That's Pinteresting!: Tie-Dye Coffee Filter Art

After my mother and I tried out bubble painting the other day, I started working my way through my Art Projects for Kids board on Pinterest, trying out some of the different techniques I have pinned over the past months.

I found a homeschooling mom at The Kitchen Table Classroom who uses markers and water on coffee filters to teach her children about color mixing.  You can't beat the project for simplicity, and the coffee filters that are created make interesting background papers for other projects.

I stopped using paper filters in a coffee maker about a year ago, so the filters have worked their way into my craft stash. I was happy to find a fun, easy, and pretty way to make use of them. I also borrowed the girls' craft drawer full of markers, and pulled out a little mini-mister I have, though you can use any sort of squirt bottle filled with water.

First, you just fold the coffee filter into quarters. My daughter Katy demonstrates this step:

Then you make colorful marks all over one quarter of the filter.  The color goes through the paper to the other side, but I like to flip the filter over and reinforce with more marks on the other side for an even richer effect.  Here are Bayla and Katy adding their marks to their filters:

Here is an example of the filters filled with marker color:

For the next step, just squirt the water from your mister or bottle onto the marks and watch the colors "melt" and blend:

This is a fun step, because you never know exactly how the marker and the water are going to react.

You can set the filters aside onto wax paper to dry; they don't take too long to dry, which is another plus with kids' crafts!

No two filters look alike, so it is fun to admire all the different results!  Because they look so much like tie-dye, I thought it would be fun to use them in the background of a journal page or ATC along with vintage images of women from the 1960s era.  We will see where that project takes me!

This is one of those projects that I firmly believe you can do even if there isn't a kid in sight!  Most of the projects on my Art Projects for Kids Pinterest board are fun- and artful-enough for kids or adults to enjoy!

Alternatives to Rubber Stamp Carving

On Black Friday, I treated myself to some discounted online workshops from North Light Shop, which carries products and classes for Cloth Paper Scissors.  Among the {ahem} eight downloads I purchased, was Playful Printmaking with Dina Wakley.

I've been putting her class instruction to use in my art room, finding some interesting alternatives to carving my own rubber stamps for making original prints on papers for my art journaling and collage creations.

Without giving away all of her workshop secrets, I wanted to share some of the new things that have found their way onto my work table.

First, I created some monoprinting tools by cutting shapes out of thick watercolor paper (Dina used tag board, otherwise known as manila file folder, but it didn't prove thick enough to make a good print for me so I opted for something thicker) and gluing them down onto pieces of tag board.

My experiment with tag board-on-tag board

My experiment with watercolor paper-on-tag board

By applying paint with a brayer, the tag board creates a kind of stamp for monoprinting onto art paper.

My first run was more about trying the technique than producing something I plan to use for a specific project.  Some of the papers were kind of pretty, though some were a bit of a hot mess.  I think I need to spend some more time looking at Dina Wakley's work to see how this style of printing works with her art journaling style.

Next, I tried using a pen to press designs into regular old foam, like I find in the kids' section at the craft store.  I found this technique a little more promising. I could use some of the same designs I've used when carving stamps into rubber, only this process is MUCH less labor intensive!

Both of these are designs I've carved into rubber before.

It sounds like these stamps should last for quite a little while, making impressions for months and even years to come (whereas the tag board stamps don't stand the test of time quite so well).

The main thing for me has just been getting back into my art room!  I'm not sure what causes the procrastination; what crazy person puts laundry and house cleaning ahead of art time?!?

At the risk of dooming my intentions to failure by making them into New Year's Resolutions, I'd like to see 2017 be a year of increased art-making, even if it's only an excuse to get my hands into their preferred state of paint-y and glue-y-ness!

Makery @ Middletown: Paper-Making

Handmade papers from a local library workshop

I have discovered yet another reason to love my local library!

The Middletown Free Library offers a full roster of Makery events, bringing the arts and crafting to our local community through free adult programming.  Recently I attended a workshop with my mother where we made our own paper.  I had tried this years ago, with all the "right" supplies, and wasn't particularly pleased with my results.  Here we used some interesting "around the house" sorts of supplies, and I really like the papers I created!

The workshop was held in the cinder-block basement of the library, with a well-tarped floor to capture our wet mess-making.  Each table held two or three large tubs (like you might use to store decorations or out-of-season clothing) filled with water.  Alongside each tub, we were provided with a framed screen, loose screen, a towel, and a sponge.

Here I am, ready for some paper-making!

For our first step, we chose paper scraps to throw into the blender with water to create our paper pulp. (We burned out one blender motor right away, and were left with a single machine to share!)

Then we dumped the blender carafe of pulp into our plastic tub of water.  The next step is to dunk our framed screen under the water, drawing pulp up onto it as we bring it back above the surface.

Pulp on the screen with petal and tea leaf embellishments

At this point, we could add "goodies" from the table up front: petals, grass, tea leaves, glitter.  By pressing these add-ons gently into the pulp, they became part of the handmade paper.

