A Bookstore, a Coloring Book and a Coaster

Howdy all! 

One of life's greatest pleasures is a trip to the bookstore. 

A bookstore is a happy place, don't you agree?

Here's one called Book Culture that I found in Long Island City, Queens.

The space is bright, airy and quiet.

Walls and tables are lined with books.

They carry gifts and stationery, too. 

The entire basement is designated for kids' books and activities, plus a cozy reading area.

It's always good to support independent businesses! One of the things I bought was this small coloring book.

The pages are made from vellum-like material.

Each page has a different bird:

The back page gives a description and color guide for each kind...TADA!

I used markers to add color.

Then I accented with handwriting using a fine-tipped pen. 

Hold it against the light and it does look like stained glass...TADA!

*****

Here's another project useful for the home or office:

I'm transferring the image to a cork coaster.

 

 

Sandwich a piece of carbon paper or graphite paper in between the coaster and the coloring book page. Secure all the elements in place using a binder clip.

Using a heavy hand, trace the image of the bird with a pencil. Carefully lift the layers to see if the image transferred to the coaster, making sure you included the tiny details.   

Color with acrylic paint and let it dry for a few hours.

Here's the result! We not only supported an independent bookstore and got to do some coloring. We also turned a plain old coaster from "blah to TADA!"

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A Pen Case with an Elastic Band

I am pleased to see you today!

Here is the inspiration for our blah to TADA! transformation: 

Mochi Things

It's a pen case that easily attaches to a notebook or binder because of its elastic belt. A compact accessory if you like to carry different color pens that you can transfer from one notebook to another.

I found this case in one of my drawers. It used to be the home of a small flashlight. Geez, I can't find the flashlight and I'm left with this case. Might as well give it new life.

It's in a handsome black shade and has a deep pocket.

A few items to give it a new look: needle and thread, scissors, and black elastic.

Trim the elastic -- twice the length of the case.

On the back side of the case, sew one end of the elastic on the top side.

Do the same on the bottom side.

Instantly we have an elastic pen case...TADA!

It can fit most journals or notebooks.

And can be home to two or three pens...TADA! I didn't have to toss the case and now it's so useful for my daily writing needs. So before getting rid of your unwanted stuff, think of new ways to turn them from blah to TADA! 

Naturally Dyed Fabric and a Utensil Set

Hey guys! Thank you for hanging out with me today.

I saw this at a coffee shop -- it's a kit containing a set of stainless steel flatware (fork, knife, spoon) in a carrying case that doubles as a napkin. Isn't this awesome? Use these instead of disposable utensils and help save our planet...TADA!  

 

I was so inspired with the idea, I had to make one myself. Why buy when we can D.I.Y.? But to make it my own, I decided to dye my own fabric.

Did you know that if you boil avocado pits in water, the water turns into a pink liquid? Instant natural dye!

I used white fabric and cut them into rectangles measuring 12 inches by 8 inches. 

I tied the fabric with rubber bands, the same way you would when making tie dye t-shirts.

Then I placed the fabric in the tinted water. I let this simmer on a low flame for about 30 minutes. Then I took the pot off the heat and let the fabric sit in the water overnight. The next day, I took them out of the water, removed the rubber bands, rinsed the fabric, and let them air dry. After ironing, this is what they look like: 

Unique prints in a subtle shade of raspberry...TADA!

I want to showcase them individually, too:

I took two sheets and sewed them together to make my cutlery case:

This is the back.

The flip side with divided slots.

Put the utensils in each slot (chopsticks or a reusable straw can also be included).

Roll it and secure with a ribbon closure...TADA!

I got to use avocado pits to make natural dye and I'll be bringing my own reusable utensils whenever I can. Score for the planet!

If you want to learn how to extract dye from avocado pits, you'll find a detailed tutorial here. And if you want more of these "blah to TADA!" ideas right in your inbox, please subscribe here.

Repurpose Chocolate Boxes into Envelopes

Hooray, you're here!

I love boxed chocolate bars even when they're empty. I know it's not a delicious option as the chocolate but the boxes are always worth keeping.

Just like my previous post where I repurposed empty food boxes, I'm using these empty chocolate boxes for crafting, turning them from blah to TADA!

I like that this particular box resembles an envelope.

With some acrylic paint and a wide brush, I painted the inside.

I also painted the outside. It took about five coats to fully cover the labels. 

After I let the paint dry, I added these pink areas to add color. 

Then I took out my rubber stamps and ink pad.

They're an easy way to add decorations.

Stamp on the butterflies liberally around the envelope.

Don't forget to stamp on the inside of the envelope, too.

Look how much space it has for handmade postcards, letters, and little gifts like friendship bracelets, pins or stickers...TADA! 

This area is for the addresses and postage stamp.  

Here is the front -- ready with encouragement.

Not only do I have a sturdy envelope to mail to a dear friend, I was able to turn an empty chocolate box from blah to TADA!  

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A Sketchbook Practice: "Draw Your Day for Kids" by Samantha Dion Baker

Hi there!

Today, I'm featuring the book, "Draw Your Day for Kids" by Samantha Dion Baker. It's a reliable resource if you are just starting a sketchbook practice or already have a full-fledged one which I'm trying to do. 

 

I borrowed this one from the library and even if it's a book for kids, I like how the process of "how to sketch and paint your amazing life" is made simple. Keeping a journal is proof that we showed up daily and there are many ways to maintain one, not just the kind filled with written thoughts. 

"When we think of a journal, we usually think of just writing, but this book is all about keeping a visual journal filled with drawings that you create to show the things you do, see, and eat during your days. Drawing your daily life helps you learn so much about yourself and the world around you. From the biggest events, like getting braces, to the smallest stuff, like tasting a new food for the first time, tracking it all in one place is so much fun." - SMD                                                                                            

To start we'll need the following materials:

A sketchbook, pencils, a plastic eraser, sharpener, fine-line pens, colored pencils, crayons, markers, a watercolor palette, paint brushes or waterbrushes, a glue stick and a small pair of scissors. These will all go into your artist's tool kit and it can be anything from a canvas pouch, pencil case or empty box that you can take with you when the sketching mood arises. 

To get us started, let's warm up with a few drawing exercises:

We can make lines, circles and scribbles.

We can practice drawing light and shadow. This can be achieved by shading techniques like crosshatching (lines in the same direction) or stippling (dots) to add depth and shadows to the sketch. The drawing can remain this way or can be finished with color (make sure the fine-liner pen you use is waterproof). 

We can try out "blind contour drawing" or drawing the subject without looking at your paper, sketching only the outlines and avoiding lifting your pencil off the page.

Here are a few prompts to help us draw our day: Daily Rituals, Your Mood, the Weather, Nature, Animals, Everyday Activities and Items, Special Events, Travel, Home, Food and Drink, and People.

And speaking of drawing people, I love this guide on how to draw faces and bodies:

Now, it's time to put all of these elements together. Let me show you the pages that I made:

This one is all about food and drink. The coffee and the pastries are the heroes of the page and I used the negative space to write out a description. I experimented with different kinds of lettering, too.

This is a combination of nature and weather highlighting a spring day on the Boston Harbor. Samantha suggests, "Think of your page like a photograph; use the edges of the page."

This page details a day at the shore during the Fourth of July. I was able to check off some items on my "Summer List" like eating really yummy barbecue, having some ice cream, collecting sea shells and spending the day at the beach.

Wasn't that fun? A few parting thoughts from the book:

Samantha says, "Creating an illustrated journal is a practice you can continue your whole life, from age eight to eighty." All we have to do is start...no matter what age we are. 

And that is how I turned a blank sketchbook page from blah to TADA!

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