Art Journal With Me: Working in Messy Pages and Where to Find Ephemera

[@verachyz9079]

If only I wasn't limited to one thumbs up. You're an awesome inspiration.

[@BookandPaperArts]

Why thank you, Vera. You have really made my day! Hope you have a creative weekend, my dear.

[@KariGibsonArt]

Oh, I love your messy journal so much!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you, Kari. Not going to lie, I do love it so. 😉😁🌻🌼🌷

[@moongl0]

What you say about committing to it is so true. The material is out there though. Even things that come to you in deliveries. Cardboard, boxes, junk mail, tags, ribbon, plastic wrap, bubble wrap...a lot of this comes to us with other things we order/consume. Great job here, Kelly!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hiya. I have been getting this comment so much, having trouble finding the good stuff, so this pep talk has been in the pipeline for weeks. Vintage is great but even without out it, there is so much to be creative with. I actually order old flower show calendars. Out of date, they are supercheap and full of beautiful images. Thanks for checking in!

[@sandrawheeler2295]

I love watching these older videos, Kelly, and this was so relevant to what I'm doing at the moment, so thanks a bunch for the great tips and ideas!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you very much for this thoughtful feedback, Sandra. Yes, there are some oldies but goodies in the pipeline. I am still working in this art journal. Maybe I will finish it this year! Kelly

[@bourgeoisiebetty123]

your boiled book turned out awesome! Well done lady!! I just love your style.

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you, my dear! I am truly grateful for the feedback.

[@marthamurphy7940]

So interesting that you work on multiple pages at the same time!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hi Martha. Yes, when making art journal pages is your day job, you have to keep those suckers moving! 😁😁😉😉

[@blanchetait8063]

Very sweet little book Kelly, thank you for sharing your techniques with us. I enjoyed this video very much.

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thanks bunches, Blanche. This is the first palm-sized book I have worked in and I was pleasantly surprised at how much you can get into one.

[@texaspqueen]

So glad I found you. Excellent work and easy to follow, very inspiring.

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hello and welcome, Candace. Thank you for this message. It is truly lovely to hear. 🌷🌼🌻Kelly

[@aliceevans70]

Absolutely love your work 🥰

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you so so much, Alice. 🌷🌷🌼🌼🌻🌻

[@carolrigby186]

Thanks as always Kelly for the inspiration. I love mini books and this is a great size 😊

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you, Carol. It is my first time working with a palm-sized book and I am pleasantly surprised with how much you can get in there.😁

[@LynneMCreations]

LOVE this book! AND the techniques and tips. Thank you for sharing! Great video!! I'm inspired 💃 "You had me at gothic arches"

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hey, Lynne, success at last! Now I have to go bind four more of them and you know how much I (don't) love binding. 🙄😁

[@CatherineSunnysideJournals]

That was great Kelly! Thank you for all those good ideas. I so look forward to your Friday videos. I'm off to work in my own journal now...

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you so, Catherine. The only problem is that I forgot the first rule of messy making: don't wear black long sleeves if you are going to work with gesso. (I am guessing you have been there. 🙄😁)

[@CatherineSunnysideJournals]

@@BookandPaperArts Oh yes! When I used to work at a real job I made the "black clothing" mistake many times working on a bleach client. I quickly learned if I spilled hair bleach on my clothing a permanent black marker did a pretty good job camouflaging the splashes on my clothes.🤣

[@nancihendrickson6658]

Thank you so much for sharing. I was wondering how to deal with my junk journal. Your pages are always beautiful

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hi Nanci. Junk journals can be so beautiful that it is hard to know how - or if - to work in them. It has been on my list for months to try to address that, so I am glad that the message got out there and worked! Have a creative weekend. 😉🌷

[@UrbanGrrl69]

Brilliant tutorial. Thanks for sharing.

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thanks bunches!

[@lefthandstory1280]

Beautiful✌️😃awesome😎👍👍...

