Creating a Book of Leaves

Last month Ruth began a prompt in our Hinges group on Milliande's to create a book of Leaves using a coptic binding technique. It's a very simple and effective technique and we've added some great little books into the discussion.

Here's mine so far- it's not filled up yet, but not too far to go. I've used a few techniques and am having fun...

The cover is a 3mm layer of plaster on MDF. I've scratched into the plaster and washed it with acrylics, added a few pics, then waxed over the whole thing. I drilled the holes before painting.

This is the endpage so far. I used several different papers to give me some variation in work... Leaves is an ink doodle highlighted with pencils.

The text is by an unknown author, but it resonated with me so I've used it over stamped texts and swirls. The leaf is a cutout with 2 pages stuck together and a bit of colour added.

This double-spread is an ink drawing, highlighted with coloured pencils.

Another unknown author, but given the time of year I thought it highly appropriate, and fun! Written in ink and highlighted with coloured pencils. The image is a tracing of a brassy leaf charm I have.

As I was working on the book an ATC arrived from Barbara in Canada, so I had to find a quick use for the funky tape she'd used... sometimes simple is just best! The brassy leaf used previously highlighted on a bronzy textured paper.

A printed paper is used as a background for an embossed and painted pattern on foil. I love macro so had to create a cellular pic of a leaf using copics and pencils.

Try as I might I cannot improve with my calligraphy. I love using it, but hate my writing... this is a well used quote by Camos, but I like it so have added to the long list of users.... Inked text over stamped texts and florals. Embellished with a paper flower rather than use a word, trying to add a new element.

More doodling... I love hearts and they can very easily be adapted into leaves. Coloured with copics.

There are a few more that I've not taken a pic of yet... collage and acetate windows... and a few more to fill up... so I'll update when I've done some more. 

Maybe you'll take a look at the prompt and have a go? If you want a similarly easy book to make take  a look at my tutorial here. Have fun and let me know how you get on!!

Super fast bookmarks

When I was cutting up the card as the inserts for my rainbow book  I ended up with lots of thin strips left over.... never one to throw away....

There's recycling... and hoarding... I do both... much to hubby's annoyance... but I found a use for the strips...

How simple to make; punch holes, fit eyelet, cut wool then doodle on each one... I now have a supply of bookmarks for RAAKs (Random Acts of Arty Kindness/ Happy Mail)... it's a shame UK postage has just doubled! There's a few birthdays this month...

Shrinkie name tags

Having made paper fabric for the birthday card bases I wanted a little pressie as an addition. I love Shrinkies- a plastic that you draw and colour then heat. It shrinks to half the original size but becomes 8 times thicker- it's fun to watch it curl and wriggle!

They are perfect for those of us that love doodling- just draw on the back and colour in... then heat till they shrink.

Here are a few of the little tags...

I hope they arrive safely... I haven't heard yet..

Dolly doodles...

Well, not exactly! I've decided to take part in a doll swap over at stitchin fingers, particularly as the theme is Elements... well, the four, at least. Those of you that know me will understand I just couldn't say no - I've been interested and working with the four elements and symbols for years i one form or another, but I've never made Elemental dolls.

True to form, I start from scratch, so having designed the doll look, I went on to creating a set of symbols to use on the fabrics...

This is the first stage, the pen and ink design....

Air

Earth

Fire

Water

                              

I also decided to make a finished panel for each symbol, never one to pass up an excuse to doodle!

 

The others are done in a similar fashion.....

 

The next stages are countless... drop it into Photoshop and play.... colour them in, add a few filters... and come up with a collection of useful symbols...

I hate that my BA lecturer thinks photoshop is not an honest artist tool- so oldschool- it is so versatile, what she doesn't appreciate is that you still need a reasonable depth of knowledge to get what you want, and still have to master the software to create what you want... so what's the difference to using a paintbrush?

So here's the complete set in full colour, but un-enhanced...

I've painted the fabrics for the bodies using fabric paints, here they are, cut and painted, ready to sew together, but I need to find the right leg,arms and face fabrics first...

I've got till the end of June to finish one, but I reckon I'll have the set done as a whole, just too much fun not to!

Mandalas...part deux

I know I should really be working on so many other projects, but I need to get this out of my system first. I'm really enjoying them, but I love the effect a bit of doodling has....

Perhaps I should call it a day for a little while...I must finish the goodies box and do another 1000 words on my essay....Oh well! These 3 have been put through my filter again...what a difference!! In fact the bottom one is from the previous posting...you'd not know....

Mandala fun...

I've not created mandalas before, and with all the other work/playing that I do, I might never have got round to it if I hadn't seen a free tutorial on willowing . Guadalupe has posted video tutorials to work through the stages...great fun!

As these are my first, and it's coming up for xmas card posting, I thought I'd follow the theme....

I might add a bit of doodling later...but for the time being I shall leave them like this on the paper....although I have put them through my fave filter already

Have a go...it's great fun and quite meditative, like doodling!

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Halloween Postcards

Well, while I was looking for some  marbled paper to make more butterflies, I found some previously stashed marbled mount card instead. Perfect for making into seasonal Mail Art RAAK's . I like to work in series so here's the latest...

Pumpkin Postcard

Cute ghost

Bat

Skull Postcard

The cards were marbled using warm water and thinned oil paints. Drying is quicker if they are really dilute, and they smell for less time- if you're not keen on the oil-paint smell. The doodles were overlaid with Sharpies and 0.3/0.4/0.7 graphic pens. The edges were "aged" with pigment stamping ink in burgundy and black. Now I need to decide who to send them to....


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Zentangles and Doodling...

Wow- I've been doodling for years, but never once realized there was a whole cult thing going on with them...zentangles, with courses and instructors...

Here's one of my favourite sets, I usually work in sets of three. I don't always use colour after, but these just begged to be played with....

Doodling is great when I'm struggling for inspiration, or putting off a bigger project. I must admit though, even my doodles have to have a certain amount of  organisation and tidyness, guess I'm a chronic control freak after all...


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