Category : Art

432 posts

201604/02

A second look: Upcycling Projects

Since it’s April and this month is Earth Month I thought I’d share a second look at a bit of upcycling from a few years ago.

Oct 6, 2013

Upcycling Projects

We all know how to recycle and I’m sure most do it daily. Newspapers, cardboard, glass and plastic are all readily recyclable in most cities, at least across the USA.

This is wonderful! But I’ve been really focused on upcycling lately. Finding a new use for something that would ordinarily be tossed out. Wine corks, bottle caps, worn out clothing, stained linens, broken plates…you get the idea.I showed a sneak peek of these a while ago. I made a wine cork tree last year but this time I decided to change things a bit. I used a Champagne cork cut in half for the trunk. I think they turned out really cute.

I’ve also been using some scraps from previous projects such as the denim remaining after completing a quilt or two. As well as the remainder of the dress shirts that I made wine bottle gift bags from.

In addition I’ve been making a bunch more cards. I’ll show more of these last two projects at a later date. The cards have much less upcycling in it’s truest sense but I am still attempting to include elements that might otherwise be considered unusable such as tiny scraps of fabric and yarn. As well as photo trimmings. I have a cigar box full of photo trimmings…they have such vibrant colors that it’s a shame to toss them out.

It doesn’t have to be Earth Day to be a little “green”. Do a little more every day to be kind to our planet. Last time I checked…it’s the only one we have. :)

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If you’d like to see more recycling and upcycling projects please use the tag cloud on my sidebar.

Art | Blog | Crafts

Christmas, fabric, greeting card, scraps, Second on the 2nd, sewing, upcycling, wine corks

6 Comments

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201604/01

Fear of Flying

For lack of a better idea for the name of this journal I opted to use the name of the book.

Especially since the title shows through the stamped tissue paper I used to cover it.

This journal was the first one that I started with the intention of it being an art journal. My original thoughts were that I would create some pages then journal on them at a later time. Of course how I actually used this changed over time.

There is everything from challenges to me just trying to work through something to experiments with new products and techniques as well as just playing around being creative.

Art | Blog

art journal, fear of flying

2 Comments

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201603/18

Art Journal vs Altered Book

Over the years there seems to have been a shift in the verbiage used to describe the process of taking a book of little or no use and making it into a piece of art. Or perhaps it could even be a book with great meaning to you and you want to express yourself within it. Either way…you are altering it from it’s original purpose. Hence the name altered book, right?! But the line has been blurred as mixed media and collage entered the scrapbook and paper arts world. I’m not saying this is a bad thing…more products, techniques, blogs and tutorials out there. Mixed media entered the main stream. Along with that is where the shift happened from altered books to art journals.

I’ve always felt (and still do) that explaining to outsiders what an altered book was bordered on exhausting at times. I’d, all too often, get a blank stare from the person I was talking to about my new passion. Somehow changing the way I described what I was doing as art journaling made more sense to my audience. Oh, it’s just art in journal form. Sure, if that makes it easier for you to understand…I’m cool with that.

For me, I feel as if the difference between an altered book and an art journal has a couple different facets. An altered book must first of all have been a written and published book. Secondly, for it to be an altered book, it has a theme. Such as this Vintage Fashion altered book….which happens to be the first round robin altered book swap I ever participated in. Too bad postage costs have skyrocketed since then.

After completing a few themed altered books, I began creating pages randomly with no theme. Just a place to play and be creative. Somewhere along the line I started calling my “no theme” altered books, art journals. It seemed easier or perhaps more logical way to describe them once I heard more about art journals.

For me, I feel an art journal can be comprised of any substrate. Plain or scrapbook paper, card stock, bound journal, moleskin, cardboard. You name it…it’s likely been tried…as well as, you guessed it….published books. This causes the dreaded crossover…well, is it an art journal or an altered book? I feel as if I’m talking in circles.

I think what it comes down to is personal preference. It is art after all. You can call it whatever you want. We all define what we think is art in very different ways. You aren’t going to please everyone and you shouldn’t try. Art is an expression of yourself. There are no hard and fast rules…which is why I got interested in altered art 11 years ago.

So there you have it…my opinion on the difference between an altered book and an art journal. What is your take on this subject? Do you agree or have another ideas? I’d love to hear your opinions.

Art | Blog | Creativity

Altered book, art journal, article

3 Comments

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201603/15

T Tuesday: sparkle edition

Welcome to T stands for Tuesday brought to you by Elizabeth aka alteredbooklover. Pull up a chair, grab a cup and stay a while. T Tuesday sparkle edition | Halle's Hobbies I missed last Tuesday due to the flu…but since then I’ve been getting back to being creative. Now that I’ve got a few journal pages under my belt, I feel as if the creativity is flowing again.

I’m on a a mission to finish this journal. I think perhaps there is space for one more spread. I hadn’t realized until I was over half way through this book turned journal, how filthy the language was in it. I had grabbed the book off a the free shelf at the library with the sole intention of making a journal. I never read any of it. T Tuesday sparkle edition | Halle's Hobbies

After discovering the salty language including numerous F-bombs, I have been very careful to thoroughly cover the written words. I’d hate to have my kids pick up the journal and read something totally inappropriate.

