My Little Book of Doodles

Hi! Today's post is all about my entry for Anything But a Card Challenge, using black. I don't usually have a problem with this, but wanted to try something other than a layout. I've been working on some special Christmas projects with a special "Girls Rock" group at the school where I had taught for 34 years, before retiring, using Petaloo Magnetic tags. These are brilliant as they can be used to create many projects, including mini-booklets for a special memory folder, which the girls did for Christmas. While these were being designed I started thinking about the challenge and came up with the idea of making a doodle booklet. Again, this Incorporated art techniques I had done with my classes over the years, where the students had to "Take a line for a walk" and then fill in the shapes made with interesting designs.This not only taught them about patterns, but also about the concepts of space, balance and contrast. Their artworks also became functional, in that they were often used as centrepieces for book covers.



Front cover

The front cover was decorated with grey and black patterned Washi Tape, patterned vellum, which I hand embossed, embossed acetate from my stash and chipboard flourishes heat embossed with Opals Embossing Enamels in Currawong (black) and Zeehan (silver). I also added a doodle drawn with Ranger Embossing pen and dusted with Perfect Pearls and finished with strips of bling and metallic braid.


Inside pages showing inchie sized doodles

My little booklet can be added to as I find or develop interesting patterns. Some have already been used as a background for a layout I'm working on.
I have used the idea of 'inchies' in which to draw the patterns; a small surface area, and a way to have heaps of different designs. As I don't have an inchies frame stamp, the squares were hand drawn (after searching for a ruler in inches, not as easy as you think, because of our metric system). This framework has been scanned to the computer for future designs. All patterns were drawn with a superfine Sharpie.

The inside front cover feature 2 ATC's using doodling done in white gel pen and finished with Washi tape.

The inside back cover has a doodle centred around a stamped image (inspired by craft Stamper magazine, Nov. 2012 issue. Thank you, Lisa). A swirl of bling, black beading and Washi tape completed this.
The insides are held in place by zig-zag binding, allowing for additional pages to be easily slipped in.
This was fun to do and I now have something that I will use. As my folder is already fatter inside then intended, I've added a binder ring and some pretty metallic fibre wools to help hold it together, and also gives me a way to hang it.
Thank you for visiting. Cheers, Di

Untamed

Hi! Today's post is also for the ABAC Challenge using Bling.
The photo used for this layout was taken one early September morning at Lennox Head, NSW. The waterfall tag completed for the last ABAC challenge was the A-Ha moment for this layout.
First of all, to give a subtle glimmer to the card stock (representing sand) I lightly spritzed with the Tattered Angels range of sprays: Sandy Beach Chalkboard, Suede and Walnut Gold Glimmer Mists. When dry, small puddles of Opals Embossing Enamels (Rosevears, Macquarie and Sandstone) were added to the lower third of the page.


My seaside interpretation

I sewed on a net of variegated wool which had a ceamy bobble edge (foam). Through this I wove in strands of metallic wool, silvery wire threaded with beads and mother-of-pearl shell, and strings of beads. I also added real shells, starfish, die cut shells and seahorses in metallic paper.
A fringed, silvery wool was used to represent sea spray.



   Close up showing some of the netting, starfish, shells, beading.

                                                       
Seaweed was formed from the metallic wool and finished with some crystal bead drops. Words from Jacques Cousteau were also formed into the shape of seaweed.

             "The sea, once it casts its spells, holds one in its net of wonder forever."

The title was die cut from pale pink photo board, stamped with a swirly stamp design ion versamark and embossed with Opals Zeehan enamelling powder. To give a little more definition on the page, the letters were lightly smooched with Weathered Wood distress ink.

I feel that I have achieved my A-ha moment with my interpretation of what could be found on the seashore.
Hoping you feel also the sense of wonder and peace I had when taking the photo.
Thank you for visiting. Di