Journaling with out a junk journal! It can be decorative AND simple!

I got tired of writing in a "junk journal".. or maybe I should say it just became to much to deal with to write in one with all the embellishments and decorative things. and the book not opening flat for writing on the pages and a few other issues. So in my new endeavor of branching out from "junk journaling" to just writing down  thoughts, memories, ideas etc, I found a new style of decorating pages. Washi tape, stickers (so no bulk) and a bound book! I always hated making the covers of a "junk journal" but if you put bulk embellishments in a bound book, you end up with "alligator mouth" journals.. which are also more trouble than they are worth! So in participating in several online craft groups, I discovered the perfect journal. Mildly decorated pages with just washi tape and stickers - and a bound book!  I got these amazing bound 6x8 books on sale at Michaels for $3.00!  Of course, I bought several!

Until I was able to collect some washi tape, I used pattern paper left over from the scrapbook days and cut strips of paper to make (what I call) "mock washi tape"! Then I realized... I can now print IN COLOR up to 100 pages a month and unlimited ink because of the ink program I am on.. and got the idea to print out images to mimic as stickers and glue on the page! So I scouwered Pinterest for images I wanted and copied them (as long as they didn't have a copyright issue) and made my own stickers!

Then, recently, when I was talking to my grand daughter and told her what I was doing, she mentioned that it was odd that we were on the same wave length, that she had recently been thinking that she thinks she wants to start to write things down too! Well, that was my cue! I had made her 2 "junk journals" and she never really got into writing in them, and I thought maybe it was because they were very distracting and overwhelming and more fun to look at than to write in, so I thought... why not a book like the one I made myself? Just mildly and simply decorated pages and plenty of room to write! This book is 8x9inches.

 So this is what I came up with. I really think she will like it and I really hope it will encourage her to just jot a little down every now and then! It's a start! I will be sending it to her next week, (we are on opposite sides of the country) and will wait for that phone call!!!  There are quite a few pages, so just scroll down and check it out! if you see any ideas or style you like, feel free to copy to your own book/journal!

The first page I wrote to her about why the book and what I hope for her..

 I used a daily devotional book I got at the thrift store and cut out phrases, including the person that said it. I used ones of people she would know... John Wayne(Her father is a HUGE JW fan!), Helen Keller. Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Ann Landers, JK Rowlings (she was a huge Harry Potter fan) and just a few good phrases and glued them to the pages.

Had these large stickers left over in my scrapbook stash... John Deere and puppies

This page has just a phrase of simplicity and then the washi tape. I did cut a few of each "girl" in the tape, made like a single person sticker and put them on the edges of the page....

  These are printed logo kind of pictures about home grown foods. 

 

She told me she wanted to do some traveling after she grads high school so I printed out some postmarks from various countries and decorated this page with them.. intending that it might encourage her to write down NOW what she hopes to do in the future and hopefully one day.. she can make it happen!

PLENTY of room for writing or even if she just wants to draw a picture or glue/tape something on the page!

This page is washi tape and some stickers I found at the Dollar Store

A post mark from Santa Claus... I did this page and wrote on it for her as every year I would write them letters from "Santa" and send them for a "Santa's Workshop, North Pole" postmark and every year she and her sisters each got a letter from santa So that is a memory I hope she keeps so I wrote about it on this page

So much space for her to write her own thoughts and memories.

As I got into the decoration of the pages, I thought to use things she liked.. she loves to read so I made this page with printed out books  - I usually choose the asethetic look of "looks real" instead of cartoony or drawing style. These stacks of books are "real" looking and I thought she could start a list of books she reads through high school on these 2 pages.

These mushrooms are off Pinterest and I just printed them out and did alot of "fussy cutting" and they are perfect "stickers"!

More Pinterest images!

I saw one lady in a group, doing decoration in the middle of the pages.. and thought.. "why not?" so this is what I did.. just printed out the image of the flowers, fussy cut them and glued them to the center of the pages. I have to say this is my favorite "style" or "way" to do a page!

More fussy cut images of retro signs.

Quick, easy and beautiful!  Just take coordinating washi tape and make different length and cut the end to look like the end of an "arrow" and line them on the page!

She loved hedgehogs so I printed these out and made cute little hedgehog in the lawn!

She likes Panda bears so this is 3 different images from Pinterest. The bamboo in one, the mushroom and then the bears.. all fussy cut and then put into a "scene" on the page!

So...hope you got some good ideas or some inspiration to keep on being creative and making journals! Memories fade in time.. no matter what anyone says! Keep them close.. write them down!!!

 

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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When Its More About the Writing Than About The "Junking" Journal ....

I have so many junk journals made with all junk papers, signatures, handmade covers from cracker boxes, self bound etc . But now my life has changed and I need to record more memories and say more things as I am away from my grand children and I want to remember them and make sure they remember me!  So I have decided to put away all the supplies and embellishments and focus on the writing part more than the creating part of Journal. Plus, I have made them each 2 junk journals, so they have those to write in themselves so this is more just a reading excursion!