T Tuesday sparkle edition | Halle's Hobbies

The black tissue paper did a fantastic job with this. It also added wonderful texture. I also use a palette knife to spread some heavy gesso through a circle stencil. I think I was channeling the ’80s. Actually that’s not too far from the truth. I’d been talking about the Sadie Hawkins dance with J just before this. It had a neon theme. Very 80s meets rave party from the photos that I saw. Made me think of my first high school dance (and the photo that showed up on FB a while back…WOW!)…very typical 80s…of course, it was the 80s!!

Boy that was quite a tangent…back to the journal. T Tuesday sparkle edition | Halle's Hobbies

I wish I could have captured the sparkle of this page better but it’s very grey and rainy outside and the artificial light just doesn’t show it true to life.

T Tuesday sparkle edition | Halle's Hobbies

I’m off to meet with friends this morning…it’s been so long!!

What are you doing today?

Art | Blog

Live your dream with passion

I broke out the gelatos again for my latest journal page. I love how smoothly they blend. They are just a joy to work with. Such vibrant colors.

gelato journal page | Halle's Hobbies

I also love how the page text shows through adding to the texture of the spread.

I definitely stepped outside my comfort zone with these colors. I’m always surprised when I try something new and it turns out better than I ever hoped.

gelato journal page | Halle's Hobbies

When it came time for words on the page a conversation I’d had earlier with a neighbor came to mind. We were catching up on life….we don’t see each other much over winter. I mentioned I’d been sick and hadn’t been working much. We talked about the past and the future.

gelato journal page | Halle's Hobbies

These words jumped out at me. I am living my dream. I am blessed.

Art | Blog

art journal, gelatos, Gypsy journal

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201603/10

Hidden journalling

Hello! I’m back! In reality I never “left” but have been totally out of commission with influenza. Yep…first it was Mini-me, then Mr, G then me. Everybody quickly knock on wood with me that J has been spared. It was a MEAN bout of influenza. We are all still coughing but have been told that could last for weeks! Honestly I’m still not 100%. I thought I was doing well yesterday until I was 1/3 of that way through my weekly grocery shopping and broke out in a sweat and felt as if I could pass out at any moment. Needless to say…I cut my list short and headed home. Enough talk of things totally out of my control and on with the art.

As I’ve been continuing to paint the 3D printed Catan tiles, my extra paint has been spread randomly on this journal page.

This morning I was feeling a bit of creative energy….I didn’t give much thought…just worked with items around me.

At this point is when I realized that my head is still a bit foggy. I had heard a small splash while making the India ink drips but it took a good minute to realize what had happened. hidden journalling | Halle's Hobbies

I was holding the bottle of ink in one hand and the dropper in the other…evidently I tipped my hand a little too far over. DUH! What a mess!!! Luckily I did get it cleaned up and remarkably didn’t get any on my nice jeans or white sweater!! When inspiration strikes I don’t often think about what I’m wearing….I’ve ruined several nice things that way.

I decided on a glassine envelope to hold a bit of private journalling.

The tag I used was just a bit of scrap paper that I cut down to fit….that was the intent at least. I cut it a bit short (did I mention my head was a bit foggy) so I added a “handle” of sorts by simply stapling some black and white polka dot paper to the scrap.

That’s it for today…I need to rest a bit more before a necessary errand.

Art | Blog

art journal, Gypsy journal, paint, scraps

3 Comments

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201603/02

A second look: Productive Wednesday

Let’s take a look back at a post from 2 years ago. Typically I go back further for Second on the 2nd but as I was looking back through posts I remembered how much I liked (and still do) this journal page. I also remember that my creativity was running in high gear at the time. I was loving every moment of it.

4/24/2014

Productive Wednesday

I had so much fun making the first journal spread yesterday, I went back for another.

Once again I worked in my white journal. Boy, I just realized that I have 4 journals going at once. And I have an idea for yet another. I should probably wait on that idea at least until I fill one of the currents to capacity.

Tissue paper was used as a start for this page as well. It had been crumpled over and over again. Lots of tiny little creases. It started out very purple…or maybe violet. The color was a little too “in your face” for my taste. I used a couple of mists around the edges to tone it down to a dull roar.. The aqua washi tape begged me to use it with the new deeper shade of purple. The black and white just helped everything else pop on the page. I have this thing about circles…I use them all the time. They just make me happy I guess.

So last evening I still hadn’t had enough creativity for the day. My sewing machine was still calling me. I grabbed bits and pieces of fabric, paper, fiber and trims to sew together for collage cards. I didn’t give it much thought…just went for it.

I made 21 mini collages that will eventually become greeting cards. Some will be left blank…others will have sentiments…some collages may not make the cut. Who cares…it was all scraps and bits laying around.

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Some of these mini-collage cards led to being asked to write an article for Sew Somerset magazine. That could be another reason I like this post so much.

Thanks for taking a walk down memory lane with me today. Do you have a favorite project from the past?

Art | Blog | Crafts

art journal, greeting card, Second on the 2nd, sewing, white journal

5 Comments

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