5 in 5 - October 2014 - MAKING BOOKS

Welcome to '5 in 5' where on the 5th of

 each month I post 5 photos that I have

 

taken in 5 minutes. 

 

 

I have always loved playing with paper and sharing more of what I do. My passion is for making books  and so I was really excited last week to run a class at one of my favourite shops in Essex, Birds in the Barn.  I used a range of Kaisercraft papers and loved the grunge colours and range of these designs but initially this also caused me a problem.  You see most of my handmade books are the focus for my photos..... but what ones to include?  The colours and design felt too heavy for the camping holiday with my granddaughters, and too flowery for other projects I have planned. 

 

Then I came up with the perfect idea....  a recent visit to the Gunpowder Mills!  Since this was very industrial and grey, but surrounded by a nature reserve and canals full of dragonflies, I was suddenly inspired and super excited!  The book has lots of pockets and flaps and in the class it was lovely to see how everyone used the papers in different ways, because I love nothing more than throwing an idea and letting people pick it up to use in their own way.  This allows everyone to make a book that feels individual rather than a copy of my example and everyone in the class seemed to enjoy themselves and go home pleased with what they made.  I still need to add journaling and finishing touches to my own book, but here it is in 5 photos:

 

 

I hadn't planned to make a book using these photos but I am glad that these papers offered an invitation as I love this book and it was a memorable day worthy of recording.  I wonder if you sometimes choose papers or materials then wonder how best to use them?  

 

As for my local book making classes, these are regularly planned and I love coming up with new ideas and designs each time.  I also have one special book in the making, but more about that later as this is a special surprise. 

 

And finally, I was invited to take part in an interview about my passion for paper, so do visit Paperphilia to find out more. 

 

As always, thank you for visiting and any comments are always warmly appreciated.  

 

If you are inspired to get out your camera and join in the '5 in 5' photo challenge here is the plan:

1.  Choose a location.

2.  Have your camera ready.

3.  Set a timer for 5 minutes (I use my mobile phone).

4.  Take as many photos you can until the time is up.

5.  Choose 5 photos to download and share by using the link tool below.
     You have until the 25th of the month to add your photos.

There are more details here.

And one more thing - when you use the link tool, please click on your post title.  This will show the web address. Please right click, copy and paste this as your link.  This will take readers directly to your '5 in 5' blog page and be easier for them to find.
 

Thank you to those who have taken part so far, I have loved seeing your photos and hope you will be back with more. 

And don't forget, you have until 25th to post your link!

 

ZEITGEIST

Today I am officially no longer in full time employment and it feels incredibly exciting to say this!  I have chosen to leave my professional role and this feels a huge leap of faith into the unknown with loss of  financial security.  
But it feels so right!!

It wasn't a decision made lightly and it took a long time for me to reach this point.  But once I got here handing in my resignation was easy.  One friend called it zeitgeist, a term I had not come across before.  But when I looked it up, I saw what she meant.  ‘Zeitgeist’ is made from two German words, zeit, which means time, and geist, which means spirit.  The push and pull between doing what I love, and love what I am doing, was becoming ever stronger. 

Because, yes!  There were parts of my professional role that did love and I am sad to leave behind.  There are things that I will miss....  BUT giving this up frees me to focus on other areas of my life that have been long time put-on-hold or neglected.  The tension between the two was ever growing............

And now there is a sense of liberation:

There will be no more regularly getting up at 5am
No more long commutes - sometimes sitting for hours in traffic
No more commitment and having to fit my life around work
No more push and pull


So what will I do?! 

Well, it has been my long-term dream to spend more time being creative and sharing what I do.  Back in March I took my books to an ArtBookArt fair and I was encouraged to arrange space in a local community art-café project.  But there was no point.  I didn't have time to make the stock to fill a shelf, and like other opportunities this had to wait until my situation changed. 

And so now I have arranged space in the shop and I DO have my work displayed and on sale!  It is a pop-up project and not sustainable, but at least it gets my work shown and other opportunities might follow.
 
