Category: Friday in the Studio

Friday In The Studio, Small Is Beautiful

Oh bother, I’ve missed a few posts, I’ve not been well so I’m afraid my best of intentions went right out of the window.

I’m having a good day today so I can catch you up on the good stuff which did happen last week.

Well for starters the sun came out and made us all feel really Springy. As much as could be done outside was done outside and a spot of sketching was right up there. By the end of the week it started pouring with rain and I  ended up with a jumper on again which goes to show we shouldn’t take these moments for granted.  As I said I wasn’t feeling well so I ended up watching my neighbours digging over their plots ready for the new season and all I can do is imagine their thoughts as they look over at mine, destroyed by the dog and full of weeds.  Hubby and I have got a plan up our sleeves though which will knock their socks off!!  Maybe.  This week the sun came back and we were treated to some truly warm days.

I did receive a very welcome package from Paperpenandplan just over a week ago containing some Simple Stories goodies. Planner stickers, stamp, washi and paper pack. I couldn’t wait to open and use it.

As the title suggests, small is indeed beautiful to coin a cliché and my passport sized Travelers Notebook is fast becoming my absolute favourite planner of all time.

I decided to make a mini insert for it using some of the Simple Stories Domestic Bliss papers which arrived from Paperpenandplan.

As before the binding is hand sewn as that’s my favourite method of binding.

I love it.

Have a good weekend and for now Happy Friday.

Jaine x

 

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Friday In The Studio and A Return Of The Mixed Media

This past year my art Journals have been left on the shelf while I concentrated on other things. I didn’t know how much I missed it until I got involved with a journal project with Canvas Corp called The Traveling Art Journal. Over the course of a year, a group of us are sending out our journals to friends all over the world where they’ll be worked in before being sent on their journey and finally arriving back home to the owners. Along the way it’ll make a fantastic monthly project on the Canvas Corp web site for anyone who wants to follow our progress.

For my journal I chose to make a Travelers Notebook style binding with two simple hand sewn books inside. The pages are watercolour paper so should stand up to most mediums and as the paper was very white and stark, I tea dyed every page to give it a bit more character.

I used, texture paste, inks and stamping to create a background and collaged some papers and images on top. At the time of creating the page, the weather was anything but Springlike so I added the title to reflect how I was feeling while I was working.

These are the tea dyed pages before putting them together  in the journal. I loved how they came out, it made them look so old.

If you want to see how everyone else created their journals and pages then go to the Canvas Corp web site here and follow along monthly to see how it’s going.

Have a good weekend

Jaine xx

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Friday In The Studio and Practice Makes Perfect.

Most of this week has been about planning how to perfect on-line workshops and the logistics of it. A couple of weeksI ago I was involved in a car accident while I was on my way to teach a workshop locally. The road was icy and a car coming in the opposite direction lost control and went in to me. Luckily no one was hurt but the car was damaged beyond repair so we’ve been juggling one car between all of us. Anyway, so long as that’s our only worry then we’ll be fine, there are worse things in life. Anyway, the workshop had to be abandoned and I had to decide what to do and that’s when I had the idea to make a video workshop this time. If it’s successful I could use it as a way to create other little on-line mini workshops which will reach a wider audience and fill in gaps between actual ones. I’ll keep you posted how it goes.

Meanwhile, I’m still filling my sketchbook and updating my planners and I’m also very pleased to say I’ve been asked to become part of the team of creatives at Paperpenandplan who sell all things planner related from their web site and etsy shop.

I look forward to sharing more from Paperpenandplan in the future.

Have a good weekend

Jaine x

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Happy February From The Studio

Wow February is here and I for one am truly happy about that. January is such a dismal month with most of it spent trying to either catch up on stuff not finished from last year, feeling down because already the promises made on January 1st have fallen by the wayside plus the weather is usually dull and dreary like the mood. So…..February is here folks so fear not, all will be well.

February is the month of finding the first signs of an eventual spring. Only this morning I swear I heard the croaks of a bull frog coming from the pond next door. There’s alot to look forward to this month and yesterday was Candlemass or Liichtmess as it’s known here where light is brought in to the home to see us through those last weeks of winter and to hurry on the Spring. Here it’s a big thing with the children who walk from house to house with lamps chanting the song and asking for sweets. Like trick or treat without the trick! It’s a colourful and light filled occasion and of course the kiddies love it. Then at the end of the month it’s pancake day (shrove Tuesday). I love pancakes, who doesn’t?  In the middle of the month I’ll be off to Birmingham for the Stitches show at the NEC. This time last year I was all nervous and excited to be part of it on a stand of my own as part of the CHA designers section. I’ve learned alot in a year and realise how naive I really was back then. I’m happy to be going this year as a visitor, it’ll be more relaxing for sure.

Right now on the Canvas Corp web site, I’ve a little project using scraps of paper and fabrics to make prayer banners. They include motivational words to help carry me through the year and the banner hangs in my studio.

I’m pleased to say my planning is right on track and I’m really enjoying the process. I think I’ve found something which suits me and my style and is really working. It’s only taken a year of experimenting to discover what I actually like but I’m now using my A5 Carpe Diem properly but putting my own stamp on it, my Travelers Notebook from Websters Pages which holds my sketchbook and my personal which I’ve totally renewed making all my own dashboards and inserts for.

I’ve very pleased to say I’m involved with a wonderful community of people called Paper Pen and Plan who bring monthly planner goodies to you in the form of a subscription box. They have a web site here Paperpenandplan and a great Facebook group too.

My February planner pages have been created using stickers and downloads from their February Sweet Treat box the theme of which is Rainbows and Unicorns. What could be more adorable? They are also running a challenge within the Facebook group with the opportunity to win prizes. You can join the group here.

Have a good weekend everyone and I hope it’s a colourful one.

Jaine x

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