Junk Journals

Mushroom Journal

     Leave a Comment

Happy Monday!

I hope your weekend was a nice one. My youngest had a horse show and it was such gorgeous weather and we had a really nice time. I am gearing up for the holidays as I am sure many of you are and I am planning on sharing the handmade gifts I will be making for everyone this year. I spent this week figuring out what I was going to make for everyone and I think I am even being some what realistic. I am still hopeful to finish the Coraline dolls for the kids and that is my plan for the coming week. In fact I couldn’t sleep last night and as I was lying in bed I came up with a really cool idea for a box for the dolls. I will be sure to share the results with you all and how I make out.

I was going to film a video on my setting up my Christmas planner in my bullet journal but the weekend got away from me so I decided to share this video I recorded maybe two weeks ago instead. I was hesitant to share it as I can’t seem to find this journal anymore! I know it’s around and most likely right in front of my face but either way it’s a really fun project and if need be I just may have to make a second one. I also have my fall journal to fill up and then I am hoping to get my Christmas memory journal caught up.

Perhaps I am not being so realistic with my holiday plans after all.

Regardless it’s fun to have to ideas and projects on the go and at the end of the day I am determined to just enjoy the making and I get done what I get done.

Today however I am sharing my little mushroom journal with you.

I made it out of a mini composition notebook that I believe I bought in a big pack off of Amazon but I know you can get these at the Dollar Tree too. I was prepping the pages to make art in them but never really got beyond that. I saw Janet Nash’s mushroom journal and I really loved the idea so I decided to turn this notebook into my own version of a mushroom journal.

I gut out of very simple template leaving a hinge of sorts to keep the journal together. I traced it on the notebook and then cut out the pages a few at a time. I found my scissors worked perfectly for this. I love the idea of maybe adding fabric collage to the cover and then maybe even a combination of hand stitching and paper collage to the inside pages.

I hope you will make one too and maybe we can work in our mushroom journals together.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Junk Journal MashUp

     Leave a Comment

Happy Monday!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. The weather here in the North East was absolutely beautiful and we were very excited to celebrate my youngest Baptism on Saturday. It was a small, private ceremony and dear friends acted as godparents. After we went to my daughter’s favorite restaurant. The entire celebration was perfect!

I also was able to get in some more dollhouse time and I am working on a brick wall which should be really fun! I cannot wait to share that update. I may need to sit it aside however since my kids have requested Coraline dolls for Halloween.

If you have been visiting my little corner of the web for a while you may know that I like to make little gifts for my kids on the holidays. I purchased this Coraline-style doll pattern last year thinking I would make them for Christmas but ended up doing other gifts for the. Now that Halloween is only 6 days away it makes sense that I try and tackle 3 fabric dolls between now and then right?

We shall see how they get on and I will even try to film some of it for you. It will however require a massive desk clean as I have been in the midst of 2 projects right now so I think today I will start with a good clean up and then try my hand at making the dolls. I had to order some fabric (it would seem everything I chose to pack up is now required) which came in Friday and I picked up some felt sheets at the craft store for the clothing. I think they will go together pretty quickly so I am happy to get started.

For today however I am sharing a fun little junk journal mash up. As we were going through our attic, basement and barn we found lots of papers and things that were saved. The certificate from when I purchased my love bird back in the late 90’s, some cards and even some items much more recent. I am trying to keep my “junk journal” supplies to one small box and when it starts to overflow that’s when I sit down and do a few pages. It was so much fun. I absolutely love this journal I made and I think the pages are coming out nicely as well.

If you have some crafts to work on, why not hit play below and join me for about 15 minutes of creative time? I would love to hear what you are working on!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Look What I Made!

     Leave a Comment

Being Creative with a Childlike Enthusiasm

It’s been a few weeks since my last Letter. I have been really tired and if I am honest my ideas were running a bit low. It’s so easy to get caught up in what I should be writing or sharing while simultaneously comparing myself to others. I was spiritually guided to lessen my input of what other people are creating and instead dig in to making stuff myself. When I practice this I notice how suddenly the energy returns to my body.

