Deli Paper + Ink + Tape = Awesome

I spent last evening making "homemade washi tape" to do some exterior binding on a folder-book project and now I have a pretty stack!

Back in April I hosted some of my delightful artist friends in Charleston for a week of straight up making, fun, and food.  Bette taught us all this project, so I'm going to share...

Supplies:
Deli papers inked up with Dylusions spray
Two-sided tape--I used 2" Scor Tape for this version

Tools:
Scissors or ruler

When Carol, Bette & Denise were here, we had an absolute BLAST spraying dyes and making all kinds of deli paper prints.  Stencils and organics--leaves, to be specific--were the tools of choice.  I can do another post about doing those prints.  I ended up with a massive stack of brightly colored deli papers that needed a purpose.

Enter the two-sided tape:

This is Scor Tape, that I got from my friend, Cindy at Broken Crown Paper Arts.  It's a 2-inch version, which I like because I wanted a wider format.  I've also used 3/4-inch Art Alternatives Transfer Tape that I got from my favorite downtown store, Artist and Craftsman Supply.

Since I liked the whole design on this piece of paper, I covered the whole back with tape.

You can see the bright colors of the ink with the white tape liner behind it.  It will have a more transparent look when I use it later.  The back of the sheet is covered with strips of tape at this point.

And now they're cut apart with some super-sharp scissors.  I've also gone for a more organic, rustic look, before by tearing along the edge of the tape using a straight-edged ruler.

After all the strips are cut, I have these beautiful pieces of tape ready to apply to just about anything.  Last night's target for these babies is some of my daddy's old folders...which I'll get to in a minute.

Here's another piece in progress, with the organic leaf prints.  Man, Bette is a flipping genius!!  Even more importantly, today is her birthday!!  Makes me wish I lived closer to Maryland, but I know she'll come visit again soon since we both have more art to make.  :)

I took those two-inch strips and used them to line simple folders.  My dad gave me a massive stack of manila folders (which we used to think we're VANILLA folders when we were little, right?) from his life as a lawyer and a Latin teacher.  I intend to eventually bind all these folders together to form journals...and here's a stack of them, some printed and painted, some with just my dad's handwriting.  Doesn't that tape make a perfect signature??

Workspace In Progress

I am lucky enough to have two full rooms in my house that serve as a giant studio.  As I look to the future and where I want to focus my post-Air Force career, I often glance around this room and wonder which tables and shelves hold my favorite things...

Here's the jewelry table.  Look at the clean workspace!  I have a few in-work bead selections in the little black trays, but haven't taken the time to just "make" yet.  I've been trying for something beachy themed and it's amazing how many gorgeous blues and greens and teals and aquas I have in my stash.  Add that to the apparent 100 pairs of pliers I have and it got overwhelming.  After shopping through my bead drawers, I got overwhelmed.  Hence, I cleaned up the table and will start over again with a clean slate.

Here are the bead drawers...sorted by color because that's what makes me happy.  The dresser is a work in progress.  I started sanding it down to refinish it and decided I like it this way.  I grew up with that dresser in my bedroom, so it always makes me happy when I see it and remember life as a care-free kid.  Now the drawers are filled with wire, beads, and stationary.  

I have a few shelves of paper, books, and other random supplies, tools and equipment.  I'm a big fan of plastic containers so I can see what's inside.  I had to get a new label maker since I apparently put the one I already owned into a container and failed to label it!

Here's another work in progress.  I've had this little wooden panel for about two months.  I got it from my favorite local art store, Artist & Craftsman Supply, to participate in the Summerscapes contest...which, luckily, isn't due until the end of July.  I intend to do a woven mixed media piece with all those random fibers, wires and beads that are spread all over the table.

I have fun doing mixed media because I can dig around in all these drawers filled with random supplies.  Plus, all those plastic boxes are filled with papers and collage bits.  Oh, and there's just a little bit of paint...that's the crafty acrylic supply box.

Another work in progress.  I'm on my third set of pages as part of Donna Downey's 48 Weeks journal project.  There is some fun surface action on this one.  I have a piece of copper out there, too, that's supposed to be another summerscape.  I want to do some etching.  The little water fountain brush washer, still in the box, was a birthday gift to myself.  Over by the window, I have a big box of stencils that doubles as a sleeping box for Shelby, one of my sweetie kitties.

Here are a few more works in progress...started last December.  And there are some eyes that I did as part of an Artist & Craftsman exhibit back in April called, Optical Delusions.

So many supplies in there, so why am I sitting in here on the couch instead???  'Cause blogging's important!  haaaaaaaaaaaa  

2/48 Big Ass Journal with Pretty Pink Flowers

My second set of pages are DONE!

It was all about the fluorescents and that makes the world a better place.  haaaaaaaaaa

The lessons I learned:
- needle-tipped bottles are awesome.
- I love quinacridone magenta.
- the perfect grey is hard to make
- toilet paper rolls are perfect for printing.
- teal is love.
- water-soluble pencils make a crazy mess.

Thank you, Donna, for helping me make a focused mess in my house!

And for anyone reading who wonders what, exactly, I'm trying to do here...check out Donna Downey's site and you'll see a magic 48-week course that is is helping me learn new things, meet new people, and, most importantly, come up with reasons to buy new stuff!  haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

25/52 Being Colorful!

Mommy came to visit.

We made lots of pickles!

They're still in the fridge getting their pickle on.

Gonna be so yummy.

Garlic and sweet cinnamon.

Sounds weird but it works.

Thanks to Johnny's Dad for the recipe!

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