Fruit Bowl Junk Journal Spread

When removing a label on an apple, I really looked at it and thought I'd like to keep it for my junk journal. Well pretty soon I started looking (and saving) more and more until I started adding them to a page. 

Once that was full, I cut and adhered fruit from a grocery store ad on the opposite page.

And that led to me to ask, what now?  Well you can probably guess that I decided to play with acrylic paints to create my fruit bowl.

I've seen paintings where the artist creates their backgrounds this way...a little muddy because of the layers of colors and I decided to try it. I like how it turned out but in the future I think this is something I'd like to do with my fingers and not a paintbrush. I didn’t like the hard edges that the brush made. And the white covered too much of the teal so I used a wet wipe to remove some of it. I'll need to practice more with this technique!

What do you think?

The YouTube video doesn't show when I added the labels, but I did add Mod Podge to seal them to the pages.

*Don't ask me why I put two avocados. I had green out and my mind just went there!

New York City Junk Journal

I just got back from a quick trip to New York and of course had some great "junk" for a spread in my junk journal.

I wish more places had things I could gather but the map was a great find! 

I added some old, old New York stickers that I'm not even sure why I had them but definitely came in handy!

The glue that I used is from The Paper Source which is a Hobby Lobby brand. It was a great gift to receive a container of glue assortments from my friend.

This video is a little less talking and more cutting, tearing and glueing sounds. It's actually kinda soothing! Watch it here:

Let me know what you think about it! Do you like the audio this way or do you prefer more talking?

LTCCB March; JJ Tag

Hi there. It's the first of March and time for another six week challenge at the Love To Craft Challenge Blog. This fun blog is for all kinds of crafters. You can submit any project as long as its a crafty one!

For this month's project, I decided to share the watercolored flower I created on a store receipt for my Junk Journal.

I love making something out of nothing or in this case, something out of something that would have been trashed.

Here's the piece:

And here's the video showing how it was done:

Isn't it fun! I even made use of the painters tape that was used to adhere it on the page. The majority of this tag was created by using watercolor paints. I also used a black ball point pen, some white acrylic paint to create splatter and white, purple and green paint pens for outlines and the words.

Now it's your turn. Create something...anything and link it to LTCCB. But before you do that, take a peek at the DT creations for some inspiration!

Link your project by April 15th!

Glue Book; Junk Journal Spread

I've mentioned before that my junk journal is a combination of all sorts of things. This spread is probably considered Glue Book style. 

I received some cookies from my birthday twin (ex-coworker that we share birthdays with) when he visited Costa Rica. I did not expect the gift so that was a nice treat in itself (yes, pun intended!)

I basically just glued the wrappers to the pages in the JJ. Once that was completed, I added a little journaling by pulling out these vellum "post-it" notes and some vellum round stickers.

I wasn't sure how I was going to add the information, so I considered adding a flap with some washi tape or regular tape but then I remembered I had these vellum options.

So fun! I love that I was able to add details without covering up the wrappers!

I did find out that you can actually purchase these treats at Walmart. The next time I go, I'm going to have to take a better look at their cookies.

Be sure to watch the process video:

Junk Journal Spread; Hummingbird

Hi there! I had a chance to play in the junk journal the other day and I love how this two page spread turned out. I adhered torn pieces of painty paper scraps to both sides of the journal pages and adhered a paper frame on the left.

I made this hummingbird a while ago to create a colorful card earlier and decided to add it onto this page. (to view the YouTube process video for the card, click HERE)

I used watercolor paints to add some flower petals and just color around the spread.

Watch the process video to see how it was done. I love how colorful it is and think the bright hummingbird looks great over there on the left side.

On the right side, I was going to write a hummingbird quote but decided to use these sticker phrases instead. I purchased these at Scrap & Sip in SF last year and almost forgot about them!

I did end up writing the hummingbird quote to the bottom of the frame. Take a closer look:

At some point I'll do a flip through of my Little Golden Book Junk Journal but I want to complete more pages first.

I also added some silver metallic paint pen ink marks on the right side.

I love this quote. I think it's a great one to live by!

Travel Junk Journal Spread

I tried something new in my Junk Journal today. I adhered lots of the random items that I collected from an eight day trip. Lots of JUNK!

I follow a few different people on IG and they adhere junk to their pages usually following a theme. I, of course, needed to art mine up!

Check out the YouTube process video:

Isn't this so fun!?! Even though I didn't originally like the ink blobs, they aren't so bad after all.

Close ups:

Is there really such thing as junk when it turns out this cute?