But even more exciting!

I WILL BE RUNNING BOOK MAKING CLASSES
AT A LOCAL CRAFT SHOP!!!!

Three classes are booked through August and I have also been asked to run Scrapbook classes, so dates for these are planned too.  I have been encouraged to take examples of my work to another shop and I have other ideas planned.  I didn't imagine that one door would close and that another would open so fast, but I am so excited!  Finally I have time to follow my dream. 

Financial security is important, we all have bills to pay.  But life is short.  I cannot be true to myself and carry on as I was.  The time feels right to take a risk and to follow my heart rather than my head.....   

ZEITGEIST

ROAD TRIP - GOING SOLO

A year ago I went on a road trip.  It wasn't planned to be, but after accepting an invitation to an evening event in Bournemouth I realised it was unrealistic to drive there and back in a day.  And so I  decided to extend my trip and as things unfolded I grew more and more excited. You see I discovered the Craft Barn had a special event that weekend, a craft Extravaganza. It couldn't have been better timing, and it made a perfect stop on my way home.  So I booked sites to stay overnight and set off in my campervan.  There was a mix of excitement and adventure. I'd not done this on my own before...

When I arrived at Bournemouth I took time to admire the views from the cliff top and to relax after the long drive.  I had gone all that way to listen to someone speak, and after getting to know them on line it was wonderful to meet them in person.  It was inspiring and motivational, I left buzzing. 

 

I thought about going down to the beach next morning, before leaving the coast, but I didn't have the energy.  And so I took the day gently and drove through the New Forest, pulling over for a while to watch a herd of ponies before making my way to my next overnight stop.  At the farm I discovered they had a shop and their own butchery.  I had enough supplies but I couldn't resist  buying more for breakfast, good then, that there was space in the fridge!    It was when I drove into the field that my nerve wavered.  I discovered I was alone.  Now I'm not an anxious person, but it was a good distance from the farm and mobile signal was poor.  Bravery was needed!

 

Undaunted I relaxed with cups of tea, my journal, and art materials.  The view from the camper was amazing... miles of open countryside stretched a head and I watched the sun slowly settle. I loved being alone and going at my own pace.  Dinner at a local pub was the end to a perfect day - especially when I got back and discovered a couple more campers had joined me.  Phew!  Sometimes it is good to escape, but right then, company was a welcomed sight. 

 

 It was good to relax into the night with my craft materials.  I never travel without them and there was happy mail to post next morning, and a travel journey in the making.....

 

 

A leisurely cooked breakfast was the perfect start to the day and I lingered over writing my morning pages.  I also took time to feel the grass beneath my feet, this always grounds me and recharges my energy.  I loved this time to appreciate a slower pace and unwinding. I need to do it more often. 

And when I was ready I packed the camper and headed to the Craft Barn.  I stopped to post my happy mail on the way, though it was tinged with sadness, because I was posting to a friend who had just weeks left to live. I had decided to make a postcard to send her each day. What do you do when words don't feel enough, or might be too much?  It's hard to know what is right.  But I hoped that letting my friend know I was thinking of her would help.  

 

And as for the Craft Barn?  Well I had an amazing time!   But I'm not going to tell you about that now, because this post is long enough, and besides, I'm planning another road trip this weekend.  There is another Extravaganza and I shall be travelling down Friday in the campervan and staying until Sunday.  This time I have invited friends to meet me, some are coming for breakfast on Sunday and others will join us there.  It's going to be fun filled.

 

Following the first trip I made a mini book and added photos that I took on my journey.  Go here if you would like to see it.  This time I have made a travel journal to take, with pockets and pages and places to write.  I can't wait to get started.....  

 

There's a page to list 'Things to Pack'.  I guess that's as good a place as any!

WHAT I AM FOCUSING ON - Blog Hop

If you have time why not grab a cup of tea and join me for a moment or two...  because my lovely friend Louise Gale has asked me to participate in a blog hop with a difference. I love Louise's work and the life that she has created for herself, so thank you Louise for asking me to take part, I felt honoured.

