Tuesday, 30 November 2021

2021 Topic 15: Journalling Gratitude with ESC {by Autumn Clark}

 2021 Topic 15: Journaling Gratitude


Today we have Autumn with...Autumn!! What a beautiful set of pages in her gratitude journal. Her Infusions technique is one worth checking out and with some clever binding and a gorgeous closure, I think we all can be thankful she's chosen to share this with us!
~ Keren

Hi everyone, it's Autumn Clark from SewPaperPaint with you today, and I'm here to share with you a cozy little mini book I made to highlight a beautiful poem of gratitude by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "We Thank Thee."

When I consider gratefulness I am always reminded that even the air we breathe is something to be thankful for. Gratitude changes our outlook on what we have not and re-frames our hearts to know that we have all that we need. Not only are the words of this poem written beautifully, but the imagery they provoke are equally beautiful. And because I am a huge hoarder fan of Raquel's Scrapcosy stamp line, I knew her stamps would correlate with the poem perfectly!


I wanted to use fall colors for this album and ordered some vintage sari ribbon for my closure.  I then picked out some beautiful earthy Infusions that I thought would match it.  I chose The Sage, Olive Tree, Golden Sands and Rusty Car.  I used my favorite new method where I mist water onto my kraft mat, then sprinkle on the Infusions, then spritz again with water, then spritz my paper with water and dip!  That's how I was able to achieve the sections of color.  And I spritzed again if I needed to blend the color further and let it run.  I made ten square panels this way.




 
I stamped all of the verses with the PaperArtsy {Ink & the Dog} Collection (Words Plate 2).  This is a great stamp set for journaling!  I love the larger sized grungy font.


 
I used an older black ink pad so my stamping wouldn't be too intense, then stamped my heart out and watercolored each image right over the Infusions backgrounds.  I used my very first Scrapcosy stamp set, PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Scrapcosy} Collection (ESC05), focusing on the mushrooms and snail.  Oh how I love them!

 

I tried to pick the backgrounds that best worked with the imagery.  Here I used PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Scrapcosy} Collection (ESC23) for the first time.  I just love these extra large blossoms and they were such fun to color!



This line from the poem really moves me. I am so thankful for beautiful grass and am reminded of childhood spent running and lying in the grass. To make my autumn field I used stamps from PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Scrapcosy} Collection (ESC17) and from PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Scrapcosy} Collection (ESC26). I love how the Infusions resemble a moody evening sky.
  


This spread is my favorite!  It just makes me happy to see those golden autumnal colors!  And given any chance I can use this darling bird stamp, I will. He is from PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Scrapcosy} Collection (ESC19) and the lovely flower is from PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Scrapcosy} Collection (ESC20).

 



When I first saw the squirrel from PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Scrapcosy} Collection (ESC25) I squealed!  I adore him and am so happy that he sits on the final page of my little book. The leaves are from the mushroom set ESC05 I mentioned above.
 
 

Finally, I made a stacked binding with scored kraft cardstock and attached my Infusions pages in the proper order. Then I assembled a soft fabric cover, made with a rugged, woven cloth similar to cross stitch material.  I used cotton batting between the chipboard and cloth to make the book feel softer.  I made this cover the same way I did on THIS post, though I attached the pages differently. This time I simply adhered the nestled pages to the inner spine with redline tape.  I used an 3/8" gutter between all of the pages.
 

Once everything was in place, I added a pop of color for contrast to the front cover.  I used spray mica ink and PaperArtsy Large Stencil {Tracy Scott} (PS210). I put paper to mask off everything but the front cover before spraying.  The first time I added wet media to a handmade cloth cover I was terrified, but because the batting is beneath it and soaks up the moisture (to a degree; so don't go crazy!). I then dipped a paper doily in a tiny bit of brown ink with a lot of water and crinkled it up while heat setting. I folded it in half and added some sisal fibres to the base, then layered carefully watercolored and fussy cut images from PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Scrapcosy} Collection (ESC26). Originally I was going to use the label stamp for the back of my book, but as I was holding them I realized they could layer together like shown so I went for it and love the fullness with the greenery on the sides. I know this is a long post, but I hope you enjoyed reading about my process and are inspired to pull out your PaperArtsy stamps to create your own gratitude journal today.  


