Written by Kelly Rand
Published on March 10th, 2008
I have about a gazillion journals. They can be found stashed all about my house, so as to be within easy reach when an idea strikes (at least that’s what I tell myself). In truth, my journal collection stems from my inability of locating the journal that I had last put pen to paper. I can never seem to find one when I have an idea that needs to be written down or sketched out. I figure the more journals I have, the better my chances are for finding one when needed.
During my last creative brainstorm I relocated a favorite journal of mine (pictured). I acquired my cowboy journal at the last large indie craft fair in my area called Crafty Bastards. The journal, by Ex Libris Anonymous, is made from an old library book. It is hand made and one of a kind. Snippets of text from the original book are sprinkled throughout the blank pages of acid free paper.
I recall that Ex Libris Anonymous’ booth at Crafty Bastards was constantly packed that day. I elbowed my way in to sort through bins and bins of great vintage book covers. After coming back twice, I finally settled on a small journal with the shell of the Spiderweb Trail by Eugene Cunningham.
The vintage books that make up Ex Libris’ journals are cute, charming and have a kitschy vibe. The hard cover is a perfect writing surface and the spiral binding makes it easy to flip to the next blank page and the select passages can make for quick inspiration. I use mine to jot down notes and make quick sketches.
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Written by Emma Henderson
Published on March 10th, 2008
Maybe its because I’m longing for a good holiday or perhaps its just that I love the colours and endless possibilities of maps but I’ve been seeing them all over the place recently. This image forms part of a collection of maps belonging to designer Benita Larson via Poppytalk. I love the way they are displayed and that some have being put to good use covering journals, books and boxes.
Inspirational design studio Lovely Design also have some great products made from maps including this very sweet ‘I miss you’ mail set and these beautiful ‘Take me to’ books.
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Written by Juliet Ames
Published on February 25th, 2008
I forgot how much fun it is to make a collage but after seeing this collage by Justyn Hegreberg, I can’t wait to dive in!
Justyn’s work is so interesting and original because he uses recycled photographs (mostly doubles and blurry snapshots collected from Craigslist) and a paper shredder to create his signature look.
I love this idea to use a paper shredder to cut the paper, just think of the possibilities! Read the rest of this entry »
Written by Autumn Wiggins
Published on February 13th, 2008
Let me guess, you have a ream of 100% recycled, Rain Forest Alliance Certified paper conveniently stacked next to the printer. You earn additional eco-brownie points for printing on both sides of each sheet. Good for you! Now, don’t take off running for the recycle bin. Your humble memo may be destined for a higher purpose before meeting it’s maker.
We are all familiar with tiny paper cranes and jumping frogs in the world of origami.These popular characters often require a specialized paper that is thin and square. However, if you think outside the box, then you can make a box, along with many other useful items.
The following video shows you how to create an amazing flower shaped CD holder by tracing around the disc. You will need something a bit bigger than copy paper. Expired wall calenders or old posters might enjoy this fate. These materials would even be good for making super-sized versions of the 8.5″x 11″ sheet projects linked below. Read the rest of this entry »
Written by Juliet Ames
Published on January 28th, 2008
We have all had that indecisive moment at the home improvement store. Standing there, staring at the wall of paint samples for what seems like hours, every color starts to blend into the next in the same way that too many perfume samples start to smell alike. There is so much pressure, you might have to live with this color for the next 10 years, or more! There is only one way to handle this – pick up a handful of samples to take with you to stare at in the comfort of your own home. Once you have selected the perfect color, what happens to that leftover stack of color? It’s time to craft! (Please note: I said leftover – I am not endorsing stealing stacks of chips for crafting purposes!)
When I discovered Lisa Solomon on The Beholder, I fell in love. I would have never guessed that embroidering a simple paint chip could look so sophisticated. Her series of paint chip art plays with the fantastic descriptive names given to paint colors such as this one, Sparrow.
Another fantastic use for your reject color ideas is this colorful and functional card holder craft from Design Verb. There are incredibly detailed instructions and step-by-step photos on his blog. Read the rest of this entry »
Written by Juliet Ames
Published on January 21st, 2008
So, the kidlets are home from school today, bugging you for something to do, and you are hiding on the computer, catching up on blogs? Why not turn the computer off (after reading this, of course) and work on a junk mail craft together?
Paper bead making is a great craft for your little fashionista and is pretty simple to do. Using only junk mail, a toothpick and glue, this project is an easy way to get in a casual lesson on green living.
First, scour your junk mail pile and old magazines for colorful shiny paper to create your beads. The shiny varnished paper is pretty strong, brightly colored, and somewhat water proof. It is also more expensive to recycle, making it perfect for a project like this. Once your paper is selected, simply follow the following easy steps from HGTV: Read the rest of this entry »
Written by Juliet Ames
Published on January 14th, 2008
The book “50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth” listed stopping unwanted junk mail as its #2 recommendation. Some interesting junk mail statistics from the book include: Each year, 100 million trees are used to produce junk mail; 250,000 homes could be heated with one day’s supply of junk mail; and Americans receive almost 4 million tons of junk mail every year. Yikes! And I thought these unwanted ads were just an annoyance! Luckily there are ways to stop junk mail, but you might want it to keep it coming when you see all you can do with it.
Paper artist Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut created these amazing works of art as a solution to her junk mail problem. The framed piece is made up of tiny strips of newsprint randomly glued to card-stock. It was then covered with an abstract floral card-stock frame. See a video podcast of her process on the Craftzine blog. Patricia’s adorable junk mail trees are simply made of junk mail and bristol paper. A detailed tutorial can be found on her blog. These simple processes can be translated into thousands of projects. Thanks Patricia, for sharing your junk mail love!
There are so many junk mail projects, I could not fit them all in one post. Share your project in a comment and you could be featured in a future post! Stay tuned for more!
[Images courtesy of
A Little Hut.]
