New Journals Sneak Peek

Sent out the newsletter this morning, so maybe you already know, but can you guess what is a little  different about the new journals? 



I was picking up journal papers at the store and noticed that they had some of the same papers in different kinds of off-whites and greys, and I really couldn't resist this time! The new journals will be made with these different papers and I'm sooo excited to see how they turn out!

I'm also testing out some masonite board that we had in storage... it could make good journal covers as it might be more cost effective and less wasteful than taking bookboard from broken binders.

But it's heavier. So far, it shouldn't make a difference in regard to shipping cost, but if it does, I won't be using it.

Quick Update

It's nearing February which means the monthly newsletter has to go out this week.

What is the monthly newsletter?

Well, if you don't want to keep checking back for new art and shop items (and the occasional coupon), a pretty link list will be sent to you via email at the end of each month in the form of a bonus blogpost!

Go ahead and sign up here, I'll wait.

In the meantime, I'm trying to get a headstart on this year's cross-stitch valentine, and boy is my hand sore! :( It hurts to type this.

But oh, I am experimenting with a new art journal idea... mysterious mysteries :3

Journal Page 1/25/13

Music: "Airport Lounge" Kevin MacLeod @ Incompetech.com

Inspiration Deck Finished

Wow it's finished! I guess it only took me a week. I don't often like doing small repetitive things, but once you put a movie on it's really not that bad at all!



A few of the "quotes" I was using. The ink around the edges give the cards an "aged" look.



On the back I used some older scrapbook papers I've had for a while (and a few newer ones I really wanted to use). The template for my sticky labels didn't work (whhhyyyyyyyyyy?) so I had to print them on regular paper and paste them on by hand. That was a step I would have loved to omit from this project!

(Though it was better than having to write them all by hand... yeesh)

I will definitely miss this deck of cards... but then I have to consider that I'm going to get 52 mysterious cards back from all over the place! Yay!

There's still quite a wait left until that happens, so if you want to sign up for this project, you can do so here!

Sneak Peek - Inspiration Deck

Here's a quick sneak peek into the cards I'm sending for the Inspiration Deck Swap! 

It's going ok so far. I wanted to use the Gelli plate for the backgrounds though I'm not particularly enjoying them. I'm using pieces of book pages for the quotes (which I'm mostly just making up as I go along, mostly) and cutting out charming little orange slices from some scrapbook paper I've been saving.

It's a process which will probably look more refined by the end of the deck.



These days it is increasingly difficult to be inspirational! How does someone inspire another when she really just wants to crawl under a rock and stay there? 

From the Post - Studio Calico

Lovely little package in the mail! Every once in a while, Studio Calico has a clearance sale, and I simply couldn't resist. 



Replenishing my dwindling supply of tapes with this low-key floral...



I'm so excited to use this awesome tiny stencil! Hexagons again... hmm



And I don't even know what these are for. They're wooden stickers that look like buttons! Can't wait to try these out :3

Video: Journal Page 12/18/13 & Inspirational Card Deck Swap

Music: "Cipher 2" Kevin MacLeod @ incompetech.com

I've recently decided to take more consideration in the fun group projects I find on the internet; usually I am enthusiastic for the first few days until I skip a step and start tripping up all over the place, never to speak of it again.

But Shannon convinced me to join her in the Inspirational Card Deck Swap and I reluctantly accepted.
It's totally familiar in the sense that it's really a group ATC trade of 52 CARDS!! WOW. You send a artsy deck of cards and you receive a full deck back, each card from a different player.

Wow.

It's totally unfamiliar in the sense that it involves inspirational quotations... something I never really cared much about. It's awfully tempting to push the limits and snark it up a bit, heh. WE WILL SEE.

The first challenge is getting anything to stick to coated playing cards. 

*whips out the sandpaper*