All posts by Sylvia

Bookbinding, Craft Fairs, Paper Crafts

I’ve been so busy, I forgot I have to maintain a blog.

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This is what happens when I take on too many projects at one time. I need to schedule my time and try not to do so many projects at once. Prepping for a craft show, taking two classes, dog-sitting a dog with anxiety, knitting, weaving, and just generally losing control on my time is getting almost nothing accomplished.

There are other things that are scheduled like hosting a weekly event, teaching a monthly class, attending a couple of weekly meetups – not Meetups – that go on. And I have all sorts of paper planners and scheduling software that could make things easier, but I still can’t keep organized. Yes, recurring events are on the calendar, but apparently, I need a daily schedule, even for things like “do the dishes” and “clean the bathroom” and “take the pills that are saving your life” since I still manage to occasionally skip a dose.

I used to make lists and that’s what I need to start doing again. Make a list of everything I want to accomplish one day at a time. Thanks for reading. I’ll let you know how it goes.

These are some of the items for the craft show. Junk journals, a folio, and an explosion book.

And May the 4th be with you,

Bookbinding

Book Cloth

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Today I made some book cloth to use on junk journal covers. It’s very easy to create colorful covers with do-it-yourself book cloth. I had been planning to make for a few months and finally decides to do it.

A colorful assortment of book cloth.

Anyone can make their own book cloth using fabric, tissue paper and a fabric bonding agent. What I used was a fat quarter bundle from Joann Fabric and Crafts, a product called Heat ‘n’ Bond, also from Joann’s, and white tissue paper from the No-longer Dollar Store.

For those who don’t sew, a fat quarter is the equivalent of a quarter yard of fabric. However, it is very different from a regular quarter yard. A quarter yard of fabric will be a nine-inch wide strip cut across the width of the fabric. A fat quarter is a yard of fabric cut lengthwise and crosswise to form four rectangles around 18 by 22 inches or slightly more depending on whether the fabric is 32 inches wide or 44/45 inches wide. Individual fat quarters can be bought or they may be bundled with coordinating colors or patterns.

Heat ‘n’Bond can be bought by the yard off the bolt or prepackaged. The light hold works well since you will only be bonding the fabric to the tissue paper. The book cloth will either be glued to the cover or sewn around the edges. The tissue paper keeps the glue from seeping through the fabric.

You will also need an iron and ironing board, scissors, and a ruler. You don’t have to prewash the fabric. Set the iron according to the recommended setting for the type of Heat ‘n’ Bond you have. Cut the Heat ‘n’ Bond to the size of the fabric piece. Press any wrinkles out of the fabric before placing the bonding sheet down on the wrong side of the fabric. I usually iron in a circular motion, ironing out from the center of the piece. Check the edges to make sure the adhesive is on the fabric and not stuck on the backing paper.

Once you’re certain the adhesive is in place on the fabric, remove the backing sheet by lifting a corner and gently pull up across the sheet. If the iron missed spots, press the area and check again. The fabric should still be warm when you pull up the backing sheet. Lay a sheet of tissue paper on top and iron until the tissue paper is adhered to the fabric. Trim the edges even with the bonded area. Et, voila! Book cloth.

Bookbinding

Junk Journal prep

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More signatures are ready for the junk journals I’m working on. Thirty new signatures are waiting to be added. The journals are various sizes and will have up to five signatures depending on the width of the spine. Each signature will be trimmed to fit the journal covers. The covers are made of box board – trimmed boxes from frozen pizzas, crackers, tissues, and other boxed products, covered in scrapbook paper or fabric or both. The spines are reinforced with muslin that extends into the hinges.

The signatures are made up of various papers dyed with coffee or gel frosting colors, or magazine pages, maps, drawing paper, lined papers of various colors, and other types of paper. They will be embellished with borders and pockets, stamps, and stencils and collaged pieces.

This stack of paper represents 30 journal signatures.
Sewing

Thursday, April 6th

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Today I worked on a puppet I’m making for my sister. I’m building the face. It’s a hybrid sock puppet made from fleece instead of a sock. She requested a new one since her youngest grandson appropriated the original. I made the old one pictured below 20 years ago.

