besottment by paper relics

Paper Relics Design Stuido Portfolio Updated

I just updated my Portfolio... with about 10 projects I have worked on over the last few months! Some you may have known about, others perhaps not... here are a few

Now if only I had time to redo my portfolio site all together. Oh well. Click HERE to check it out all the new editions. I have a few more projects in the works now that I hope to add next month.

This Past Weeks Journaling

Now that I have a new journal to work in I am much more inspired to work on pages!

Here is what I have done since creating the cover:

The left is the inside cover, which I have added a few things to. The right is just some lettering... talking about becoming Hope Karney soon (!). I also wrote a bit about how I try to so hard to "figure out who I am" so I can find my true style, but I forget that I already AM and already have a style that I just need to embrace. Was is that so hard though?

You may laugh to know this, but I worked on the right hand side (the lettering and color only) while getting my hair colored at the salon last night. See! Always have your journal and some pens/markers in your bag!

This spread started out as all hand lettered text, our guest list and rsvp info. But it was not doing it for me so I gessoed over it. I have some really bad gesso, I had to apply about 3 coats and finally added some golden wash in with it too. Then, Sweet Cammy gave me a HUGE bunch of coffee filters left over from our garland making day, so I had to put some to use (of course!).

Here is the spread now - I am still not feeling it,but I decided to move on!

Next up is a spread I started and have to finish still, but I like where it is heading so I wanted to share. Talking about creating one's own style.

Have you gotten any journaling done?

Plan De Paris Journal

I found this wonderful Plan De Paris Book about the same time my niece and I were talking about meeting in Paris next spring. So, with my head was already dancing with visions of a Paris, I had an idea!

I scanned the front and back sides of the book. I also scanned the little price sticker that was on the foxed front page that must have been there for ages.

I then scaled the covers to be a little larger (the book is small) then printed and matted them on single weight matte board. I also printed a small sheet of the labels I scanned.

Using binding tape, waxed cord and a needle, I stitched the journal together, using Teesha Moore's instructions (which you can download here) I used 3 signatures of 3, so it will be a good size to carry while gallivanting around the city of lights.

Once I did that, I covered the spin with a vintage pattern, and inked the edges all the way around so they were not stark white.

Then I cute out and adhered the sticker that was in the front of the book onto the back.

I lined the inside covers with vintage french dictionary pages, and used one of the maps for the book over it in the front inside cover.

Viola! Je suis fini! Here is the remake along side the original.

Now I need to make the second one (so we each have one) and then I plan to add more to them, watercolor the pages, etc, so I will document that and share it with you too.

P.S. I am working on some journal spreads to give you a weekly update by Monday!

My Favourite Supplies of the Moment

I go through phases where I cannot get enough of certain things to work with in my journal. The best known (and it never really phased out) is my coffee filter phase. Well last night while I was working in my studio I had all my favourite supplies around me and decided it would be fun to share what I love to work with at the moment.

These tiny circle alphabet stickers from Jenni Bowlin are wonderful - there are so many of each letter which is always nice.

I mentioned this dreamy dupioni ribbon in an earlier post - I use it on my journal covers, or shown below, as tabs for a page in my journal (see below). It frays on the edges and gives it a worn look that goes oh so well with the antique papers I always am pairing it with. If you are looking for some, One Hundred Wishes stocks it.

Every since my Tim Holtz class I took last month I have been hooked on Glossy Accents. It makes things shinny if you put it on top... but what I love it for is it's adhesive properties. It is a little slow drying so you have to be careful not to move things around after you use it, but it is very versatile and has amazing hold. I get mine from The Queen's Ink (you can call and order - they carry the Jenni Bowlin stickers too!)

I love, love, love this tape. I have been using it everywhere, journal pages, covers, presents, notes, envelopes - I cannot stop using it. I used the pink stripped to cover the binding tape on my latest journal and I love how it turned out. It comes in stripes and solids, and is also available from One Hundred Wishes.