Simply sitting and thinking about what I would like to make starts the influx of energy into my body. What seems to stop it is when I try to think how to turn that into a Substack post or a blog post or YT video. There was this reel I saw on Instagram by Rick Rubin and he’s talking about just that. Making the most amazing thing you can as a form of worship.

My quiet time with God (or Spirit or whatever word feels truest for you-we are the ones who made up language anyway so feel free to translate my word to something you love and feel inspired by) has been “just make it, stop trying to monetize it.”

Where did I get this idea that my time is only well spent if it makes me money? Why do I think I need to be legitimized as an artist in the form of currency?

You know the best paying job I ever had-not just dollars and cents but in overall well-being-was pet sitting. I started the business about 19 years ago and it was the easiest business for me to grow and make a really wonderful living at. It required very little effort on my part as far as growing the business itself (finding customers) and all the joy went into caring for these furry kids and being outside and going for walks. I used to record my podcasts while I walked the dogs and it was just beautiful and easy.

So, why do I think I need to force money from my creativity? Why would it be any different? I love animals and my love and sincerity was evident to the pet parents when I met them. They knew their pets were safe with me and that I would love and spoil them. I didn’t have to force it. I didn’t have to change how I approached the visit I was just me, Michele, loving animals and doing my thing.

So maybe that’s the shift that needs to happen. The exhaustion I have been feeling is from the striving to prove myself in the dollars and cents world. It’s ironic because between you and me I really dislike that world. I don’t want to live there. I want to live where the creatives are-the fun ones not the ones who like to dissect art and music into this mysterious thing that takes a lifetime to master and has to look a certain way. No I am talking about the ones who are playing who are locked into that amazing creative feeling that we get when we are just doing what we love because we love it and we were made to do it.

So here’s to playing, to making something fun and exciting and sharing it just like my 7 and 11 year-olds share their work with me. They sit down and draw in their sketchbooks with whatever tools they have on hand then hold it up and go, “look what I made!” And I love that so much. I love the pride in their faces and the joy in their hearts. I want to be that again.

So here are the things I have been making. I invite you to imagine me holding them up to you going, “look what I made” with each one. Then, if you would like, please comment below and share what you are making. You can even take a “look what I made” photo of you holding it up if you want. You can link to your Substack post too so we can all come over and ooh and ahhh over it. Let’s be kids and share our work with fun and enthusiasm.

I finished the journal for my Stroudsburg trip! It was so much fun and I am planning on sharing more about the trip and some process videos so let me know if that’s something you would like to see. The journal is overflowing with chunkiness and I made it part memory part junk journal. I loved the challenge of taking a small little trip and filling an entire journal with goodies and it’s definitely something I am going to replicate. It was so much fun to be on my trip and looking for things to add to my notebook. I think an everyday journal would be fun too…..

I didn’t technically make this cover this past week but I wanted to share. I am taking part in my own version of the 100 Days of Slow Stitch by Ann Wood Handmade and this is the cover to hold my pages. I really love how it came out and each night while I am watching TV with my teen daughter I stitch a few pages. I stumbled upon making pages as a sort of vision board for things I am working to realize this year. Below are the pages I am working on

The top right is the first page I slow stitched. I made my studio shed that I want to build in our backyard. The door actually opens to show a little kitty inside sleeping on a pile of books.

 

The middle one is my dream of owning a horse someday. I finished the page but now I am going back to add some fabric and stitches around him.

The top left one is our dream homestead. Land, a cozy house and animals. sigh.

Lastly I am attending my first Zine fest next week. I am taking my 7 year-old with me as she loves making zines and I thought it would be fun. I have an advertisement running for the event and so it seemed only fitting to give away a free zine to anyone who subscribes to my Substack at any level. For those of you lovely subscribers I will send it out to you once it’s all done but for now I have the cover to share as a sneak peak.

 

Below are some things I have been loving and finding inspiring since our last letter. Enjoy!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Subscribe here to find out what’s been inspiring me, when my creativity session will be available along with this week’s reads.

This Week in the Studio: Frustrations with Starting a New Business

     Leave a Comment

Happy Monday!

