My Very First Handmade Book

Check out my very first handmade book.

I started it a while back by fingerpainting two canvas panel boards with orange and cream acrylic paints. Once that was dry, I stenciled black circles and gray hexagons and then added some collage and some doodles. I did this to two boards.

Next, I made three signatures by tearing heavyweight watercolor so that when I folded them in half, they'd fit nicely within the boards. I sandwiched the signatures between the boards and then taped the boards with a white bookbinding tape. Then I used a needle and waxed polyester to sew the signatures into the bookbinding tape. After the stitching was done, I added black bookbinding tape on the spine.
I collaged sheet music for the end papers on both sides and then added some gesso to pull it all together.

It's not perfect. If you look at it closely, you'll see that the spines aren't perfectly aligned and other details that are evidence to the fact that I'm very much a beginner when it comes to bookmaking. But you know what? I really really adore this book. I love how it looks and feels.

Here's how the back side looks. Can't wait to make another.

Spray and Doodle in Studio CRESCENDOh

Check out my doodled peacock feather. I made it late one night, using one of my favorite doodling methods as of late.

I start by spraying awesome Dylusions ink sprays onto a spread in my journal ...

I spray from high, from down low, at an angle, I unscrew the top and make some of it dribble out and then stare at all the marks as they start to dry.
Once dry, I take one of my favorite black markers and start doodling. Nothing planned, necessarily. Just stream-of-consciousness. It's so fun.

If you'd like to try this method out with me, I hope you'll drop by Studio CRESCENDOh tomorrow night, Saturday, January 5, 2013 from 7-10PM. Along with awesome art that will be for sale by the talented Lisa Loria, Jenelle Van de Mortel and yours truly, there will be awesome live music and a table dedicated to have everyone who wants, try out this spray and doodle make-and-take activity.

It'll be fun! Here's the address:

Studio CRESCENDOh
207 N. Broadway St., Studio L (upstairs)
Santa Ana, CA 92701

Parking gets crazy on Art Walk Saturdays so plan accordingly! The event is FREE. See you then!

Love Her Madly

Don't just love her.
Love her madly.

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I've got an angel
She doesn't wear any wings
She wears a heart that can melt my own
She wears a smile that can make me wanna sing
She gives me presents
With her presence alone
She gives me everything I could wish for
She gives me kisses on the lips just for coming home

— Jack Johnson

Handmade Stenciling and Art Journaling Tutorial

I've been making my own stencils for my art journaling lately. Here's how ...

Use a black permanent marker to doodle circles or other shapes onto a sheet of acetate or transparency film. (You can find these sheets sold in office supply stores. Nothing fancy.)

Make a slit in the centers of the circles with a sharp kraft knife.


Use scissors to cut out the shapes using the slits as the starting points.

It's easier to do this rather than trying to cut all shapes out with the kraft knife.

Place the stencil onto a journal page and apply a layer of paint with a cosmetic sponge. That's just one way. You can add color in any manner that you like. The stencil will be sturdy enough for you to treat it like any other purchased stencil.


Use a tracing wheel and roll it into some paint.
Roll the tracing wheel onto the paper to make some dit dots.


Add doodles and text as desired.
Easy peasy. My favorite pens to doodle with? Find them here.


Happy stenciling, doodling, and art journaling. :)

Crochet Hemp :: Knit & Crochet Hot Pad Tutorial

Check out these yummy, chunky hot pads I knitted (with a touch of crochet). Here's how I did it:

GATHER

• Crochet Hemp: (A) 12-strand, bleached
• Crochet Hemp: (B) 12-strand, natural
• Knitting needles: 10mm
• Crochet hook: 6.00mm
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

MAKE

• With 6 strands of A held together, cast on 15 stitches onto knitting needles
• Rows 1–24: Knit all rows to create a stockinette pattern.
• Bind off and fasten off, leaving a long tail.
• With crochet hook, create 5 chain stitches with the tail and join with a slip stitch to create loop.
• With tapestry needle, fasten off all ends.

Repeat with 6 strands of B to create second hot pad.

NOTE
Each hot pad weighs approximately 6 ounces. You can work with 6 spools of A or B. If working with just one spool of A or B, pull out enough yarn so that it weighs 1 ounce and make that into a small ball. Repeat until you have 6 small 1-ounce balls of yarn. Use the strands of all six balls to make the hot pad. 

