Frankenpages Junk Journal

Hi everyone! Quite some time ago, when the neuropathy in my hands was really bad from chemo treatments, I made a bunch of Frankenpages based on a tutorial by Nik the Booksmith. It's a wonderful way to use scraps to create something new and useful and have fun in the process. Plus it was something that my hands were able to manage. I made large pages (no idea why) by gluing scraps onto larger scraps but I didn't stitch them together like she did. I added stamping and edged the scraps with Coffee Archival Ink before gluing them into a collage.

Then I wondered what to do with them so they sat patiently and waited for me to figure it out. I eventually decided to chop them up to make junk journal backgrounds for collage. They were cut to either fit into binders which I already had or to be joined with binder rings in a size I chose. Nothing was wasted. Even a few atc backgrounds were born.

These particular pages fit into an old MME binder from my stash. The pages are cut at 6 3/4 x 8 3/8 inches and are quite sturdy because of all the layering front and back. All holes in this binder are reinforced with black punched rings and the pages are edged with Coffee Archival Ink.  They are all also vintage and grungy in style which unites them.  I took each page  and started adding ephemera and left overs from other projects to decorate the page. I have had a sticker book from TH in my stash for years and years and made up my mind that I was going to use it up so you'll see a lot of those pieces in here.

I also have bits of punched borders, rub-ons, stencilling, and punched or die cut bits and pieces. At least one and sometimes two of the Idea-ology paper dolls star on each page and the sentiments come from Chit Chat stickers which have been hanging around too long. I also added the occasional charm or metal piece. a little washi, and anything else that was lying around and looked inviting :) I love this kind of creating...no rules, no expectations...pure play.

Thanks for joining me today. I have several more pages ready to share but I didn't want to bombard you with too much in one sitting...LOL. Until next time...

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie

Decorated Paper Clips for my Kraft, Black, and Cream Junk Journal

Hi everyone! Whenever I have  a small window of time, I like to create embellishments for my junk journal. It lets me use up scraps, to finish things by working small, and to have some things ready to go when I have larger blocks of time to create new pages. Plus it's just plain fun! I love working small as a nice change from working on larger pieces of art. I used black 2 inch paper clips and kraft paper cut into 5.75 x 1.5 inch fishtail flags to create the first layer. A smaller flag shape was cut from designer paper to fit inside this kraft layer, leaving a border all around.

All edges of the kraft layers and the designer paper layers were inked with Coffee Archival Ink. A scrap of cheesecloth was also adhered to each designer paper layer, connected in some way to the focal image. Above left, I added a punched corrugated cardboard leaf, a coffee dyed and inked mulberry flower, and a threaded vintage button center. The one on the right has a bird die cut from vintage book text. The bird has a tiny embroidery floss bow and a rhinestone eye. Faux stitching was added to the border of the designer paper flag.

The faux stitching was continued on the left paper clip above. A canvas text printed banner flag was threaded with black and white baker's twine and adhered atop the designer paper. Layered over that is the cheesecloth and a punched corrugated cardboard star. Two brown half pearls finished that design. A small merchandise tag, inked with Coffee Archival Ink before two Idea-ology butterfly rub-ons were added, was adhered to the paper clip on the right. The cheesecloth was tucked under the tag before the tag was glued and also adhered with a brad.

The first of the final two paper clips had brown faux stitching added to the outside edges of the designer paper. A Recollections layered and printed kraft butterfly was adhered over the cheesecloth as the focal for this clip. The last clip has a corrugated cardboard (from a coffee sleeve) die cut heart placed over the cheesecloth and a threaded button adhered on top.

These were a lot of fun to create...so much so that I created a template for both layers to save me measuring each time when I make more. You will see one starring in an upcoming page in my kraft, black, and cream junk journal very soon. Thanks for visiting!

Life is good; so is art.

Bonnie

Vintage Style Collage in a Drawer

Hi everyone. Every once in a while, I get the urge to change up some of my home decor items. This week, it was an empty drawer that I have hanging as part of a group of three things in our living room. I had a painted background in there but I was tired of it and it didn't fit the room as well as it used to. Anyway, I decided to cut an insert from chipboard so that I could collage on it and then slide it over the previous insert. I collected a group of papers, ephemera, and embellies plus an old post card image from Steve's Mom's place.

I tore. inked using Vintage Photo and Black Soot Distress inks, and layered text, dotty, and a composite page to cover the chipboard. Then I adhered a piece of piece of crocheted lace to the right side. Two punched and matted photo corners were adhered in the two left corners. The photo image was adhered next and then  a sentiment pre-printed on a label was inked around and tucked slightly under the photo. Two black photo turns were attached with brads to overlap the photo. Two lengths of drywall mesh tape were cut and layered over the photo and the background, visually tying them together. A wood compass embellie along with two vintage buttons (thanks, Gram) were adhered to the top left of the photo.

Two wooden keys were overlapped along the bottom edge of the photo and a burlap flower was placed so that it linked the photo to the lace. The wooden button which was on the flower was removed and replaced with a vintage button. An Idea-ology metal word band was adhered with Scor-Tape and then brads to complete the bottom embellishing. The final steps were to add Vintage Photo and Black Big Brush Pen to the edges, to outline the layers, and to doodle a border before it was popped into the drawer which serves as a frame.

This is the grouping where the collaged drawer hangs. It fits perfectly with the colours and furniture now in the room. Happy Dance! Thanks for visiting today. I'm happy you did that. I have a couple more home decor projects in the works for future posts. One down...many to go :)

Life is good; so is art.
Bonnie