What if?

What if
I went back to move forward?

What if
I looked at getting involved in textiles again?

What if
I stopped thinking so much and got on with it?

What if
I stopped asking what if and told you what I was talking about!!!

I told you in this post that I spent 2 days with Hilary Beattie working with fabric and paper.  I have had so many ideas flitting about my brain since then that I'm quite worn out.  Although random other things have also had an influence.

When I got back from the workshop with my 4 inch squares

I realised that I've been there before.

Not with this actual design but with the idea of small bejewelled bits.   Actually bejewelled is totally the wrong word but I can't think of a description at the moment.

Many years ago I did a Summer Workshop with the Pembrokeshire Embroiderer's Guild with Hilary Bower as the tutor.  I ended up with this which hangs on our lounge wall.  The map itself is 18 inches by 15 inches.

It's a fabric 'map' and each of the six images represent some part of the Old Testament.  For example the spiral is about the Israelites going round and round for 40 years in the desert.  Each of the images I would describe as the bejewelled bits - and yes I know there's no bling!

I did another workshop at the NEC some years ago with Erika Carter and one of the finished pieces was this 8.5 inch square.

Yet again small bits of fabric, paper, text and texture.  I think I was possibly going to put beads on this but once I'd left the workshop I got on with other things.

Since then I've dabbled in all sorts of other arty things including scrapbooking and art journalling.  And of course I love to make mini-books.

So what do I mean by going back to move forward?  I'm thinking about returning to using fabric and paper in mixed media somethings.  Although I have no idea what the somethings are!  I did a four year (part time) creative embroidery course and a couple of years afterwards just stopped.  And I love taking photos so maybe I can incorporate those as well.

So maybe now is the time to pick these things back up again.   Watch this space to see what happens!

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice

Recycled Map Journals

On 12 Months in View today there is a blog post about recycling maps.

I made two different journals using maps.  A 5 inch square zigzag one

And a 7 inch by 5 inch one.

The square one was made from watercolour paper.  I cut one 20"x16" piece of paper into 3 five inch strips.  I cut 2 pieces to 15.5 inches and one piece to 10 inches.  I scored the longer pieces at 5 inches.  I joined the 3 pieces together using the small folded piece at the end of the longer pieces.

I cut two pieces of cardboard to 5.25 inches square and put double-sided tape on.  I also covered the cardboard and the tape after I'd removed the backing.

I stuck the boards to a piece of cardstock and then cut round them with a sharp craft knife.

I inked around the edges and a little way in on the back.

I put the tape and glue as before on oned end of the paper and stuck it to the book. I di this with the other end to the second piece of card.

I stamped randomly in the book.  I used some of the embellishments I'd made and cut some pieces of map to stick in.  It is easier to do the decorations before you put the covers on.

I decided to leave the book as a zigzag book so both sides are decorated.

The rectangular journal was made from a map.  This is the full width of the map and cut at the next folds either side.

Here it is with the top folded over.

And here folded up to make the book.

I cut two pieces of card just bigger than the folded map and painted one side with acrylic paint and just round the edges of the other side.

I decided to cut off the piece to the left which wasn't full size.

I thought it would be great to make pockets so I put the opening at the top and then used double-sided tape to form the pockets.

I stuck the map to the covers.

Then mid making the book I thought it would be good to have more pockets - no idea why!

If you attach the covers carefully they will sit down side by side.  Sadly mine overlap just a little.

Then I tried out different ways to decorate the cover and ended up with the tag shown at the beginning of this post.

I have put the tags into the pockets.  You could use tags for the journaling.  I haven't stuck these down yet as I'm not sure how I am going to use the journal.

I hope you enjoy making your own journals from maps.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice

Rocking Your World Friday

It's Friday and on Friday there is the meme on Celtic House called Rocking Your World which is
'the moment to step back and take stock of your week, to work out the positives, the things that have made life more bearable and to celebrate these facts. Pop a post together, come back and link each Friday and let's share our positives around. It's a great therapy and stops life slipping through our fingers or spending too much time dwelling on the negatives. Not sure if it's for you - give it a go - you'll never know until you try!'

So this week
I was able to Skype with my daughter in law in Sydney and before that with her mother in Florida.

I had 2 teeth crowned and they look great.

I spent 2 great days at a workshop with Hilary Beattie.  See yesterday's post.  And started making these four inch squares.

The garden was full of butterflies on Thursday lunchtime.

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice