2020 #11 Handmade Pocket Journal with ETS {by Autumn Clark}

2020 Topic 11: Calming Colours

Can you have a calming feast? Well I reckon Autumn has brought one for us. Just using the photos alone, there are so many fabulous ideas and plenty of inspiration to make your own soothing journal.
~ Keren

Hi everyone, it's Autumn Clark from SewPaperPaint with you today, and I'd like to share with you a great way to use up a day's worth of gelli prints by making a useful little pocket journal.

I decided to stitch together a few prints, mainly because I needed a new journal to work though some thoughts and I was sure that our calming colors topic would be a perfect place to start!  Using light colors for your prints give a great backdrop for handwriting and layering, so lets get to the details.

I simply cannot put this journal down!  I've been adding new thoughts daily and look forward each day to revisiting it.  The concept is easy to replicate.  I picked out the thinnest cardstock in my stash and cut it in half, then used my 8x10" gelli plate with a beautiful array of PaperArtsy Fresco Chalk Finish Acrylics in Taupe, Blush, Concrete, Hint of Mint, Sage and Waterfall and made a batch of two-sided prints.

This palette conjures the essence of escape for me!  My half-page cardstock pieces were about the same size as a particular book I use to brayer off my paint during the gel printing process.  I love using a book for this purpose so I can incorporate the text, as well as the color, into my finished work, in this case as full pages in my journal.

I kept some prints with solid color and also used several stencils and masks to get a variety of patterns/textures.  Those include PS095, PS106, PS108, PS092, PM006 and PM007.

 

I carefully decided on the order of my prints, mixing in the book pages, then used the three-hole pamphlet stitch to group them all together.  There are many advantages of this stitch for a journal.  1. The pages all lay flat when opened.  2.  The stitching can easily be removed if pages need to be added or taken away.  3.  It is incredibly simple to achieve, but the result is quite a strong binding.

As if gel printing and playing in paints isn't fun enough, the best part is adding the stamping, journaling and ephemera.

I focused on PaperArtsy Eclectica³ {Tracy Scott} Collection ETC39, ETC31, ETC27 and ETC25, all over-sized insects and flowers, perfect to make a big impact on a small journal.

I have always loved making art from "junk", so turning my least loved cardstock, an old book and a few drops of paint into a journal I can treasure brings me so much joy.

I have found that journaling even the most mundane thought can clear my mind to make room for more important things.  I find myself picking up one of my bottles of Frescos and finger painting here and there and love that I can continue to build layers and interest as I go.

This will not be the last of this type of journal for me!  In fact, I am inspired to continue in this size and colorway and make a group of these journals to use as inserts in an even larger journal.  Perhaps this lofty goal will encourage me to continue with daily journal entries and promote better mental health, and in return more creativity.  Do you find that you are more creative when you've actively reducing stress in your life?  I think it may true for us all and hope you will try this process for yourself.  I just know you will find the practice a rewarding one.

Until next time,
Autumn Clark

Blog: SewPaperPaint
Facebook: Autumn Clark
YouTube: Autumn Clark - SewPaperPaint
Instagram: @sewpaperpaint
Pinterest: Autumn S Clark

2019 #10 Tiled Patterns: Coasters with ETS {by Anneke de Clerck}

2019 Topic 10: Tiled Patterns

I always love the colours that Anneke chooses. They are bright and fun, and she has the knack of putting colours together that always offer a striking contrast and really appeal in such a fun way. Her use of white to enhance that pop is a really great tip! ~ Leandra 

Hi everyone, it's Anneke with you today, and I'd like to share with you a set of one layer cards I made for the Repeated Patterns/Tiled Patterns topic. For my cards (or should I say tiles?) I was inspired by the patterns on the Marimekko napkins. Marimekko is a Finnish brand known for its original prints and colors. My aim was to design a few patterns using only one single stamp per pattern.

I started by cutting 3 card panels out of Smoothy White Stamping Card 240gsm, size 5 x 5" (12,5 x 12,5 cm). I rounded the corners using my We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile Corner Chomper.

For my project I've chosen Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Bubble Gum, Smoked Paprika, Midnight, Zesty Zing and Blah Mange as my main colors.

I used one small stamp on each card, made a repeated pattern with each of the stamps. The stamps are from the ETS 24, ETS 25 and ETS 15 stamp sets.

To create the first card I started by painting the background with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Midnight. I stamped the flower from the ETS 24 stamp set randomly on top of the blue background using Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Snowflake. I used a small brush to overpaint each flower with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Bubble Gum. Because of the white layer underneath, the pink color looks really pink on the dark background.

I colored the flower centres using Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Peach Nectar. I added a touch of Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Smoked Paprika to make them pop more. I outlined each flower using a Distress Marker. I finished the card off by adding dots. I 'stamped' the yellow dots with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Snowflake and Zesty Zing using the eraser at the end of a pencil. Did the orange dots with a paint marker.

For the second card I painted the background with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Blah Mange. I created circles using a stencil (TCW Mini Cut Circles). I sponged Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Snowflake through the stencil first, continued with Zesty Zing.

I stamped with a flower from the ETS 15 stamp set on each circle using Archival Ink Cobalt. Did the flower centres with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Smoked Paprika.

For the final card I worked on a white card panel. I stamped rows with a stamp from the ETS 25 stamp set and used Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Midnight, Bubble Gum, Smoked Paprika and Blah Mange.

I first stamped yellow dots instead of orange ones. I didn't like the outcome so I overstamped the yellow dots with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Snowflake first, then restamped with Fresco Finish Chalk Acrylics Smoked Paprika. Because Smoked Paprika is a translucent paint that white layer was necessary to cover the yellow paint.

If you're familiar with my work you'll know I'm often making grid/tiled backgrounds for my cards (f.i. HERE & HERE) but this time I tried to design my own tiles. I'm happy with the outcome. Playing with pattern, repetition and order is fun and it brings a sense of calm into your work. It's also surprising what you can achieve by using just one stamp.

I hope I could inspire you to take a better look at your small stamps and use them to design a few nice patterns. It's super easy and so fun to do! 

I would love to see what you come up with!

Thanks for joining me today, I hope you have a creative week.

Anneke

My blog

http://somefiddlingonthekitchentable.blogspot.be

Pinterest

https://www.pinterest.com/anneke1/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/somefiddlingonthekitchentable/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/anneke.declerck