bloowabbit: popfizzpaper

Thursday, 20 December 2018

12 days to Christmas - keeping a December Daily

December Daily is a project created by Ali Edwards, a 'designer, blogger, workshop instructor and author' who keenly feels that

''there's no right or wrong way to do all this,

that the real stories are worth telling,

and there's a whole lot of celebrating to do

even in the midst of the challenging pieces of life'

I follow crafters PopFizzPaper, Serena Bee Creative and Sabrina Ann who are a trio of friends who explore, swap, teach, video and share all things paper, card and adhesive. Plus, they're funny. Through their videos I found out about this form of journaling.

It's all about memory keeping the first 25 days of December and finding the best creative way for you to do so. Other paper crafters and memory keepers have developed ways to make a DecD and I chose to make a loose ring bound journal with separate pages on which to visually record days. I originally bought 8cm metal rings but after finding they were just too big I repurposed them to hold my xmas washi tapes.

My book is made from scrapbook paper from 'Traditional Christmas' by Make ^ Create - a value paper pack from The Works. At 3 quid and with 20 double sided sheets it's a great buy. I also picked up embellishments and washi from online shops and the local pound shops on the high street. It's useful to keep flyers with seasonal imagery as they can be used for backgrounds, like the Royal Mail flyer with houses and a postbox in the snow - perfect for days about receiving a letter and writing Christmas cards.

There are interesting ways to create a page - with pockets to conceal private pieces of journaling, card bands to hold separate attachments in place, tags with info or images on the end of baker's twine, envelopes or mini paper bags to hold ephemera. Some pages are smaller than other to create interest, some fold out to enlarge the journaling area and others are plastic trading card pockets sometimes sealed to contain sequin mixes if you like a bit of sparkle.

felt kit in magazine and Xmas party at UoA

section folds out to contain private journaling

new journal plus Qs for the day

and visiting Primark after the Bank Building fire

What you end up with is a creative journal that is as interactive as its creator makes. Already I'm finding that I'm developing a certain style with the washi edged pages. I like how my DecD looks when it sits on end and its pages splayed open. Although it's not yet completed the book itself is a decorative thing, not just what lies inside.

12 days to Christmas - decorating my planner

12 days to Christmas - Trollbeads Share-a-Christmas-Card

12 days to Christmas - making bunting

12 days to Christmas - Jacquie Lawson advent calendar

12 days to Christmas - Christmas/Winter quote book

12 days to Christmas - decorating

12 days to Christmas - sending Happy Mail

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Sunday, 24 June 2018

designing a card...

Have had a rocky month but am back creating and doodling and meeting a challenge for a craft group I'm part of - PopFizzPaper Crafty Club via Patreon. It's run by an exceptional paper crafter called Dani. I love her YouTube tutorial videos - simple, straightforward, quality work which is full of colour. I like how she comes across - important for me as some of the more exuberant and flashy YouTubers can seem a little disconnected from reality. A lot of social media is illusion, which can be fun, but for me it's worth connecting with someone who presents a more real persona.

The challenge was to create a rainbow themed card. I decided on a greetings card that said 'rainbow angel you add colour to my world'...yes, a little cheesy. I had an image in mind of a daft looking angel with cherubic wings (angelic L-driver?) and wanted to use a shaker-rosette that Dani shows how to make.

Printed Dani's paint&salt rainbow downloadable and made a rosette with small backing card. Measured the depth and cut a small band of card to prevent any shaker beads from escaping through the spaces.

There's nothing worse when you drop the only bit of clear acetate you have onto glue and have to improvise. Found a really old stash (1988) of gel samples and choose a very pale pink to make the window. A circle of card hides the joins.

By now I knew exactly what I wanted to create - a dorky angel with an oversized askew halo and tiny wonky wings. Drew the figure and attached moveable wings to the back. After placing onto the rosette/halo I added a loose rainbow of sticky gems.

FInished off the card with the message written inside in an arty font. It celebrates all those of us who share and spread a little colour in the world - I reckon we're Rainbow Angels...

Watch the video of the finished card:

VIDEO