One thing I am most grateful for is the ability to be creative in my home studio.  It is such a blessing to be able to sit down and make things as a form of expression and therapy.  Journaling can be the best therapy! I encourage you to think of how you can use your stamps, stencils and Fresco paints to express your feelings. Even more so, express your thankfulness! We can always find something to gripe about, but choosing gratitude can bring change in our minds and hearts. And choosing creativity as a form of stress relief is both healthy and productive. So why not have a play with Infusions and stamps today?! Just let go and have fun!  If you're not into bookmaking, you can certainly find a wide array of premade mixed media journals to work in, or try what I did years ago and just make journal pages on recycled chipboard which you store in an altered box. There are no set limits.  

I am certainly grateful for your blog visit today and look forward to being back with you next time.  xx, Autumn

Blog: SewPaperPaint
Facebook: Autumn Clark
YouTube: SewPaperPaint
Instagram: @SewPaperPaint
Pinterest: SewPaperPaint

Monday, 29 November 2021

2021 Topic 15: Journalling Gratitude New Topic Introduction

 2020 Topic  15 - Journalling Gratitude


Hi everyone, Keren here. Do you ever feel frustrated or discontented - in life, or creatively too? Is there a remedy? Well this next quote is worth thinking about..

"Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts". 
Henri Frederic Amiel

Journalling our thankfulness can be done in so many ways. It might also inspire us to thankful acts too. Years ago they might just have called it writing a diary ;-) now we have art journals, bullet journals, calendar journalling, food, video and more! We tend towards being grateful for different things, often it might depend on our geographic location or our financial state, but isn't a thankful life one to be emulated?
This topic of journalling gratitude should be one where we reflect upon what we're grateful for, but doing so in a myriad of creative ways. If someone told you to show your gratitude...how would you do it? 

Our PaperArtsy bloggers are here to kickstart the process.
Firstly we're starting with Seth Apter who is known for his thoughtful art and this wonderful phrase is a stamp from his recent collection and would make the perfect central focus for a journal page.


Our next designer is Jo Firth-Young and she designed some stamps especially for journallers. I wonder how she'd incorporate her stamps into this topic?


Whilst it's tempting to think that journalling involves a swathe of words, sometimes fewer is perfect. Alison Bomber created this journal page and the simple solitary phrase is thought provoking.


Andrea (the artist) has compiled a really helpful article on how to start gratitude journalling and I love how artistic she's been. Those beautifully drawn flowers could be replaced with stamped images if you used a similar layout for your pages.


Being creative and thankful is an awesome combo. I thought this was a really clever design that ends up being something beautiful to look at too.


But does gratitude journalling have to be in book format? No! I thought this was an excellent idea (roping in others to help) and is also going to adorn your home too.

Wanting to improve being grateful? It seems that having whatever you want to record your thoughts in sorted ahead of time will aid the process. It doesn't need to be fancy. Grab some sturdy panels for the back and front, add in some pages and throw in a few tabs for starters.


Perhaps you need prompts to set you on your way to a more thankful future. There are lots of classes and collaborative schemes. I thought this mixed media artist's class looked like the perfect starting place.


Valeria Sjodin is known for journalling about thankfulness and for a previous Thanksgiving (US holiday) she created these word stones to give to her guests to spark conversations and a thankful heart. Having prompts to encourage gratitude could be useful in your day.


If you love your paints, what about this watercoloured beauty? Creating a page first and enjoying the process of the painting whilst you muse about what you have to be grateful for.


When I was still living with my parents, I did send lots of letters and one of my favourite ways to send letters was using circular writing. I loved it but I think it sent the readers a little loopy! . Jodie York has used circular journalling to great effect, highlighting her gratitude.


Having the right attitude can change our perspective. This artist has created a page to remind her and it made me pause and reflect; 'Gratitude is the parent of all virtues'.


