SMILE - Junque Journal in Pink

The SMILE junque journal in pink is finished.  

I didn't take photos of every page (too many) but here are a few to give you a peek inside.

(the left page above had a bit of embellishment added after the photo was taken)

In making this, I learned how to create my own caption stickers using full-sheet sticker paper that feeds through the printer.  

I also created some watercolor washed backgrounds like the sheet music above.

Playing with tissue paper backgrounds to add color was very satisfying.

I even found a way to incorporate two leftover cards from my Color Wheel Rolodex project.

There are a lot of single, often vintage, envelopes with things tucked inside and I love using glassine envelopes like the one on the left.

Seed packets are another of my go-to items for tucking into pockets or envelopes.

I'm not sure why this particular photo tickles me no end.  

A freebie piece (right) by Sarah Gardner was embellished with a pink Posca pen in order to showcase a sticker that Lynne sent me.

The journal ends with this two-page spread full of tissue paper collage and a vintage envelope with a note tucked inside that tells the story of SMILE. 

Even more pink - When DH and I ventured out to Costco Friday, I found this pink amaryllis.  A couple of years ago I had one from this women-owned company and it bloomed profusely.  It looks like this one will do the same.

And from our house to yours - wishing you joy.

Quiltdivajulie

Dumpster Diving 12 - Confetti - the Quilt

And the twelfth in the series of Dumpster Diving quilts is finished!

DD 12 aka Confetti was started in November 2022 - you can read one of the early process posts HERE.

The finished quilt measures 55" wide x 68" long.

You can see the finished quilt top's reveal HERE.

I'm so glad I listened and left out the sashing strips.

DD 12 was quilted with Glide thread in Turf (green) using my all-over liberated free motion spiral fans.

There are roughly 4,000 inches of sewn together scraps in this top.

You can see some of that work in progress HERE.

And now the series feels complete.

Twelve quilts - each unique - yet so very related to each other.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Great things are done by a series of small things brought together."

Vincent Van Gogh

TEA - An Altered Playing Card Journal

Started earlier this year as my 100 Days of Tea project, the original approach involving 4" x 8" shipping tags was quickly abandoned.  

Now my revised and much smaller project is finished.

(Cover shown above)

I found this mini notebook at Tar-jay a month or so ago.  It has now become the "book" part of this project.

While making the tea-bag altered playing cards I had thought to use them as a concertina journal.  But then I noticed the little notebook sitting in my basket of possibilities and my plan changed instantly.

(first page shown above)

There is a tea related quote tucked into each of the tea-bag envelopes that I attached to the altered playing cards. 

I used the tea tags to embellish as well as cover the brand name printed at the bottom corner of each page.

(This tea along with Stash Super Irish tea are my first cup of the day favorites)

The art pieces on the left-facing pages are from a set of tiny cards by Rae Missigman.  

This is my second cup of the day tea.

This tea envelope was saved from a teabag DDIL brought home after she visited Ireland as part of a business trip across the pond.

Here the left-facing page features a sticker from Dori Patrick and the Tea-Rex sticker tickled me so it was paired with the Joker.

There are a total of 18 altered playing cards but sharing all of them would make a ridiculously photo heavy post.  Hopefully these are enough to convey a sense of this little journal.

The final page features another Dori Patrick sticker while the three on the inside back cover came from sellers on Etsy.

The outside back cover features a real tea bag (used to cover up the manufacturer's text block) and a much-loved sticker of Kermit the Frog.

* * *

After completing these last two journals (In the Mailbox and STITCHED), I've decided I need to stop making such overly-involved plans when I envision a new idea.  

Keeping things simple makes it much more fun and cuts out the weeks of plotting, planning, pondering, and so forth.

I am not a messy mixed-media maker.  I don't like creating layer upon layer nor do I overly-love the grunged-up look.

So, much like with my quilts, I need to listen to what my assortment of ephemera tells me instead of trying to force an unrealistically complex creation into existence.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Comparison is the thief of joy."

Theodore Roosevelt

Caim - the Quilt

CAIM - "Sanctuary; an invisible circle of protection, drawn around the body with the hand, to remind one of being safe and loved, even in the darkest times."

Started in August 2022, Caim is now a finished quilt measuring 54" wide x 70" long.

Quilted with rows of liberated (unmarked) free motion spiral fans using Glide thread in Robin Egg.

Finished off with this turquoise pinstripe that has lurked in the stash for a long, long time.

I love the backing fabric (Junebee by QT Fabrics).  I purchased five yards at a local town's quilt shop closing sale a year or so ago.

This is an older fabric and one I've used previously, including my last few pieces in Sea of HSTs (2021), so I was delighted to find it still on that shop's shelves.

Here Caim is casually tossed in one of our back porch rocking Adirondack chairs.

My introductory post for Caim is HERE.  

You can find the rest of the related posts by using the CAIM label below.

