Negative Space – Junk Journal July

This is my entry for the Junk Journal July prompt negative space. You can find the prompts on Instagram or YouTube @megjournals.

Since my journal is about planning my next step, I’m picking some aspirational goals and getting outside more is one of mine!

If you prefer to read about the outdoors, here are some of my favorite non-fiction books around this topic:

Bill Bryson A Walk in the Woods  https://amzn.to/3p4pYbo

Rinker Buck The Oregon Trail  https://amzn.to/3CT6hGR

Mark Twain Life on the Mississippi https://amzn.to/3Ni8VdM

Tim Cope On the Trail of Genghis Khan  https://amzn.to/3CBbK4U

John Gimlette Wild Coast  https://amzn.to/44aiFhf

Supplies

Dies

Stampin Up Rooted in Nature

Crafter’s Companion Rolling Landscape

Current alternatives

Paper Rose Gum Tree

Echo Park Forest Trees

Sizzix Tim Holtz Tree Line

Picket Fence Studios A Tree

Paper Rose Eucalyptus Tree

Penny Black Tall Trees

Masking with fully-adhesive post-it notes https://amzn.to/431Tf4t

And emboss resist using

Mofuny mixed media paper  https://amzn.to/444RN1R

Simon Says Stamp embossing powder in cream

Working on a silicone placemat from a set of four https://amzn.to/3qOJJ7f

Titles short video link: https://youtu.be/QKBgfGp_Fg0

Short process video for “get outside”: https://youtu.be/EM1buEqczjo

Party invitation – pARRRty like a pirate!

I re-imagined a kids’ stamp into an adult party invitation. Why not?

Supplies:

Taylored Expressions Treasure Map background stamp

Currently available alternative

Ranger Ink Simon Hurley Pirate Party 

https://www.scrapbook.com/store/ri-hur78784.html

on clearance!

Hybrid ink from Scrapbook .com in Leather

Daniel Smith watercolor dot try-it card

https://amzn.to/46oNrox

I used:

Duochrome Oceanic Series 1 284 640 029

Phthalo Blue Series 1 284 600077

Fuchsite Genuine Series 2 284 600 169

Cobalt Teal Blue Series 2 284 600 028

Cobalt Green Series 3 284 600 026

Quinacridone Coral Series 2 284 600 088

Phthalo Blue (RS) Series 1 284 600 119

French Ochre Series 1 284 600 134

Transparent Brown Series 1 284 600 129

Raw Sienna Series 1 284 600 096

Short process video: https://youtu.be/OZ7C7TkZwU4

Good Vibes – Junk Journal July

This is the first page for my July junk journal, following the Junk Journal July prompts https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce1WX9Qq8pn/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Find her @megjournals on YouTube

Supplies:

Stamps

Spellbinders: Peony (good vibes only)

Fun Stampers Journey: Vintage Hollywood (happily ever after)

Club Scrap: Tapestry (September 2018) (my favorite age is now, kind heart fierce mind brave spirit)

Dies

Spellbinders: Pierced Word Bubbles, July 2018 Die of the Month (shadow alphabet)

Elizabeth Craft Designs Planner Essentials: small tag

Stencils

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Dot Fade THS006, Bubble THS002

Inks

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress mini cubes

Sprays

Homemade gold sparkle (water and mica powder)

Homemade white (water and acrylic paint)

Ranger Tim Holtz sprays 

Mini spray bottles

https://amzn.to/44nWeFt

Current shadow alphabet dies:

Tim Holtz Sizzix Alphanumeric Shadow Upper Thinlets Die Set 664729

Pinkfresh Studio Jeff Alpha Die Set 173622

Memory Box Twiggy Alphabet Dies 94581

About retirement

For young people, it really boils down to spending less than you earn and investing in something that will grow.  Make the magic of compound interest work for you.  Invest in mutual funds.  Use your employers 401k / 403b if available, or open your own IRA through almost any bank or brokerage.  Finish your degree.  Join the union.

The Beginner’s Guide to Saving for Retirement

The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Saving for Retirement

For older people, these are some links about using the resources you have.  AARP is a great resource and you do not need to be a member to access their website.

https://www.aarp.org/retirement/planning-for-retirement/

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/retirement/retirement-planning-checklist/

Any age

Rather watch a video?  Here are TED talks on retirement

https://www.ted.com/search?cat=videos&q=retirement

Short process video:

Which paper really stands up to water? The conclusion

I submerged punched paper circles in one ounce of water for 32 days, heated to about 200 degrees for ten minutes on day one (to simulate a heat tool.)

