A Sketchbook Practice: Collage Fodder

As a creative practice, I've been playing around in my sketchbook. Most of the time, I make watercolor paintings, work on some experimental portraits or create travel sketches.

But I learned another exciting way to dress up a blank sketchbook page.

It's called FODDER or Collage Fodder. 

Fodder School (yes, it exists!) defines collage fodder as "anything that can be used in the creation of a collage. Collage fodder can be collected (think old vintage book pages or ticket stubs) or handmade (think gelli prints or handmade pattern papers)."

I've done a lot of the paper collecting over the years, filing them randomly in plastic folders. The "handmade fodder" part really got my attention. 

I was introduced to the collage fodder concept when I attended Sketchbook Revival hosted by Karen Abend and Fodder School teacher Tiffany Simply Sharpe.

The first step is to make the focal point. In this case it would be a mushroom.

We started painting mushrooms (I don't think I've ever drawn mushrooms in great detail before). I chose this color palette: green, blue green, purple and fuchsia. Then when the paintings were dry, I outlined the edges with a fine-tipped black marker.

Tiffany used watercolor paper. To make it my own, I repurposed an empty cardboard box, turning it from blah to TADA! The back side won't be seen anyway because it will be glued down.

Cut around the mushrooms to remove the excess white border.

I also made toadstools and flowers using the cardboard.

The second step is to assemble the background using a collection of paper remnants, fabric, packing tape, magazine tear sheets, gift tissue and gift wrap. Perhaps you have old magazines and catalogs or a library of collected papers? These are a good place to start.

Narrow down your paper choices to a color story. I chose greens, blues and purples to complement the mushroom I painted.

Using the page of the sketchbook, try out different layouts before committing to anything. Tiffany calls this the audition process.

The third step is to glue things in place (I used a glue stick).

The final step is to add some journaling or finishing touches like designs from cling stamps and an ink pad. 

Here is what I made...TADA!

This is another version using both the mushroom and flower that I painted...TADA!

And finally, this fairytale toadstool collage.

Collage fodder is another way we can turn a blank sketchbook page from blah to TADA!  

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Postcards made from Cardboard Boxes

Hello everyone!

I love to repurpose materials that I find around the house and transform them from blah to TADA!

These were originally food boxes. Shaping them into birds and decorating them with acrylic paint gives them new life as greeting cards or classroom decor...TADA!

This little booklet is made of junk mail envelopes, dressed up with scrapbook paper and rubber stamps...TADA!

These envelopes are fashioned out of brown paper bags and the liners are magazine pages...TADA!

So you see, we can start crafting with items that we already have on hand. All we need is some imagination. Let's see how we can re-imagine these:

They are cardboard boxes and I think you'll agree that they look quite blah. 

But when we add a few coats of paint, they look more presentable.

Trim them into rectangles and they become postcards...TADA!

Here are several ways I gave them a new look: 

Adding some paint splatters and gluing on some hand-drawn fodder flowers make these postcards extra cheerful!

Apart from hand-painted fodder flowers, hand lettering, and handmade confetti, I used floral gift wrap tissue to decorate these postcards...TADA! 

Quotes and words of encouragement done in hand lettering or calligraphy can easily turn these blank postcards from blah to TADA!

And these postcards are made extra colorful using paint, rubber stamps, and flowers drawn with a pointed nib pen...TADA!  

That is how I turned cardboard boxes from blah to TADA!

*****

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More Ephemera Envelopes

Hey everyone, I'm glad you're here!

Last week, we scoured our paper stash to make this ephemera envelope: 

It's a handmade envelope from the book "The Art of the Travel Journal" by Abbey Sy. It is folded in an origami style where the seams are sealed and embellished with washi tape. It's called an ephemera envelope because it's where we can safely store paper souvenirs like tickets and maps that we've collected during our travels. It's also meant to be included in our travel journal, as an analog way of memory keeping.

When I started making one, I just couldn't stop! Here are new versions using different sizes and kinds of paper:

These are made from hand-painted paper.