Heading back towards our PaperArtsy roots, Scrapcosy has so many ideas for creating journal pages and if you need inspiration for using your stamps, look no further! Search Scrapcosy in the search bar on the PaperArtsy blog and you'll have a whole catalogue of ideas.


We've already seen an example by this artist, Karenika, but I thought that this tied into something we've been seeing a fair bit of (I'm talking about Mandalas; check out Tracy Scott and Jo Firth-Young for more ideas). You can create something similar with individual stamps/stencils or some of the mandala inspired stamps by JOFY.


Christmas is coming and maybe you like making personal gifts? How about a fabric gratitude journal to encourage thankfulness in your friends and family? For the sewers amongst you, this one is a great idea and would be perfect to keep for a while, changing out the inner notebooks once they're filled with grateful scribblings.


Lori Vliegen has some really creative ideas for expressing her gratitude. I thought this might give us some ideas about presenting your ideas on a page.


Before we wrap this topic introduction up, I'll leave you with a fabric journal wrap. We've focused so much on the inside of the journal that we've not even concentrated on the outside. Here's a fun and bright journal cover that would encourage me to open up and get journalling. Grab your Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics and get painting!

I've certainly been grateful for such a wealth of grateful artists worldwide, that has made compiling this introduction such a straightforward process. I'm grateful for being part of the wonderful PaperArtsy family that's so welcoming, supportive and inspiring. What are you thankful for? Let's make our days much more grateful ones.

If you want to create along with us while we explore this topic, please share your makes on our social feeds so we can follow along. Instagram @paperartsy or why not join us and post in the PaperArtsy People Group on Facebook. Make sure you tag us in your contributions, we love to see what you get up to in your creative world!

 

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

NEW PaperArtsy Products: Eclectica³ Nicci Battilana {November 2021}

 Eclectica³ Collection {Nicci Battilana}
  November 2021 New Product Announcement


A note from Leandra:
Nicci has created for you a spooky Christmas vibe for those of you with non-traditional taste at this time of year! Her quirky patterns and rock-chick angel vibe oozes into decorations, a fabulous tree and don't forget Mr Magnificent himself, the nutcracker!! If you like an alternative Christmas, then these are certainly for you! Look closely and you will see skulls, cobwebs, and even a Christmas cocktail. A Creepy Christmas !! Bring it on!!
 
Nicci will share her new stamps and stencils live in PaperArtsy People shortly after this post publishes. If you miss her live, you can catch the replay!

Remember, these stamps are available EXCLUSIVELY from our approved stockists for the next few months. It makes sense to buy local within your country, see the list and links at the bottom of this blog post. 
 
Hi everyone, Nicci Battilana  (@niccidotca) here,

I'm super excited to share with you my newest release for PaperArtsy. 3 stamps and coordinating stencils.

This release was created very close to the time that I was creating my very first release and therefore they play together very well. If you are a Tim Burton fan or someone that likes to stray away from the everyday, this may just be the set that you have always dreamt of having in your collection!


With this release I wanted to make it very versatile, so those that love Christmas, can create warm more traditional pieces as well as push the boundaries a little ðŸ˜‰ðŸ˜‰. They play well with other designers sets as well. 

 Imagine if you will....
 a loving snowman greets you 
at the entrance to a paper crafted tree lot 
featuring one or more of 'all' the tree stamps you own!
Stars and snowflakes fill the night sky.
Follow the pathway made of presents & gingerbread cookies... 
and don't forget to stop by the MARTINI BAR set up on the side before you leave!

Take a moment to close your eyes to picture this in your mind. 
Feel the gentle snowflakes land on your cheeks, smell the warm mixture of pine and gingerbread, hear the crunch of the snow beneath your feet. Deep breath my friends.

Now, we are ready to dive into my latest release. 
Thank you for indulging me and letting your mind and senses prepare you.

  New Stamps
Price: RRP €21.92 +VAT
Size:5" x 6" (13 x16.5cm)
All stamps are individually trimmed onto cling foam, presented in a clear hanging bag
with a laminated storage/index sheet.

