Messy Monday

Messy Monday was originally an excuse for my friend Clare from Paper Pen and Plan and I to push ourselves out of our comfort zones and create journal pages, usually with a heavy helping of paint and ink involved. Already a lover of messy journal pages, I encouraged Clare to embrace her messy side which resulted in some amazing backgrounds. We had lots of fun with it and I think we both miss those days.

Clare mentioned it again a few weeks ago among the members of the Paper Pen and Plan Facebook group so I thought I’d try and bring it back in some form or another. Now to be absolutely truthful here I did start this at the weekend. I left it open on my worktable and added a bit to it every time I went past, which was often!

I started with the first layer of charcoal scribbles then added some acrylic paints in smears before taking a watersoluable crayon and smearing some blue/grey here and there. That was yesterday, this morning after a walk in the forest it reminded me of the low Autumn sunlight through the trees and so that was where the theme came from. With a small collage and a title it was finished.

Happy Messy Monday

Jaine xx

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Messy Monday is back

Well, almost back anyway. Clare and I had a bit of a session making Travelers Notebook inserts but sadly Clare had a paper cutter crisis and ended up binning it for something else. She promises to get back to it next week so I’ll hold her to that.

I turned it into a tutorial for Clare to follow next week and anyone else who wants to know how to hand sew a binding. This is the finished booklet. I think uit looks quite smart. I used a piece of Canvas Corp paper called Bikes And Baskets for my cover.

To make my notebook you’ll need a piece of scrapbook paper for the cover and I used 14 sheets of A4 watercolour paper at 125gsm. I find this perfectly adequate for what I want to do with my journal, any thicker and it’s hard to fold. You’ll also need a knife and ruler, pencil, cotton thread and a needle.

Fold all of your papers in half and place them all inside one another.

It’s easier if you make a stitching template before you make your holes, you can use this again and again. I used a 7 hole stitching method (you always want to have an odd number of stitching holes). Find the middle of the page then make three marks either side of the centre hole at 3cm, 6cm and 9cm.

This is my stitching chart if you can follow it. So basically starting with the centre hole stitch from inside to out leaving a small tail of thread on the inside. then it’s back up through hole number 2 and out through 3 etc until you’re back in at number 6 where you jump over the middle hole and go out through 7. Continue going in and out until you’re back in the centre hole again.

If that’s a bit confusing here are the picture steps.

When you’ve finished sewing, trim the sides and round the corners and you’re done.

I’ll be back again on Friday from the Studio.

Have a good week

Jaine xx

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My Faux Dori And A Not So Messy Monday

Good morning, well it is right at this moment. The sun has been out for several consecutive days now, I’ve no idea what’s going on? It’s cardie on – cardie off!! Two weeks and I’m off on me holls in gloriously hot Sicily, woo hoo.

Before that though it’s still project doggy proof the garden and my personal get fit campaign and both are progressing nicely. We visited the fur baby (still no name) at the weekend and he’s grown a bit. He spends alot of time outside with his brothers and sisters in the sunshine which is great. Meanwhile I’ve been steadily getting stronger at the hill climb on my mountain bike and pushing myself to go ever higher and I’m happy to say it’s paying off. The morning views are the best.

Anyway, back to the studio and I’ve really caught the travellers notebook bug. I’m not much of a planner person but I’m loving the fauxdori style planner keeping and the best thing is making my own cover and inserts to suit my style.

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Messy Monday in the Studio

What a crazy weekend it’s been here. Saturday we visited a balloon festival which was practically on our doorstep. We’ve been to this event before in Luxembourg but that was years ago. As well as the balloon competitions they were holding a fireworks and lazer show in the evening which we definitely didn’t want to miss. It was an amazing spectacle as you can see from these pictures.

Brilliant night.

Sunday was just as full on but in a totally different way. After years of being nagged by the girls into getting a dog we finally caved in and on Sunday went to look at some gorgeous Australian – Shepherd – Collie puppy’s. It was love at first sight and we were all completely smitten by these little balls of fluff. We did decide on one though and in a little over a month this little ball of fluff will be coming to live with us. Isn’t he adorable?

photo by Kim Bruchle

I’ve decided he’s going to be my personal trainer so this morning I took my bike out into the forest for an early morning ride. Just to get used to getting up early and going out as I think that’ll be my job.

As it’s Monday it’s back to the studio and I’ve actually opened the journal after many weeks/months. I’ve missed it but I’ve been too busy to think about painting anything. This background was one which I had already painted ages ago (just goes to show what a great idea it is just to make backgrounds) so I just finished it off with my new Houses in a row stamp and some off cuts of patterned paper.

I hope you had a good weekend too?

Jaine x

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