Bag day

Do you have a place where you stash all your plastic bags, say a drawer a holder, etc? Well everyday I walk past ours as they sit there, and I say to myself what can I use those for?

Not only are they bad for the environment but they are not very pretty either. And how do you create something that doesn't look like it was a plastic bag?

I may have found a solution. I found this video on etsy (below) about using an iron to fuse/melt the plastic bags together to create a new textile.

After watching the tutorial, I went and ventured out on my own to see what I could make. I was trying to think of something, I have not seen on any other websites and what came to mind? Well I did need to mail a etsy sale out...and have yet to buy a packing envelope...so that is what I decided to created.

I first fused all the bags together and then used a paper cutter to take off all raw edges. After I finished my plastic squares, I sewed them all together.

The best part about my sewing machine is that it has a bunch of different stitches, so I experimented with the stitches to come up with a design.

In the tutorial, it tells you that you need to turn the bag inside out to keep the ink from bleeding, so I decided that maybe I would use a sharp on the inside as well and draw out some random quick sketches.

Keep in mind this is all experimental.

I stitched all the patches together and this is what I came out with. I think it is a fun and earth friendly way to pack something, plus it is free and all it requires is a little experimentation and time.

Book photo shoot for etsy update

Wow! It is just been over a month since I started blogging and I really feel like I am starting to get more and more addicted everyday. I find myself daydreaming about things I want to do, create and be and seems like Spring is fast arriving look what I found today.


First and foremost, I want to say Thank You! To all of my blog followers. I feel blessed that anyone would want to read my thought process because for most of you that know me I am all over the place.

I made a couple more sales on etsy this week. As with everything I make and create now, I take photos so here are couple for you to enjoy.

(Don't forget to keep strolling down, my sister and I went out on an adventure, and not thrifting)

First off how do you package a ring in something other than a box....this took some creativity....so I took some of my old journal page remnant rolled them up and put the ring on it.



Next I sewed the yellow paper on to this card stock. Tied on my signature etsy Thank You Card, and then tied the ring onto the card as well. I think it came out so darling!


This is one of my journals I sent out today. I try and make everything I send out a little different and unique.



Speaking of journals. I decided today that the photos of my remaining journals were...well to be a little blunt...they were sad :(

So in turn decided to take my journals for a photoshoot into the park nearest my house and here are some of my favorites. If you want to see more check out my etsy shop.

The faves

This last photo is so bizarre to me, because it looks edited, when all I did was hang it over a tree branch and lay down on the ground to photograph it. I love how it turned out though!

So check out my new journal photos, and maybe one of these journals will speak to you.

Preliminary Whimsy Blue branding

I have so far sold a couple items in my etsy shop. If you have not checked it out yet, we just added some vintage housewares and will be adding more very soon! Especially after yesterdays adventure.

Anyways, back to the topic of the day. (I am an artist, so I get a little bit scattered at times...my mind is like a merry go round of ideas, the solution for this is to always have a sketchbook, pad of paper, napkin or journal)

Upon making my first sale, I had an idea of what to do with the remains of my vintage books that I used for the journals. This was all experimental as well. I really had no idea if this would work. So I took six pages from the journals original binding and sewed them together with some fun blue thread.

I then was deciding to wrap the book, and cut the edges so that the book provided a little peekaboo at the end. I found some stamps to create the words in what other then blue ink. (Soon we will have our own logo stamp!!!! So exciting!)) I then grabbed the dainty, blue ribbon that we have, and had my sister tie the ribbon because for whatever reason I have no idea how to do so!!

Here are some of the end result photos, I hope you all like. Maybe I will put a little DIY post documenting how I did it all for you!!! Let me know what you think!

Adventures in thrifting. Again?

Today my sister and I looked out at the beautiful weather and decided that it was the perfect day to go thrifting. We stopped at two places, both of which had really great treasures. Some of which I will list on etsy, others which I will upcycle and recombinate to make a bit more modern.

