I’m still here

Hi everyone,

I still here. I’ve been busy creating, making videos and opening my etsy shop.  Don’t worry, I might mention it from time to time but I won’t bombard you with etsy stuff. It puts me of blogs when people do that.

It all takes time and I’ve found it rather overwhelming at times and had to take steps back before being able to proceed some more. In hoping etsy will provide pocket money so that I can afford to get journaling supplies.

So I have uploaded more videos over the last week and one was even a tutorial! Go me!!

I’ll add some photos and then add YouTube links at the bottom of this post in case you are interested.

Pretty aren’t they? 😃

I think that I’ve uploaded about five videos to YouTube since my last blog. I won’t paste all the links here but you can find them by clicking on my face on YouTube (beneath the video).

Thank you so much for visiting,

Lots of love, Tracey xxx

 

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Dyeing paper

I thought I’d write a short post on paper dyeing. Haha 😄 most of my posts are short!

I use these papers in my journals because I like the antiquey look and it makes for a interesting journal. It’s particularly useful when using lots of different papers as it unifies while each piece retains its intrinsic qualities.

Here is an image of the onion skins simmering away…

In the image below from left to right is coffee dyed, onion skin dyed and tea dyed paper.

I onion dyed a batch of paper this morning. I love the golden colour it produces, it’s a very rich colour. I used an aluminium dyepot that I knew would dull the colour. As the Rayburn was lit and the oven not too hot I dried the paper in there on old cake racks.

It’s important to use separate pots and utensils for dyeing and to store them away from those used for food.

I placed coins on the following sheet before it went in the oven. I like the results…

I will try this technique again.

As the dye bath is not depleted of onion skin dye I’ve put a hank of my handspun yarn in it. I’ll leave it to soak for a day or so.

Thanks for dropping by

Tracey xx 🌼💐🌸

Laughing at myself…

I was looking out through my window when the light was such that the foliage across the way reminded me of a sideways envelope! 😆 So, I ask, does that qualify me as a true junk journaler?! 😆

First time that’s happened.

I took a picture but the light had changed a little so that the envelope flap is not quite the sideways v it had previously been a minute before…

In case your not as crazy as me, it’s the one in the middle 😆

Happy Sunday everyone,

Love Tracey xxx

Book covers for junk journals

Hello!

I’ve spent my morning creating/recovering two book covers. I carefully removed the contents a couple of days ago and separated the signatures (groups of pages sewn into hardback books) so that they can be used too,  although not necessarily in these books.

Both came from a charity shop sale for 50p each. I’ve removed the spine from the green one and replaced it with a wider, new spine. I love how they are coming along thus far and am quite exited about it 😆❤

I shall decorate the covers a bit once I’ve had a think and a play. Next I will be gathering pages together. I had a big tea dyeing session in the garden yesterday plus I experimented with a watercolour bath using old tubes of paint before they dry up. It did colour those pieces but at the moment only I would notice.

 The one on the right looks black on my screen but it’s actually a lovely green.

The clips are holding paper in places while it dries.

I’m planning to sew two signatures into each book; I don’t think three would fit as I shall add pockets and tuck shops and other ephemera.

This lovely lady (Gayle Agostinelli) has been a great teacher and source of inspiration…

 

I’ll show you the pages in the next installment 🙂

Thanks for visiting. Bye for now,

Tracey xx ❤

Junk journal notebook

How can you explain in a text message what a junk journal is using as few characters as possible because the text was to travel from the to UK to NZ?! My answer was to say I’ll make a small one for you mum 🙂 😆

I had just finished making my first one and it was very well received by my dear friend whose birthday it was for. I started the notebook sized one immediately but thinking about the process a little more carefully. I made the cover first and my sewing machine was most disgruntled sewing through paper and card and decided to go into a huff and missed lots of stitches. I decided not to worry about it and carried on. Having completed the cover I started gathering recycled paper together for a tea dyeing session. These were baked dry and ironed. Other papers were assembled and mingled in with the tea dyed pages. There are 23 leaves creating 46 pages which were sewn to the cover as a single signature. Next came the decoration and addition of ephemera.

I really enjoyed making both the journals. I’m only showing images of a few pages and the cover of the second junk notebook. It’s secured with a length of lace tied around the cover and finished with a simple bow…

Inside the front cover (above).