 As part of this hop I was asked to invite three other friends and they will follow next week. And so at the bottom of this page you will find links to three lovely ladies who happen to be blogging
friends of mine, and by coincidence their names all start with J! So do pop along on Monday May 19th to read their own responses to the questions.   

Meanwhile this was a lovely opportunity to take some time out to ponder the questions asked of me and Louise has responded to the same questions here.  So.... make yourself comfy while I tell you what I am focusing on right now:

1. What am I focusing on? 

Each year I choose one-word and this year it is CREATE.

Back in January I decided this is going to be a year of more action. Things I had started would be continued or completed and there were other things I wanted to fulfil. But it wasn't just about doing. This would be me putting my heart into it! I would be taking more risks and challenges and time to create the life that I want. 
And I have! 

My main love is making mini books and I have been busy experimenting with new designs.  I love constructing with paper and I have made several new books that I am really pleased with. You can see one on this YouTube video here.   

The book shown here has hidden pages and lots of space for journaling or photos. I love photography and take my camera everywhere, so putting my photos into books is one of my favourite things to do. Each book tells it's own story. Some people like to scrapbook but I love the size of mini books and the interaction with pages. I confess - I can get excited by construction and all the different kinds of books you can make. 

As well as making books, I also love going on retreats with creative friends, taking part in online courses and swaps, and attending classes.  Recent ones include stained glass and felt making and I have a soldering weekend booked as well as one with Francis Pickering. I was also excited to be invited by PaperArtsy to take part in their recent 3UP. You don't need 3 guesses to know what I made!

Recently I was invited to have a stand at a local ArtBookArt fair.
I have started to say 'YES' to opportunities and to share more of what I am doing.  Interestingly the more I do this, the more opportunities present.

As well as attending classes I also love running them. This week I had a wonderful day showing a group of ladies how to make one of my latest books.  I hope to run more classes and also I am planning some of these online as some people who express interest can not attend due to distance. My first is work in action and I will be announcing details soon, so if you are interested in local or online courses please let me know by email or in a comment. 

I mentioned earlier that I love photography. Something else I enjoy
is my monthly neme '5 in 5'. I started this last year and love that other bloggers join in and share their own photos and story. What I didn't anticipate when I started was that my friend Melanie in Australia would join in. There was just one problem - Melanie does not have a blog! I tried to be creative in my thinking and so every month I post a page written by Melanie. Nor did I anticipate that good friendships would be formed. Joy is one of my tags who you will be introduced to shortly. She discovered my blog through this neme and I am so glad that she did. We now share happy mail and have a meeting planned in August. I can't wait!  

I completed Project 365 for a number of years and sadly this has been neglected of late. I've not given up on it though and hope to get back on track. I recently signed up for an online Photography Course and I also hope this will help to motivate me with Project 365. 

I have also signed up for an online writing course and would love to write a book one day. I am always writing. As part of The Artist Way I write morning pages, I also write lists, notes, letters and a journal. Meanwhile my blog provides a way for me to be creative and to share other things that I love.

2. How does my work differ from others of its kind? 

My approach is eclectic. I love to upcycle, recycle, use new materials and create my own. I like originality, so each of my books is personal and this is also what I teach. I encourage people to take my idea and to make it their own. For example, at last weeks book-making class my example was a sewing themed book but I encouraged everyone to make a book that was meaningful to them. These ranged from wedding, craft inspiration, a gift for a husband and project books.  Ideas were bounced around, materials sourced, and everyone created a book that was unique and personal. I shared more about the day here and this is the book I used for inspiration:

3. Why do I write/create what I do? 

Because it feels part of who I am and I can't imagine not creating! My mind and hands are never still and I am always busy making or doing. Apt name for my blog then - itchifingers - chosen by my
daughter. 

