Collage

VIDEO: Altered Paper Clips & Paper Tabs: Using up Scraps and Making Simple Ephemera

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Hi everyone! I hope your week is going well. For me? I am playing on a very messy desk with lots of little bits of paper and string and I have a glue stick.

In short-my week is going great 🙂

Have I mentioned recently how much I love collage? (Yes, I know, I say it almost every time I visit with you!) The truth is though, I really love it! I also love using up my scraps, my collection of old magazines, book pages and all the other little bits and pieces us creative types can gather up.

In today’s play session I am sharing my version of making paper tabs and altered paper clips. These are such a fun and unique way to add elements to your journals and they are so customizable you can pretty much use anything you have.

I started off with some colorful magazine images but you could use junk mail, construction paper-whatever you have. That was my base and then I started adding some bits here and bits there of scraps, stamped words, book pages and ribbon. It’s similar to the way I made the paper clusters I shared with you on Monday.

The altered paper clips work pretty much the same way but I glued a paper clip in the middle and then glued the flaps together to hold it all in place. The altered paper clips are a fun way to make the page you are working on, a favorite image or just to add a little something to your art journals.

I always encourage you to use whatever you have on hand and never feel like you need to buy anything you see me using so if you don’t have a supply I’m using I offer options in the video but please feel free to comment and if you are stuck and I’ll see if I can offer some options.

I would love to see what you make too! If you have a creative type blog please do share the link below when you comment-I am always looking for more creative blogs to follow 🙂

Well that’s all I have for today! I’ll be back tomorrow with another Museum of Me blog post!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

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

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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

Video: Using DIY Collage Pages in Your Art Journal

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Today I am sharing one of my favorite practices with you-collage.

I say it all the time but there is just something I love about tearing and gluing down bits of paper. Sometimes I will clean up my desk after a project by picking up all the little bits of paper and gluing them down in my journal. I love using a wet glue for this like matte Mod Podge or regular white glue diluted with a little water.

Today I am sharing a process art journal page from start to finish using the DIY collage pages we made yesterday.

I started off by going through my pages and choosing several that I felt like playing with. I didn’t over think this process and just chose ones I liked.

Then I started tearing some pieces from the pages and gluing them into my journal. Again I didn’t really think too much about this and just had fun.

Once the pieces were glued down I dried them with my heat tool and decided to add a drawing as my main image. I had been sketching faces in a new journal I received at Christmas and I used one of them as my inspiration. I took just a piece of printer page that was on my desk and began sketching with a water soluble pencil. Once I was happy with my sketch I added some color with my watercolor pencils. Originally I thought I would activate them but I decided I really liked the sketchy look so I left them.

I used a glue stick to apply the image to the page and then took some green craft paint to paint around her and the opposite page, pulling all the elements together. Then I took another of the collage pages and cut a heart out of the page to add to my left side page. Before gluing down I added some book page behind the heart and cut out the word “love” from the dictionary to add.

I am really happy with this page. I am always hesitant about my drawing skills but that’s exactly why we should draw! Adding as many handmade elements to our journals personalizes them in a really unique way and helps to build our confidence in our own creativity.

I hope you enjoy watching the video below. If you have any questions please let me know!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Music by Ben Camden – Take Me Away – https://thmatc.co/?l=8E9D24E7

VIDEO: DIY Collage Pages

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I had some really fun play time in the studio this weekend.

I was inspired by this video to make some more collage pages. If you have been around here for a bit you know that I really love collage. There is something about gluing down bits of paper that I just find therapeutic. I am always on the search for materials to add to my pages and since it’s been a while since I made my own I thought it would be fun to bring you along while I do.

Do you love collage? If so grab some computer paper, your favorite (or least used mediums) and play along!

I used all sort of mediums so this project is really flexible-use what you have on hand. It’s a great way to play with new materials as well as using up some materials that maybe you have hanging around.

I started out with acryllics and watercolor pencils and then just started adding spray inks, Karin markers and more. I had so much fun! In my first session I made about 10 sheets and then in the second session I made around 12 more pages and added another layer to the first group.

If you want to have some creative time but maybe you aren’t sure what to create practices like this are always a great place to start. You don’t have to plan or think anything out and I find that after making some pages I suddenly have more inspiration and ideas for other projects. It’s a great warm up!

I hope you enjoy the video and if you decide to play along be sure to comment and let me know how your pages come out!

Until next time!

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

VIDEO: Imperfect Pages: Checking in with My Word of the Year

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Today I am checking in with my Word of the Year.

I started by filling out the quick check-in sheet from my workbook and then I started on a double page spread in my Word of the Year Journal. I had no real plan so I used the bits and pieces on my desk to collage down as a background. Then I pulled it all together with a layer of gesso followed by a pretty green color.

I found these images that conveyed how my word feels so far. The idea that I am journeying home. I altered one photo with some paint pens to make it feel a bit more whimsical and then just glued down the other pages. My title came out really messy but for some reason it felt perfectly imperfect that way.

I am thinking of going back and adding some journaling around the photos but either way I am happy with this page.

I was hesitant at first to share this page because it’s not really anything special. No amazing techniques or art created but that was exactly why I decided to share it.

Creativity should be first and foremost for us.  A way to express something, release something or maybe-as in today’s page-just some playful time with no expectations. I hope this little video below might inspire you to have a play in your journal.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Music by Saint Stephen – 50’s Milkshake – https://thmatc.co/?l=352EAE2D

VIDEO: Collage Mixed Media Play

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Happy Monday!

Today I am sharing a process video with you. I wasn’t feeling well last week and didn’t make it to the studio. Today I was still tired and trying to find my groove in my warm-up journal.

I spent time last week watching some really fun mixed media artists using collage to make paper dolls and applying alcohol to watercolors for some really neat effects so I decided to give both of these techniques a try. I really love the idea of collage paper dolls and will be on the look out for some images that might work well for this.

I started out applying gesso and then sticking the pages together to get some texture. I used my heat gun to dry them and then applied some watercolor. It’s a gorgeous color from a set I received in a past Art Snacks kit and it really had me thinking all things ocean.

I sprinkled some rubbing alcohol with a paint brush and it really does make a fun effect. I never can stop myself when I am having fun with a new technique so I might have gone a bit too far but I love how it turned out.

I really wanted to use some images I found of a girl in the water but felt they were too small. That’s when I decided to add the original image I had planned and then have some fun with the paper doll type technique. I added some paint pens, more gesso over top a really sweet dog that gets a bit lost in the background-but I just loved him! I finished off with some circles I punched out.

I don’t think the page is done quite yet. I want to add some doodles and a few more layers and I’ll be sure to bring you along when I do. For now, this page is filed under my unfinished art journal pages until my next play session.

How about you? Have you had a chance to play in your art journal? Do you have some unfinished pages awaiting a few more layers? Let me know in the comments below. And you decide to play along with my video below please let me know and share a link to your blog so I can see what you have created!

Until next time!

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

Music by You ME and the Piano – Merry-Go-Round – https://thmatc.co/?l=4B20EFD1

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