September Junk Calendar

So, I did a thing! I saw this idea while scrolling through social media and thought I'd try it for September. You know what I found out...I eat out a lot! I really tried to add things that were not food related LOL

The idea is to create a calendar in the Junk Journal and add a piece of "junk" on each day that match that day's event(s). 

I probably should have decorated the surroundings before adding the junk, but I did mine afterwards and I love it! I don't think I'll do this every month because after a while it loses its quirkiness, but I do like it.

Watch the YouTube video on the daily process and the finishing touches.

Whatcha think? Cool, right?

Do you think this is something you'd try?

Paint Water Cup

I love to go to thrift stores and yard sales to find stuff I can updo. This mug was one of those finds. I love the orange on the handle and inside of it. *

I decided to make it my permanent paint water cup. To do that, I went to the Printable Cuttable Creatables website and found two cut files. One is Artist Painting Easel and Wet Paint Splotches. Wet Paint Splotches is a free cut file. Can you believe it?

After uploading the easel file, I ungrouped the image and only kept the paint brush. I sized everything to my liking and then prepared the mats.

When using vinyl scraps and small cuts, save yourself some time and arrange the different colors onto one mat.

Weed...

Rub the mug with alcohol with a cotton ball or lint free cloth and let it dry before adding the vinyl.

Check out the YT Short for a Quick look at how it was done!

Be sure to use 3SONS15 coupon code for 15% off your order at Printable Cuttable Creatables.

*Note: I used nail polish remover to remove the logo that was on the mug.

Junk Journal Pocket Tag

I kept the parking tag on a recent trip to some day go in my Junk Journal. We'll, guess what? That day is here!

Using watercolors, water brush and some acrylic paint, this double sided tag came out so bright and cute.

Watch the process on my YouTube channel. Makes you want to save everything, right!?!

My snippet roll covered envelope made the perfect pocket!

TGIF; Thankful Friday 338

 Happy Thankful Friday! This week I'm thankful for family time, big birthdays and home cooked meals. All that in one evening! 

Hubby celebrated his 65th this week and I made enchiladas. Yum! I made sure we took a picture of Owo with his girls!

Little J didn't want to give up her pacifier but that's ok. She is a baby after all.

What are you thankful for this week?

Junk Journal Butterfly

Earlier this month, my daughter and I decided to clear out and organize the closet in the Command Center. We found lots of goodies (and junk) in there! I found a box of 1,000 library check out cards so I decided to see if anyone in the Junk Journal FaceBook group that I'm a member wanted some. Wow! I got tons of responses and was able to mail out a lot of these cards!

Many people asked if I wanted anything in return and I declined since I already have my own overflowing stash...well, that didn't stop them from sending Happy Mail! It did indeed, make me happy!

Look at all this!

I figured if I have all the new stuff, I may as well work on a new spread in the Junk Journal.

And here's the final two page spread:

Watch the process video for all the details, but as you can see, I go from here to there back to here and then there again! I love that about these junk journal/art journals. It's such a freeing way to create art!

I use acrylic paints, spray inks, bottled inks, ink pads, gesso paint pens and lots of homemade marking tools!

Trash to Treasure Fun Projects

I took a week off from work and finished a bunch of projects that have been sitting there staring at me for far too long. Both of these have shorts on my YouTube channel if you're interested in seeing them in action. These are the before and after pictures.

One of my favorite things to do is to make treasure out of trash (or not quite trash, but ugly). When DD and I decided to redo and organize the Command Center, she removed this side table from under her desk. It's pretty solid wood but as you can see...kinda boring!

I used my Cricut to cut stencils and acrylic paints to change the look. Don't you love it? It looks perfect on our front porch especially with those faux grout lines (that was an afterthought).

The second project came from my home. I was (sort of) gifted this coaster set, but it is way too foo foo for us. I mean FAMILY speed out as "Father And Mother I Love You"...a little lame don't you think? I covered them in white acrylic paint and then sanded them down to get a smooth finish.

I then used E6000 to adhere some cheap, throwaway drink coasters of different craft beer places and/or restaurants that I had in my collection. Once they dried, I added a thin layer of polycrylic glaze over the top of each one. This is perfect for our backyard patio and it came in this cute wire holder.

I'm working on another project which involves another furniture updo. I bought this table at Goodwill for $4.79. We're looking for a side table for our backyard covered porch. Once it's sanded down, I plan on using black paint to cover it and then emulating a vinyl record on top. I can't wait to see the final result!

You can see the final result on my IG account. I always post photos there!

Find me @3sons_and_astar