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Paper Picking . . .

June 16, 2019

Paper 1

Choosing papers when not using a paper collection pack

can be daunting for some.

If you're a paper crafting, then you have extra papers.

(It's the rules. ha.)

The above photo shows one of my paper drawers.

I have 3 paper drawers:

One for green, red & yellow papers.

One for blue, brown & black papers.

One for paper collections like Graphic 45.

They're all somewhat organized into color families.

Paper 2

The first thing I do is decide on what colors I want to combine for my project.

Then I shop my stash.

Paper 3

For my next project I'm choosing brown and blue. I love that color combo.

But it's also important to keep in mind the scale of the papers.

Paper 4

Mixing a large pattern

with a medium pattern + a small pattern is almost always necessary.

It's more pleasing to the eye than using all large patterns or all medium patterns.

I also try to mix a stripe

+ a tiny pattern like a polka dot

+ a large pattern like the flowers you see above.

Paper 5

Depending on the size of my project, I usually pick about 20 papers or so.

Then add cardstock in one color for my background paper and photo mats.

Using one color of cardstock also melds everything together.

For the cardstock I'll probably choose either

a coordinating blue or dark brown.

Stay tuned while I put all this together

into one project.

More to come!

Posted at 04:49 AM | | Comments (1)

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Cheap Thrills on the Homefront . . .

June 14, 2019

We (and by that I mean Bill) are in the process of updating a 2nd floor hall bathroom. I get to pick out stuff and he gets to install it.

I like this arrangement.

But then what happens is I start looking around the house and find other things that need to be updated.

Our kitchen for example, and the dining room, and the . . . list goes on.

1

I have been looking for a kitchen island - for 2 years. 

Found this online (Facebook Marketplace)

and fell in love with this antique cabinet.

I bought it from Erin who owns

Cotton, Copper & Ash.

She has a storefront by the same name on Facebook.

Anyway, the cabinet had been refinished in it's natural state with a beautiful patina wood top.

But . . . I wanted an island.

So I had a top made that matched our current kitchen counter.

But . . . that's temporary too until we get other things in the house (bathrooms) updated.

(It will eventually be changed to either granite or quartz)

My counter guy had a great idea and didn't want to ruin the wood top of the antique piece

so he devised a way to secure it from underneath.

Patina saved and I got my island.

2

Then . . . the dining room.

It's too formal and opens a bit to the kitchen and family room.

I am getting rid of my queen anne table

(with 2 leaves, 4 chairs and custom table pads if anyone is interested)

and moved my kitchen table to the dining room.

Refinished the top of the table, painted a couple of old chairs

and this . . .

3

So now I have this formal dining room hutch.

I love the design but what to do with it?

Leave it?

Paint it?

We have a bar on the opposite end of the room that is black with a dark wood top.

Black? Would it be too much black?

Partially paint it?

I've scoured Pinterest, Houzz & many other sites and can't find exactly what I'm looking for.

Ideas are welcomed!

Maybe just a bit of black somewhere?

6

Here's another question for you:

I've painted the chairs black (they were dark brown stained).

I had two coats of paint on the chairs and missed a few spots.

7

But then I decided I liked it.

So do I sand more spots away? They look really antique-y to me.

And one more . . . 

Bill and I (and by I I mean Bill) refinished this piece for me last year.

5

I added Prima rub-ons on the top and sides

but it was super white.

So this morning I attacked it with Tim Holtz Distress Ink and a tiny brush

and now it's all distressed and toned down.

5

I love antiques.

Always have.

Always will.

Send me your ideas!

Posted at 10:00 AM in Altered, Home Decor | | Comments (3)

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How did I miss this . . .

June 01, 2019

JJa

Did you ever have one of those duh moments?

Well, I did this past month.

If you read my blog on a regular basis, you know that at the moment,

I'm into Junque Journals.

So I've been joining Junque Journal groups on Facebook

to see how these gals put their books together.

And all of a sudden . . . this happens:

Mam 1

Boxes!

Why didn't I know about this?

For years I've been creating my own covers & spines from scratch.

Now I'm digging in the recycle bin.

To make your own book:

(a) eat all the snacks in a box (this is important!)

(b) The box is glued together at one of the sides.

Find that place and carefully open the box where it's glued together.

JJc

(c) Cut off the box top and box bottom.

(d) Cut off the glued together side.

JJd

And just like that you have a book!

JJe

And Pasta Boxes are the best because there's a built in window!

Mam 2

I then took paper and coffee dyed the paper.

Some I scrunched up and some I left with just the coffee splatters.

Mam 3

I made a template for my pamphlet stitch

and punched holes in the box spine.

3 signatures = 3 horizontal holes across

Mam 4

What's a signature?

It's a grouping of papers. Called a signature because back in the days of handwritten books,

each set of papers that was completed was signed by whomever wrote it.

Thus a signature.

For this book, I used 5 papers,

each paper folded in half

and then stacked on top of each other to create 10 pages.

Make sure the folds match in the center!

Then each signature is put together and I used the center hole template, 

punching 3 holes through each signature.

Mam 5

Once the holes are punched, remove the template and save for another book.

Mam 6

Using waxed linen thread and a heavy needle,

thread the needle but do not double and do not knot.

Start with one set of signatures.

Place the signatures into the book spine,

lining up the holes in the signature with one set of vertical holes in the spine.

(I clip mine in place with binder clips.)

Here's a video I found on You Tube that shows how to stitch a signature

(I can't do better than Lynn.)

The only exception is that I use waxed linen thread

as it's hard to break/tear and doesn't stretch

therefore, no doubling of the thread.

Once the signatures were sewn into the book spine,

decorating begins.

JJb

I left quite a few of the pages blank for journaling

and tried to decorate the pages that I crumpled.

The smooth pages will be easier to write on.

JJi

JJh

So much fun to work on these simple books.

And it can be a work in progress or a finish all at once project.

Hope you enjoyed this foray into

Junque Journaling.

Check out what my team mates have put together on the

Mini Album Makers Challenge Blog

and join the fun for a chance to win an amazing gift certificate from

Catherine Moore's Character Constructions

Character-Constructions

Such a fun way to stamp!

Character Constructions $25 GC
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Posted at 01:00 AM in Mini Album Makers Challenge blog, Mini Books | | Comments (6)

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