I have tried many crafts (too many to mention) but first and foremost I love papercrafts. This is because it is easy to carry and do where ever I am. I have a campervan and even though space is at a premium I always make room for a project that I am working on. At work I have sat in the camper during my breaks, paper and glue strewn across the table. And when we go for a weekend or more, a big bag is always packed. Luckily I have an understanding family....  

I started making books as keepsakes for family and friends. Small books with photos and memories.  Then I realised I gave them away and had none of my own.  That's when I started making them for myself, and I now have several baskets that I love to look through. So much nicer than looking at photos saved on the computer. Here's a few more of the books I have made over time. I have created some photo albums onto DVD and mean to do more of these - there's only so many photos you can put into a mini book and it is another way I can be creative!

My creative influence is also around the home.  I have upcycled furniture and transformed an antique bookcase into something I love.
Then there was the piano stool....  and the dining room chairs. More projects are in progress as I write , including some beautiful fabric that I want to use for recovering an armchair and making light shades.  So many ideas... so little time.... 

Having a personal influence is important to me. My husband has hand built furniture over the years and these pieces are more precious than things bought from the shop. Our table has a story, it has been adapted over the years to suit our family lifestyle and it is destined for another change. I want to paint the legs. The top was  indented at Christmas by my youngest granddaughter. I may leave it. A memory of the time she came to decorate a gingerbread house and decided that scribbling on the table was more fun than paper. Or perhaps she was just lost in her own thoughts and did not realise what she was doing?  A doodle perhaps... at just 3 years she hasn't yet mastered that, but give her time. Sharing creativity with my granddaughters is something else I love. Luckily, they love it too.
  
As well as family, social networks and friends are also important to me. Last October I set up an online community and together we are working our way through Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way. This group is very special to me, it allows opportunity to do something else I love - write - and to continue on my journey of self discovery and fulfilment.

Another online group I set up was 'Fit for Fun'. Being part of a supportive group allows opportunity to make yourself accountable and since Jan 2013 this special group of ladies have supported and cheered each other on in their efforts to improve their health and fitness. Like The Artists Way, this group is now closed to new members as it was important to establish trust and confidentiality.

  

4. How does your writing/creating process work?

I work very much from intuition.  Like all my creativity, I start with an idea but then allow it to free flow. I love to trust the process and never know what will develop until the end. Part of the pleasure and satisfaction is discovering that it has a life of its own and allowing it to reveal itself, rather than trying to contrive something that it is not meant to be. 

When working with paper I do not measure or use instructions. Again it is a connection with the material and experimentation, and a learning process. I need to be more detailed for online classes though. Not everyone thinks in the same way and my instructions and information need to be clear! I love challenges and new ways of thinking, so I see this as fun and yet another opportunity to learn.

I work in the same way with fabric and other materials. I sometimes use a pattern but more often I will see inspiration and create my own design.  I am self taught in many things that I do.  Some things come naturally, others are more of a challenge.  I have yet to fully master crocheting but need to remind myself that practice makes perfect!  For me, creativity extends in all areas of my life. I love cooking and baking and recently went on a breadmaking course and learnt how to make sausages by watching a YouTube video. In all these things I adapt recipes and experiment and sometimes I wish I had written notes as I went a long so that I can do it again. But mainly I like to work intuitively and it works for me, most of the time...   

So!  Thanks so much for visiting and I hope this has given you an insight into what I do and love.  Have a wonderful week, what ever you are doing, and next week  the blog hop will move over to these three lovely ladies, so please be sure to pop back and visit them on Monday 19th May.

 

Introducing:

Joy Shallcross

Joy recently turned 66 and has been crafting all her life. She's very much a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none type creative, loves knitting, crochet, gardening, photography, homemaking and writing. She's also done painting, dressmaking, quilting, fabric art and various other crafts, and always more than happy to try something new. Joy is retired from paid employment and runs her own business as a Phoenix Trader https://www.phoenix-trading.co.uk/web/joyshallcross/. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and her beautiful grandchildren.