Snoopkitty

She has seen better days. The new one has the legs lightly stuffed and to shape will have a tail. The head will be shaped a bit better with some batting to give it more structure. The facial features will be similar. I should be done with it by Monday so I can ship it out.

I’ll post a photo of the completed puppet soon.

Bookbinding, Paper Crafts

Hello Again

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I’m back. Busier than ever. Since last we met, I’ve joined a makerspace here in Madison, called the Bodgery. I’m the Craft Area Captain. What that means is I’m in charge of a large room filled with almost everything a crafter needs – sewing machines, knitting machines, a heat press, bookbinding supplies, yarn, fabric and even more stuff. I teach members how to use the equipment in the Craft Area, as well as bookbinding, knitting , sewing and papercrafts. I’ll be posting the projects I’m working on as well as a few pictures of classes with the participants’ permission.

Right now, I’m working on some junk journals. Here are two made from return envelopes covered in tissue paper. The inside pages are various papers including magazine pages and scrap papers.

The cat

A Gingersnap is not always a cookie.

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I’ve taken in my son’s cat. He left her with me when he moved to an apartment with a (now former) friend. Her name is Gingersnap, called Ginny or Gin-Gin, and she used to be feral.

She’s about nine years old, dislikes other cats, but tolerates dogs. She’s not cuddly. Oh no. She’d rather bite the hand that feeds her right up to the elbow. Her favorite game to play is “grab the ankles and trip the one who feeds me.” She hates the fact that I won’t allow her to go outside.

She does like her cat tree by the window. She can watch the side and back yards from her perch. She also guards the door and greets everyone who comes in. She especially likes meeting the dog I sit on Tuesdays and Fridays. He’s afraid of cats and she loves to get in his face.

She’s so special that I’m working on a mini book about her titled A Gingersnap Is Not Always A Cookie.

Gingersnap aka Gin-Gin aka Ginny
Craft Fairs

Sunday Market – August 12th

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I knew I should have stayed in bed after I checked the weather. But the car was already loaded and I had promised to deliver a special order, so I drove 39 miles to make no money except for the special order = $5.00.

It started raining as I headed for the highway and the rain increased as I drove. When I got to Baraboo, it was still raining. I”m glad I bought a canopy or it really would have been a wasted trip. I set up but only with two tables. I didn’t put out any paper goods. and only a few in each category.

By the time I finished setting up, my shoes were soaked and my pants were wet to the knee. It was chillier than I expected so I kept my raincoat on. There weren’t many vendors – nine, including the ice cream vendor.  Some of the vendors only have picnic umbrellas; they stayed home. (Smart people)

The rain kept collecting above the front and back of the canopy. When I emptied the front, the water went down my sleeve into my armpit. Wet shoes, wet pants, and now a wet shirt – short sleeved. When I emptied the back, the water splashed on the wall and sprayed everywhere. Fortunately, I had the lids on all the bins. My chair got wet. Better and better. Wet shoes, wet pants, wet shirt , wet inside of raincoat, and now, nowhere to sit.

By the time people started to arrive, the rain had stopped, but I was under a tree, so I still had water pooling. Splash, splash.  I had a lot of lookers, but no sales. The jewelery lady next to me made a few sales, the veggie lady on the other side didn’t do as well she expected. We had a new vendor who actually made a lot of sales. She had items made from recycled wood and priced around $5.

I didn’t take any photos of my set up; something I always do. I didn’t feel like standing in the street and getting my phone wet.

I forgot to take a picture of the owl eyeglasses case I made as a special order. I delivered it, got paid, chatted for a bit and came home.

I’m staying home the next time it rains.

Craft Fairs

First Craft Show Set-up

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Image

This was my first setup. The table is at an angle to the booth – not my choice. It was the only way to make it fit after my friend had already set up. I’m not sure if I had a sign or not indicating what the prices were for the cats and notebooks. The mat in the foreground was priced at $30 because I didn’t really want to sell it. It was there to fill in space. I made no money that day.

 

I’ve learned more since then.