Collage and Chat in the Busy Hands journals

You asked for it - unedited video! After searching the house for more paper "junk", I spend some time working in the Busy Hands journals. Enjoy!

[@melodykeogh]

'how to talk yourself into a buick'. quotable quote. a perfect melanieism. xx

[@lizzyhazel4085]

I'm glad I saved my scrapbooking supplies and tools from 10+ years ago.

[@tfntexas]

I wasn’t bored...I think I would enjoy doing this. My mood hasn’t been great lately, it messes up my creativity so maybe doing this would still let me craft. The whole “busy hands” thing seems to be what I need and I could get rid of a lot of stuff I’ve collected. Thanks for showing us how you work on this.

[@rachelleandrichard]

I enjoy meandering. It makes for good company when I'm sitting at my table. I love listening to people's processes. I fall down rabbit holes when I'm sifting through magazines for pictures. I tend to cut when Im watching a movie. There's something lovely about not being overly contrived. Just being whimsical and not having rules. Theres a freedom that's incredibly appealing. It doesn't matter the outcome. It's about enjoying the process and allowing ourselves those flights of fancy. Also a good way to get rid of old supplies without the guilt of not having used them. Like old scrapbooking papers and ephemera. 👍✂️📚🔖

[@Paperlover123]

These Busy Hands journals are so awesome!!!!! You seriously could make a living creating and selling.

[@pjyellowdog2178]

Love it....reminds me of a K. Fassett quilt.

[@sylstelten]

Hi there, I really love these BUSY hands journals. So full of inspiration! Every time when my Mojo is very low, I always go back and see these video's. Love them. Melanie, you mentioned in this video your journal about all the patterns and so. Could you make a video and show us that, when you have the time? Would be great. Lovely regards from the Netherlands...

[@Jenny-W1910]

hi melanie! thanks so much for posting this video, i enjoyed it a lot. i have so many little boxes and accordion coupon folders stuffed with bits & pieces just like you were showing and i've been thinking i should just toss all of it and start over.... it felt too overwhelming - i guess i thought i could only use them if they went with a theme or specific project so i just kept saving and organizing pieces until one day i decided it was too much. i know where they are, and after watching this video-i'm thinking i just might use them in the same way. i love how your pages look and how you are using these glue book journals-i am super inspired! it's very helpful and motivating to see someone else just "grab & glue" without making it a 10 step process-lol! hmm, i might call my journal "Grab & Glue!" thanks again melanie-thank your mom too ;-) glad you shared this.

[@melodykeogh]

I have to tell you Melanie, I watch you over and over again... you are so refreshing, inspiring, and so encouraging because you are not 'labelled item' loaded, but always just you, I still will watch you over and over again. xxx

[@austenspapertree8429]

Thank you for telling your thoughts about these "everywhere" WordStickers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can´t stand them. Sometimes I see sooooo beautiful creations in journals etc. .... only to be decorated with this meaningless trite "words". Ahhhhhhh....

[@MelanieSullivan]

It's nice to know I'm not the only one.

[@katsmith8263]

Love these journals too

[@DoloresJRush]

Have you gone on a Paper Scavenger Hunt? I have a blog post where I did just that. And some of the paper I found was in the doorway of our local restaurants, library, thrift and grocery stores, food packaging, junk mail, paint chips, craft tutorial sheets, women's catalogs and I even went to our local tourist office for brochures. I also had one friend who swapped with me -- she gave me her used tea envelopes & tags and I gave her the backs of some of my old calendars. Have you swapped paper with another KZbinr? At the moment, I'm creating not only a Positivity journal, but an art doll page in the journal. Dolly's dresses are made from packaging and I coordinate the sayings with her dresses. It's been fun looking for quotes and sayings to match. For example, that perfume bottle label would make a wonderful dress for Dolly. Enjoyed watching and seeing what you have in your stash of papers -- ah! ha! I could look for that! 😊

[@troikatuggle1343]

I LOVE this. Trash to ART. Beautiful

[@laurawaldrip6815]

I feel so relaxed when I watch you...your personality is divine and I am so glad I stumbled across your channel. Thank you for sharing all of your fun and creative ideas. Very much appreciate you.

[@MelanieSullivan]

You have no idea how much I appreciate your kind comment. It made me smile for days. Now I'm smiling again!😊

[@patc1949]

Never boring, love to watch you create!