The person that introduced me to this has a facebook page (information below).  She has been making amazing journals with just minor decoration and LOTS of writing! The two put together and they are amazing pages! She has inspired me to do the same! She has a bit more talent than I do, but... I'm Learning! Thanks, Terri!

The first book I  am working on is for myself. I have a very boring life, so not much to write about but I find something every now and then! Previously, I had been writing memories of the my past. Now.. I figure I'd better be writing about now for the future in case I am not here to write about my past when it becomes the future! (Did that make sense???!!)

So I found this bound book at Michaels Clearance  shelf. Nicely bound, thick pages, and just the right size. I did cut  out some of the pages to allow for the thickness when adding things, but also because technically, the book is a planner and I didn't want those pages anyway! I got some Scripto colored gel pens that don't soak through the paper and are bright enough colors so they can be seen without being washed out against the white page.

So here are some pictures of what I have done so far. Not amazing, but at least it is on paper and I am learning! 

 

This is the cover.. a band closure. I made the tabs.. printed them out from online and then cut them and just randomly put them on the pages. Basically, they mean nothing just a few words of inspiration!

 Below.. I just wrote things. Glued a few words from a magazine, added a bit of washi tape.

 This page I added a "flip page". I had this from another book I was making and didn't use. So I taped it to the page with washi tape and then wrote about it on the opposing page. But flip it over and there is writing on the previous page!

 

 

 This one.. not the best visually, but it was a "starter" page... and the 2 circle images I cut from a magazine - instead of stickers! I had some old stamps from scrapbooking days and just jotted down a few lines

 

 Another starter page as I didn't have much washi tape. But these "starter" page I talk about.. helped me get into the groove and  do a little better next time.

 

 These are pages I (pre) decorate and then I will be ready to just write... any time I have something to say or want to tell the girls about. I have found that really helps too... embellish many pages... then write. Don't embellish one, then write and repeat! And I am also getting over my over organizing talent and not making them in chronological order! I have many decorated pages.. I find one that I like at that moment or one that matches what I am writing about and I start writing! Amazing how something so insignificant can calm the stress!!!

 

 So, the journey has begun. I have several pages done, many more to go, but I am finding it easier to just jot a few things down every other night or so. Now.. my next problem issue.. my handwriting!  I have to print as since they don't teach cursive in school anymore, the girls won't be able to read it, so I'd better print. But my printing is sloppy, so I work hard to write nicely! So, stay tuned for more ideas and inspiration. I have 2 other books I am working on!  

 

If you want to see where I got my inspiration from... 

Meet   >>>>>>>   Terri Dudash - Artist 

                                                   (Thanks, Terri!)

 If you want to check out my Junk Journals... at the top of the page.. click on "Junk Journals" and scroll through all of them!

 Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE

Emily Junk Journal

I made this Junk Journal for my 8 year old grand daughter that is an outdoorsey kid. I am trying to teach my grand kids.. you don't need to sit and write pages .. write as much as you want.. but really, just a name, date and a sentence or two is enough to keep that memory for later! So far, they are not listening!! Enjoy the video and feel free to collect some ideas for your own! Most every thing in this journal is hand made, scrap/junk stuff I found. ... meaning... not much store bought or digi downloaded! Just stuff I had around the house or Dollar store

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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The Harry Potter quilt is FINALLY finished!!

Harry Potter is in the House!!!! Finally!!!!

It has been a long, hard journey for the past 6 months, but finally... IT IS FINISHED!!!
Well, actually 3 are finished! I have 3 grand daughters that have vowed to be "Potterheads" for the rest of their lives so for Christmas this year.. they are getting an amazing Harry Potter quilt.. made by their favorite grandmother... ME!

At first, I was so excited as I was making 9 patch blocks but adding images and words, etc. I was fortunate to find several fabrics at Joann's Craft store as I hate buying fabric online. I like to see what I am getting, see the colors are right, etc, so, I only buy online when I have no other choice. But the prints I got were amazing and.. using a coupon, got them at 50% off regular price.

And I use several kinds of squares like Flying Geese etc and also did some machine embroidery with Glow in the Dark thread. Yes.. it really glows in the dark. I used it as the top thread and neutral cotton in the bobbin. Also, several, what I call, "glitter fabrics".. they really do glitter/shine, but there is nothing that flakes off like actual glitter.

2 of the girls, being sisters,  share a room so I wanted to make them like a bed spread of the same pattern, but some differences to make the quilt their own. I bought the panels for the center and kept those the same so the room doesn't look jumbled with different bedspreads. I then went back to math class and did the math to add sashings and 9-patch blocks to make the quilts twin size. They ended up being 70"x90". The older sister is rather tall so I wanted the bedspreads/quilts longer for her sake so I made them both the same size.

