklet to the last page and tuck the letter into the back pocket.  It has been an experience, but one I shall never forget.  

Day 6:  Another beautiful morning, but now I am becoming disillusioned. Will I ever be found?  Is this where I am to spend the rest of my life?  I continue to explore the island.  There must be more.  There has to be more.  I drink from the stream and bring back with me the last of the berries I have found.  I continue to work on the journal and am finally finished.  I have written in it my experiences here on the island.  The beauty, the tragedy, but hopefully not the ending.  I am so tired.  I need to sleep.

Day 7:  I awake to a loud noise.  What is it?  What is that sound?  I finally come out of my sleep and realize it is a bull horn.  I am being told they are sending a boat out to rescue me.

I AM BEING RESCUED!  Not all is lost.

I will miss you, you wonderfully mysterious island.  Your beauty, your sunsets and wonderfully awesome mornings.  I must return home now.  I do not belong here.  This is your island and it all belongs to you.

Blankets, Quilts, Afghans & more...

Self Binding Receiving Blanket

with matching Baby Album

I am going to be a GREAT-grandma!

My grandson is having a baby girl, which means I am going to me a great-grandmother.

They are having a wee baby girl.

For the baby I made this self-binding receiving blanket.  

I've never made a self binding blanket before, but this was fast and easy.

For Mom, I made her a baby album.

On the inside, there is an envelope with a pin to pull it open.  

Mom can keep, I think, a lock of the baby's hair.  

There is also a pocket behind the envelope.

A pretty pink bow to tie it all together.

Let's not forget the "Goodnight Moon" book to be sent along as well.

It is tradition in our family that everyone new family gets one.

...and goodnight to the little old lady whispering hush.

Quilts

FINALLY!  FINALLY!  FINNALLY!

After, I don't know how many years, I finally finished the Halloween Quilt I started way back when.

I started this quilt when Ginger's Quilt Shop was still in business (I miss that Quilt Shop).

Cleaning out the garage and reorganizing, I came across this UFO (UnFinished Object).  This was not the only UFO I came across while going through all my crap, I mean stuff.  There were six other quilts that were left unfinished.  Some just needed the binding sewn on, others a bit more.  

Since this posting, I have finished two more quilts.  One was a sampler quilt and another a baby quilt.  The baby quilt was not for anyone in particular.  It was a quilt I put together from a swap I did when I was a member of Night Owls Quilt Guild.  Now that is ever older than the Halloween Quilt.  Wow!

Right now I am working on a beautiful blue Batik quilt that is another UFO.  But!  For the life of me, I cannot figure out the pattern.  It is one I made up for a class I taught (way back when), and I cannot figure out how I put the pattern together.  Luckily, I had the direction for it with the quilt.  Whew!

Still plugging away at all these UFOs and feeling a sense of accomplishment.  I feel a bit proud of myself, finally getting these done.  Now, should there be a baby on the way somewhere or a quick gift to give, I'm all set.

HAPPY QUILTING!

Inchie Art

One Inch Art

Last year I drew out one inch squares on a piece of drawing paper approximately 14" X 16".

My goal was to do a piece of art everyday, starting January 1, 2018.  Drawing on a 1" X 1"  square would be manageable, I thought, and it was.  However, coming up with something to draw everyday without repeating myself (which I did) was the difficult part.  Not so much in the beginning, but towards the end it was a bit more challenging.  I did skip a few days.  Some because I forgot, others I just did not feel like it and then there were those days when I was not feeling well enough to draw.

Looking at this now, I see that some were really, really good and then there were some that were really, really bad and then whole lot of in betweens.  I must say, although it was a bit challenging at times, it was lots of fun.  There is about 7-1/2 months of drawing. 

Wow!

I can't believe I did that.

Christmas In July

Photo Holders

Soooooooooo

It's "Christmas In July" for me and I've been busy MAKING Christmas gifts.

