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Use Up Your Scraps

Photography Challenge: And I Need Your Help

May 25, 2026      Leave a Comment

I am someone who tends to leap at ideas and am quite convinced if I didn’t have some very sensible people in my life I just might hop around this planet moving from one thing to the next leaving a bit of chaos and glitter in my wake.

Not saying that would be a bad way to live mind you.

It is in fact my retirement plan.

Today’s post is an example of my random ideas.

I wasn’t sure what to write about and the idea of a photography challenge popped into my head.

So here we are.

My personal plan is a loose one. I want to wander, intentionally but still wander around and take a photo of something that caught my eye. It could just be neat, pretty, cause me to pause and take notice-it doesn’t really matter I just plan on taking a photo. I am also planning on using my film camera along with my phone or digital camera. The digital is so I can share with you the photos and the film because I love film and I have a partial roll that needs using up.

Now most challenges include things like prompts but I always find them very limiting so I never follow them. I can appreciate that you, however, may want some prompts so that is where the help part comes in.

I would love for you to share in the comments to this post some prompts. It sounds like a fun way for us all to take part (whether you want to snap photos or not) and to come up with some unique ideas beyond what I could come up with on my own.

Of course, I am taking photos but if you are doing other things-painting, writing, sculpting etc and want to take part please let me know what you are making and feel free to share on your own Stack and tag me so I can see. We are creatives after all so I feel like rules play no part here.

What I’ve Been Up to this Week…

As I mentioned in another post I am letting my studio space go. I have been renting a space not far from home for the past 4 years and this July I am letting the lease end. It served it’s purpose at a time when I needed to have a creative space to go to at the end of each day to create but now I find it’s not what I need. Instead, I am hoping to build a small creative space on our property but for now I will need to be condensing two creative spaces into one.

So this week I am assessing my current creative corner. It’s turned into a wall in our bedroom and to be honest it’s jammed packed. So this week I am slowly starting to go through, get rid and store a lot of what’s here. My plan is to take two cabinets and use them to hold everything.

It’s completely and utterly overwhelming but I will get there in the end and I’ll share some photos as well.

In the interest of doing that I am trying to use up the several bags of junk journal supplies I have collected and started making a few small journals out of some junk mail. I was inspired by Janet Nash’s channel (Linked below) and a recent video she shared. I am going to work on making some more video content this week as well so here’s hoping.

I have also decided to offer for free my entire weekly posts. I have some ideas for paid tiers to come in the future but for now I think I am going to just stick with sharing here, building my community and seeing how things go in the end. I am really liking the idea of regular creative sessions and so I am going to have a play with what that would look like. How about you would you like to have some creative sessions throughout the week that you could join in and create alongside me?

So that is it for this week’s post. I hope you are all doing well and I look forward to sharing my pictures with you next week.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

What’s Inspiring Me

Janet Nash’s Channel. I have loved Janet’s channel for a while and if you are looking for something that is peaceful and calm to watch while also being inspiring I highly recommend. She was making junk journals out of old magazines and that was what inspired my project this week.

What I’m Making

I did it! I finished my bandana bag! Last week I shared how my beloved sewing machines was fighting me and I was getting a bit grumpy to be honest. I was following a tutorial from She Sews Seems (you can find the video here). To be clear her tutorial is awesome I was just having one of those “everything I touch breaks” kinda days. So I set it aside but really wanted to finish it this week and I did! I forgot to do the embroidery but I am honestly happy about that. I do love the technique she shares and I am planning on trying it soon.

I am still planning on using it as a comfort bag filled with everything I love to leave the house with but can’t fit into my purse. I am still working on what to put inside and I’ll keep you posted! For now here are some pictures:

What I’m Reading

I am still reading:

“A Fire at the Exhibition: A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 10” by T.E. Kinsey (Affiliate Link)

Book of Innocence: A Channeled Text
(Book Two of the Manifestation Trilogy) by Paul Selig (Affiliate Link)

In this next installment of the Manifestation trilogy, renowned channel Paul Selig shares the words of The Guides as they offer a glimpse of a world that transcends our own limited understanding.

The Guides, otherworldly beings with deep spiritual insight, speak directly through Paul, and their message has been transcribed word for word in this revolutionary new volume.

The Book of Innocence invites readers to explore a new vision of themselves and the lives they lead—one that is pristine, fundamental, and innate. Instead of being blinded by spiritual and physical distractions, The Guides offer a return to the primal simplicity of a deeper knowing. This powerful book welcomes readers into a paradigm shifting experience of renewal and rebirth, shedding cynicism and conceit in favor of authentic, life-changing innocence.

I Finished Reading:

“Can’t Spell Treason without Tea” by Rebecca Thorne (Affiliate Link)

 

Paper Dolls from Cardboard

February 5, 2024      2 Comments

I am trying out something today. I am playing and having fun making some paper dolls in a cardboard journal.

I was inspired by this video by A Bit of Birdsong where she makes what she calls “trashy dolls” out of cardboard. I love the freedom of making something out of items that are normally tossed in the trash or recycling bin. There is nothing to do but play around and see what you come up with.

I decided to make a small journal to house my doll using cardboard I had here in the studio. I drew a face on the back of some scrap paper for her head and attached arms and legs using brads so they would move a bit.

It was such a simple project and this is only the first phase. Next I am going to make her some clothes and possibly a friend or two. I had thought of making each page in the book a different room in a house for her so that might be a possibility too.

I will be doing more of these so you can be sure to see how she progresses but for now you can watch a sped up video of me putting all the basics together below.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Video: Making Pockets for Our Teeny Mini Journals

March 22, 2023      Leave a Comment

Today I made some teeny pockets to go with my teeny mini journals.

I have to say that these are so much fun to make and not just because I am delving down the world of miniatures. I love using up my scraps as I have said on here a lot and I really love making bits and pieces to add to my journals.

These pockets are really easy to make! I used some book pages I have on hand to make mine but regular copy paper or scrapbook paper would work just as well. I think using our DIY collage papers would be a fun element to add as well. You could use brown paper packaging or bags, old greetings cards, spent wrapping paper, junk mail-really there is no limit.

The construction of these is simple and the fun really comes in when you start decorating. I hope you have fun making these and be sure to comment and let me know if you make some! If you share photos you can tag me on Instagram as well!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

VIDEO: Use up Your Scraps & Make Paper Clusters/Ephemera

March 13, 2023      2 Comments

Today I am cleaning my desk.

Well, sort of.

Today I wanted to make some ephemera to add to my journal pages and I wanted to use up all the bits on my desk.

I thought it would be fun to make some ephemera to keep on hand for adding to my journal pages.

I didn’t give much thought to the process. I opened up my scrap drawer and pulled out some papers that were similar in color, then grabbed some other bits from my scrap box along with some stamped words I made.

A glue stick, some handmade buttons, lace and trim later and I have a nice little collection of paper clusters in blue, beige and pink.

I started with some decorative paper and cut it into rough squares and rectangles.

Next, I added some torn paper or book page (or both) followed by some trim. I used a bit of lace and a bit of embroidery floss a few stamped words and a button or two.

I rounded the corners on some and others I left square. If you don’t have a corner rounder you can always cut rounded corners with scissors.  On one I decided to punch a hole and add some lace to form a tag.

These are so simple (and fun) to make. Of course, in the end I used up scraps for sure but I also have a lot more on my desk now too. No worries-I have another post and video planned for Wednesday where we will make some paper tabs.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Music by Little Boots – Silver Balloons – https://thmatc.co/?l=54B37541

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