You find visit Joy's blog here


Julie Kirk

Julie Kirk is a blogger, freelance magazine contributor and the one-woman kit creator, product-photographer, branding-designer and marketing manager behind an Etsy shop selling vintage paper packs and creative supplies. Throughout all those things she is motivated to either inspire and encourage others or to make them laugh. Preferably both [as long as they're not holding craft scissors while they're laughing. That could be disastrous.]

She shares a house and a life in the North East of England with a small mound of ephemera, an overflowing wardrobe, a newly stripy workroom and a man who doesn’t mind any of it. 

You find visit Julie's blog here


Jemma @Just-Jimjams

Jemma is married with three children (one still at home). She is a former computer programmer; trained as a primary school teacher; and is now working in a theatre.
Jemma has been scrapbooking since 2006, and is currently on DT for Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog and S J Papercrafts, as well as being involved in UKScrappers.
Jemma has been Blogging since 2011. Her former hobbies include Fencing and Tae Kwon Do; while her current hobbies include Geocaching and reading.  She is part of a reading group who meet in a tearoom where they serve wonderful cakes!
Jemma lived abroad as a child in Indonesia, Holland, Spain, and Nigeria.  And as an adult she has lived in Sweden, Holland, and Belgium before finally settling back in Cheshire. You could say  that Jemma is well travelled!

You find visit Jemma's blog here

EXCITED TO BE PART OF PAPERARTSY 3UP!

Recently Leandra over at PaperArtsy invited posts for 3UP and I was so excited to be chosen!
I received a set of the new Hot Picks stamp range to make my project and I was itching to share this news with friends. But I was sworn to secrecy.  And so, I kept quiet. 
Not a whisper or clue has been given.
Until now.... 

Because today, over at PaperArtsy, my project is shown a long with 2 others! This is the first time I have taken part and I was asked to keep my post for the 3UP brief, and so I am including more information here about my project and how I made it. 

Over the past week there have been daily posts on PaperArtsy showing more 3UP's and I have loved seeing the way everyone has used their stamps. I have admired and been inspired by all the projects created and it is well worth checking these out if you have time.   

But first, back to my project. What to make with my stamps? 

HP1306EZ

I loved the quote: "BEGIN AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW"
It felt quite timely too....
The urge to make books and share what I do gets stronger, and this seemed the perfect title for a notebook to jot down ideas as they come. 
 
So this is how I made the notebook using the stamp set supplied:
 
I hand tore thick paper to the size I wanted and folded this to
make 12 double pages.
(You can use ready cut paper but I like the effect of torn edges).

8 sheets were put aside to be used as inside pages.

I painted the other 4 sheets using PaperArtsy Pumpkin Soup, Guacamole, and Mermaid Fresco Finish chalk acrylic paints. 
 

This is the technique I used:

Put a small drop of your chosen paints onto a waterproof surface.

Wet the paper liberally with water or soak in a shallow tray while you work on each sheet. Then with a wet brush apply the paints across both sides of each sheet until you have the density of colour you would like. It should still be quite wet and don't think about design - just add colour at this stage! 

As you complete each sheet randomly lay each on top of each other onto a waterproof surface. Leave to dry but separate the sheets while still damp, to stop them sticking to each other. Lay them out to dry completely. You should discover patterns and marks that result from the layering and each page will be completely unique. 

Choose one sheet for the cover of your book. The rest can be used for other projects or as additional pages. Because the painted surface of my pages was a little rough I used an abrasive sponge to smooth it – this might not be necessary on other types of paper.   

To finish I masked off the nautical design and stamped text across the back and front cover using PaperArtsy Honey Dew Fresco Finish chalk acrylic paint.

 

On the front I stamped a design from PaperArtsy Tops & Tails 1, highlighting the eyes and flower in white pen.

 

Then I stamped the quote ‘BEGIN AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW’ on to white card, cut each line into a strip and backed it onto black card.  I attached them with foam pads to add definition. Top tip: to give a bit more white space around the text I masked around each line before inking and stamping.  