 The width pattern of the quilt is ... center panel, 2" sashing (black with gold dots), 4" sashing (blue with gold sparkles) 9-patch block (9"x9" finished block and each square is 3"x3" finished), blue sashing, black sashing and blue binding. The length pattern is the 9"x9" finished block and Black with gold dots sashings. I know they are going to love the golds in the fabric as they stand out very nicely!
 I was glad to have my design wall...which is a flannel blanket with a casing on top, and an expansion rod through the casing and put up over the closet sliding doors. This way, I have the wall and can still get in the closet when needed. I put each block up until I had the right amount of them, then placed them as I wanted them to be on the quilt.

MAKING THE BLOCKS 

 

 This is one block. I used Flying Geese to make the pointed squares and then cut out the faces of the characters and with double sided fusible interfacing... fused them to the block.  You can also see the black with gold dot fabric. They are raised up and you can't iron them.. they melt off! The other square I made was an "Hour Glass" and I used black and beige glitter fabric. It really does glitter/shine, but nothing comes off!

 This 9-patch I fussy cut images from the fabric  - the square of the school (top left) and the square with Harmonie and Ron (just below that and the dragon middle right) You might notice I did embroidery on some of the squares.. this is done with "glow in the dark" thread. Yes, it really does glow! I picked  15 names of characters and did machine embroidery and wrote the names... notice Hermione Granger in the lower right square and then I did a fussy cut of her face and fused it on! On the left bottom corner...another fussy cut of the Griffindorf logo fused on AFTER the 9-patch was finished.

 This one has HST's for each corner, a Flying Geese for the arrows and a fussey cut "Harry Potter" from the fabric. Also, fussy cuts are of the 4 house banners. Another thing I did that I think the kids are going to love, is this one fabric I got was like a newspaper with phrases and things. I cut them out, fused them to the finished block like in the upper right corner here. Again, some machine embroidery of names in the 2 lower corner squares.

This ne has a few of all of the above! Glow in the Dark name (top,left) Flying Geese (top right). Fussey cut from fabric (middle left and middle right and lower right. The center square and lower-middle are made into one rectangle and I used the Ravenclaw logo and banner and added a newspaper headline.

 This block had HST's on 2 of the corners with fussey cut add-ons and the glittery silver fabric. The center has Hogwarts fused to it. And as you can see, other squares are cut from the fabric as is.

 This one is one of my favorites because I made the three characters on the center of  2, flying Geese sewn together. And you can see the blue and gold sparkle fabric used for the sashing.

This one shows more of the machine embroidery with the Glow in the Dark thread of 6 names. All the squares are HST's. Amazing how many different designs you can make with HST's.







         

This is the back. I used Maurders Map fabric, the same blue as on the front and the Harry Potter with drawings of the Hogwarts school all around.  The binding is black.  This is a close up of the added headline, fused to the sashing. These 2 are quilts, cotton front, VERY THIN batting and cotton back. The point is.. they are on their beds all the time.. lot of sitting on them and being used so I wanted them a little thicker to with stand the use of being sat on etc, all the time.

AND THE THIRD ONE....

I did a third one for the other grand daughter. she is older and being in a warmer climate, she wanted less warmth so hers is more of a blanket quilt. Cotton top, NO BATTING and cotton flannel back.

 These are a few blocks from hers.  Again, HST's with the glitter fabric and some fussey cuts.

This one has a "Golden Snitch" HST. I did some with the gold glitter (beige background)with black glitter to imitate a Snitch also.

Golden Snitch (black and gold/beige)

The Golden Snitch black with gold triangles

This is the back. It is solid and I just fused a few of the fussey cuts around it. 100% cotton flannel and I fused (then machine sewed around) a few fussey cuts from the "newspaper" fabric.

This is the front. Hers is only different in that I made each block separately. I had alot of fun doing this.. just create as I go and make 16 for each quilt

I then thought to make them each a pillowcase to go with the quilts. These two are for the sisters sharing a room.. the black trim is different so they each have "their own" pillowcase!

And although I don't have a picture, I also made them each a 7"x9" zipper pouch.  I used the leftover 3,1/2x3,1/2 inch squares..sewed 6 together and that was the front.

And THAT's my World of Harry Potter for the last 6 months, which also included one month of NO sewing machine as both of mine were in the shop for maintenance and a massive struggle with FMQ'ing stitches not doing right, only to figure out.. I had my thread on the spool wrong! Now THAT was a lesson learned that with NEVER be forgotten!

I hope you have enjoyed the journey and gotten some good ideas for your own Harry Potter quilts or blankets. And with that.. I will not be saying the words "Harry Potter" again at least until Christmas when the quilts will be loved and adored by my wonderful granddaughters!

Thanks for stopping by and...keep on preserving those memories! Want to read more at Fabric and Memories? CLICK HERE
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