Table of inspiration and embellishments

We then put a screen over our paper creation and gently pressed the sponge onto the screen, causing excess water to fall out the bottom and back into the tub. Sometimes, when there was very little water left, I continued to press the sponge onto the screen on top of a towel to soak up the last drops.

Using a sponge to push out as much water from the pulp as possible

When we had as much water as possible pressed out of the paper, we turned the framed screen over onto an unframed piece of screen and "encouraged" the paper off of it.

Some paper required more "encouraging" than others to get it to come off the screen!

This unframed screen was then set aside onto newspaper to allow our handmade paper to dry.

My handmade papers drying on the floor of our workroom

It took a very long time for my papers to dry; they sat out on my kitchen island continuing the drying process once I got home, and I wouldn't say they were fully dry until I woke up the next morning.

And what a stack of interesting handmade papers I had to show for my efforts!

A new stash of handmade art-making materials!

I haven't done anything with them yet, but I foresee using them in my art journal, as gift tags, and as parts of upcoming collage projects.

I love that the materials we used in the Middletown workshop were all easily accessible for someone at home--no big investment in supplies other than some screening from the hardware store.

More paper-makers at play 

My mom. Those water tubs didn't stay clean for long once we started playing with the pulp!

When the weather turns warm again and we can spend lots of time outdoors, I might even tackle this project with my kids!

My First Letter Writing Social

A Letter Writing Social Tablescape

I have been hearing about Letter Writing Socials for years, especially from Pamela at Cappuccino and Art Journal and Mary England of Uncustomary.  The main goal of the letter writing social is to keep the art of the written letter alive in this age of emails and other digital communications.

Like-minded people gather around typewriters, pretty papers, pens, stickers, decorative tapes and other staples of the traditional-meets-modern letter writer.  They sit at tables that are deliciously crowded with supplies and other letter-writers' works-in-progress.  They sip tea, or coffee, or wine--depending on the venue--and leave with postcards or letters written, stamped, and ready to send.

The Midtown Scholar in Harrisburg, PA

I attended my first Letter Writing Social in mid-August at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore and Cafe in Harrisburg, PA.  Our organizer Anne had loads of supplies to offer us, and several of us brought contributions, as well.  My mother came along with me, and I had an opportunity to see my old friend Becky (the Snail Mailer) and meet the illustrious Mary England, blogger-author-and-life enthusiast, promoter of self-love and creativity.

My Mom and I, fan-girling with Mary

Our location was perfect--tables set up right in the heart of the bookstore.  Not only did we have attendees who knew of the event ahead of time, but we also drew in passers-by who were often mystified and then delighted to discover that we were "just sitting there writing letters."

Our organizer, Anne, with Mary England at the start of the social

Our typewriter station, with Becky on the right

We had some young participants who enjoyed the mysteries of the ancient typewriter.

Sometimes the letter-writing became a family affair:

And there were some couples who made Sunday a letter-writing afternoon date:

There was lots of enthusiasm generated by the social, whether expressed by diligent work or big smiles.

For my part, I prepared several postcards, and wrote messages on three of them (including one I mailed to myself!).  Everyone was generously sharing their supplies (to the extent that they were saying, "Take these papers, take these stickers---please!) so I expanded some of my mail art stash as well.

And if ever I needed some visual inspiration, I could always gaze around at my favorite sight--shelves upon shelves upon shelves of books at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore.  They have an impressive collection of over 200,000 new and used books, and offer a popular community meeting space in my state's capital city.

Anne is already planning the next Letter Writing Social in October.  I am looking forward to getting back to my mail art making and letter writing, with the help of Mary's Snail Mail eCourse.  If you are interested in finding out more about the fun of old-fashioned/new-fangled letter writing, Mary has tons of resources, and you can email me at aleakaskey@yahoo.com for more information too!

Have Journal, Will Travel

It's not everyday that I find a craft project involving an empty toilet paper tube that I like.

I mean, I'm as big a fan of upcycling as the next guy; I even have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to upcycling projects.

But an empty toilet paper tube?

Leave it to book artist Gwen Diehn to come up with a toilet paper tube project I feel comfortable sharing!

I created this Roll-Up Travel Journal using instructions from Gwen in a book from The Weekend Crafter series, entitled, Books and Journals: 20 Great Weekend Projects.

The design allows the little journal to be thrown into a backpack or purse for an impromptu weekend getaway, when you might want to catch some thoughts or sketches quickly on paper while on-the-go.  After all, it comes with its own protective case!  And that is where the toilet paper tube comes into play:

You slide the journal (made with a corrugated cover) out of the tube...

And find a complete bound journal inside!

The journal inside is made with a simple pamphlet stitch, but the design is made more interesting by including a window cutaway in the cover.  I couldn't resist a peek through my window through my window...if you see what I mean:

Gwen pointed out in her directions that you could tie a cord around the tube lengthwise in order to tie it onto your belt loop while you hike or sightsee.  It is ready to pop in and out of its case for on-the-go use!

Back in it goes!

A very respectable use for our empty toilet paper tubes, don't you think?

(Okay, so there might be at least THREE PINS on my Upcycle Pinterest board involving empty toilet paper tubes.  I confess...they can come in handy in the crafting world!)