[@BookandPaperArts]

Why thank you!😉🐤🐥😎

[@debbiecarter6430]

Great inspiration for a wet weekend in. 😊 Thank you x

[@artiste335]

Thank you, Kelly...you are such an inspiration! I am going to be making altered books and am thrilled to have access to your great ideas. Right now I'm collaging a children's board book!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hi Deborah. What a little coincidence: I started out in altered books by altering children's board books. The great thing is they are sturdy and it doesn't matter if they are nicked and battered a little. The only drawback is that they aren't flexible enough to chunk up, but they do make lovely canvasses. Hope you are having a creative week!

[@MissDaisyParsley]

Wonderful tips and techniques! I look forward to trying some of them! Your art book is beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you, Susan. I hope you have a great and creative weekend. 🌷😉😁

[@barrylytle5118]

Nevervseen using gesso to soften and activate charcoal pencil, interesting. On the lookout for coffee table books, great idea.

[@lynnboyd33]

Hey Kelly, what an awesome tutorial this one was. Chock full of great info! I love you ideas for finding terrific clip art, especially now when things are finally opening back up! I've got to get back to my library thrift shop and hunt around some more. Loved your pages of the walnut stain, the dark bird over the yellow flower and your own rendering of that cool archway you painted with water colors(I think) I love white/light buildings and playing with their shadows!! Yeeehaa! Just love your vids! TFS

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you, Lynn. I did kind of preach the DIY gospel here, but I really believe in it and for some weird reason it isn't obvious. Maybe because we live in such a throw-away culture. (?) As for the arch, I did paint it myself. I am not much of a painter but when I saw that image (on Pinterest, of course 😉) I knew I had to try. And this is about my tenth go at it, so it is taking persistence but it is paying off. I do love my little book.

[@patbajsert4713]

I am really enjoying your videos and would be interested in receiving your newsletter and in seeing your digital downloads. Beautiful work!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hello and welcome, Pat. Newsletter this Sunday and new video Friday. Off to get to work! Kelly

[@keeperofwords2348]

Always a treasure trove of inspiration! Now that the holiday madness is almost wrapped up and stored away until next year, I am itching to get back to my art!!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Amen to that. Yesterday I started doing the online watercolour course that I bought in AUGUST and haven't had time to do. And it felt fabulous. Let's get making, Margaret!

[@barbaradaly4930]

Love it!

[@BookandPaperArts]

Thank you, Barbara. 🌷🌷🌷

[@annecook9885]

I just found you! I loved this video. You mentioned that you boiled the book. Could you please expanding the term and what you did? I really like the effect.

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hello Anne and welcome! I will be doing a tutorial on the technique soon but the short version is that I folded in some red and yellow onion skins between the pages here and there, tied the whole thing up good and tight, then immersed it in a tea and rust bath in my cast iron soup pot. I simmer for an hour then turn it off and let it soak for a few hours. Then untie and dry. I went through this period of reading about boiled (and buried!) books and took tons of notes, then my laptop was stolen and now I can't find the original info. So I kind of made this one up. Hope that helps and stay tuned for the video. 🌷🌼🌻

[@micheledore1973]

Inspiring fascinating and intriguing. Boiled the book??

[@BookandPaperArts]

Yup. Boiled the book in tea and rust. I thought I read about the technique but now I can't find it anywhere and so maybe I just dreamed 😉it but I tried it anyway and love, love how they turned out. Will be posting a video explaining more about them in a few days.

[@dr.cynthia8340]

A

[@BookandPaperArts]

🎨🎨🌼🌼

[@hollywoodbennett2091]

Please keep your mouth on your phone mic so it captures wind in every word you say.the wind will add flare to your voice

[@pamelaandrew8051]

Would you say your work is Gothic or Iconic, religious…?

[@BookandPaperArts]

Hi Pamela. Hmmm. Gothic isn't quite it. I guess mixed media collage using vintage paper and other ephemera influenced by religious iconography. I am not Catholic but in old, French religious stuff I find art, architexture, culture, history, stories, and a little mystery, all of which I hope adds to my pages. Thanks for touching base!🌼🌻🌷Kelly