I also have been really loving the simple ribbon punch from the Martha Stewart line. I find these shapes are great to paste down all over my journals. And this is a good paper punch, the handle makes it easy to punch to your little hearts content without making your hand sore.

Here are some examples of how i have used some of these items (notice I snuck some coffee filters in too!):

What are some of your current favourites?

A NEW Journal #3

I bound my other journal with a spiral binding. It looks cute, but it is not for everyday. So it is no longer my journal #3 - I will use it for quotes I think. So I moved it to the mini journal photo album. But then I realized I still needed a new journal! So I went with the same format as my last one, I stitched one, made from the cover of a imitation moleskine I got on clearance at borders. I love the size, 8 x 10. I used a lot of my favourite bits on ths one. Here it is - my NEW journal #3. Cover close up, cover, inside cover & back. Now I just need to stop making covers and work on some pages! What do you think - do you like it?

Upcoming Journal Posts

I must admit I have been more into making journals that working in them the last 2 weeks. Not to mention I have major wedding frenzy going on!

Anyway, this week I plan to share 2 projects with you.

A new stitched journal - here is a peek of the cover:

the other is a a mini stitched journal made in replica of a vintage Paris maps book for a hopeful trip to Paris in the spring to meet my niece. I plan on making another so we each have one to document the trip.

So stay tuned for more details about both over the next couple of days! In the meantime, if you are particiapting in A Year of Color, my guest post is up today!

Third Journal in the Works

I have been itching to start a new journal.

My first journal I used rings, which was great because I could add and rearrange pages as the whim suited me.

My second journal was stitched, and I love it. It is fun having the blank watercolor page to start with, knowing I could do whatever I wanted with it. And watching it fill up was amazing. It is so thick now (and I still have quite a few pages left in it).

For my third journal, I decided I wanted to try a different format again. Spiral bound. I am using the same size as I did for my ringed journal (a butchered moleskine) but with this one, I will need to add all my pages before binding it and will not be able to add more after. So it should be interesting. I spent a lot of time decorating and embellishing pages. I used old papers, new papers, handmade papers, watercolor paper and even some of the original moleskine pages. I then stacked them all up in a pleasing order and I plan to bind it later this week, and will show you the results. But for now I wanted to show you what I have done in preparation.

I started this cover a while back, but let it sit unused and finally came back to it now, I made a couple alterations to it's existing condition, and added some new stuff. I love using antique sheet music covers for the bases of my journal covers. I have a great thick book from 1850 filled with the best old music, you can feel the indent of the print in the paper. I use is sparingly, but it always seems to make it onto journal cover.

The star is from tinsel trading, vintage, which was glued upon some vintage pink netting, a recent antique shop score. The fabric flower is vintage as well but I do not recall where I got it. And the pink ribbon, I loooove this ribbon, is from here, dreamy indeed! You will also see a paper dollie (is that what you call them?), some paper that was the packaging for some pretty smelling soap and an angel snipped from a victorian trade card.

For the pages, I had a lot of fun going though my box of scraps and favorites, adding snippets of paper (old & new), tabs, embellishments, coffee filters (of course!), bits of fabric, etc.

Stay tuned for more later in the week about the progress of this journal - but in the meantime, here are some more cover shots:

Andrea gave me this rhinestone H ages ago - and I was happy to find the perfect use for it.

These black and white images were from an advert in a vintage vogue that Sue gave me one day while we were crafting together - love the style of them.

That's all the peek I have for you now... More soon!

A Peek into My Journals

I just made a new page that breaks my journal photos down into sections - you can always access it from the 'peek into my journal' over there in the sidebar, but since you are already here, you can just click the images below (a post on journal #3 being created is coming soon!)

Journal:1 My first journal, started March 2009, was bound with document rings.		Journal:2 My second journal, started May 2009, was hand stitched with watercolor paper.
Journal:3 My third journal, started September, 2009, was spiral bound and COMING SOON!		Journal:Moleskine I use a Moleskine almost everyday to practice lettering and jot down thoughts.
Journal:Minis The occasional mini journal		Journal:Miscellany Assorted things, inspiration journal, home file, etc.