Butterfly Junk Journal with Twig Binding

 Hello my friend,

I thought I would share an easy summer project.

Maybe something you could take with you on a nature walk-

to take down some thoughts or even to draw things you see-

To make this small journal :

I used six scraps folded in half 6''by 9''

I used coffee to stain my papers.

Then set them aside to let them dry.

I wanted to used some butterflies on the cover.

I was thinking about making the journal look like a 

nature guide.

I found these butterflies.

You can use these for yourself.

They can be painted or colored with pencils.

I used some butterflies and paper scraps 

to collage the cover.

I used my sewing machine to stitch

around the edges of both front and back covers.

Find a twig close the length of your book

I used string to tie the twig to the fold of the papers.

It now looks like the binding.

I had some matching scraps from my collage page.

I folded them together.

I made a flap that comes to a point.

It's not too thick-

 I cut a small slit to tuck the point

into the opposite side when closed.

I put a grommet on the tag so I could hang

the little notebook on the journal like a tag.

Tie mini notepad to twig with bow.

Inside front cover-

You can see the thread ties on the inside pages.

I added a few butterfly stamps.

Thank you for taking the time to visit today!

Take care of yourself this summer.

xo Lisa S

Faux SPARKLER BOX and FIRECRACKERS for the 4TH of JULY

Hello my friends,

Summer is here!

Here in the U.S.A. out comes the RED, WHITE and BLUE.

I wanted to add some new pieces to my decorations

( not that I needed any !)

I thought I could make some faux fireworks. 

I went to my wood scraps and found some pieces

of dowel 1.5'' diameter and cut them to staggered heights.

(4.5'' for the shortest, 5.5'' for the next size, 6.5'' for the tallest )

Drilled hole, center top for wire or jute.

Painted with Apple Barrel 'Tuscan Red' Acrylic paint.

Tied together with jute and a piece of cloth.

I painted the last one red, then blue at the top.

Then hand painted the stars and white strips.

To finish I went over the edges with sandpaper

then some sealing wax.

I found these vintage labels online and played

around with sizing.

I cut my wood to 8 '' high by 2 '' wide, by  1'' thick.

I painted my wood blocks with Apple Barrel 

'English Navy' Blue

Acrylic paint.

I trimmed my labels to fit.

I painted a thin coat of Mod Podge on the front.

After this dried, I painted another thin coat on the top.

Some simple shelf sitters to add to your decor!

Have a safe and HAPPY 4TH of JULY !

XO Lisa S

If you like the Sparklers you may also like these

Retro Christmas Wood Blocks

Repurposed Wristwatch

 

Hello my friend!

Today I was going through a bag of 

thrifted jewelry and found

a couple of old flex band watches.

One was missing the interior, one was in better shape.

Both watches were broken. The bands were in good condition.

They were also missing the stems.

I thought I could turn the watch

 into a keepsake locket type of bracelet.

I used a paperclip to pry open

the watch case.

I saved the clock face- of course-

I have a collection of sea glass

 from many wonderful trips the beach.

We loved to walk the shoreline looking for treasures.

I sorted through our collection

 to find some small

pieces.

I love the mix of colors.

Fill with the tiny sea glass, beads, photo-

any small memento to make a personal keepsake!

The back snaps easily into place.

The tiny glass stones can be seen through

 the watch front window. It makes a beautiful

sound when shaken.

Can you see the tiny surprise inside?

I  made two-

Now they can be worn and enjoyed

as a sea glass keepsake bracelet.

 Your visit means a lot to me!

Thank you

XO Lisa S

Tea Bag Snippet Rolls for Crafts

 

Hi friend!

I'm back with more ways to 

repurpose those used tea bags. 

The papers are strong and perfect for making

snippet rolls.

Why would you make these rolls?

They are a great base or background for 

future art projects.

Start with dried and empty teabags.

Gently open at seam and lay flat.

I used 6 of similar width per roll.

I glued end to end, overlapping 1/4''

I laid out some scraps of paper, 

vintage lace, fabric and

ribbon.

Just start to tack down with glue.

There is no right or wrong way!

Just enjoy the process-

layer upon layer.

I took a piece of thread, wrapped around my finger

to form a little nest.

Then glued a small doily flower on top

to add some dimension.

I wanted to stay with neutral tones.

On one of the rolls, I added some printed paper.

I took the roll over to my sewing machine and

stitched down across and over for the length of the roll.

This roll I spattered with gold paint 

using an old toothbrush with stiff bristles.

Just wanted to see if I liked it with the paint.

I found some twigs.

I used them to roll my snippets-

Tied with ribbon for later use-

Snippets can be used in junk journals-

for page decor, tag embellishments, belly bands.

Easily cut to any size needed.

Can be used for giftwrapping and card making.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this

scrap project-

Thank you for visiting today!

xo Lisa S