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!