Hope you're well? Apologies for the unimaginative title there....I opted for 'descriptive' over 'inventive' - it's hot, my brain has melted! Do forgive!
Anyhoo - just a small, interrim post-ette between art journal/sketchbook ramblings to prove that I've been creative since the last blog entry. I bid on a whole bunch of auctions on ebay last week - didn't anticipate winning them...you know the kind, the 99p too-good-to-be-true kind of auctions? Then, hey presto! The ebay fairy granted me wins on pretty much ALL of them, which meant bargain celebrations coupled with spending guilt, but these REALLY WERE bargains! I won a whole heap of Tattered Angels Glimmer Glazes for 99p each! They're normally about £6 - £7 so that was a VERY happy thing, and as soon as they arrived I just HAD to test them all. Of course. Naturally. Anything else would be insane, obviously!
I keep a stack of chip paper on my art table for just such a thing- it's like newsprint paper, but with a slight satin coating. It's thin but soaks up excess paint and such and leaves me with some cool patterns and 'homemade papers' to use in my journals. I tested the glazes in two batches, warms and cool colours and when I'd let them dry they looked kinda like sea and sand. So - not to waste them, I cut out the two sections and pasted them into my journal as backgrounds:
I find that, without intending to, my journal pages tend to rely heavily on symbolism, rather than text. I try to journal my emotions - fears and hopes, dreams and goals, and often it's only when I sit back and look at the page as a whole that I realise what I'm doing....where I'm at, as it were. They can often be something of a surprise or revelation. Weird. Weird but true.
SO - as I had all my STUFF out there in front of me, I took the opportunity to alter a little DCWV memo box that had been sitting gloomily in a corner. It was also a cheapie auction win (just £2) but arrived battered and looking sorry for itself. NOTHING'S a throw-away though, so I attacked it with sandpaper and my teeny metal-hammer until it was utterly knackered, then gave it new life!! Lookee -
I used acrylic paints to cover the surface, inside and out, adding some distress ink (Tim Holtz, what would we do without you?) in the colours: broken china, vintage photo and shabby shutters, then further distressed the edges with Pitt pens. The collage elements are a mix of cut-out images from the Papermania 'Chronology' line, and G45's gorgeous 'Steampunk Debutante' collection (now sadly retired, but check out their new 'Steampunk Spells' release!) The butterflies are from G45 again - their 'Botanicabella' collection, and the flowers are from 'I Am Roses' (awesome company). Glues used were the staple stand by, Mod Podge (matte finish), and a hot glue gun for the flowers and metal adornments (leaves and a teeny weeny bee).
Yep...so that's that! I had really good happy fun with both the journal pages and the memo box. I think sometimes people sneer a little at the idea of altering or re-purposing an item, but I REALLY believe that in our throw-away society, we should take any opportunity to upcycle tired items and not only enjoy the result, but benefit from the imaginative creative process. Your turn to have a go now! Have fun! Hugs - Shroo :)x
Stuff used in this Steampunk Altered Memo project:
DCWV memo pad holder (any brand will do though!)
Docrafts Crafter's Acrylic Paints (turquoise and avocado)
Graphic 45 papers ('Steampunk Debutante' & 'Botanicabella')
Papermania 'Chronology' papers
I Am Roses paper flowers
Brass leaf & bee charms
Treasure Gold 'Classic' gilding wax
Treasure Gold 'Copper' gilding paint
Faber Castell Pitt Pens
Ranger Distress inks (Vintage Photo, Broken China, Shabby Shutters)
Ranger Distress Stickles (Bundled Sage, Golden Rod)
Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze (Waterfall, All That Jazz, Indian Summer, Cowboy)
Mod Podge (matte)
Acrylic Satin Lacquer
Places to visit for cool stuff:
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