Copy paper visibly degraded after one day and eventually turned to mush; no surprise there.

All of the craft papers, plus the 100% cotton bond 32 lb business paper, survived the water just fine and kept acting as always once dried.  Surprisingly, the Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Heavystock separated into two layers starting at day six and completing separating by day 23.

Most samples sunk to the bottom of their tiny jars pretty quickly as the sizing (if any) became waterlogged.  However, the Strathmore watercolor paper floated for 15 days and the Arteza watercolor and American Crafts Vicki Boutin mixed media paper floated for all 32 days.

If you are avoiding animal products for religious reasons, you should know that many papers are sized using gelatin.  Check out https://www.worldofvegan.com/vegan-art-supplies/ for a list of art supplies that use wheat starch or chemicals (alkyl ketene dimer) instead.

The smooth samples were: Strathmore Bristol smooth, Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Heavystock, Ranger Dylusions mixed media, and American Crafts Vicki Boutin mixed media.

The high-tooth samples were: Strathmore watercolor and Arches watercolor.  

Complete list of papers tested:

Copy paper

Neenah 110 lb

Strathmore Bristol smooth

Southworth 100% cotton 32 lb

Mofuny mixed media

Ranger Dylusions mixed media

Ranger Distress Heavystock

Ranger Distress watercolor

Arches watercolor

Strathmore watercolor

Arteza watercolor

American Crafts Vicki Boutin mixed media

I am a stamper who loves watercolor, so I want a smooth-textured paper that can really handle water.  My conclusion is that the Ranger Dylusions mixed media paper and the American Crafts Vicki Boutin mixed media paper are my choice for future purchases.  You may have different crafting needs and thus may reach a different conclusion, but I hope this data is helpful to you!

Make a journal

Easy journal – very sturdy, no sewing, using materials you probably have on hand

I wanted to get started on a journal so I can follow the prompts for Junk Journal July.  The idea behind “junk journals” is to use material you have already.  It appeals to me as a way to use the craft supplies and recyclables that might otherwise end up as waste.

Materials for cover:

Large cardboard box 

Size least 9’ x 6” x 2”  (larger than a regular sheet of paper folded in half) 

International measurements 22 cm x 16 cm x 5 cm

Corrugated is not recommended, but food boxes are ideal, such as breakfast cereal

Duct tape or some other heavy-duty tape

Extra layers of thin cardboard

Glue

Open the large box, separating the seams on the side and ends, until it is completely flat.  Remove the top and bottom and one side.  This will leave you with a book shape.  Mark the desired size on the remaining large sides and trim with scissors.  I’m suggesting the size of 9” tall and 6” wide because that is slightly larger than a folder letter-size page, the common paper size where I live.  The international measurements in centimeters are adjusted for folded A4 paper.

Reinforce folds with a layer of heavy-duty tape, if desired.  Reinforcement should be 9” long by about 1” wide (2.5 cm) but slightly larger or smaller is OK.  Don’t bother to try to trim tape.  You will be able to see the reinforcing material in the finished project.

Cut additional layers of thin cardboard to the desired size but 1/4” smaller on the width, so 9” x 5 3/4” (or 22 cm by 15 cm).  Glue these so the outer edge lines up, leaving a little gap next to the spine.  Tip: once you cut one, trace it on the other layers; it’s faster than measuring and marking multiple times.  The gap makes the book easy to open and close, while a full-size panel would crowd the folding point in the spine.

Cut additional layers of thin cardboard to the size of the spine but 1/4” smaller on the width, so 9” x 1 3/4” (or 22 cm x 4 cm).  Glue these so the top and bottom line up, leaving a little gap next to the spine.

Materials for contents and assembly:

Paper, assorted 8 1/2” x 11”, folded in half to 8 1/2” x 5 1/2”

International: A4 21 cm x 29.7 cm, folded in half to 21 cm x 14.8 cm

Thin elastic cord, twine, or string

Assembly:

  • Fold your pages in half and stack several to form a signature.
  • Make several signatures.
  • Run the elastic cord (or whatever you are using) in loops around the top and bottom of the spine, tying off after you have at least one pass for each signature.
  • Slip each signature into one loop.

You can then decorate the cover with wrapping paper, magazine pages, or scrapbook paper.  Or not, if you want to embrace the cereal box exterior!