[@Paperlover123]

I feel like even if I am straight up gluing stuff in...I just keep getting more from the universe! Seriously...it just keeps coming into my hands...I find it an absolute phenomenon!!!!!!

[@traceybarlow5718]

I’ve been binge watching your videos. I would love to see a flip through of the big glue books. Thanks for all the inspiration. 😀

[@maryhoover6288]

I just discovered your Busy Hands Books. Love, love! Thanks for sharing. You have inspired me! I needed this right now.

[@MelanieSullivan]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@DonnaHarris3578]

At last someone new and different to watch! I am subscribing to you now. I love watching you work in your busy hands journal. I guess most of us would call a Junk journal. When you said normal people would throw this stuff away. I said out loud We’re not normal! lol. I probably have as many circle punches that you do if not more. I love how you used them. TFS

[@jenns_artlandia7896]

LOVE seeing true junk journals. Well done. ❣❣

[@MelanieSullivan]

Thank you! I love me some junk!

[@juliemangold1883]

Thanks for sharing. I always love your videos. You always inspire me.

[@amandak1707]

I agree with the sentimental things/premade items. I'm not a typical journal person. I mash things on and that reflects my feelings more than a sticker ever could. Love your videos. I look forward to each one. 😊

[@terrywarburton2954]

Not boring! Love watching you cut things up...

[@cherylbunch7263]

I love your creativity!! I'm getting more ideas from watching your videos . Uh oh.

[@47powerflower]

I run to this video. Only because of the nice sounds in it. Thanks 💓

[@MelanieSullivan]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@trillianlocke1088]

Hi Melanie, I just started exploring this glue book genre, having so far concentrated on mixed media, so it was great to watch this video. I have plenty of fodder just waiting and wanting to be used. Thankyou, and blessings, Trills.x

[@kathymachen8342]

Great books!Extremely interesting! The card you made with alcohol inks reminded me of 3 purple cabbages lying on the ground!

[@MelanieSullivan]

I thought so too!

[@vaniawhitfield6486]

Love your channel

[@deserthorses5]

As a historian, I'm REALLY interested in those old magazines!

[@marilyn.healey]

Melanie, thank you so much for your videos!! I just love them 🥰 I was so glad that you mentioned the sentiment/word stickers. Those are not me, either!! I just can’t use them in my work. It made me feel so much better knowing I wasn’t the only one 😁 lol

[@MelanieSullivan]

I hear you! I feel like I'm going to offend someone when I admit that, but I just can't get into those stickers. Often, they state the obvious; a photo of two people doesn't need to be labeled "Together" for me to see that those two people were together, and it's illogical for a pack of stickers to have more than one "Best Day Ever." You can only have ONE best day ever. I'm going to get myself in trouble, so I'd better stop. I did find a sticker that says "This is my judgey sticker." I put that one on the cover of my journal immediately. 😂

[@lizzyhazel4085]

Love it!!! I'm new to this. Do you have a video about the glues you like?

[@feekyle3457]

So much inspiration! 😍😍

[@MR-nn2fz]

Wow, I miss your videos, I hope you are well

[@katsmith8263]

❤️❤️❤️

[@updatedjustnow271]

Love your style. Have a request. Please don’t resort to digital stuff. I think it is the killer of creativity. Everyone will end up making the same thing. Just harvest the recycle bin. Even your neighbors’ bins. At 3am. In the middle of the night. Did I just say that? Do I do that? Moi?

[@MelanieSullivan]

I ❤️ this comment!

[@paprluvr]

I looked for the little strips of ladies heads that you mentioned were on the Library of Congress website on a whole sheet. I couldn’t find it. Could it have been on another website?

[@MelanieSullivan]

It's here: www.loc.gov/item/2018696570/ Enjoy!

[@Therivergypsy2023]

Do you accept happy mail? 😊 I have tons of “junk” and actual goodies too.

[@MelanieSullivan]

You know, I haven't been involved in much happy mailing, maybe because it's so difficult to contact people privately via KZbin. You're welcome to message me on Etsy (my shop is texasfreckles) and we can chat! Thank you for thinking of me!

[@conniebottoms7666]

Hi cries....I would love to get some stuff my name is connie bottoms 14414 enchanted valley dr cypress tx 77492 thank ypu

[@cathyxox3999]

Your yupo paper looks like red cabbage on green cabbage leaves

[@MelanieSullivan]

It does!

[@moniquebexplorer8237]

Please, please stop sniffling and blow your nose. I so enjoy what you do but can't stand anyone sniffling.