Gift giving can be difficult. Sure, some people have a knack for this, but gift selection has never been my strong point. I lost count of all the times I'd find myself wandering aimlessly down the aisles of my favorite store, waiting for the perfect gift to jump off the shelf at me. Of course, that never happened. So in the end, I would walk out with something generic and impersonal. My go to gifts: a pretty candle or a bottle of wine. Well, now
Two of your good friends are getting married, or maybe your friends who are married have decided to renew their vows. For significant events like these, of course you’ll want to do something extra special for them, but what? Well I have an idea for a handmade journal that will be the perfect gift for an engagement, bridal shower or even a vow renewal or anniversary for a couple that is dear to you, and
I have been working on my “living in the moment” skills, and one thing I’ve found that really works for me is to give myself assignments during times when I would normally be stuck in my head. Times like when I am doing things that are habitual and a bit mundane, like washing the dishes, driving to the store or walking the dogs. Now while it seems reasonable that I’d consider the first two examples to be
1) I begin with a sheet of tissue paper- I am using the regular kind normally used to stuff in gift bags. Mine was 24″ wide, which was perfect for my planned 6″ x 6″ journal. I tore the sheets into 6″ strips using my 24″ metal ruler as a guide. The paper tears easily and evenly if you are tearing along the grain of the paper. Then I tore each strip in half, so
I have taken traditional classes in both watercolor painting and oil painting (to name just a couple), but I had never taken any class in acrylic painting until I attended my first “paint and sip” party. If you’ve never been to one, I highly recommend checking one out. The idea is, you show up at the paint studio at the designated time ready to paint. They provide everything- from the canvas and paints to the
I’m not sure if it’s the glittery finish or the playful, hand stitched binding, but this is one of my favorite journals to date. The cover was made using a shellac burn encaustic technique that I love. I begin with a piece of recycled cardboard from the back of a watercolor paper pad, and cut it to size- in this case the finished book size is 4.5″ x 6″. Next I apply about 3 or 4 layers of
I love taking pictures and have taken enough photography classes to know which lens to use, which camera settings to adjust, and how to position my subject to get the perfect photo. Unfortunately, I am all about capturing the moment and the automatic mode on my camera (or, more frequently these days, my phone). But the good news is that I am able to capture the moments I probably would have missed if I had
Recently I decided to marry my love of art with my love of books by creating a series of artful journals. Sometimes I use my art to create the journal’s cover and sometimes I use my art to fill the pages inside. Oftentimes, I simply start with pretty printed paper or a plain cardboard cover, and use colorful string in beautiful patterns to make the book a piece of art that stands on its own. One of the best aspects
When I walk into a bookstore or a library, the first thing I do is close my eyes just for a moment and breathe deeply, allowing the scent of the books fill my lungs. I’m not sure what it is; Perhaps it’s the binding glue, the paper sizing, the chemicals in the shiny plasticized covers or a combination of them all. Practically speaking, it’s not the healthiest air to breathe nor is it a scent
One of the nicest things about mixed media encaustic art is that many of the tools can be found in the kitchen department in just about any big box store. What this means is that you don’t need to pay the higher prices normally associated with specialty art tools. Now, many of the specialized-for-art versions of the items below do offer some advantages. For example, the electric pancake griddle is a substitute for a pricier