Why have I been making Christmas gifts?  I'm glad you asked.  I don't want to buy into the money making schemes of the all mighty dollar.  I don't want to shop to buy something, just for the sake of buying someone a Christmas gift.  I don't want to buy something, anything, just so someone does not get left out.

I think making a gift for someone that comes from the heart is worth more than what money can buy.  I want to think of that person, knowing  what they mean to me and make something special just for them.  It doesn't have to cost a lot.  It doesn't have to extravagant.  It just has to come from the heart.  I think that is what handmade/homemade gifts are all about.

Why am I making my gifts in July?  Another good question.  If I take time, one month out of the year, I can take my time in making the gift(s).  As the year draws nearer to Christmas, I do not have to rush to do something/anything and then end up buying something/anything.

This is one of the items I have made for someone(s) special.  I can show this because the person(s) getting it will not see this post.  Those who do see it are getting something else.

I have one more item to make, but I can't show you.  I can't show you anything else I've made either.  

Ssshhhh...

It's a surprise and cannot be revealed until Christmas.

So, maybe this has inspired you to have your own Christmas In July and start creating something for that special someone.

Tag Book

Quotes & Sayings

Life Takes You to Unexpected Places

Love Brings You Home

It has been quite some time since I've done anything in my "Quotes & Sayings" Book.

I like how this turned out, even though I copy the image from someone else.  I'm sorry to say, I cannot remember who that person is, otherwise I would give credit.  

I had drawn out the image a few months back, but never finished it until now.  I enjoyed coloring in the picture.  It was like coloring in a coloring book.  I don't much like to color, but with this little picture, I did.

I have been traveling here and there lately and have not been home much.  Although it is true that life sometimes takes you to unexpected places, it is even more true that LOVE brings you home.

Art Swap

Beach Theme

Awhile back, I joined an online art swap.  Jennibellie's Journal Workshop to be exact.

For this art swap, the theme was "Beach".  However, we were not to do a beach scene, i.e. beach landscape and the like.  The theme was to focus on the essence of the beach.  

Here is my version.  

I found scrapbook paper that reminded me of the ocean with the sunset in the background.  I used cheese cloth to mimic netting, a starfish, some flip flops and ocean rocks.  It measures 5" X 7" and is back with heavy cardstock.  

I hope my swap partner likes it.  I know I do.

What I've Up To...

Just Playing

Had a few ideas in my head I wanted to give a try.  Spent a day playing around with the ideas, just to see what worked and what did not.  I had lots of fun exploring the different techniques and experimenting.

 

The first thing I tried, was this little flip booklet using a cereal box.  The outside is covered with scrapbook paper, the inside with book pages and I used a strip of muslin for the hinge.  Folded some coffee stained paper, cut to size for the inside and there you have it.  May decorate the outside of this little booklet at another time.

The dimensions are 4" X 6". 

Next, I made some tracing paper bags and then covered the outside with music sheets and napkins.  Added paper doilies, lace and flowers.  The pink flower on the right was made from a used dryer sheet.  

These were so much to make.

I also made some envelopes and library pockets using coffee stained book pages.  

Good additions to use in a Junk Journal.

Here are some crochet motifs I made while watching television. I had so much fun making these tiny little doilies, I could have made a whole lot more.  I had some bed crochet thread that I stained with coffee before crocheting them.  These will be cute little additions to add to my bags, envelopes and Junk Journals.

Zentangle

BLUE MOOKA

So, about the last 2-1/2 - 3 weeks, I have been on a cleaning frenzy.  I am cleaning out, throwing out, giving away, putting away and organizing "stuff". 

Yesterday, as I was cleaning out one of my plastic folders, I came across this.  A piece I started way back when.  circa 2011-2012.  I'd forgotten all about this.

This is a gelli print I did and started to tangle on.  A sort of a ZIA (Zentangle Inspired Art).  I used the patterns of the paint to inspire what I would draw.  As you can see, I drew a Mooka in the blue area of this piece in the upper right hand corner.