These are made from brown packaging paper and decorated with fodder and collage.

These are upcycled from a mailing envelope and decorated with stamps.

Make the ephemera envelope part of your travel journal spread.

Find other purposes for it, too: as an envelope for handmade cards or as a flat bag to wrap presents.

This is just one of the ways I transform paper scraps from "blah to TADA!" 

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Floral Gift Tags

Thank you for stopping by today!

I was rummaging through some gift wrapping supplies and I found these:

They are gold gift tags that I got at Ikea many years ago. While they are cute and versatile, they are looking a little blah, don't you think?

I drew some flowers and leaves on cardstock, painted them, and outlined them using a black fineliner pen. Instantly, we have scrapbooking or collage fodder...TADA! 

I cut around the different flower shapes to make them look like die-cuts. Then I attached these on the gift tags using a glue gun. 

I also added some confetti (the little paper dots left inside a hole punch), securing them in place with more glue. Then I looped baker's twine to the little hole on top of the gift tag.

Look at my gift tags now! It's like they got a glow up from a tropical vacation! They are ready to embellish gift bags and gift boxes, with a sweet note inscribed on each one.

And that is how I turned plain gift tags from blah to TADA!

*****

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Repurposing Floral Paper

A cousin gave me a thoughtful gift and it was tucked inside this floral tissue paper:

I love this paper just as much as the gift that came with it!

I'm used to plain gift tissue paper and I was surprised to see this very pretty print. I smoothed it out and folded it nicely with the intention of using it for crafting.

Let me show you what I made with it:

I cut around the sheet of gift tissue to make individual flowers. I then attached the flowers to a glass jar using white glue, a technique called decoupage.  I can use this as a pencil cup, mini flower vase or to hold votive candles...TADA!

This little gift box has an acetate window. I simply added some of the flower cutouts (held in place with some glue on the edges) to turn it from blah to TADA!

Every now and then, I experiment with origami. I made these origami dolls out of construction paper and the floral gift tissue...TADA!

Bookmarks are a very easy craft to make. I've made bookmarks out of junk mail, paper scraps, and watercolor paintings. I just glued the floral cutouts onto cardboard and added rubber stamp sayings and finished with a ribbon...TADA!

And finally, I added the floral cutouts to my handmade cards, using both decoupage and collage styles...TADA!

These are just some of the ways I repurposed the pretty floral gift tissue from blah to TADA!

*****

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Stationery Swap Kits

It's so nice to see you!

Last week, I updated the look of some plain gift tags by adding some baker's twine and floral fodder:

They look so fun and festive! I can use them to turn a paper bag or a gift box from blah to TADA!

But I made so many, I thought, "Why not share these gift tags?"

It reminded me of the stationery swap kits that I've been fortunate to receive from fellow stationery lovers.

This envelope was from Kelsey (@kelsonplanning) who I met at a travel journaling workshop. She gave everyone an envelope!

Inside are these pieces of ephemera and stickers to decorate a journal or scrapbook...TADA!

These wax seals and washi tape collection are from Michael (@theenchanteddesk). I met him at a letter writing workshop.

Stationery lovers and journal enthusiasts are some of the most thoughtful people on earth! It wasn't required but they did it anyway as a way to share their stash. This kind gesture also made them more memorable. I felt so bad that I didn't have anything to trade with them.   

So maybe it was time to make my own stationery swap kits.

I saved this printed tissue paper from a package.

I cut the paper into smaller rectangles.

I turned them into envelopes, gluing the open sides together, and leaving one side as a flap. Also, I decorated the envelope with a floral rubber stamp and a sticker label. 

It serves as packaging for my handmade gift tags...TADA! I can also include D.I.Y. stickers and handmade stationery.

On the blank labels, I can write "Handmade for You," "A Little Something for You" or personalize with the recipient's name. I can even add my business card or links to my website and social media accounts if I want to make more lasting connections.

And that is how I turned some plain paper from blah to TADA! I can't wait to make more stationery swap kits so that I'm ready when the occasion calls for it. 

*****

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