  
Eclectica³ Nicci Battilana Set 04 (ENB04)


I had fun with this 'FROSTY' page, which was inspired from a cartoon of my youth where a magical hat blows through the winter wind.
This stamp set pairs well with stencil PS289 for filling the sky with many unique snowflakes.
 
The text that I journaled on this page are:
(1) Finding beauty in every tiny thing that crosses our paths.
(2) As we look back on our lives & think of the fabulous SOULS that we have been lucky enough to spend some time with... I think back to when I would catch snowflakes on my Winter mitts & look closely at each little SNOWFLAKE before it melted. Each one unique & beautiful.

This set makes me think of all the little magical bits of Winter. The warm scarves, the beauty of snow covered trees, playing with loved ones and then heading back inside for a warm drink.
 
The Holly stamp at the top left of the set is great for creating frames and borders for your creations. Speaking of the holly, the 'three little skulls' stamp was created to be the exact size to cover the holly berries, if you desire. They are also a great accent for the ribbon on our top hat & more!


As you can see, I added a few extra eyelashes on our snow person. I have left the stamp features toned down for you, in hopes that you will experiment and come up with a variety of snow friends.
 

 
The reason that I only created a head for our snow person, is that you can choose how 'melted' or not you want their body to be. PLUS, you can also use this head on other stamps that you own that already have bodies...lol. Time to play some mix and match!

Eclectica³ Nicci Battilana Set 05 (ENB05)
 

There are so many options for Christmas tree stamps out there for all of you. However, I really wanted to create a 'Nicci' tree, so I tried to think of one that would be fun and could play well with the others in PaperArtsy's and your own collections. I think I succeeded and cannot wait to see what you create with it. 
 
This set includes some fabulous other elements like our Sweet but Twisted Angel Girl, creepy candy-canes and goth gifts! 😜
 

For this sample I decided to create a page where I stamped the images with different shades of ink to show versatility. Where I used a lighter ink colour, I was able to change up some of the visual elements with ease and let my creative juices fly.
 


I also chose to change the skulls on 3 of the trees to round ball ornaments, add extra filigree ribbons and a variety of jewel adornments.

Eclectica³ Nicci Battilana Set 06 (ENB06)
 


On this sample I wanted to show you how you can go a little darker with your creation to make the bright areas POP! You will also notice that I showcase the holly berry corner stamp from ENB04 in this creation too. 
 

Texture for the holidays, yes please! I had so much fun using these stamps along with torn pieces of paper crackle glaze, fresco finish paints and watercolours. The stamped nutcracker image is much crisper in this creation, as I double stamped it using a stamping platform; first before I painted it in and again after I was done painting. In the background you will also notice that I used stencil PS289 with WOW!'s embossing powder 'Deck the Halls' (WS278R).
 

You may think that the martini glass is a bit big compared to our nutcracker friend, but when you think of it... what is better than a really big gin martini? lol
 
Honestly, I wanted the martini to be at a nice size for creating cards and or PARTY INVITATIONS. I plan to use this myself when we can next have a few friends over. YEAH!

New Stencils
Large Size: 6.25" x 9.5" (16 x 24cm) Price: RRP €6.28 +VAT
  
PaperArtsy Stencil 289 (PS289)
 


This stencil pairs well with all three of my new stamp sets! It is just the perfect Winter stencil in my books. Most of the samples that I have shared with you today feature either the holly or the snowflakes. As for the DEER silhouette stencils and masks - I am planning on creating tags for gift giving this year, as well as some tree ornaments.
 

For this sample I have done two layers of the stenciled snowflakes and one layer using the snowflakes stamps from ENB04.
 


PaperArtsy Stencil 290 (PS290)
 


This stencil is a fabulous base. You can angle it to be cross hatches, or plus signs, or X's (in which you can add some O's), ... right now in my minds they make me think of sheet metal. 
 
For this creation I used them to depict the inside of an oven and made it look a bit industrial but artsy. I cannot wait until Valentine's Day to create a background using this stencil with luscious pinks and reds!
 

Here I used the nutcracker and ornaments stamps from ENB06 on craft paper to showcase decorated gingerbread cookies on a cookie sheet. In the live video today, you will see how I created this 4 page interactive journal spread and incorporated lights!
 