* * *

It does feel good to get another of the long-waiting quilt tops finished after a slow start for finishes in 2024.

Next up is Dumpster Diving 12 - Confetti (currently pin basted and  waiting for me to wind bobbins now that I've chosen my thread color).

Quiltdivajulie

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"Art has something to do with the achievement of stillness in the midst of chaos."

Saul Bellow

In the Mailbox - Finished (photo heavy post)

I've been stashing bits and pieces for this journal since sometime last year.  Last week I finally sat down and got busy and now that the volume is done, I'm very happy with it.

The pages are envelopes (flats and the folded-in-half flats) trimmed to fit a book cover that I emptied long ago for a since abandoned project.

Having the security prints and the windows as part of the design kept things interesting and fun.

(these photos were taken in the shade on a very bright, sunny afternoon - hence their slightly blue tone)

Scraps of mail art found their way into the pages along with a limited number of graphics found online.

The front of a card that my sister sent to me became a tuck-in (with happy mail stickers on the back).

The vintage envelopes and handwritten letters came from a batch purchase from an online seller which gave me a wonderfully large variety of items to consider/incorporate.

This quote really resonates with me.  

Not sure about you, but I get awfully tired of finding nothing but statements, limited time offers, notices, and so much advertising junk in my mailbox.

One of younger son's all-time favorite books growing up was Postman Pig - so when I found this graphic online, it was a done deal that I would include it in this journal.

Look closely at the small type in the graphic . . . 

And the vintage stamps -- again, from a large mixed batch purchase from an online seller (or two) yielded so many options.

There were three air mail envelopes addressed to "Stanford University, Stanford, California" - one from Seoul,Korea; one dated 1950 from Deutschland; and one dated 1959from Lebanon.  I tucked them inside each other on this page.

Many of the vintage envelopes were glued into the journal using their flap so that I could easily tuck things inside.  

In this case, the envelope contained a sheet of tissue thin pink paper so I added this vintage photo inside.  This photo of an unknown girl is one I've had for close to 40 years, so you know she captured my imagination.

A corner section of this Kraft flat mailing envelope became a pocket to hold a no-longer-blank postcard.

The "image" side features Mickey as a mail carrier and a lovely quote by E. Ruder:

"The written letter is something personal, organic,  unique, and spontaneous.  It mirror the character and the personality of the writer, and often his mood of the moment." 

The "address" side of the postcard features this graphic and an iridescent Halloween postage stamp.

Some folks send mail using multiple stamps to achieve the value needed or simply to decorate the envelope.

This air mail envelope came from Vietnam and went to Laos.  Its contents were long gone so I tucked a vintage postcard inside.

Vintage space themed postage stamps . . .  did your parents let you stay up late to watch the very first moon landing like mine did?

Mr. Zip is featured on the back inside page.  

Did you know the "ZIP" in zip code stands for "Zone Improvement Plan" and that zip codes became a reality in 1963?  

There's so much more inside this journal but you can definitely get the idea from these photos.  

And I did find myself visiting quite a few"rabbit holes" while creating IN THE MAILBOX - National Card and Letter Writing Day, World Letter Writing Day,  one woman's Thousand Postcard Project from 2018, learning about Write Me Back cards, and discovering all manner of past letter/card writing challenges.

As a result,  I've realized it isn't enough to just think about doing a better job of sending cards and letters.  To that end, I've enhanced my stash of blank cards (purchased and homemade) and I'm making their use a much higher priority.  Want to join me and start sending more Happy Mail?

Quiltdivajulie

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"The letter suddenly seemed like my most important possession, and like all the real, handwritten, postally delivered letters these days, an instant relic from a previous era, before time and space collapsed and we started sending messages to each other's pockets."

Anne Gisleson

Hoppipolla - the Quilt

Started in January 2021, Hoppipolla is now a finished quilt.

(you can read about its long and winding back story in this post or use the Hoppipolla label below my signature to see all previous posts for this Etcetera Series project)

Hoppipolla is an Icelandic verb that means "jumping into puddles" -- or perhaps this quilt and its making are better described with this Dr. Seuss quote:

"If you never did 

You should.  

These things are fun and 

Fun is good."

I will be forever grateful that I waited and listened to this quilt so the borders and backing were changed.  

I never loved the quilt before, but I surely do now.

The backing is one I purchased on Etsy in January 2022 (for a different project, of course), named "number 7" by DE LEON DESIGN GROUP for Alexander Henry - 2015.

I loved it from the moment I saw it and am over the moon that it has found its forever home in this quilt.

Quilted with my liberated free motion all-over spiral fans using Glide thread in Warm Grey 4.

The finished quilt measures 50" x 68"

As Yoda would say, "Happy I Am."

Quiltdivajulie

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"Whatever makes you feel the sun from the inside out chase that."

Gemma Troy