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Video: Bible Journaling (No Artist Skills Required): Beginner Techniques

September 9, 2023      Leave a Comment

**I updated the video on this blog post since the other one seemed to have been cut off-sorry for any inconvenience!

I have been venturing into Bible Journaling lately. I have watched videos for years but never really felt like I knew how to get started myself. I wasn’t sure how to start being creative in my Bible. I shared recently some supplies I purchased to get started and I have been playing around with them in my home Bible. I’m not making amazing art or doing anything fancy. What I am doing is adding color, making notes, adding washi and texture. It’s a way for me to connect to the words in my own unique way.

I wanted to share a few simple ways you can begin to add your own expression to Bible time especially if maybe you don’t think you are artistic.

I also wanted to include simple, inexpensive materials so you can hopefully get started wherever you are.

One of my favorite tools is colored pencils. I have tried special highlighters meant for Bibles but they still bled through the page more than I liked. Colored pencils are great for highlighting. You can box in a paragraph, just a line and even make a few notes.

Another thing I have been doing is adding little washi tabs to the tops of the pages as I read them. I love texture so this is something that really makes my Bible feel more personal. I also add washi tape to the edges of the pages I am reading which gives instant color. If you don’t have washi you can add some decorative elements to some plain masking tape and I demonstrate that in my video below.

Next up I like to add decorative paper clips to the first page of the book I’m reading. I leave it when I am done too because, again I love texture.

In the video below I also share how I made a simple pocket using a scrap of decorative paper.

There are so many ways to add your own unique expression without having to draw or buy tons of supplies. Of course these ideas work whether you are into Bible Journaling or just looking to get started journaling at all. I hope you find some inspiration!


Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Book Club: Shop with Me, Used Book Haul

September 7, 2023      2 Comments

We are enjoying a vacation week. My husband took off for the week, our youngest is turning 5 this weekend and we are enjoying some time with friends and today I had a nice wander through the used book store.

I am so grateful to have quite a large used bookstore not far from me and I went for a little wander. I found so great books for the kids and for our Little Free Library that I’m excited to add.  I also had stopped off at the local Dollar Tree and picked up a 2 books for the kids for our back to home school which is next week.

Later I learned that my son and I had each won a prize as part of our library’s summer reading program. We went there and signed my youngest up for her very first library card! September is Library Card Month and it’s always so much for me when my kids get their first library card.

So today, I thought I would share with you the books I picked up. Below are the books and for the ones I could find I shared the link if you would like your own copy. Most of these are affiliate links so if you make a purchase using one of these links I may earn a small commission but it does not cost you any more. I am also sharing my latest book tube video where I chat a bit more about the books.

I hope you are having a wonderful day!

Page 1 A Turn in the Road: Blossom Street, Book 8 The Last Thing He Told Me - Dave, Laura

 

Anne of Green Gables - Montgomery, L. M. The Jane Austen Book Club - Fowler, Karen Joy Mary Poppins - Travers, P. L.

 

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dilettante’s Dollhouse: Making & Installing My First Window

September 6, 2023      2 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using this link I may earn a small commission but it does not cost you any more.

Today I am sharing a quick update on the dollhouse renovation. I have made my first ever window! It was a bit fiddly and far from perfect but I am so happy with how it turned out.

I started out by lining the opening with popsicle sticks (affiliate link) so I had a smooth surface to glue the window to. Then I made two squares from smaller wooden dowels (affiliate link). I tried measuring but in the end I just marked where to cut by holding the wood up to the opening. It’s not precise and required some adjustments but it worked.

I glued a piece of clear acetate between the 2 squares and then used some coffee stirrers to make a cross pattern on the windows. I then dry fitted the window and made lots of trims and adjustments and fiddles and then I glued it into place with my wood glue (affiliate link).

I used more popsicle sticks to make the trim as well and that really finished the window off. I cut the angles using my hand miter tool (affiliate link) and I am so happy with the results it gave. I am going to finish it off by painting the trim white.

I hope you enjoy this quick little update. If you have any questions please let me know!

 

 

 

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Video: My Common Place Book

September 1, 2023      Leave a Comment

Hi everyone! Today I am finally sharing what I am using my new embroidered journal for. If you aren’t familiar with this journal you can read about it here and here.

I have decided to keep this journal as a Common Place Book. There are lots of ideas about what a common place book is but I will share with you how I intend to use it. When I was in 7th grade we were given a project to keep a quote journal. It is probably the singularly most excited I had ever been on a school project and if I am being honest-the hardest I ever worked on one.

I filled a whole notebook with quotes and could not wait to turn it in. I still have the notebook today and countless others. Keeping a quote book is just something I have always been doing. A place where I can come to when I am looking to create or write or maybe just need to shift how I am feeling.  Using my handmade journal for this feels perfect!

Today I wrote out a few quotes that I have been collecting and glued them down. Added some washi tape and some stickers and called it done. Of course you don’t have to do any of this. A plain notebook and a pen are perfect but today I wanted to spend some time with my notebook and the quotes I have collected.

If you are interested in the Common Place book I mention in my video you can visit Miranda Mills blog here.  She has a wonder blog and I truly enjoy her Booktube channel as well.