PaperArtsy Stencil 291 (PS291)
 


This sample is a typical type of art journal page that I am known for creating. In it I have used two of the stencil elements from PS291, our Goth Girl Angel stamp from ENB05, plus the holy & the silhouette of our deer stencil from PS289. As part of her eye makeup, I have also incorporated stencil PS290.
 



I hope that you are as excited about these new products as I am and look forward to seeing what you create!
 
Below you will find a link to a quick little tutorial that I created for all of you.


Project: Up-cycle your clothes into fancy ephemera ribbons

At the time of creating this blog post, unfortunately I was unable to post a viewable copy of the video within this article.

JOIN ME on FRIDAYS at 11am PST www.nicci.tv


Thank you for spending this time with me!
Keep smiling & creating, 
Nicci

Socials...
Website: www.nicci.ca
Twitter: @niccidotca
Instagram: @niccidotca

Teaching Schedule:
Available Now 'A Journey Down The Rabbit Hole', my online art school, CLICK here for more information.
FREE Friday LIVESTREAMS at 11am PST at www.nicci.tv .

Please follow my socials to find out about upcoming classes at your local retail shops!

PaperArtsy Stockist List

Our stockists are your go-to  source for all PaperArtsy products, and we suggest that you also use the PaperArtsy People Facebook group to source a retailer in your country. Many are members of our FB group and will happily share links to their online stores.

Australia
Bev's Cross Crafts, Spreyton, Tasmania https://www.bevscrosscrafts.com.au/
Crafters Cupboard, Berwick, Victoria www.crafterscupboard.com.au
Memories on the Murray, Murray Bridge, SA  https://www.memoriesonthemurray.net/
Natalie May Scrapbooking, Dover Gardens, SA https://nataliemay.com.au/
Scrapbook Superstore & More, South Penrith, NSW https://www.scrapbooksuperstore.com.au/
The Scrapbooker's Confetti Box, Swansea, NSW https://thescrapbookersconfettibox.com/
The Thread Studio, 6 Smith Street, Perth http://www.thethreadstudio.com/
The Scrapbook Store, North Perth,WA http://thescrapbookstore.com.au/ 
Time To Createwww.timetocreate.com.au

Belgium
Cart N Scrap Art, Antwerp, www.cartnscrapart.be
Créatelier Caracolle, Liège, www.createliercaracolle.be

Canada
Clipper Street Scrapbook Company, Langley, BC. www.clipperstreet.com
Paper Art Creations Inc, Leduc, Alberta, www.paperartcreations.com/
Scrapbook Centrale, Dollard Des Ormeaux, Quebec www.scrapbookcentrale.ca
Scrap Addicts, Edmonton, Alberta www.scrapaddicts.ca/
Scrap and Bean, Edmonton, Alberta scrapandbean.com/ 
Scrapbooking Fairies, Drayton Valley, Alberta www.scrapbookingfairies.com/
The Paper & ink Boutique, Calgary, Alberta www.paperandinkboutique.com/
The Scrap Yard, Calgary, Alberta, www.thescrapyardcalgary.com/ 

Denmark
Hobbyboden Scrapworld Samso www.hobbyboden.dk

France
Eirl Bancon Cartoscrap, Midi Pyrenees, www.cartoscrap.com
Fée Du Scrap, Saint Sébastien-Sur-Loire, www.feeduscrap.fr/
Horizon Créatif, Ste Jalle www.horizon-creatif.fr
Instant Créatif, La Possession, La Réunion, www.icreatif.re
Katzelkraft, Ingwiller www.katzelkraft.fr/en/
Kerudoc Creation, St Yvi www.kerudoccreation.com
Le Grenier des filles, Pierre Benite
Page de scrap, Saint Pavace, www.pagedescrap.fr/
Scrap Déco Home, Goutrens, www.scrapdecohome.fr/
Toutencolle, Dun sur Avon www.toutencolle.fr

Finland
Heidin Korttipaja, Istunmaki, www.korttipaja.fi/fi
Piia Paper, Kittiläwww.piiapaper.com/fi

