Sending You A Piece of My Heart

In 2017, I did a small scale art project called "Art in the Heart." I used watercolor paper cut into 4" x 6" rectangles. Then I made hearts by tracing a heart-shaped cookie cutter. With watercolor, I decorated each heart in many different ways:

Some were abstract and some had little things I love: flowers, popsicles, and colorful fish. 

It was a very therapeutic exercise and I have a body of work that I can be proud of. Over the years, however, they remained in a drawer, forgotten until I accidentally found them en route to retrieving something else. I looked at the stack of hand-painted hearts and told them, "I have to give you away."

Let me show you how I provided them with a new look.

I trimmed the paper to emphasize the heart shape.

I added floral elements (cut out from printed scrapbooking paper) and hand-stamped birthday greetings. I attached these to the heart with white glue. The layering of paper is so much fun!

Before sending it off, I'll write a personalized message at the back of the heart. Then I'll put it inside this reusable plastic sleeve together with other goodies like heart-shaped stickers and handmade bookmarks...TADA!

These hearts have a new purpose...they are now birthday cards that I can send to my dearest friends.

I feel these hearts are appropriate for birthdays because every time I send a greeting card, a piece of my art and a piece of my heart always goes along with it. I hope it will turn my friends' special days from "blah to TADA!"

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Magnetic Bookmarks

Hey there!

I love books and that is why I love bookmarks, too. I like to make my own bookmarks out of ribbon remnants and paper clips, brown paper bags, old magazines, clothing tags, collage, and watercolor.

I spotted these magnetic bookmarks at a bookstore: 

These are a nice souvenir or gift to take home from a vacation.

These ones are adorable! I can see myself using them to mark cookbooks, craft books or a daily devotional. 

There are so many kinds. But I thought, "Why buy when we can D-I-Y (do-it-yourself)?"

I started off with thin sheets of adhesive magnets. 

I'm using washi tape and printed scrapbook paper as the design for my magnetic bookmarks. I trimmed the adhesive magnets so that they are the same size as the washi tape. Make sure to leave a 1/4 inch margin on the washi tape so that it can easily fold at the center.

I carefully attached the washi tape (or scrapbook paper) to the adhesive magnets. Try your best to align the edges but don't sweat it because the tape peels off easily and can be repositioned. Leave a small gap at the center of the magnets to allow the washi tape part to fold.

Here's what the magnetic bookmarks look like on the reverse side...TADA!

To use the magnetic bookmark, put one side on the page you want to mark, fold it at the center looping over the page until both sides of the magnet attract each other.  

Make several magnetic bookmarks because don't we read more than one book simultaneously? It's also a nice surprise to mail to a friend. 

The cute prints peeking out just brings me joy!

With very simple materials, I was able to turn blah to TADA!

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Five Things for September

Hello there September! Summer is winding down and slowly, we transition to a new season.

In September, we remember. We remember all the lives lost during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This Tribute in Light, done every year, shines brightly where the World Trade Towers used to stand.  It honors the brave heroes of that day and symbolizes New York's unbreakable spirit.  

September also means back to school. While I've not been a student in many, many years, I love the feeling of new beginnings. I also love back to school shopping! I avail of the bargains at the shops to replenish frequently-used supplies my home office and craft stash...TADA!

Outdoor brunches during the cooler temperatures of September are a lovely luxury. Of course, sausage and eggs, pancakes or French Toast, and coffee are my top choices on the menu...TADA! 

PopUp Swap photo from last year (2023)

Spring cleaning doesn't have to be dedicated to spring. We can do it all year round! When I switch out my summer clothes to autumn dressing, I put aside clothes and accessories that I no longer use. I usually donate them at the thrift store but I found about clothing swaps like this one from PopUp Swap. Maybe there's something similar in your city? You'll never know who might find use for what you no longer need. Plus, we all get to save clothes from the landfill...TADA!

And finally, sharing this piece that I found serendipitously but truly resonate with. Let's all cherish ordinary, normal days!

Have a sweet, sweet September!

A Sketchbook Practice: Travel Journaling

How's it going beautiful people?

To flex my creative muscles, I've been doing a regular sketchbook practice. 

This is what a use: an inexpensive spiral-bound watercolor sketchbook. Like many of you, I was always intimidated by the blank page. But by learning from books, art classes, prompts, and regular practice, I've learned to look at a blank page more as possibility rather than dread. 

One of the ways I like to fill my sketchbook is by using it as a travel journal. It serves as a nice souvenir from a vacation and it combines the things I love -- photography, collage, lettering, collecting, and watercolor. 

Abbey Sy is someone who has an extensive collection of travel journals. This photo is from an on-line class I attended where she demonstrated how she builds a spread in her travel journal. You can check out her work on her YouTube channel.

Abbey Sy also wrote a book called "The Art of the Travel Journal" that came out in 2022. It's filled with tips on how to start and sustain a travel journal. Here are some of my favorite ideas:

1. Create a travel art kit that has everything you need, is compact and ready when the travel bug bites. This is my travel kit and it contains: a pocket watercolor tin, a small sketchbook, water brush, pencils, pens, glue, scissors, washi tape, and an envelope for ephemera. 

2. Postcards as travel journals - whenever you're in a new destination, pick up a postcard from the souvenir shop, address the postcard to you and write down some anecdotes or trip highlights. Then mail the postcard to your home address. It serves as a nice memento from your trip and a collection of postcards (strung on a ring binder or stored in a dedicated postcard box) will tell the story of all your  travels.

3. Gather proof of your travels - these include tickets, maps, brochures, packaging material, coffee sleeves. These are called "ephemera" or printed matter produced for a specific short-term use. When we add them to our travel journal, they a longer-lasting use and will always remind us of our journeys.

