The Perfect Book for A Love Story

One of the things that I love to do is make creativity journals for people.  Over the years I have amassed a ridiculous amount of random papers, plus I can help myself from picking up tons of vintage papers/books anytime I see the opportunity.  I find using an assortment of interesting papers as a canvas for thoughts, doodles, collages, or photos creates a really great jumping off point for the imagination. Every once in awhile, I get the honor to create a very special book for someone, and collaborate with them to find papers, colors, and textures that reflect their spirit and passions.

I've been working on such a wonderous book this past couple weeks, and it is now zooming away across the states to land in the hands of a very special soon-to-be-wedded couple.  The book will serve as a guest book of sorts at their upcoming fall wedding.  I adored working on it and was over the moon with how beautifully all the ideas came together.  I couldnt be more excited to share with you a few peeks at some of my favorite parts of what I created for them...

 a love story from a vintage children's book

 pages from fashion magazine paired with valentines doily

 personal photos printed on fabric and hand embellished

 vintage wedding wrapping paper

fabric and paint makes such a yummy textured one of a kind cover

 lots of interesting shapes, sizes, and colors paired throughout

 hand embroidered photo of the couple and a love note

woodland creatures from old story book

 recycled ribbons from old saris and hand dyed silk, so rich in color

I can't wait for their friends and family to fill the pages with love and well wishes for the couple's new life together.  What do you think?   

*(If you are looking for a unique book to serve as a journal, photo album, gift, or anything else you can dream up, I'd love to create something special just for you.  Just send me a message that you want a custom journal and I can create a custom listing for you in my shop.  I also have pre-made creativity journals available in my Etsy Shop.) 

Thanks for letting me share my latest creation with you!

XO, HARMONY

Scrap Art Discoveries

Using recycled, upcycled, and reurpused materials in my art journals and artworks is really important to me.  I always try to use at least 50% found materials in my art journals, heck its where I can up with the idea to start making them.  I was moving and in the process of packing my art room, I discovered that I owned 3 giant tubs full of random papers/magazines/books, that I was saving for some unknown future project.  So I created the Creativity Art Journal, where the covers are taken from used shipping boxes and the papers are mixed with pages from old books, discarded stuff, used paper bags/newspapers, and taped-together scrap pieces.


But I really like to challenge myself to get more of these types of materials in my art pieces as well.  This can sometimes be a bit more tricky.  This is how I came up with Scrap Art.  (it was also a huge part due to the fact that my son (who's 2) HAS to be painting anytime he sees that I am painting.   So with my little boy in hand and a box of supplies, we set up our "studio."  With some torn up squares from an old box, some acrylic paints, a big brush, and a pile of random bits and pieces of collage elements that I saved from the trash or were left over from other projects, we CREATED together.  He did all the painting.  I just arrange the elements to be added and squirted more paint when he instructed me.   I blogged about this day HERE.  As promised in the previous blog, I finished up the pieces (added some pen work and some words, and chained them together as a cohesive wall piece).  I just love them!  Scrap Art is my new favorite blend of my art time and mothering!  I predict many more pieces will appear over this year.  Here is some pics of the finished piece and some close-ups.

It says (from top to bottom) Imagine/ Dwell in Possibilities/ Free Your Spirit/ Find Bliss.  The other painting next to it is a work in progress.  Just hanging there to dry at the moment, and I will show you more of her when she's finished.

Ooh I just adore them!  A bit of messiness to add beauty to your day.  Let me know what you think.  Have you created anything from "trash?"  Tell me about it and post links.