Here is what we found at the first thrift store:



I couldn't say no to this amazing, intact book from the 1970's with an array of paper dolls and the outfits from the celebrities in the movies.



I know, I know everyone is probably like "owls are everywhere", but this one was so adorable I had to get it. It has so much character and vintage charm.



Teacups, teacups. Tea party? Hmmm...maybe, but I might have a crafty project in mind for these teacups. They are everywhere and have so much potential to be practical!

We moved on from the first thrift store and low and behold we ended up close to our home. I stumbled upon this small leather lunchbox....or at least what I thought was a lunchbox?



When I opened it I realized that it was a vintage 8 track carrier!!!! Amazing! I am going to stencil this object at a later date!






I found an amazing vintage print that I will upcycle for a pillow project. It is going to be fierce.

And last but not least...


I found more books, that I could make into journals!!!!! I was so stoked to stumble upon these amazing hardback children's books. I could in no way resist their charm.



In short I have a love for thrifting because to me it is like a fabulous treasure hunt. Or like a box of chocolates you never know what you gonna get.

Children's books turned into journals/sketchbooks!!!

So as you all know the other day I received a box of 51 books that I am going to make into journals.

I took the guts of the book out, and the inside cover of each of the journals has an image on the front and back cover of the original book. Don't worry I am using the insides of the books for another project here at the end of the month.

I completed a full five which I am very proud of. I almost want to keep them because I love them so much!!! There are are about 15 more that are ready to be bound. These should be done by Saturday.

Anyways here are some of the example of my work so far let me know what you think!

Here is the front of The Peacock Lane Journal.

The first cover page, using some of the original pages in the book.


The inside of the journal. The journal is combined with a few poems from the original book.


The end of the journal also uses some original images from the book. This is by far my favorite journal that I have created.

Book Binding

I have been trying to post at least every couple days on here, showing all of you what it is that I am currently doing. I have an obsession with books, no not reading books but using books to be reused in a way that gives them new life. Let's face it book reading is an art form that is losing ground quickly and being replaced by everything digital.

What inspired me to have these thoughts. Well I was searching on a magical website called Ebay. I hope you are all familiar. ;) I found a lot of 51 children's books for a reasonal price. I watched it and watched it and finally, I called my sister and we agreed that it would be a great idea to purchase these books and see what we can do.

So today I come home and find the box, I have been waiting for it all week!!! Thinking. Brainstorming. What do I do with all these vintage children's books with beautiful covers. Well how about I learn a new technique called Bookbinding and create some journals or sketchbooks.

I decided that all books I create must have blank paper only!!!! As a creative person it is hard for me to be linear and if you know me, I definitely have never stayed on the straight and narrow.

Well here is my first journal that I created. The pics are a bit blurry but you get the idea of what I am doing at least there will be more to come soon!



How much would you spend on an upcycled journal that you knew was handmade???

Let me know your thoughts I am coming up with price points for the 50 books that I have to do. Leave it in the comments segment below!!! Look forward to your feedback!!!

When in inspired...

So this week has been a really wonderful week. For one I am back home in Portland sitting next to the windows of a beautiful coffee shop overlooking Brooklyn Park in SE, and it is clear blue skys and warm enough for a light jacket. Is it really January??? I have been finding that every week I am inspired by a collective group of things, or things are going on in my head, that need to be created, changed or brought to life.

Here's to Inspiration and posititve change! CHEERS!

I have a small obsession with old books, most of which are falling apart, water damaged or just a little to dry for most of us to understand. There is so much beauty in them, I have been thinking I want to create a photoshoot using books in some way as the only material in the background. I feel that there is so much beauty in old books. Let's face the facts who has time nowadays to read old books. It takes a lot of time, and in todays world we dont have a lot of time.

I am obsessed with book art, what you can do with old books etc!! Here are some of my favorites!!