Stamps Ahead

Inspired by a You Tube video from Natasha at Treasure Books I decided to have a go at making some whimsical tags.  I had Christmas scrapbook paper and scraps sitting on my table They are all different sizes approximately 3" x 5" in size (7.5cm x 13cm). They did not take long to create.  Great to use in a junk journal as tags, journalling spots or attached with paper clips.  Why not for Christmas tags to add to gifts or hung on a tree. My sister chose the bottom one and she will add to her 2024 Christmas journal. Just how easy is it to get side-tracked I was clearing up my craft stash and came across these papers - of course had to stop and make these tags!  Cleaning up can wait!!!   Thank you, Treasure Books for the inspiration and thank you to my readers - Merry Christmas to you and yours. Margaret Whimsical (adjective) playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way.

Here is what was in my package to my blind date with a book partner, a long post follows: Book packed in pretty brown paper from my stash.  I have used Tim Holtz Thinlets 662697 die to create the pocks on the front of the package.  Also shown are instructions to book partner and a small bag of additional bits and pieces for her to use. There is a small journal card, a small book, a bookmark (that could be used as a belly band or to create clusters and tucks.  There is also a selection of ribbons and lace I decorated some of the pages in the small book. Stencils had a great highlight to plain pages. Great pianola paper with words and numbers on it. A tuck with a couple of small cards that can be added to the journal. Another stencil to fill a plain page. Front and back pages of book.  This is a great way to use sentiment sheets that often come with paper packs. Folded it is 3" x 4" approx.  Here is the blind date book I sent: Full of quotes - one per page.  ...

Here is a pin I have created this afternoon suitable for wearing as brooch or in a junk journal. For the past week I have been sorting through patchwork fabrics and packing them up into packages for a local charity shop and as I worked through them there was so many beautiful small pieces of fabrics, and it got me thinking what could I do with them. So, I head to Pinterest/Instagram and found some beautiful pins by Anna-Karin Sjoqvist  from way back in August 2019 and from this photo (see link) I created my pin. Of course, I needed to make one immediately as I was inspired.  I have left thank you on Instagram.  Do yourself a favour head over to her site she has so much inspiration - I could have spent hours looking at her work. Thank you, Anna-Karin, I love it and I used some slow stitching on mine and added beads to the pin. I love the frayed look. In all it only took a very short time to make, and I can see me making many more in the future. Thank you for looking, Marga...

 After a long time away from this blog I have decided to revive it to show some of my latest and upcoming projects.  Here is what I have just created. Yesterday, I found a YouTube video from Twisted Paper Studio (thank you) that really inspired me to create dangles for junk journals, using scraps of paper, lace, string - really anything you have close at hand.  I really like that you can also use embossing folders to add extra texture to the dangles. I look forward to creating more in the future.   Thank you for looking, Margaret.

It has been awhile since I last posted - where does time go?  I recently developed and run an introduction to junk journals and embellishments.  I donated part of the small cost to the Community group where I lead classes for their mission efforts. Here are some photos of what I prepared for the participants.  The journal cover was constructed from one 12" x 12" (30cm x 30cm) folded into a smaller size.  My sample shows cotton fabric I coloured with distress and alcohol inks.  Students received tea dyed ribbon. Cover plate features cheesecloth and lace behind the main image - bird from a magazine. The journal on the right was completed by one of the participants in the workshop. We started with a simple tag seen on the bottom.  Next was a simple to construct belly band.  Clusters can also be made along the band and then cut off later for clusters to be used in the journal.  I love the simplicity of these bands that are great for decorating book pa...