Heart threads

I recently viewed a video by Shanouki Art that she had posted in Junk Journal Ideas and Inspiration. I was instantly inspired by the video that I decided to 'have a go' as we say here in Australia. This is a long post, so please enjoy my creations.

I did not have a large ice-cream container so started with this container - I would say medium sized. 

I then took the bits and pieces of paper (including coffee filter paper and old sales tags) and bits of lace that were on or near to my table.   I then went out with brown paper to cover the outside table.

Here I am ready to start - notice the small pair of tongs I have put to good use.  The next step was to spray inks of all sorts into the container and 'smoosh' around, adding drops of ink as I went.  I used old sprays I purchased years and years ago and some alcohol inks.  Continue to mix together and used heat gun, to dry, when it became soggy and then continued to add inks.  Now by this time, I realised the container was too small and the little pieces at the bottom were missing out no matter how often I mixed. So, I got them all out and placed on the brown paper and continued the process.

Here they are drying out. 

Next, I used a glue stick and laid out the papers only (lace kept separate) onto the reverse of the brown paper used to protect the table  I the cut closely around the glued papers and I kept the remainder of brown paper to the side. Note: at this stage this could be considered a masterboard. ALSO, at this stage I decided it need more gold so used Liquidtex Gold acrylic ink to add a sparkle.

After it was dry, I used a die-cut heart and on the reverse of my masterboard I used the die-cut and filled it with heart shapes, in pencil.

Here they are all cut out - don't they look fabulous even at this stage.

The next 2 steps were to take the hearts to the sewing machine and sew around them, add lace, then embellishments.  Finished - I love them all and can't decide on a favourite.

I did die cut some of the pieces of the left over to use in later projects - well, some of them I decided to use today.  I am often asked 'but what do you do with all of these pieces you create?" I am currently making a junk journal with a sewing theme, here is what I added today.

I made a pocket and added a ticket with tab made of the leftovers above.  Also, the see the tab on the envelope that is a left-over put to good use.

I made a belly band with strip of packaging (yes, one of my favourite indulgences (Darrell Lea Caramel Snows) and I covered it with that brown paper leftover. Onto the belly band I added two more hearts and one more of the leftovers at the top.  You can fill the pocket with whatever you want or even leave not as a pocket but a simple embellishment.  Slip a journalling card or photo under the belly band. One final photo - is the container I after I had finished spraying and smooshing - I love it - almost looks like a pieces of fine china cup and saucer. I will find a larger container for next time though.

Thank you for staying with me through this post, thank you Shanouki Art for the inspiration and if you too love junk journalling, collage or anything why not join up at Junk Journal ideas and Inspiration on Facebook.  Margaret