This last week I’ve also made these for future junk journals…

And these clusters below made out of scraps…

Unsurprisingly, I’m a bit behind with my Coastal stashbusting blanket CAL 😆

I have loved making these junk journals and have several ideas for some more. I can’t wait to make one for myself 🙂

A note about the dyeing… I had coffee dyed a batch of paper for the first junk journal but I really didn’t like the subsequent smell. I don’t usually mind the smell of coffee. So the second time I used tea. It didn’t produce such a strong stain. I used old tea bags that were used, left to dry out and then stored. For the dye bath I poured hot water over the bags and let them soak for an hour before using.  I will try making the bath stronger next time. Most of the bags were earl grey so the paper has a more pleasant smell 😃

My faith journaling is going very well and I shall have to compile a new one of those soon also. I use rings to bind these so that I can add stuff in. It’s amazing how fast it has filled up. In it I write personal prayers and answers to prayer, scripture and any thoughts I have about it, plus I use it as a time to listen to what God has to say to me and I write what I believe he is saying into my journal.

It’s a while since I wrote a post…I can can’t remember if there’s anything else I’m meant to add…??

Thank you for visiting me 😘❤💛💜💚💙😁

CAL – week two

I’ve just completed this week’s four rows. I’m using odd balls from the acrylic yarn collection and at present it’s got a vintage vibe. I doubt it will stay like that.

So here’s a couple of pictures for you…

So far I’ve learned how to make bobbles and double treble stitches. It’s good to be stretched a bit  😃

You’re going to laugh when I tell you about my big mistake though 😆😆😆😆😆

Since when can the numeral 1 be confused with a 2…? The starting chain was meant to be 180. Hmm, I know, it’s going to be a big blanket! The silly thing was that I didn’t realise until Eleonora’s instructions said I should have thirty bobbles when that particular row was completed. So I counted… 46 bobbles! I refuse to start again. It means the sides will not be perfectly matched but the pro outweighs this con because it means I’ll use a lot more of my acrylic stash oddments up 🙌

Eleonora put a lot of effort into this week’s installment as she had to make her very first video. Goodness me that is a lot of work. Thanks so much Eleonora for your efforts as I definitely benefited from the video tutorial 🙂

(The green knitted item in the background is a shawl being blocked.)

Click here to be taken to this CAL’s home at Coastal Crochet.

 

I’m joining in with a CAL

Eleanor over at Coastal Crochet blog is very busy person but as a stashbusting project she has started a CAL (crochet a long) this week with only four rows of a blanket to complete each week. Quite achievable don’t you think? I ummed and ahhed and have decided to join in as it will help deplete my acrylic stash  collection plus create a Christmas gift. Win win  😃

I’ve never participated in a CAL before as I feel they are too restricting and I would lose interest. (That’s just me!) But this one fits nicely with my goals this year (see this post Happy 😊 New Year .)

Fancy learning more about it and perhaps join in? Take a look here .

I’m off to choose some yarn

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UFO Confession time 😆

Bekki over at Dartmoor Yarn Company blog confessed to some ufo’s (unfinished objects) in a recent blog post and I foolishly commented that I had one from the 1980’s …Well, you can guess what was said next…!

I do keep my promises, so here we are ready to ‘fess up.

I can’t quite remember when in the eighties it was but probably the middle when my daughter was still little. I had already made her a grandma doll and a matching dress for my daughter for her second Christmas. She loved it and I actually still have it…

She’s a bit tatty and needs her face sponged.

Anyway, better get on with showing the confessional UFO… The pattern…

As far as I got…

Cute face huh?

I doubt I’ll finish it now but I can’t throw that face away. I was so careful with all that stitching. Any suggestions?

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New fibre

Here is the yummy scrumptious fibre I purchased yesterday from John Arbon Textiles shop in Lynton…

Top left: Merino/silk called Toot Sweet

Top right: KBN (Knit by numbers)* Burgundy

Middle right: Harvest hues in Bracken

Bottom: each in its packaging.

The natural white is the fibre domination John uses for the Stanbury Walker socks. It’s merino, blue faced Leicester and nylon.

I tried to go for colours that I have less of which meant no ocean colours for once. I adore ocean colours  😃 I want to build up a collection of different colours of handspun for colour work.

* more info here

Image source

A gift from my sister

I thought some of you might like to take a peek at one of the gifts my lovely sister sent us from New Zealand 🇳🇿…

The text reads as follows…

Survival Kit

Paper clip to hold it all together

Rubber band to remind you to be flexible

A smiley sticker to remind you to keep smiling

A crayon to colour your day bright and cheerful

Toothpick to help pick out the good in everything

Hearts to remind you that your friends and family love you

A penny to remind you that you are valuable

Marbles to help replace the ones you’ve lost

Fruit burst to give you energy

Tea bag when all else fails.

 

And it all comes packed in the little bag 🙂 ❤