Short video tutorial on YouTube: https://youtu.be/c256dlJOODQ

Recycled wine cork craft

These are loosely based on kokeshi, a traditional Japanese wooden doll with no arms or legs originally from late 19th-century Honshu.  

Supplies:

Wine corks

Still wine has straight corks, sparkling wine has bulbous corks.  Artificial corks are fine.  If you are not a wine-drinker, take a walk around the neighborhood on recycling day to see who has empty bottles and make a new friend.  They probably throw great parties.

For decorating the corks:

Acrylic paint or paint markers

Permanent markers

Optional extras:

Head pins with open eye 

Googly eyes 

Mini pom poms

Craft chenilles 

Air dry clay – makes a great carrot nose

Glue – hot glue recommended

Tips: 

Use inexpensive brushes that can be devoted to acrylic paint forever; this is not the project for your best watercolor brush.  I used a #6 and a #5/0 from Artists Loft.

The googly eyes and pom-poms should be about 1 cm.  Look for these in the children’s craft section.

The head pins with open eye make a hanging loop.  Look for these in the beading section.

Air dry clay can be tinted with ink pad re-inkers or acrylic paint.

I found it useful to image-search kokeshi, peggle people or peg people, and mini figures for ideas.

Colors show up better on a white background, so you may want to paint the corks with a base layer of white paint.

As in any painting, you want to paint back to front.  Start with skin tone for the face.  Don’t forget a ring about 1/3 down the cork for the neck.  If you want beige but don’t have beige paint, mix equal parts brown and yellow, add a ton of white and a smidge of red.

It’s easier to make the smallest details and attach with glue rather than try to paint them or draw them with a marker.  Or maybe you’re a better painter or drawer than I am!  

The space princess buns are three 1/2” circle punches and three 1/4” circle punches.

Personalized gift tags

Supplies used, plus no-shopping alternatives

Tag die: Sizzix Super Scallop steel rule die

This die is so old it pre-dates the Sizzix Big Shot machine’s existence.  Many, many thin steel tag dies are available, though.

No-shopping alternative: Cut a tag shape or download one here https://papercraftcrystal.com/2023/05/27/tag-templates/

People dies: Hero Arts Lifestyle, sets from the series shown:

Set What I cut

Winter Accessories short sweatpants

RBG glasses, long dress (judicial robe), hair

Frida Kahlo top, skirt, hair

Victorian Gentleman second-best pants, top, jackets

Victorian Lady long frilly jacket

Christmas Figures hair, beard, blouse

Cherub hair

Trick or Treat best pants and shoes, hair, two jackets, big hair, dress

Forms Fancy Die body, five kinds of hair, T-shirt, shorts

This series is currently available; check Hero Arts website.  If you subscribe to the Hero Arts monthly kit you may have some of these already, or if you have been paper crafting for a long time you may have the old EK Success Paperkins kits or punches.  

No-shopping alternatives:  Photo of the recipient – printed on plain paper is fine for this purpose.  If you don’t have a photo, use a celebrity … and remember all your friends and relatives look like Christie Brinkley, Denzel Washington, George Clooney, and Beyonce.

Letter dies: Sizzix Thinlits Alphanumeric (1” Tall) Tim Holtz #660210

These are old, but still available from some retailers, as are many, many other alphanumeric sets.  Also, stamps are the cheaper alternative to dies for making words.

No-shopping alternatives: Handwriting, magazine cut-outs

Die-cutting machine and accessories

Write-up on die-cutting machines here https://papercraftcrystal.com/2023/04/17/die-cutting-what-to-look-for-at-the-thrift-shop-or-garage-sales/ 

and more here https://papercraftcrystal.com/2023/04/19/manual-die-cut-machines-basics-and-optional-extras/

Other supplies:

Tiny needle-nose bottle for glue, because name-brand glue tubes are nice but not 36 times better than Elmer’s Extra Strong in a tiny bottle and that’s what the price difference is

https://amzn.to/3MZBLRu

Silicone cups for die pieces https://amzn.to/3IInx4T but any dollar store muffin tin would do just as well, or try paper cupcake liners.  I like the separate cups because you can stack them up if you have to pause your project.

Round-up on bargain craft tools: https://papercraftcrystal.com/2023/05/06/finding-bargain-craft-tools/ and just glue https://papercraftcrystal.com/2023/04/22/cost-efficient-adhesive/

Amazon links are affiliate