Today I am sharing my weekly studio vlog and it was a bit of a challenge. Most of the week went well as I was able to get some studio clean up done and I also set up my new writing binder for a new story I am working on. I have signed up for a Self-Publishing course and I am really excited for it. To prepare I began with getting my current work in progress. I write all new stories by hand first in a notebook. My first edit comes when I type it into my computer. There is something about writing hand to paper that just connects me to the story in a way the keys don’t. It’s a fun way to get to know my characters and their world.

I set up a binder which is a new system for me, that is going to hold all my story information. Characters, worlds, plot, chapters that sort of thing. In addition to the one I am writing there are several others waiting to be edited so they can be self-published. I would love to have a book ready by the end of the year to publish-even it’s just all the editing is done.

When I first saw the class I was really excited and signed up for the waiting list. I have been following the author for a while and I really love her approach to career and this course feels in alignment with my own career goals. I’ll be sure to keep you posted as to how it’s all going.

The other goal I had this week was to print the sticker sheets I have been creating and add them to my shop. Theoretically this was going to be easy. The hard part of conception and creating the art was over right? I was so wrong.

I have been wanting to turn my art into stickers forever and I have tried over the years and basically ended up really, really unhappy with my cutting machines.

I finally thought I had it all worked out and then the machine (my newest one) was giving me issues. I managed to solve those issues only to have my printer give me problems. In the end, I have re-designed my stickers and I have one sheet available for purchase-woohoo!!! I am very hopeful that I will have the rest of the stickers done and ready for purchase by the end of the week.

To celebrate the sticker sheets are shipping for free so yay! You can purchase a sheet here if, like me, you love your coffee too 🙂

I will also share a secret little item that, for now, only you my faithful blog readers will know about. I have a new journal for sale in my shop too! If you have been following along in my Make a Journal Series this is the journal I make and this Friday the last of the videos will go live. I will also promote this journal for sale so if you would like to pick it up before then you can find it here.

So that was what was going on this week in the studio. I have lots of new projects in the works and I am hoping to have some new dollhouse content up if I could just decide on the upstairs flooring. I still think I want full carpeting but I am really not sure. I will keep you posted.

I hope your summer is going well. My oldest two have been enjoying camp for the past few weeks and I have been playing chauffeur. Looking forward to next week when the schedule quiets down for a few before another week of camp.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

 

 

 

 

How to Make a Junk Journal: Part 2 The Pages

     Leave a Comment

Hi everyone! Today we are going to be making the pages of our junk journal and this is really where you can let your creativity come alive.

I added a photo from a children’s book to the cover. This was a book I bought for my oldest when she was a baby and it has gotten pretty worn over the years. It’s called The Eloise Wilkin Stories by Jane Werner Watson. I used the ripped book for my journal and I purchased a second copy used for our book shelf. If you are looking for a place to buy used books online I usually shop Thrift Books. Their prices are good you can usually choose from different levels of wear and tear and their customer service has always been great. (Affiliate link:  If you make a purchase using this link I may earn a small commission but you do not pay any more)

I want to start off by saying if you don’t have a lot of materials do not worry. You can use plain copy paper (like I do) to get started. In my journal I am using some 11×14″ page that I folded in half both ways and then stitched up the sides to make pockets. It’s not coffee or tea stained, it’s just regular old copy paper. You can use book pages, magazine pages-whatever you have!

I have some vintage stationery paper that I attach together with masking tape along with some vintage envelopes that were sealed shut. This is a great way to use items from your recycling bin or maybe some children’s books that have been ripped up and aren’t wonderful for reading any more.

To attach vertical pages together I line them up next to each other and then put a piece of masking tape down to attach them front and back. You can use washi tape too which will give a nice look to the pages. I chose masking tape to go with the vintage pages of my journal but you can play have fun.

Once I finished gathering my pages I went ahead and started stitching my plain paper. I added decorative stitches that also closed the openings on my folded pages creating the pockets. If you are using smaller paper you can still stitch down the sides just to add some decoration. I also raided my fabric scraps and attached some fabric to make colorful tabs on my pages as well. You could glue paper, ribbon or lace if you don’t have a sewing machine.