Well that’s all for today. Do you keep a book of inspiration? I would love to hear about it!

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Video: Book Club-What I Read in August

August 31, 2023      1 Comment

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links I may earn a small commission but you do not pay any more.

August is coming to a close and I am so excited to share all I have read with you.

I had a great reading month. Everything I am about to share is a book I would recommend (presuming you enjoy the genre) and in fact, they are all books I plan to find copies of for my bookshelf.

I want to start off by saying that even though all the books I read were fabulous I also DNF’d a lot of books. I think there were around 4 or 5 that I read a few pages and quickly put aside to the “return to the library” pile. I noticed I was feeling like I had to finish one book but then I laughed a little and reminded myself I read for enjoyment and I don’t have to force myself to read anything. It made such a difference and I ended up with some really wonderful reads and a few new series to continue on.

So here goes!

First up is “The Ogress and the Orphans” by Kelly Barnhill. (affiliate link) I absolutely loved this story. For me it feels like a classic book and one that I am sure I will be re-reading down the road. It’s a sweet and sad story of a lonely but kind Ogress who moves to a town that was once very lovely until a series of unfortunate events happen and suddenly the town is no longer lovely.

Next up is “Shady Hollow” by Juneau Black (affiliate link). This is Book #1 of the series and it’s a cozy mystery with a twist-all the characters are animals living in a little woodland town. These animals are very human in civility having a local newspaper, coffee shop and sheriff’s department. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a cozy mystery.

Once Upon a Broken Heart (affiliate link) is the first book in a new Fantasy series by Stephanie Garber. When Evangeline Fox makes a deal with a fate to win back her true love things go, well about how you would expect them to go when you make a deal with a fate. I just loved this story and all the characters and for me there were lots of unexpected twists and turns. I am really looking forward to reading book #2 and will be puchasing these for my bookshelf.

Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie (affiliate link) is of course fabulous. I had zero idea “who dunnit” and loved every twist and turn. I listened to this on audiobook while working in the studio and it was just such an interesting story. I am enjoying working my way through the Agatha Christie challenge.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman is next up on my list and again-I just loved it! I am looking forward to watching the movie adaptation of it-possibly this weekend to see how it compares. If I am being honest I am thinking about making a Coraline doll (felt or wooden I am not sure) along with recreating Coraline’s house in miniature. It feels like it would be such an awesome project!

And the last book I read in August was “Cold Clay” by Juneau Black (affiliate link) which is Book #2 in the Shady Hollow series. Another wonderful story and I think in some ways I liked it even better than the first which isn’t always the case. This series is going on my purchase wish list for sure!

Well I hope you enjoyed my August update! If you would like to see my BookTube video I have that down below. Have you read anything good in August? I would love to hear!


Until next time….

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

Video: Adding Hardwood Floors to the Dollhouse

August 30, 2023      2 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links I may earn a small commission but you don’t pay any more.

I am so excited to share with you the latest updates to the dollhouse!

I have made some really nice progress and things are turning out pretty well. I finished the paneling and touched up the paint. If I were doing it again I would have painted the cardboard the same color as my paneling, in my case white, prior to gluing the paint stirrers. This would have made things easier as you wouldn’t have noticed any gaps that way. It worked out in the end but definitely a tip I will keep in mind for the future.

I then decided to give the floor a coat of white paint to clean it up a bit. I had given it a quick sand first and wiped out any dust with a wet rag. I also glued in the wallboard for the kitchen with the purchased tile board. I added some painters tape to attach it and I was hopeful it wouldn’t pull the paper off but unfortunately it did. I am not too concerned since I plan to put cabinets on the wall as well. The process of purchasing the paper has made me realize that I really want to make as many things as I can for my dollhouse. I was toying with the idea of purchasing stairs and if in the end I can’t make them I will definitely go that route but to start off I am going to give it a shot. There is just something much more satisfying about building the pieces myself-at least for this project.

That being said I am toying around with the idea of taking the wallpaper out of the kitchen and starting over. I am going to think it over a bit and I’ll let you know what I decide.

I have started the flooring in the living room. I am using Popsicle sticks (affiliate link) cutting the ends off with my cutting tool. I purchased this a while ago but as I haven’t used it much it shouldn’t be dull yet. Still I found you can purchase replacement blades but I also found a comparably priced tool with 4 replacements blades that wasn’t much more than just 4 replacement blades. I am going to purchase that and then try out the blades in my current cutter as I think it will be handy to have 2 ready to go. The original I purchased is no longer available but the one I am buying next is here. (affiliate link).  Once I cut off the end of the sticks I adhered them with my wood glue. (affiliate link).

I added weight as I went along using various objects I had in the studio to help hold them flat. I will have to see tomorrow how everything glued down. In the end I am alright with the dollhouse looking loved and lived in so things don’t have to be perfect.

With any luck I will get the floor glued down in my next work session and then I will decide on what my plans are for the kitchen-whether I take out the wallpaper I added or not. I also need to figure out the ceiling (probably should have done that before the other projects) and then the windows I think. Once the windows are done I am going to think about the door way to the kitchen and stairs.

So that is all for today. I hope you are enjoying following along with my dollhouse adventures.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases

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