I added more stamping on the back page and completed the project by inserting the pages and sewing together with ribbon.  The notebook fits perfectly into my pocket and I loved finding ways to use these new stamps. 

 

 Thank you so much to Leandra and everyone on the PaperArtsy team for inviting me to take part and for organising this weeks event. It's been huge fun and I loved the stamps I received and making this project. Since making this notebook I have been invited to run a bookmaking class in Brentwood (home of PaperArtsy)!   

Perhaps a good title for this post would have been

"BEGIN AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW"

but I'll stick with 'excited to be part of PaperArtsy 3UP' !!

 

If you didn't see my recent post you may be interested in how I mounted PaperArtsy Tops & Tails 1 rubber stamps and braved cutting the design instead of using a mask.  

Your comments or feedback are always appreciated.
Thank you for popping by.... I'm off now to see how the other 3UPs have used their stamps!

MINI MAXI BOOK VIDEO

After sharing my frustrations in my previous post about not being able to download my first video - suddenly it worked!!

Yay!!  Happy dancing here!!

If you have already visited my previous post you will have seen

 

photos of my new Mini Maxi Book. 

 

 

And if you would like to see the video version,

 

 here it is! 

 

A MINI MAZI BOOK - Part 1

This week I ran a class at my monthly Crop, Eclectic Keepsakes. I chose an accordion design within a box cover which keeps the pages nicely together. I played around with scrap card until I was happy with the construction and called it a Mini Maxi because it measures 6 inches by 6inches but it is thick and quite substantial.  There are lots of pockets and places for journaling or adding extra photos and the book is easily adaptable for different themes.  Photos can up to 6x4 inches or 4x6 inches with a combination of smaller ones. And for those who like using photos the pages can easily accommodate
up to 20.  This is no lightweigh mini book and now you know how it got its name!

As this post is photo heavy I tried to do a slide show.  But I continue to struggle with doing this.  I used to make slideshows regularly so can only think I forgot to load some software when I recently changed my computer. And despite some good instructions when I asked for them, I still can't crack it! I will keep trying...

Meanwhile,

I thought I'd try making a video..... 

Now I've never made a video before to show my work, but I thought this would be another good way of showing the album. So I experimented and after a couple of attempts I made a video I was happy with. BUT then I had trouble uploading it!  Argh!!

I really do need to become more techno savvy!!  I waste SO much time fumbling and failing.  Yes. Really. (sigh)

I started this post 5 days ago but I will waste no more time...  this is the photo heavy version and if you can't see all the detail or work out how things are constructed I am planning a tutorial of how I made this book. I'll be posting this soon. Meanwhile if you click into the first photo it does enlarge the view and offer a slide show of the rest. I accidentally discovered this after trying to add the photo to my Pinterest album. But that is another story (can you hear me sighing again?).... 

 

Anyway, let's start:

 

Untie and fold out the cover page to reveal accordian pages ....

some pages are just layered....

other pages have tags hidden under the photo...

This tie opens to reveal space for journaling.

If you prefer, this could be used for more photos or page decoration 

 

 



 

  

 

This photo has a tab that lifts....

space for more photos on the back and under.

Another tab to lift......

 An envelope covered with patterned paper makes a good size pocket.

Inside, a folded card giving 4 more pages for photos or journalling

 

 Another photo pocket - such a useful space!

 Finally, a birds eye view of the album.

 

 

 

  I hope you can see how it all comes together. 

 

 

I mentioned at the outset that I taught this mini maxi book at a class.  I was hugely excited a few days after to see Deb's had completed her book and posted it on her blog.  And what an inspiration - it made me smile all day. 

Thank you for visiting.

 

ps. If you have any tips with uploading videos or making slide shows please share!

 

pps. I spotted a mistake in my journaling after adding these photos.  Did anyone else notice?

 

ppps!!  After publishing this post the video DID finally upload.  If you would like to see, here it is!