Transforming a Junk Mail Envelope

Perhaps you still get junk mail in your mail box? 

The dictionary defines junk mail as "unsolicited mail that consists mainly of promotional materials, catalogs, and requests for donations."

While the amount had lessened over the years, I still receive my fair share of junk mail. Most of it goes to the recycling bin but some I save so I can turn them from blah to TADA! 

This was an envelope I kept from a credit card company. I like that it's bigger than the standard size and made of thicker paper. 

The first step of repurposing this envelope is to cover all the branding and printed matter. I do this with white acrylic paint and a paintbrush. I do about three coats of paint with drying time in between.

Now that the envelope looks like a blank slate, let's use some art journaling techniques like collage. I simply tore magazine pages and glued them randomly on the envelope (both sides). 

Another technique is adding color. I applied green and yellow paint on the envelope using a damp sponge. Sponge painting adds dimension through its unique patterns...TADA!

I'm adding even more collage. I think the birds from this clothing catalog are a good fit. 

A bird cutout for the front of the envelope, secured in place with glue.

And another bird cutout for the back. I used a paper punch and hole punch to make the confetti that I also glued on. 

Here are some of the details up close.

I love how layered it looks and how we instantly transformed junk mail from blah to TADA!

So, how will you recycle your junk mail?

*****

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New Purpose for A Passport Case

Hello and thank you that you're here!

While tidying my closet, I found some purses, wallets, and travel accessories.

This passport case stood out because I've had it for years but I never used it. The passport case I currently use is just the right size and I'm pretty satisfied with it. But maybe I can still use this one and turn it from blah to TADA! 

It's made of leather and has a nice camel color.

Inside it has a lot of pockets for cards, cash, and other small things we carry daily or during our travels.

 

I'm reminded of the Traveler's Notebook with a soft leather cover.

Inside the Traveler's Notebook, you can add small notebooks for note-taking and sketching, as well as additional accessories that help in memory keeping and organization.

It's quite a cool system that's portable and can be used over the years. 

Here's another leather case, this time for the Field Notes notebook. 

It's a handsome leather case that fits the notebook, a pen, and things that you'd normally carry in your wallet. It's both a wallet and small folio that you can tuck in your back pocket or fit a tiny bag. 

I think my leather passport case now has new purpose!

I slid a notebook in one of its pockets. 

This one fits perfectly but I can look around in stationery shops like Muji or Yoseka for similar-sized notebooks. I also sneaked in a thin pen in the centerfold of the passport case. 

The pockets will store journaling supplies like washi tape and stickers, and also for keeping ephemera like business cards and flat mementos. 

This passport case continues to be a passport to adventure! I'm using it as a journaling notebook that will keep me company for daily excursions and longer vacations together with my compact watercolor kit. If you want to explore journaling, here is an informative article to get you started.  

And that is how I turned a leather passport case from blah to TADA!

*****

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Tinting Paper using Peony Petals

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

Peonies are one of my favorite flowers! They are bold, bountiful, and really command attention. That's why I've used peonies as a muse for many crafty blah to TADA! transformations:

Handmade paper flowers made from gift tissue...TADA!

Creative gift wrapping where I turned an empty jar from blah to TADA!

A page from my Art journal where I used watercolor and a felt tip pen...TADA! 

And still another page from my art journal where I used rubber stamped-peonies, colored pencils, and collage...TADA!

Even if my peonies have wilted, don't they still look beautiful? Instead of tossing them right away, I'm going to experiment using these peony petals as dye. 

I separated the petals and spread them on top of white paper (this is copy paper) that I trimmed into rectangles (about 4 inches by 6 inches).

I'm using these cake pans to help me stack my paper. This is what I had in my cupboards. You can use saucers, tiles or other objects with a flat surface.  

Flip one of the cake pans so that the bottom faces you. Lay one sheet of paper with petals on top of the cake pan. 