Learn more about Crochet Hemp here.

Faces on Cans

Check out what I've been doing lately ... faces on cans.

I first painted cans and then crocheted the tops with Crochet Hemp.

Then I drew faces onto small pieces of watercolor paper. Can I tell you? Drawing small faces is much harder than drawing big faces.

Then I attached the face to the can with more crochet hemp. (Still perfecting this part of the process.) Here's a family of faces on cans. I love them so.

I'll be offering these and my faces on books at two upcoming events in Studio CRESCENDOh:

• Art Walk Studio this Saturday night from 7-10PM
• Handmade Holiday Boutique on December 15th from 10AM-4PM

Hope to see you at one of these FREE events in Studio CRESCENDOh! :)

Faces on Books

Check out my latest faces. I've been having so much fun making them on upcycled books!

I start by priming the covers with gesso, drawing the faces with a Stabilo pencil, and then blending the faces with a water brush. I then add some color to the faces with Derwent Intense watercolor pencils.

This one I did not add color to. I thought she was perfect just as whe was.

Once the faces are done, I drill holes on the side of the books and secure them shut with wire.

And then I add some paper to ths spines and a touch of Crochet Hemp to it all.
Once finished, they can be displayed by just leaning against a mantel or window sill, or you can attach a hinge at the back and hang it on a wall. I love these two girls. They have such angst.
Happy faces. :)

Fiona. She is not afraid.

Fiona.
She is not afraid.

She has large pink wings ...

... with lime green dots.

...that are accented with orange.
Orange ... the color she never knew she would adore so much.


She loves all colors actually ... and many other things for which she is grateful.

Fast balls come at her. But she can catch them. And if need be, she can throw them too.
Fiona.
She is not afraid.

Countess Calm

I've been having lots of fun sketching faces. They just keep flowing out of me. Night and day. I love them. A friend of mine was recently sharing with me her belief that the faces people draw in many ways are self-portraits. No matter how we try to diversify them, they are portals to who we are. Interesting perspective, don't you think?

So this is the latest face I sketched. She is Countess Calm.

In the face of chaos, drama, and discord, she leads the way with calm. She is unflappable, and has a track record of staying calm and focused.

In the midst of problems, she dons her mask, her cape, and stands with her Allies of Calm to find solutions to weather the rough winds of melodrama.
Once things settle down, the mask and cape go back in her closet to rest as she continues forward.

She knows that the mask and cape are always there for her ... to use as needed, so that no matter how volatile the winds may get, Calm will always lead the way.

Crochet Hemp :: Crocheted Thanksgiving Petal Wreath

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought it was time for a sweet new little wreath for the front door. I love this one. It's minimal and so different. Here's how I did it.

Shape a wire hanger so that the main body becomes a circle.


Draw up 12-ply natural hemp yarn from the back of the hanger and create a loop. Create single crochets along the wire hanger so that it covers the entire hanger. Slip stitch to join. Fasten off. Weave in all ends with a tapestry needle.

Based on your preference, create as many small and large petals on the crocheted wire circle.

SMALL PETAL
To Begin: Pick any place along the crocheted wire circle, drawing up the yarn and ch 1. Sc into the same st, sc in the next 4 stitches, turn.
Row 1: Chain 1, single crochet in next 4 single crochet, turn (5 sc).
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in next 5 sc, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next sc, sc2tog, turn (3 sc).
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in next 3 sc.
Fasten off

LARGE PETAL
To Begin: pick any place along the crocheted wire circle, drawing up the yarn and then ch 1. Sc into the same st, sc in the next 9 stitches, turn.
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in next 9 sc, turn (10 sc).
Row 2: Ch 1 sc in next 10 sc, turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 6 sc, sc2tog, turn (8 sc).
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in next 8 sc.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog, turn (6 sc).

After all petals are made, start anywhere on the crocheted wire circle and draw up a loop of yarn, ch 1, sc in every sc, and every time you get to a petal, sc evenly up, around and back down the petal. Continue in this manner until all petals and all parts of the crocheted circle have been worked. With a tapestry needle, weave in all ends.


Hand letter text on watercolor paper with sumi ink.


Attach sentiment to the crocheted wreath and hang.