PAPERLOVE

Recently I took part in a wonderful online course called Paperlove, ran by Rachel Hazell.  I met others who shared my love for all things paper and I was so inspired by the creativity and ideas of others.  So much, that I have booked to go on a residential course next April, but more about that another time.  I am still working my way through the projects and a warm friendly group has developed on the forum, but what I wanted to show is a journal I made using a challenge to find papers that were easy to hand...

 

I love maps so one or two had to feature... 

 

A page from a garden magazine, and a recipe I printed for Sparking Cucumber Water.

The drink was delicious and a favourite in the hot weather we have been enjoying!

 

It's a fun to play with words and create new meaning

 

Another map!  This page was folded to make a pocket on the reverse - great for slipping tickets, receipts, photos or notes into.   This was the first book we made on the course and the pages were sewed together.  I will have fun using it as a journal.  

Something else I have enjoyed is seeing the happy mail that is being shared.  One envelope is completing the whole distance - being passed from one person to another.  Wow!!  I wonder if we can work out how many miles it will have travelled to complete it's final journey!  Meanwhile other letters are arriving and I did a happy dance this morning when one landed at my door.  Just look at this! 

A marbled paper envelope, hand folded, with a beautiful mini book inside.  My day was made, receiving this!  It was so thoughtful and beautifully done, thank you Helen!!  These will not become pages in a future journal, I will think of a special way of keeping them so that like the commemorate theme, they will not be forgotten.

One of the other things we were invited to do on the course was to make a list of all the paper items we could see.  I decided to do this while I was on a creative retreat last weekend as time offered more opportunity and here is what I found:

blank envelopes and cards, Amazon envelope, braille paper, scrapbook papers, morning pages journal, moleskin diary, diary, bin of offcuts, receipts, tickets, lottery ticket (sadly not a winning one!), tabs, tags, newspapers (including Russian!), A4 white paper, assorted card and other papers, mount board, grey board, tissue paper, serviettes,  various packaging for products and food, handmade books, toilet tissue, posters on walls, takeaway menu, junk journal, postage stamps, birthday and celebration cards, to do list, table covering, music sheets, price labels, wall paper, graph paper, magazines, sticky labels, postcard, notebooks, photo scavenger hunt list, gift card holder, paper plates, cardboard box for foil/cling film, photo paper, business cards, label on new product......

We are surrounded by so much paper every day, and so much of it just gets thrown away or sent for recycling.  But there is lots of fun to be had, so if you like upcycling, recycling and sharing with others then you may be interested in a Junk Journal Swap that I am organising.  Why not pop over to here and find out more?!   

Come join our JUNK JOURNAL SWAP!!

'Why don't YOU organise a swap?'.....

......  Pauline encouraged as I admired my friend's latest Junk Journal.  It's not the first time she has said this.  Oh no!  Pauline knows of my ideas and is fully supportive, but when I was in full time employment I didn't have time for the commitment or chasing my dreams.  Now  it's different.  In my new life 'after-work' I CAN take on challenges and long held dreams. 

The problem is my creative space is a MESS and lately I have crept back into the house again and taken over.   It's a good job my husband is so patient and supportive!  But a part from wasting time trying to find things that I want, I need to make my cabin the creative space it was meant to be and Pauline is coming over to help me.  I had planned a major de-clutter but after seeing Pauline's junk journal I had a rethink.  Because I have a hoard of cardboard and papers ear marked for projects and let's face it, one's mans trash  is another mans treasure!  And I am reluctant to part with it because how often do you part with something only to want it a few days later?!   So for now I will organise and see what I am dealing with.  And THEN I will decide my next step.

Meanwhile, I do know that I have more stash than I can use in a lifetime.  I hate waste and I have recycled, reused, and 'made-do-and-mend' long, long before the current trend started. What I LOVE is making something new from old or unwanted, and passing on what I don't need to other people to use.  And while I succumb all too readily to merchandise (I bought 3 more 12x12 pads of paper this week to add to my mountain of stash!) what fires my passion is making something my own - adding design or colour - and decorating paper, and using it to make embellishments, tags, euphoria, mini books, journals, ........  you get the idea! 

And as well as inviting you to join this Junk Journal Swap (details in a moment) I also thought it would be fun to offer a few simple ideas how we can play with some of the paper we have.  Have you ever looked at the patterned paper inside an envelope?  Often blue and white, or sometimes grey patterns, these are transformed with some simple doodling, stamping or mark making.  And how many of you have scrapbook papers or other patterned paper you do not like?  Lets have some fun changing them into something we do like, or making them stand out rather than something we keep at the bottom of the pile.  Then you can use them yourself or pass them on to someone else to enjoy.  So here's the plan:

For the next 2 weeks I will be posting quick and simple ideas for altering your papers/pages.  I will also include ideas for things you might want to include in your journal.  Then, why not take part in the Swap?  Here's how:

JUNK JOURNAL SWAP .......

1.  Look around for paper or card to make pages no larger than 8 x 6 inches.
     NOTE!  A junk journal is just that.  You can include used materials such as packaging,
     envelopes, magazines, newspaper, book pages, flyers, leaflets, receipts, tickets, paint
     chips, tags from clothing, greeting cards, a long with any other papers you want to use.  
     Please ensure all materials are clean and what you would be personally happy to receive.
    
     For some ideas go to this post where I show a recent junk journal I made using papers
     found around the house.

     Keep some of these papers for your own Junk Journal. 
     
2.  Post 10 pages to me:

     a.  5 of these can be unaltered - pages from a magazine, book, envelope, patterned, plain,
     map etc.  If you have something interesting - all the better - but any paper will do! 

      b.  5 of your papers should be altered in some way.  Feel free to be as expressive and as
      playful as you want!  You could stamp, paint, doodle, add college, a pocket, sewing,
      anything that makes a mark and leaves your personal impression.  Anything goes!

      If you want to include other bits and bobs such as postage stamps, euphoria, tickets etc.
      these make a lovely surprise for the recipient. 
 
3.  Make a cover for your personal Junk Journal 8 x 6 inches.  Use what ever materials you
      have to hand or prefer (corrugated or plain card, mount board, grey board, packaging
      (from cereal or soap powder for example).   Be creative and imaginative.   

      DO NOT PUNCH HOLES in your cover or pages! 

      Post your cover and pages to me, in return you will receive a complete,  luscious junk
      journal all ready to use, supplied with rings to hold it together. 

4.  Sign up by email:  sandie17 (at) talktalk (dot) net

      Post your cover and pages to me by September 1st latest. 
      Don't forget to include your name and address!  (Please write clearly)
      Enclose a cheque for £5  (UK only) to cover return postage  and extra pages added from
      my own supplies.   
      Alternately pay by Paypal (friends and family please):  sandie17 (at) talktalk (dot) net    
      You are very welcome to join in if you live overseas, please contact me so that I can let 
      you know the postage rate that applies.
     
5.   Once received I will share the pages and post your journal by 15th September. 
      Please note I can not be responsible if your junk journal gets damaged, lost or goes
      missing in the post, however I will obtain a certificate of posting and package well. 

6.  Feel welcome to post about your journal once your receive it, and I will a provide link so
      that others can be part of the roundup.  And if there is interest, other links could be
      included during the making if you would like to share examples of 'MAKE A MARK'.     
     

I do hope you will join in

because the more the merrier! 

 



 If you have any questions please ask and thanks for popping by.