I personally like to decorate my pages so they aren’t blank but not so much so that they feel like they are completed or locked into a certain theme. I want whoever is going to be playing in this journal to be able to make it their own.

Once you have all your pages decorated you can decide how many you want in each signature. I put the pages inside my cover to see how much room was left over to help me determine the number of pages and then I divide by the 3 signatures I want to have. I like to sew in 3 signatures because it’s easy for me and I find the spacing works nicely on the spine width I tend to use.

In the next video we are going to start to sew in our signatures. Don’t worry it’s easier than you think!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

How to Make a Junk Journal: Part 1 The Cover

     Leave a Comment

Hi everyone! Welcome to my new series where we are going to learn to make a junk journal from start to finish. If you have have never made a junk journal before this series is going to walk you through step-by-step. I will over lots of examples for different materials you can use as well so you don’t need to run out and buy a lot of materials. I want this to be a fun, easy and expressive way for you to make your own journal without having to break the bank-after all we are just using junk right?

So let’s get started!

Today we are going to begin work on our cover and here are the supplies you will need:

Cereal box or other chipboard packaging. Think the back of a notepad, brownie and cake mix boxes (they are actually my favorite boxes because they are the perfect size! Whatever you have to hand will work.

Brown paper bag, kraft paper or wrapping paper

Glue/Double Sided Tape: PVA glue will work but my favorite is double sided tape but you can also use a permanent glue stick.

Scissors

Paint if you want to paint your cover. Regular old craft paint is perfectly fine but you can decorate your cover is so many ways. Stickers, markers, stamps-use what you have to hand!

That’s it!

Let’s get started:

Step 1.

Cut your cereal box/chipboard.
I cut my to 9″x6″ I like this size because I really like using regular letter size paper and this size cover allows me to use a full sheet of letter paper folded in half. You can cut yours to whatever size you like-the process is the same.

You can also double up your chipboard to make a really sturdy cover if you want.

You also need to cut chipboard for the spine. It will be the same height as your cover and whatever width you want. I cut mine to 2″. I also glued 2 pieces together for the spine.

Next you want to attach the covers to your spine. In the video I am using book binding tape but you can use regular masking tape. I only used this because I have it and I never use it-because I generally use masking tape! It’s much cheaper and works just as well. You may have to use a few more layers of it to get the sturdiness you want for your cover but it’s a great option that’s readily available in most stores.

I lay a piece of the tape down, sticky side up and then place the spine in the middle of the tape and the covers on either side leaving a small space so the covers can open and close. If you want to measure you can leave a space the thickness of your chipboard between the spine and the cover.

Step 2.

Next you will ned your paper shopping bag, kraft paper or wrapping paper.  If you are using double sided tape I like to add it to the 3 edges of the cover. Then you want to lay your book cover on top of your paper. If you are using wrapping paper make sure that the pretty side is facing your work surface. Then you want to fold over the sides of your paper and “wrap” the cover.  You can cut the corner (see below) so you can a nice corner. Just don’t cut too closely.

If you are using a liquid glue the paper may warp and bubble a little just keep that in mind. I would then put glue on the full cover and spine and glue it down to my paper folding and wrapping the edges adhering them down with more glue.

Step 3.

This step is optional but I like my journals to feel like a book and to not have any “wobble” with the cover and spine. To help with this, I take masking tape or in my case book binding tape and I place some on the inside of my cover (the part without paper) and overlap the cover and the spine. I put down a few pieces until I am happy with the sturdiness.

Step 4.

If you are using wrapping paper or want to keep your cover brown like you kraft paper you can skip this step but I love to make colorful journals so I take my favorite color and paint the entire cover including the inside flaps. You can let this dry and then apply additional coats as needed. This is where you can really be creative. You can add fabric, stickers, magazine images-you name it! Have fun!

Once your cover is completely dry you are done!

I hope you found this helpful. If you are more of a visual learner I have a video below where you can watch me follow these steps and make your cover along with me, pausing as you need to.

In next week’s post I am going to share how to make your signatures and decorate them several different ways.

Until next time!

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante