Second stage making a paper journal

Okay the second step in your paper journal is to paint with gesso.

This one is painted just with gesso, can you see the script through the gesso

You can add some colour by adding a drop or two of fluid acrylic while the gesso is wet, this will lighten the colour. I also added an extra bit of bold script on the left hand side. You could add copies of photo's here and gesso over top.remember this fun one, gesso around the figures, then while gesso is wet use the other end of your paint brush to write some words or patterns. Page on the right is the one I ripped and I glued another page on top. Stronger page.Page out of bridal magazine, these pages are very shiny and paint doesn't want to adhere to it but the gesso is fine.Did you notice this image with all its dark background, whiten out with gesso and she floats with her wings spread out. This will give you plenty of options for next stage.This page is one of the bigger pages and I have only scanned one side. This page is out of the vogue book, I really like these, the pages aren't shiny and seem to take the gesso better, doesn't she stand out on the page.

Ok that's it for this stage, In my journal I am doing 5 double pages to each signature of which there will be four signatures (group of pages that will be sewn into spine together) so that will be approx 20 double pages. Will be back next week for next stage gives you plenty of time to get yours done.

have fun

Jacky

make a journal present with me

Hi, I am sharing with you a journal (make it 3 journals) I am making for three of my grand daughters as Christmas presents. You have plenty of time to make some if you wish. Doesn't cost much just takes a little bit of your time to make a personal journal for someone you love to write in and add more photo's etc. The first image is of a journal Joanne made after doing a workshop with Sabrina Ward Harrison when she was in Perth last year. Joannes journal gave me the idea of making these as Christmas presents. Tools you will need are a selection of books and magazines, look for sturdy pages. Masking tape from hardware shop three and a half centimetres wide. Scissors, and gel medium, I use Golden because it's simply the best, you can see some of the background page and it strengthens the pages.

These are some of the magazines I used for my pages, I look for suitable images, lovely colour images in FreshFruits, lovely black and white images in the vogue book, more lovely images in a fashion advertising magazine and a bridal magazine and then lots from old books. Images I look for nice are fashion pics, animal pics, jewellery, bags, cosmetics etc pics all that would interest my teenage grand daughters. I also like different size pages to give more interest. Are you getting the idea.These pages from the voque book, nice sturdy pages, join your pages together with wide 3 1/2 cm wide masking tape (the one I am using is smoother than some, when I join 2 pages together I leave just a little gap. These are pages from old books, nice and sturdy, I like to separate the ones with images with these pages.These are the amazing pictures out of the freshfruit magazine, just wait and see how these come out after further treatment.

How funky is this page from Freshfruits, this is going to look amazing. You can join different pages from different books and different sizes. You may not be able to see but on the old book page has torn when I was putting the masking tape on, but not to worry I will cover it with another page which will cover and strengthen the whole page. Well folks I am off to do the next step and will show you that in the next day or two. I really hope you will give it a go, if you do send me some photo's of the ones you do. Have fun

Jacky

Online workshop

Recently I joined an online workshop at http://creativeworkshops.ning.com/ after seeing some journal pages in the latest Stampington Journalling magazine that I really liked. I was a bit apprehensive, wondering if I would find time to do the classes. I need not have worried as I was hooked, love the fact the materials you use are very transportable and the moleskin journal is a good size.This was way too much fun, as you can see I don't have a very straight eye, practise will be needed here. Love the doodling, you can do it while watching television too.

These bottom two are my interpretation's of the techniques.

I would recommend anyone who cannot get to classes the online classes are a good way to try different techniques. I had trouble with the videos, they took over half an hour to download and then when trying to view would only go so far, stop then go back to the beginning, I gave up in the end, I am afraid I don't have a lot of patience with computers, a love/hate relationship, have nearly sent it flying out the door on several occasions. The workshop I did was Pam Carikker's Shades of Grey.

Suffragette Journal

We finished the Suffragette Journal a couple of weeks ago. I need the girls to bring their completed journals so I can share with you.

This is a side view, as you can see it has got quite fat.

View from the opposite side with opening catch. To hold the pages shut, ribbon and chain with a padlock depicting women chaining themselves to iron railings, on cutting the chains they where thrown into prison, to contemplate their audacity to think they could be equal to man. I have also threaded on a enamel label with the word 'Journey' as this was an amazing journey in history

This last page and the front cover, is constructed from an old book cover plus the spine which hides the mechanics of the journal. A small shadow box nailed down with tacks houses a vintage silver button with knots for the joining of women supporting each other in the fight to win the vote.

I hope you enjoyed this journey with me on honouring these brave and gutsy women.

cheers Jacky

Rain and more rain

We are having some wonderful rainy weather here in Perth, rain but temperatures around 18 degrees Celsius, so really comfortable. I personally love winters in Perth, I love taking the dog for a walk early mornings just as the birds are waking up and giving half hearted sleepy chirps to greet the new day.

These are some dwarf sweet peas that I planted from seeds, I haven't grown sweet peas for years I just love the flowers but never quite sure of the right time to plant here in Australia. This is something I have learnt, growing plants are so different to conditions in New Zealand. Still struggling with lettuces (they bolt so quickly here) and potatoes. Oh dear, can you see the mess on the pavers, yes I need to get out and garden, my excuse is that dear dog, digs in my garden and then lies on my plants and being a big dog she flattens lots of my plants.

I love this old metal side of a babies cot, in the rain everything looks so fresh. Very hard to capture rain on film, it was bucketing down when I took these photos with the sun showing through, bizarre weather. I have been very busy with my art this week, but not ready to share just yet, a lot of vintage art.

Miss Johnsons Vintage and Handmade Market

October 30th and 31st, Phil and I are running a new Vintage Craft Market, at the beautiful Guildford Town Hall. We had looked at one run in the USA http://raisedincotton.typepad.com/raised_in_cotton/2008/12/magical-miss-frenchies-holiday-brocante-show.html check it out, we thought it would be fun to run one here in Australia. You will find a link in the side bar if you would like to follow ours. We want to create a vintage brocante, something that you can meander through, unlike a fair where the stalls are all in a row, nothing co-ordinating with the stalls either side or the fair itself. We want ours to be a theme, create an experience that you will tell your friends about and come to our next one. We aim to have vintage items, handmade in the vintage style or using vintage items. There will be yummy food for you to eat while you peruse the items around you. We will be doing the hall up very vintage and the Guildford Hall lends very well to this. There will be music gentle music from another time. We will give you little tempters on our new site to keep you interested. Hope you will join us, and if you would like to sell in this unique market we would love to hear from you.

cheers

Jacky

Vintage Silk Mantles

On Sunday my sister had a stall at the Mundaring Markets and the Mundaring Truffle's event, so I scooted up in my trusty little subaru sherpa, poor old girl does find it harder going up the hill but can still pass the slower traffic, she has heart if not style. It was a lovely sunny day, poured with rain the day before, and there was a huge crowd, parking a bit of a challenge but found one in the Woolworths car park. Crossing the main road was a bit hairy, two lanes made it a scramble. There was a wonderful exhibition on the corner, not sure of the name of the building, most amazing dyed and felted clothing, very India Flint style, have a look at her website, she does amazing things with silk fabric http://www.indiaflint.com/ well worth stopping for. Opposite Phil's stall was a lovely couple selling antique and vintage collectibles, found these lovely Silk Mantles still in their lovely old glassine envelopes. If you do not know what silk mantles are, I certainly didn't, bit before my time, they are these little knitted silk bags that go on the kerosene lamps. Now of course I saw the perfect little pocket to use in vintage fabric art, perfect to hold a little treasure. They measure 3 x 2 1/2" or 7.5 x 7cm and you could see an object that you placed in it. So with the possibilities of using them in art I purchased 12 and have put 3 on my etsy if you are interested. If you do not know Mundaring, it is about a 30 minute drive up into the hills, surrounded by beautiful bush and some very interesting homes, I didn't think to take my camera. Phil had a very successful 2 days and of course her stall looked lovely.