Germany
Stempelbar, Berlin, www.stempelbar.de
Stempeloase Munich, Munich www.stempeloase.de
Stempelfee Shop, Hilden www.stempelfee-shop.de
Stempellaedle, Stuttgart, www.stempellaedle.de/shop

Greece
Scraps N Pieces, Kallithea www.scrapsnpieces.gr

Italy
Immagine SAS di Rapaccini, Rome, www.immaginelab.com
Il Negozio Della Mamma Di Cle, Torino, www.ilnegoziodellamammadicle.com
Marte Savona, Savona, www.martesavona.it
Pezze E Colori, Lissone, www.pezzeecolori.it/ 
Piccole Passioni, Siena, www.piccolepassioni.it

Japan
La Wadao, Odawara, Kanagawa, www.lawadao.com
Tiny Dots, Funabashi-shi, Chiba www.tinydots.shop-pro.jp

Netherlands
De Hobbystudio, Genemuiden, www.dehobbystudio.nl/
Doe@ding,Spijkenisse doeading.nl/
Hobbycompleet de Duif, Leeuwarden www.hobbycompleet.nl
Stampingcorner, Capelle Aan Den Ijssel www.stampingcorner.nl

Norway
Hobbygarasjen, Kopervik, www.Hobbygarasjen.no

Spain
Cien por Cien Manualidades, Barcelona,  www.100x100manualidades.es
Ideas 10 Manualidades Y Scrapbook, Bilbao ideas10manualidades.com/
Marakiscrap, Tarragona, www.marakiscrap.com
Scrap & Papers Experiences, Barcelona, www.scrappapersexperiences.com
The Paradise Corner, Barcelona, www.theparadisecorner.com

Sweden
Butik Elva, Staffanstorp, www.butikelva.se

Taiwan
Mandy's Cards, Taipei www.facebook.com/mandy.card.77

United Kingdom
Amelia's Creative Crafts, Studley, Warwickshire  www.ameliascreativecrafts.co.uk
Art from the Heart, Harrogate, Yorkshire www.afth.co.uk
Blade Rubber Stamps, London www.bladerubberstamps.co.uk
Crafts at The Malthouse, Herstmonceux,  East Sussex, www.themalthouse.co.uk/
Fave Rave, Stourbridge, West Midlands www.shabbychicstencils.co.uk
Loobi Crafts, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, www.loobicrafts.co.uk
Papermaze, Ipswich, Suffolk www.papermaze.co.uk/ 
Stampers Grove, Springbank, Lilliesleaf, Melrose,Scotland www.stampersgrove.co.uk
That's Crafty
, Romford, Essex www.thatscrafty.co.uk
The Artistic Stamper Craft Store, Faversham, Kent www.theartisticstamper.com
The Forget me not Kraft Kabin, Rochford, Essex, www.TheForgetMeNotKraftKabin.co.uk

USA
Artistic Artifacts, Alexandria, VA www.artisticartifacts.com/
Artistic Studio Creations, Fayetteville, Georgia www.facebook.com/ASCbyCrystal
Craftiness, Chatsworth, CA, www.craftinessonline.com/
Ephemera Paducah, Paducah, Kentucky www.ephemerapaducah.com
Everything Scrapbook & Stamps, Lake Worth, Florida www.everythingscrapbook.com
Frantic Stamper, Oregon www.franticstamper.com
Free Heart LLC, Denver, Colarado, www.freeheartllc.com/
Golden Hills PaperCrafts, Fairfax Station, Virginia, www.goldenshillpapercrafts.com/
Joggles, West Warwick, Rhode Island, www.joggles.com
PaperCraft Clubhouse, Westbrook, Connecticut, papercraftclubhouse.com/
Qingquing's Stamp Shop, Portland, Oregon
Runaway, Art & Craft Studio, NE Salem, Oregon www.runawayart.com/
Simon Says Stamp, Columbus, Ohio www. simonsaysstamp.com
The Ink Pad, New York, www.theinkpadnyc.com
Topflight Stamps, Irmo, South Carolina topflightstamps.com/

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