I finally got something accomplished with my art today! This was originally a plain journal that I gave to my dad many years ago; although he attached some folder tabs to some pages, he never did use the journal.

I don’t care for wide-ruled pages for my own writing, so I decided to turn this into a scrap (I don’t like using “junk”) journal, a good way to incorporate magizine pages, paper scraps and other bits and bobs from my stash.

Here are the pages I’ve decorated so far. I did remove some pages to make more room for adding pockets and such, and it will still end up bulky. It will be an ongoing project for some time, I imagine. EnJoy!

Scrap Journal Cover

Scrap Journal 1

Scrap Journal 2

Scrap Journal 3

Scrap Journal 4 Corner of page folded up & decorated

Scrap Journal 5 Tiny envelopes made from business envelopes

Scrap Journal 6 Magazine page

Scrap Journal 7 Paper from candy box

Scrap Journal 8 Chocolate wrapper

Scrap Journal 9 Inside of wrapper with recipes

Scrap Journal 10

Scrap Journal 11

Scrap Journal 12 Coffee filter pocket

A beautiful day for drying my laundry outdoors! I had a nice walk, too, and spent some time reading a novel, as well. I did not get much else accomplished, though!

Enjoy this beautiful birdhouse I made from a recycled box some time ago. So cute!

Pink Floral Birdhouse

Pink Floral Birdhouse 2

Today I drove to Roseville (about 45 minutes away) to shop. I bought more cream cardstock, this time in a lighter wheight than the last pack, some file folders (both floral and manila), and a length of burlap. I decided to cover one of many empty tin cans with burlap, lace and pearls; quite pretty! What do you think? This would be an excellent pen/pencil, scissors or makeup brush holder.

Burlap and Lace Pen Holder

Pretty File Folders

Today I was just not able to settle down and make something new, so I’m sharing another creation I made some time ago.

Enjoy this cute little box! It once held Madjool dates, and now is ready to hold your favorite treasures.

Fancy Mushrooms Box

Fancy Mushrooms Box 2

Fancy Mushrooms Box 3

When I told family that I was planning on this challenge, one of my sisters commented that it might be hard to create something every day, and there might be days when I don’t feel up to the task. How right she was! I’ve had many such days, and yet I push through and make something, or at least post an item I’ve made in the past. Onward!

Today’s creations are more minatures. The notebook– measuring 1.75″ x 2.25″– was a quick way to use up the papers I had cut for yesterday’s journal, which I ended up not incorporating into that one.

The tiny envelope with card were made to see if I wanted to use the small bits of paper as tiny greeting cards, which would mean creating many little envelopes to hold the cards. I decided that one was enough!

I keep planning to finish the Dream Album, yet my days slip by in a blink and I find that other things are quicker to make. I will finish it soon, I promise!

Tiny Notebook and Envelope

Tiny Notebook and Envelope with Card

After a couple of false attempts and much contemplation, I finished the micro journal that I started last night. I attempted sewing several signatures of pages together onto a strip of paper; alas, the holes and needle were too big and some of the holes ripped. I was longing for a minature sewing frame for sure!

I finally settled on making two pages such as I use in larger journals and made pockets on each one, into which I inserted tiny bound booklets. I added a tuck spot to the inside back cover and put in some folding images of various hot air balloons. A puffy balloon sticker inside the front cover and some ribbon to tie it all together completed the project.

Don’t fool yourself; making miniatures is NOT faster or easier than making larger journals, except for having fewer pages! Enjoy this one.

Imagine Micro Journal

Imagine Micro Journal 2

Imagine Micro Journal 3

Imagine Micro Journal 4

Imagine Micro Journal 5

Imagine Micro Journal 6

Wow! Three weeks in already, forty-nine more to go for my 365-day project!

I’d like to know how days seem to just disappear in a snap. I did oversleep today, got a few tasks done and a couple of errands, and suddenly it was 6:30 pm without my realizing it! Yikes. A nice balmy day with sun and clouds, after the light rain last night. We sure need more moisture still.

I did get a tiny journal partly created this evening, had to stop before I could sew in the signatures, though, as I ran out of steam. So here is a sweet tag I made some time ago, instead. Enjoy!

Elegant Lady Tag

Elegant Lady Tag 2

Goodness, I almost forgot to make a post before heading to the Land of Nod!

I made this little circle journal with cut-outs from the papers for my Dream album, and adhered them to heavy cardstock. I’ll have to embellish them another time, as I’m ready for sleep now. Good night!

Circle Journal

Circle Journal 2

I finally got around to recycling some of my turtleneck shirts! I wanted to try to fix the ragged cuffs and keep wearing the shirts, until I realized they are pretty worn out and better used for something else.

The striped shirt got turned into a shopping bag with knotted fringe to close up the bottom, and the yellow tank top just needed to be closed at the hem.

For the solid blue shirt, I attempted to make a kind of shrug that I watched a video on, cutting off sleeves, opening the side seams and enlarging the neck. The idea is to turn the shirt sideways, draped around back of neck, then stick the arms through the enlarge neck hole. I think the lady in the video is tiny, because when I tried that, I felt strangled around the middle! So I re-sewed one of the side seams and just turned it into a shawl.

Striped tee shirt bag

Yellow tee shirt bag

Blue Turtleneck Shawl

Today I decided to postpone my trip to North Carolina for various reasons, the biggest one being I need more time to raise the funds for travel. A bit disappointing, and I’m planning that I’ll be able to reschedule the journey some time in April.

Did two loads of laundry and took a walk; it was warmish though breezy and overcast for most of the day. This evening I decided to do some mending. I don’t like eating with plastic flatware or those splintery, pull-apart chopsticks when I travel, so I had made carrying cases for real flatware and chopsticks.

However, the holder for the latter got all worn out, and the holder for flatware was just too big and things kept falling out. I finally got around to adding some more seams and a center strip of fabric to snug up the fork, knife and spoon, as well as re-hemming one edge of that holder.

I thought about using a cardboard tube to hold the chopsticks, although that is heavier than fabric. Then I had a brilliant idea! I simply added a drawstring with beads on either end to the mesh bag my garlic came in and voila! Perfect chopstick holder!

What brilliant ideas have you come up with lately?

Travel Flatware Holder

Travel Flatware Holder 2

Old Chopstick Holder

New Chopstick Holder