4. Get creative with collage journaling - combine the ephemera you've collected on the pages of your travel journal. Abbey reminds us: there is no right or wrong way to collage. The simple act of cutting and pasting is the only thing you need to know to start.

5. Remember what food and drink you tasted during your travels by including these in your travel journal. It can be through pictures, written descriptions, and even sketching. These don't have to be perfect, just enough detail for you to remember them. It would be good to include the address, too, in case you want to return or recommend them to fellow travelers. 

I can only agree with this quote from the book. Travel journals help develop our creative vision, is a form of creative expression, and the process promotes mindfulness, intention, and reflection.

Travel journaling is one way I turn a blank page from "blah to TADA!"

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Brown Paper Bags as a Canvas for Collage

I love that you're here with me today!

I'm very pleased that plastic bags and containers have been banned in many places. Stopping their use is a big step in protecting the environment and has encouraged more people to bring their own reusable bags.

In restaurants and shops, it's back to paper bags:

I've collected a stack in my cabinet and I can't help but think, "How can I turn these from blah to TADA!?"

Remember this paper bag that I transformed using collage, rubber stamps, and packing tape transfers? It's such an easy way to give a brown paper bag new life, plus it's an efficient way to use up paper scraps. 

With the same technique, here's how I dressed up a few other brown paper bags:

This brown paper bag collage has a summer theme using pink, mint green, and gray as the central colors. I used scrapbook paper remnants and security envelopes for the collage. Peony and fern rubber stamps, plus butterfly cutouts add to the soft nature-theme...TADA!

This brown paper bag collage uses two elements: circles made from security envelopes (made with a round craft punch) and patterned butterflies (also made with a butterfly craft punch and magazine pages). I played with symmetry and color...TADA! 

This brown paper bag collage is based on a travel theme: scrapbook paper, washi tape, ephemera and rubber stamps provide the wanderlust...TADA!

Finally, this brown paper bag collage gets its color from painted paper and magazine pages. A simple rubber stamp contributes to the celebratory theme...TADA!

Brown paper bags are the best canvas to experiment. You can try out paint, markers, washi tape, and seasonal cut-outs to turn them from "blah to TADA!"

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Painting on Seashells

What's up lovely folks?

During the summer, a trip to the beach is always on the agenda. 

Long walks on the shore usually yield a collection of seashells. 

Most of the time, I use the seashells to make jewelry like earrings and pendants...TADA! 

Sometimes, I come across bigger shells. Ideally, they aren't chipped or broken.   

I use it to hold my sage bundle. It looks poetic on a window sill and is useful for home cleansing rituals.

For crafting ideas, here are a few I've seen that may spark your imagination:

Hydrangea flowers and seashells are some of the hallmarks of summer. I love how the artist combined the two, a hand-painted hydrangea bush on a found seashell.  I took this photo at a Cape Cod home that was filled with homey, coastal decor.

While on vacation in Ocean Grove, New Jersey, a local handed me this seashell. It was hand-painted by the kids in the neighborhood. Isn't it sweet? It serves as an absolutely one-of-kind souvenir!

I use it as a receptacle for tiny shells and the heart-shaped rock I found on the beach...TADA!

These are oyster shells that were painted to give them new life! I found them at a gift shop on Ocean Grove's Main Street. Aren't they pretty? 

These seashells were also decorated but this time with decoupage and the rim of the shell was dressed with gold paint. They were made by a local artist who sold them at the neighborhood coffeeshop. 

And that is how we can turn found seashells from blah to TADA!

UPDATE (8/19/2024): Before taking sand and seashells from the beaches you are visiting, make sure to know their rules and restrictions because in some countries, it's illegal to take sand and seashells (even in very little amounts). Read more about it here and here.

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Five Things for August

Oh August! The month where many folks go on vacation, en vacances, on holiday. A month of wanderlust and slowing down.

It's also the month of ripe summer fruit that I like to eat as is, whizzed in a blender and turned into ice pops, or added into a pie. These are some of my favorite tastes of the summer...TADA!

During the summer, I'm a regular visitor at farmer's markets and farms. When I saw this book, The Little Red Hen by Paul Galdone, at The Little Free Library, I had to do a quick read! It's about an industrious Little Red Hen and her housemates: a cat, a dog, and a mouse. It teaches the values of sharing and responsibility. A nice lesson for little ones and adults, too!

Going on a trip? Packing cubes are smart solutions to organize the contents of your suitcase. They are usually available in a set of three to five and in varying sizes. You can pack your stuff by category (ex. all tops, all bottoms, all undergarments/socks/hats/scarves together) or grouped by outfit of the day (shirt, pants, undies all rolled together so it's easier to get dressed). At the end of the trip, designate one packing cube for clothes that need to go to the laundry. Packing cubes have changed my life and I particularly like this Peanuts-themed set given by a friend...TADA!

And speaking of trips, save a packing cube to stash away the souvenirs and gifts you purchase along the way. Some things I found on a trip to Philadelphia: a cookbook (from The Little Free Library), jams and preserves, and a bag of coffee beans. I wrap the food items in paper, put them in reusable zipper bags (to avoid spills), tuck them into clothing (for added cushioning) and place them in a packing cube so that they're secure inside my luggage...TADA! 

If you're looking for a travel-related craft, may I suggest some from the archives: (1) a luggage tag where I got to recycle pretty chocolate packaging; (2) a bag tag made from a repurposed ID sleeve and colorful scrapbook paper; and (3) a hand-painted passport case...TADA! 

Wherever adventure takes you this August, may it transform your ordinary days from blah to TADA!

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