from the page to the purse!

Sorry I haven't been around as much; I've been out and about all week (talk about no rest for the wicked!). I'm actually updating from a friend's place as, yes, I'm out again!

What I really wanted to show you all (and hi to everyone new!) my newest journaled purse! I designed this one myself and did all the sewing by hand (as my sewing machine is still dead). *G* I was inspired by this journal page of mine...I love when stuff randomly leaks from my head to the page and then turns into something bigger. Have you ever had something like that happen to you?

Being as that I've been out a LOT this week, I haven't been journaling as much as usual...then again, I DO have a handy travel bag. I also grabbed a new mini-binder from R+H and am using that to plan out the next issue of Page by Page, as it goes to design and layout on Monday. I've also just been making random notes and doodles of things I want to try out in my journal when I finally find myself with a little bit of time to sneak away to my desk.

The biggest thing is, I have to get to that desk! You can have all the time in the world but if you wait for inspiration to strike and send you running to your art area, you're not going to get much done. Remember -- art is made by those who show up! Get to your desk or art area and do SOMETHING! Start cleaning up scraps. Throw random paint on the page. SOMETHING. ANYTHING! I implore you to do so! You'll be amazed with how many pages or pieces you start getting done.

And please! Remember: in order to make good art, you have to be willing to make lots of bad art. Every page you create has value! Whether you learn something new, like that even with a coat of paint, Sharpies will die because of the oil pastels underneath, or find a new border or lettering you like....don't shy away from those pages you don't like because then you'll miss out on what they're trying to tell you.

I shall be working on Kira's Amazing Supply list and have it here for download. And, since I've discovered how to record and share video entries, I might just make a short vlog entry for it.

There are more new journal pages up at flickr!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend and create something!

overflowing!

I'm so exhausted, I've had typepad open for at least ten minutes, just sitting here watching mindless TV while I try to relax.

Okay. I can post. *G*

Oops. There I went again! Looking up crafty totes and notebook covers as, well, at the rate I'm going, I'll burn through my current journal by the end of the month. Ohh, but if only my sewing machine wasn't broken! I'm tempted to buy one of the $15 chainstitch machines made for kids (and powered by batteries!) in order to sew. While I adore hand-sewing, I miss the quality and ease of using a machine.

Considering how late I slept today, you wouldn't imagine me exhausted! After a late-night viewing of "Weeds," I fell asleep to the inspired stories of "Living the Creative Life." I've been feeling a bit dry lately...well, not exactly dry, per-se, as I'm working in my journal every night, but uneasy? Wondering about my future as an all-around creative person after a job interview yesterday (well, beforehand, as I learned of the interview late last week). Do I really want to make a living as an artist?

Perhaps the real question is, can I?

Or, can I, working only in a journal?

While others speak of creating elaborate pieces, of paintings and assemblages, I'm content and excited to work in an illustrated journal format. I just do. Sitting or laying in bed with my journal open upon my lap, collaging and painting and writing -- I am overwhelmingly passionate about art journaling (as if you couldn't tell!) and have little desire to create paintings and pieces. Then again, I can work for days on a page in my journal, invest tons of supplies, of techniques...several journal pages have been carefully cut out so I can hang them on my wall (of course, only one "page" of two can be seen at a time!).

But I'm a writer at heart! A journal is the perfect place for me. I love it. I will always keep several journals, spend as much time on a page or spread as a painter might on a painting!

Hmmm.

Have you ever had one of those mornings, when, while floating out of sleep (not wanting to get up yet!), an idea leaps into your head that is so amazing, so...God, I can't even explain it! Let me just say what happened: I was slowly waking up after sleeping like a log last night when a page I'd done the night before (I do most of my journal pages late at night, when everyone's gone to sleep) suddenly changed... I love Ugly Dolls, and have always wanted to make a doll or stuffed animal of my own. Even though I'm in my twenties, I still sleep with a stuffed animal, and thought...why not me? So I was waking up and remembered some wool felt (I actually have no idea what it is...it's wool...but like felt) I'd gotten at a flea market about a year ago that was sitting in my sewing box that would be PERFECT for a small doll.

Ahh...I haven't taken a picture of the entry yet, but anyway, the idea got me out of bed and at my desk sketching out a pattern before I even put on my glasses (I can see okay without them)! I didn't move until all the pattern pieces were cut from the wool felt. But then! Then I realized I didn't have a needle to use!