Hence the title "Blue Mooka"  

The Zentangle Pattern Mooka, was created by Maria Thomas, co-founder of Zentangle.

Now that I have found it, I guess I either need to do something with it, or put it in the give-away pile, don't I.

Franken Pages

Making the Pages

We all have a scrap drawer or box full of left over paper cuts from previous projects.  At least I do, anyway.

Too big to throw away, yet too small to do much with them.  But, what are you to do with them?  The bigger pieces I use to make Junk Journals and the smaller ones I make mini-journals.  However, there are only so many journals you can make.  Right?

Well, I came across this YouTube channel the other day that showed how to make bigger pages from scraps of left over cut-offs.  They called them "Franken Pages"  I do not know how they came up with that name, but that is what they called them.

So, here is my hand at making "Franken Pages".  I must say I did really enjoy making these pages.  They were lots of fun.  It was a little intimidating at first.  I was not quite sure what I was doing.  Once I got the hang of it, however, the pages came together quickly.  I loved doing the stitching on them once they were done.  I think it brought a cohesiveness to them.

Back Side

Front Side

I hope you will give it a try and use up some of those left over pieces you have sitting around waiting to be use.  

See what you can create with those left over pieces.

Craft Napa 2018

Crafting A Life

Spent a week at Craft Napa 2018,  held at the Embassy Suites in Napa, California.  The staff there were very accommodating and I always came back to a clean room after my classes.

I arrived a day early so I could settle in my room before classes started the next day, which was a good thing, since I had an 8-hour drive.

I had two classes the next day.  One in the morning and one in the evening.

My morning class was "Captivating Composition for Art Quilt"s with Deborah Boschert. 

We learn eight different design guides for designing a quilt. First row, top left: One Amazing Line, Third Plus, Landscape.  Middle row, left: Magic Threes, Symmetrical, Grid.

Bottom, left: Dancing Grid, Modular.

This class opens up your eyes to all the possibilities of creating, just by starting with one simple design.  

You can use just one design guide, or a combination.

Here you can see with these two (Dancing Grid and Modular) I started to add stitching.  

As you can see, these are still works in progress.

My evening class was "Tag Art Sketch Book" with Jamie Fingal.

Jamie gave us objects and things to draw on shipping tags.  Here you can see some of my work.  I even tried to draw Jamie, but she did not hold still long enough for me to draw her.  Not that it would have made a difference.  Another work in progress.  I still have more to do on these and then tie them into a Tag Book. 

So, much fun!

Next day, "Tea, Thermofax & Ephemera" with Judy Coates Perez.

I was amaze at how well I did.  Judy took us through the process step by step.  It really wasn't that hard.  I have always admired Judy's work, so  when I saw she was giving a class at Craft Napa, I just had to sign-up.  I did not, however, think I would be able to create something like this.

Here, you can see I've started to add paint and colored pencils to this piece.  I've also stencil and stamped some images.  Looking forward to completing this.

So, that was Friday.  On Saturday, "Tiny Tea Bag Tales" with Libby Williamson.

Now I know what to do with all those tea bags I've been saving.

This class was so awesome.  Stitching, painting and collaging on tiny tea bags.  I was a little unsure about doing this.  How could anyone stitch on these tiny little surfaces?  And tea bags no less.  But, to my surprise, it really was not that hard and it was so much fun.  

Next

On the last day, I took "Gelli Plate Printing and Collage" with Lisa Thorpe.

A mindless process, but oh, so much fun.

The first half of the class was making prints using plants, stencils, string, masks, et cetera.  

The second half of the class was putting them into a collage.

I've seen people on YouTube showing you how to make print after print, but they never tell you what to do with them after you are done making prints.  Well, this is one way.

All the instructors were so forthcoming with information.  Helping in any way.  The kits we were given had "all" the materials needed for each class, plus they had extra materials to use in our projects.  All the instructors were great.  All had so much to offer.  All were so much fun!

A great way to start off 2018!