NEW NATURE JOURNAL: METAL & RUST TAG JOURNAL...

Studio time over the last week has been focused on making a new art journal.  I saw this amazing art journal on Pinterest and traced it back to fellow artist Thespa McLaughlin of Vintiquities Workshop.  Once there I realized she had an online class showing how to construct the journal and I could not resist.   Below is the photo of Thespa's Journal that caught my eye, love the construction!

(Metal & Rust Tag Journal by Thespa McLaughlin of Vintiquities Workshop)

The base of my journal is constructed just as Thespa instructed, from there I took off on my own creative adventure to originate my own version:

(This cool rusty piece was found a couple years ago on my grandmothers farm, this seemed the perfect project to use it on.)

FRONT COVER:

 (I did a wee bit of metal work for the background of the nest above and the copper bird below.)

 PAGES:
(I textured my pages to resemble aged stucco yet with a smooth enough surface to still write on.   I then hand painted a bird and leafy foliage on one corner of each page.)

TAGS:

(Thespa had her tags come out of the top of her journal pages, I planned mine where they would be inserted into the side of the pages instead.  I added hand beaded dangles and hand made nature themed wire embellishments to my tag tops not only as a decorative detail but to easily pull out the journal tags for writing.)

(My journal holds 16 hand tinted tags with front and back stampings and journaling space.)

 SPINE AND BACK:

 (My base was an old accounting book, the papers on the outside of the book were notes, receipts, and such that I found tucked into the pages of the book.  It was fun to reuse them on the cover.)

Thank you Thespa for sharing your awesome teaching skills and for inspiring this journal!

Blessings,

Sandy

MORE JOURNAL PAGE PROGRESS...

I had a little snippet of time to work on my fabric nature journal page and got the base of the page complete.  This will be 12 inch by 12 inch journal.  That feels like a nice size to work with to have lots of room to create and design with...

I turned the background into a series of pockets.  The artwork on the front is one large pocket...

The fabric behind it is divided into two pockets...

The lace acts as a hidden journal tag pocket...

With a gentle tug on the ribbon tab, out slides the journal tag...

I stitched torn fabric strips to the tag as journal lines, making the tag double sided for more journal space...

That is all the play time I have been able to spare.  Next I want to tweak the design and create some artwork to store in those pockets.

Some of you expressed wishing you could try your hand at making a fabric journal but don't feel secure in your sewing skills.  This is EXACTLY the kind of project you can practice on.  I think the imperfections make the design so much more interesting than perfectly lined and placed stitches.  Take a close gander at mine, nothing is straight or perfectly placed, I think that is what gives it charm and that rustic feel.  I encourage you to give it a try!

Thank you so much for all the sweet words of encouragement that helps to spur on my creativity.  I hope each of you enjoy a beauty filled weekend!

Blessings,

Sandy

FABRIC NATURE JOURNAL PAGE...

"And while she did have listens of the songs in the tree-tops, a little bird did tell her more about the woods in little soft whispers."

 In my past post I shared a sneak peek at a what I thought was going to be the beginning of a mini art quilt but in the creation process I decided I wanted to make a fabric nature journal.  I have often admired those lush fabric journals with their varied subject matter and collage layers.  I think it will be fun to explore different techniques on various pages.  This piece will be a pocket on one of the pages...

 A wonderful place to store little nature finds, photos, notes, or images...

 It feels soooooo good to get back in the studio and just make something!

 While I have enjoyed the home improvement process here at the Quill and at the farm it is not the same creative expression.  Simple elements bring me great joy and spark my imagination.  Fabric, paper, nature...

 Rusty bits, tatters, stains...

 Needle, thread, an idea in my head...

Words, like pearls, strung into nonsensical sentences...

 "And while she did have listens of the songs in the tree-tops, a little bird did tell her more about the woods in little soft whispers."

I just need to create a background for the pocket and I am ready to move on to the second page, which I have already started laying out.  My thoughts need to be turned to making some gifts for Christmas and not personal play pages, it will be hard to lay this aside since I am in the zone.  It will give me something to look forward to once the holidays are over.

Thank you for stopping in to share a creative moment and I hope that each of you have a beautifully blessed day!

Blessings,

Sandy

2nd Blogaversary Give Away Sign Up.....

Exciting things are happening around the Quill. We are anticipating the birth of our first granddaughter who is due in three weeks, today is Darling Daughters 21st Birthday, and Sunday was the anniversary date of my second year of blogging! I thought I would celebrate with a little give away.

(Egg and Bird images from Vintage Printable)

I have been totally amazed at all the wonderful people I have come in contact with through blogging. It is fun to look back and see how my blog has evolved over such a short period of time. I truly do enjoy meeting, sharing with, learning from, and being inspired by other bloggers. Thank you for visiting and for your kind comments. I treasure each and every one of you.Before we get to the give away I wanted to share another piece of exciting news...coming soon in the very near future to a blog near you, I will celebrate the grand opening of a boutique here at Quill Cottage to sell my artwork. So many of you kind souls have expressed interest in my work and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Here is where I need your help, what to name the boutique? I thought of Quill Cottage Creations or The Boutique at Quill Cottage, but I am not so sure about either. What would you suggest? It needs to be something that is identifiable with me. I would really love to have your input. I will be sharing more about this in another post, on to the give away...I would like to offer a couple of my most recent projects as prizes in this give away, the Nest Assemblage.... and Nature Journal... from my last post. Visit here to see journal page details. Along with each of these I will include an assorted original ephemera pack for creating your own art.

To sign up for the give away just leave a comment on this post, comments will be open until Sunday, August 23, 2009 and the winners will be announced on Monday, August 24, 2009. You do not have to have a blog to enter, anyone is welcome to enter, and there are no shipping restrictions.

I hope you all find something to celebrate in your day today!

Blessings,
Miss Sandy