So I went to Wal-Mart...everything I saw sparked an idea! I wish I could have gotten the whole store and come home and make everything that popped into my head! I just felt like I was seeing the store for the first time.

OMG, have you seen the Martha Stewart commercial where Tim Gun's using table cloths and such to design a dress? It was like that (except I don't shop at K-Mart)! Oohhh!

I'm getting ahead of myself. I came home and sewed. And more! And here's the first of (hopefully!) many Goddess Dolls!

What else did I do? I totally journaled all over my purse! Wow! Journaling on something other than paper or fabric! I was smiling SO wide when I played, spilling things, drawing things, just GOING CRAZY! OMG! Defiantly process over product!!

Now I'm just dead tired. I don't even want to journal...just watch TV and play sudoku and I KNOW there are so many more ideas that will come alive tomorrow! I want to make more journals like the one I use because I adore it. Finally, one I love! And make my own journal "bra." And more dolls. And more purses to sew and journal all over.

Here's me with today's wears!

Card Crazy!

Thank you all for the well-wishes! I am feeling much better; not yet 100%, but very near and more than ready to get back on the horse, so to say! *G*

I've figured out how to use my laptop to record video -- I'll be recording and posting a video tutorial, as so many of you are interested in learning some book binding! *laughs* I've decided to do a limited edition binding video, too. That's the "traditional" method used in hardcover books (hence being called limited edition). I'll post a supplies list with the videos so you can gather what you need before watching. I'm so psyched to do this because I want to teach SO BADLY and now I'll be able to!

Anything else you'd like to see?

While at Michael's this morning (partly to check out the new Halloween stuff from Martha!), I asked if they only teach the same classes as the other stores or, if the right instructor presents themself, they'd take a new class. The only rule, I learned, was that all the materials need to come from the store. Woot! I was going to teach in Crystal Lake, but that's a far drive, and if I can get a workshop/class nearer, well, that's good!

Listen to me ramble...!

Oh! And I finally grabbed a sheet of Arches Hot Press paper -- it's expensive, but I just had to try it after all the great stuff I've heard about it. It's so nice and smooth; I'm going to bind it at OfficeMax for the Art Journals mailing list's first round robin (see, guys, I'm getting things done...finally!).

Okay, card crazy! I've wanted to send out thank you cards that I designed for awhile, so I decided, screw it, I'm going to make my cards and who cares if they're perfect or amazing or what. I think sending out something you make yourself means more, in the grand scheme of things, than something mass-produced. Heee. Yeah, I've been hanging out at Etsy and Indiepublic and have the hand-made pride!

So I made this card as a thank you card from a drawing in my Moleskine. It's partly inspired by a comic in, oh, dear! My fandom, Supernatural, over on LiveJournal (yes, I have a LJ -- I have for 6 years, now!). I was testing out the pencils in a new sketching set I "found" in the house. I like this girl; I painted her last week and just like how she looks for some reason. Heee. Man....if you only saw my sketchbooks from years ago -- she's SUCH an improvement over how I used to draw!

Then, today, I found out someone wanted to surprise a friend with a copy of Page by Page, and I couldn't just include a note on some random piece of paper! So I doodled in my Moleskine some more and made a card to write the note on. Let me tell you -- getting that email made my day!!  :D 

And remember, I'm still seeking submissions for the November issue, so don't be shy!

Heee. Anyway, look how the card turned out!

Whatcha think? I'm just playing around at this point -- making simple cards like these is fun for me, and I love being able to send these out with a little smile cause no one else has them! I might sell them on etsy, but as I haven't really sold anything over there, I'm a little scared doing something like that might take the fun out of it.

See ya (literally, oh, I'm going to have to pull out the make-up!) this weekend!

Canvas Word Charm Tutorial

Well, ArtsyMama's having a blog party and has invited the blogsphere to participate! I thought I'd chime in with a little crafty tutorial that isn't art journal related!

I started making these a few months ago when I started carrying smaller, non-embellished purses and wanted to add a bit of artsy fun to my purse. They're very simple to make, tons of fun, and there are thousands of possibilities!

Continue Reading Canvas Word Charm Tutorial >>