Keep adding another sheet of paper with petals on top until you have six stacks.

Top the stack with another cake pan, this time the inside facing you. The goal is to sandwich the paper with the two cake pans. If you have a few more sheets of paper with petals, put them inside the cake pan and use a smaller cake pan to sandwich this set. 

I gently put my cake pans sandwiched with paper and petals inside a cooking pot. I weighed everything down with a marble mortar bowl (from a mortar and pestle set). They key here is to add a weight so that when boiling water is poured inside the pot, the cake pans do not float and release the sandwiched paper and petals.

I poured freshly boiled water inside the pot, making sure to cover the paper. Then I let this sit for at least two hours. 

Then I removed the cake pans from the pot, took out the paper, and placed the paper on an old t-shirt or towel to absorb the moisture. If you can see, there are hints of the color pink that have stained the paper. 

Wrap the paper in the old t-shirt or towel and put a weight on top of it (like a stack of books, making sure to put a plastic bag between the books and the t-shirt/towel bundle to keep the books from getting wet). Leave this to dry overnight. 

Unwrap the bundle and take out the paper. It will still be a little damp.

Slowly separate the layers. 

Gently peel off the petals and discard them. They have done their job by adding pink tint to the paper...TADA! 

Leave the paper to dry completely.

I can use my peony petal-tinted papers as stationery, for scrapbooking, art journaling, and collage. 

And that is how I turned wilted flowers from blah to TADA!

*****

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Three Thoughts for June

How is it that it's already June? We're halfway through the year! I hope your 2025 has been good so far and that you've found ways to turn blah to TADA!

Here are my simple joys of the month:

1. Peony season

Peonies are among my favorite flowers. I love their cabbage-like shape and vibrant color that say, "Look at me, stop and admire me!" I like to have fresh flowers on my desk and peonies in my bunny turns my day from blah to TADA!

2. Cherries on Top

There is a park right beside where we live with a cherry tree. In spring time, it blooms with white cherry blossoms and when June comes around, the cherries appear! This grand display of nature transforms the seasons from blah to TADA!

Maybe you'd like to try cherry picking. It's a fun activity and can even inspire you to create art. 

3. Father's Day 

Here in the U.S., we celebrate Father's Day on June 15. I lost my Dad in 2018 and my Father-in-law in 2011. I think about them often and miss them even more on days like this. If you are lucky enough to still have your dad, tell him how much you appreciate him using your love language. If it's crafting,  learn how I made this Father's Day card using this post from the archives. With little surprises like this, you can turn your dad's day from blah to TADA!

Wishing you a safe and very satisfying June! 

Painted Paper Collage on a Gift Box

I'm very happy that you're here!

Last week, we painted some blank paper, cut them into floral shapes, and made a collage:

Can you believe that this still life was made from paint and a brown paper bag? 

The inspiration came from a project by art teacher Andrea Nelson on Workshop Week (there's one coming up this June 2 to 6, and it's free to sign up; check it out here). 

She painted some plain copy paper with watercolor (acrylic paint is a good option), cut them out into flowers with a matching vase, and glued everything down to make this collage...TADA! 

It's quite addicting to do and the results are impressive. I made several versions of it:

As a cover for a handmade greeting card...TADA!

And as a page in my art journal...TADA!

There must be another way to use these hand-painted and hand-drawn flowers, don't you agree?

I'm repurposing this box once intended for coffee packaging.

It's made of sturdy material and can be given new life as a gift box.

It has some printed text inside and outside the box.

But the text can easily be covered up with a coat of paint...TADA!

I didn't fully disguise the text with paint since I'll be adding a new layer. 

After the base layer dries, paint on some leaves.

Select the flowers you want to use. 

Then glue the paper flowers all around the leaves. 

Don't forget to decorate inside the box.

All that's left to do is to add a gift inside and a gift tag with a personalized inscription!

That is how I turned a brown paper bag and an empty box from blah to TADA!

*****

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