JUNK JOURNAL SWAP - PART 4

It is beginning to feel like Christmas here....  no, not because that time of year is fast approaching but because happy mail is arriving!  Each day I wait excitedly to see if the postman will deliver another Junk Journal and word has spread because 3 packages are on their way from US.  I'm happy clapping here!

I am having great fun with this Swap and some of the comments I received have really added something special:

'I've really enjoyed the process of creating something that doesn't need to feel 'perfect' - it's been liberating!  

'Thanks so much for the little nudge I needed to start feeling creative again' 

'I was so inspired that I've already made myself another one'. 

All this from the same person!   And there have been other lovely comments and gestures too.  Let me show you another package that arrived.......

 

 

I mentioned lovely gestures.  Well this surprise package came from a friend who is not taking part in the Swap!  She had made the most delightful little velum packages with 

French Sugar Paper and stamps tucked inside.  And there was a wonderful assortment of papers and folded card.....  'is this the kind of thing you're looking for?' she asked!!  Well, it takes another paperlover to know that this is EXACTLY what I was looking for, and so a HUGE thank you to Angela!!   The journals will be even fatter and more interesting for your contribution.

 

In my last post I decorated pages and pockets with Dylusion Spray Inks.  This time I have been getting messy with paint and stamping.  I  have a pile of books that I keep for upcycling and altering so I often tear pages of text and cover them with Gesso or a light coat of paint or ink.  Afterwards I use it as a background or as part of a collage, or decorate it in someway.

For a long time I have been planning to experiment with making my own stamps so I decided to keep to the theme of upcycling and I cut some scraps of mountboard, covered it with wet glue, and added string.  It was a bit messy to do as the string kept lifting and uncurling, but perseverance won. 

 

And here is the result.  I liked the effect when I tried it so I made another using thicker string and a more loose design.  I have lots more ideas which I will be trying out when I have more time.....

But meanwhile here are some more pages I have made for the Junk Journal Swap.  My pile is growing, and once the journals have all arrived I will spend a happy couple of days swapping pages and making up journals to post back.  Sending Happy mail is as good as receiving!!

I am also including scraps.  These die cut negatives make wonderful additions to a page as strips or cut into individual letters to create words.....

 

And do you remember this background paper I showed in my previous post?

 

 

Well here is a page that I made from it......

 

 

It is ready now for someone to add their own ideas, or maybe just leave it as it is.  Because soon this page, a long with the others, will be packaged up and posted.  It is too late this time to take part in the Swap although this has been such fun that I will be planning others.  Let me know if you want me to keep you posted about this.  Meanwhile if you missed previous posts and would like to catch up here are the links:

 

 Paperlove

'Come Join our Junk Journal Swap'

Junk Journal Swap - Part 1

Junk Journal Swap - Part 2

Junk Journal Swap - Part 3

 

Last time I mentioned that my friend Deb is taking part in the Swap and will be sharing the story about what inspired her journal.  She has been on holiday but like a trooper she has come home and done her part so now it is over to me to put into a post.  So watch this space because Debs is someone who always inspires me and she has a wicked sense of humour! 

 

But first, the 5th of the month is approaching and that means it will be time for my monthly neme '5 in 5'.  I  also have photos of my Summer Scavenger Hunt to share so I hope to catch up with you again soon and thank you for visiting.  And thank you too, to everyone who has taken part in this Junk Journal Swap - I am loving every minute of it! 

JUNK JOURNAL SWAP - PART 3

Last time I showed ways of making pockets, using envelopes and other stationary.  This time I will show how to decorate some of your pages using quick and easy techniques using Dylusion spray inks.  But first here's another pocket, using a 12x12 sheet of paper.

First, fold your sheet into half.  Turn and fold into thirds as shown below. 

Turn each corner in.

With corners turned, fold in the sides.

 

 

Now,  fold under, in half.  You have a pocket each side and a nice sturdy page.

 

  In addition, you could add double sided tape and secure the two halves

 to form another pocket in between, with top or side opening.

 

 So let's look at other ways of making pockets and decorated pages.  In my last post here 

I showed a page made from a card envelope.  You will be familiar with these if you buy books online.  As I had to reduce the height of the page I had to reseal it.  I decided to add a strip from a file folder so I glued this inside, and folded the excess up and over.

 

I used double sided tape on the two outer edges,  leaving the top open to form

an additional pocket.  The side of the page provides larger storage space.

 

I then used Dylusions ink spray to add some colour to the pocket.

I may add more detail or leave this for the recipient.

 

I love spray ink as they are quick and easy to use, and they make an immediate impact.  I always cover my work surface with plastic covering and use a large sheet of paper to collect the excess ink as it is sprayed.  Interesting patterns and colours form and later I will cut up this sheet and use it as pages in the journal, or as decoration. 

 

Here's some pages from a book. 

You can see some of the sheet of paper and the colour starting to form.

 

This time I sprayed a window envelope.  I then turned it face down onto the sheet of paper and because the ink does not absorb into the cellophane it was transferred.  Can you see the imprint?!  A quick wipe with kitchen roll left the window clear. 

 

 

A quick spray on the reverse means I have a colourful page.  The wrinkles soon dry out!

At the top of the photo you can see another envelope that I used to mop up some of the excess ink.  You will see this again in a moment.

 

 

Next I took a sheet of adhesive labels and sprayed those. 

Can you see how colourful this  background sheet is becoming?

 

 

And remember the envelope I used to 'mop up' some of the ink? 

Well there it is with some of those adhesive labels.  I could have added more ink or

colour but I quite liked the subtle effect.  Sometimes it is good to rest the eye.

 

 

And on the reverse I stuck more labels.  Once more, I may come

back and add some more decoration, or leave it for someone else.

 

 
So that's it for now.  Next time I will show you more of my pages and ways I have decorated them, and Deb, who is taking part in the Swap, will be sharing the story about what inspired her journal.  So I hope to catch up with you soon and thank you for visiting.  By the way:

There is still time to join in the Junk Journal Swap!!

You can find more about it here.