Just Do It

Did you know that my name, Bernice, comes from Berenike which means Bringer of Victory.  It's also where Nike, the footwear company, gets its name from.  Valerie Sjodin made this piece of artwork for me.

If you are a regular reader you will know that I used to be addicted to online courses and that I tried to give them up.  In their place I became addicted to in-person workshops.  I was trying to give them up when I had to go cold turkey in March due to them all being cancelled.

I'm sure you'll guess what came next.  Yes, I succumbed to the delights of online courses.  However rather than them being particularly art or textile based, I signed up for one on developing creativity and one called 30 days to Purposeful Habits.  I'm half way through both.  And have signed up for a creativity based one starting next week.

Through all these courses I am trying to find out why I work, or don't work, the way I do.  I haven't struggled with not being creative through lockdown, because I wasn't being particularly creative before.  There has been some creativity simmering away below the surface - the last few blogposts on zine making for example.  And I have kept up my Word of the Year Journal.  The most creative thing in that is using different coloured pens and some washi tape!

So what have I found out so far?

That I actually need a schedule and deadlines.   When I retired I had a mini rebellion about schedules.  From childhood my life was scheduled around school timetables.  More timetables as a teacher and then again as a parent.  So when I stopped working I decided I should do without and be as free as a bird!

And how has that worked out for you you might be asking.

Not at all well really.  I don't get much done and I don't feel any sense of satisfaction with some of my days.

The course that officially starts next week had an opening exercise of a piece of work that captured the essence of my life's journey so far.  In doing the two recent courses I became very aware that I keep asking the same questions maybe at a different level on a metaphorical spiral staircase.  I learn a little each time but never make big breakthroughs.

I think it's time to make the breakthrough.

One of the things I have also realised is I should stop hesitating and 'just do it!'

Thanks for joining me today

Bernice

A collaged zine

I thought I would have a go at another sort of zine.  One with a collaged background.

Collect together a variety of papers that have a similar colour.  Use book paper, patterned tissue paper, maps, music paper etc.

Tear up the papers into small, but not to small, pieces.  Very small pieces take longer to glue down!

Take an A4 sheet of paper and start glueing the torn papers to the A4 paper.  Use PVA or gel medium.  Put a layer of glue on the A4 sheet and over the top of the torn piece to ensure contact.  Make sure the collage pieces overlap with the next piec.

Cover the whole A4 sheet.  It's better to let the collage pieces go off the edge of the paper.

When the glue is dry trim the edges.

Take some gesso or white acrylic paint, and wipe it over the collaged papers.  I used a wet wipe.  You could use an old credit card.  Doing this blends all the papers together.   When the gesso is dry put the paper under a weight to flatten out ready for the next activity.

Make the zine as in previous posts.  Fold length ways from the collaged side

Fold inwards from the untouched side.

Then fold to make your zine.

WIth this zine, I'm going to make pockets.  You could just have 2 pockets with the tops open or as in this zine have two top opening pockets and two side opening pockets.  I've used double sided tape so you can see where to put your glue.

To make the inserts I found some Kraft paper tags.  The one on the right was a perfect fit so I cut the other smaller one to match.

I tried one out in the side pocket but decided it was too narrow.

I measured the size of the pocket and drew out the rectangles on the larger Kraft tag.  You can use any type of card.

To cut matching 'shoulders', put your two cards on top of each other.

The cut one corner off both pieces of card.

Turn the bottom card over and using the top card as a template cut the corners off at each side.

Punch holes in the tags.  You can thread string, ribbon or wool through the holes.

Your collaged zine is all ready to decorate with words, pictures, photographs.  Whatever takes your fancy!

Have fun!

Thanks for joining me today.

Bernice

Using your zine

In my last post I showed you how to make a zine of zine with a woven spine.  Here are some photos of what I have done with it.

I used printed paper stickers

And transparent stickers

I've left empty pages for sticking pictures in or doing some journaling.

I stamped with waterproof ink.

If your sticker is too wide for the page then put it up the other way!

This isn't finished.  It will be an ongoing project.  I might give it to a friend.  Who knows!

Thanks for joining me today.
Bernice