Triple-stacked Pocket and Tags

I found a tutorial for this cute triple-stacked pocket on Yvonne Preston's YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bna2jv-WSMo) and just had to make one for my junk journal.

I used three pieces of tea-dyed copy paper about 4" wide x 9" long, folded them into pockets and glued them together to form the "stack."

The little tags are bases of book pages glued together and then collaged with scraps of papers and embellished with botanical stickers I purchased quite awhile ago from Ali Express. They are about 3" x 3.5."

This was easy and fun to create. Yvonne's tutorial is very good if you want to try to make one.

Projects for Junk Journals - Using up Book Pages

I've become a little obsessed with junk journals lately. The coronavirus stay-at-home orders combined with a yearly junk journal page swap I'm participating in has given me reason to work on many pages and ephemera. I've also been watching many YouTubers in the junk journaling community which has been very inspiring.

When you remove pages to reduce bulk when making altered books or when you gut books to use the covers for all kinds of journals, you end up with a pile of loose pages! I have an abundance to use up! There are all kinds of ways to use book pages and here are just a few I've tried.

First, you can make "origami" boxes. These can be any size, depending on your pages and can hold so many things. I will use a few for cut up bits or odds and ends in my art room. They could also be used for jewelry or little gifts or office supplies ...

These are made from a pretty standard book page and measure about 2" square by 1" deep.

A great use for book pages is for bases. They can be glued together to make them thicker and can be cut into tags, journaling cards, bookmarks, even pages for books and journals. Once they are collaged, they make beautiful elements.

journaling cards on doubled book page bases

tag and journaling cards all on base of book pages
(coin envelope in center has collaged book text)

Torn up pages can be used for collage or even collaged bases for mixed media art.

canvas for mixed media prepared with book pages and gesso

They can be folded or cut into many different kinds of envelopes and pockets. 

double pocket

vertical double pocket

Stamp to make new "paper".

stamped book page made into envelope

Cut out words from book text to use as titles or sentiments or poetry.

example from Pinterest

Die cut or hand cut to make paper flowers.

Use as "glue pages." When gluing elements, work on an old book page. When it's sticky just throw away and start with another - a great way to keep your work area clean.

Some other ideas (which I haven't yet tried):

make paper beads, then color as desired

shred and make handmade paper

shred and use as "filling" when shipping packages

use as wrapping paper

punch for borders

make feathers

make ruffles

make banners or tabs

weave for a background

use for paper mâché

stamp on them and fussy cut images

punch or die cut shapes

I'm sure there are more ideas out there. I can assure you, I now rarely throw away a book page!

Altered Book - Part 2

Continuing on with more book spreads...

For the next page I followed along with LorriMarie Jenkins in this video using cutouts and a Tim Holtz "paper doll."

Cutouts/paper dolls

This page incorporates a zipper to make a pocket for a tag. The old cabinet card image of the man was printed on another image creating a layered look.

Zipper pocket

The background of this spread was done quite awhile ago. I layered two vintage black and white photos over pink tissue paper for the focal points. Then I found an old ratty pink flower which I cut in half and added to the page for texture.

This spread consists of three pages. The first and third pages are decoupaged with a napkin over a painty background. The middle page is actually a pocket for tags. Many scraps, a tag, postage stamps and even fabric bits were sewn to the pages before they were taped together. I found two very old tiny framed photos to add to each side.

Left page and one side of pocket

Other side of pocket and right page

This spread has an acetate window tip-in on the left page. The acetate was already printed with the text and flower. It covers a large image of a family and their house. The background has texture paste through a stencil and watercolors. 

Left page with acetate window tip-in

This spread has two torn pockets, hand-stitched together with black yarn. I added some tags I received in a swap. The microscope slide on the left page is one I received years ago in a swap and the heart on the right page is a sample I made while playing around with black UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel), a stamp and gold ink.

Torn pockets 

Still more to come...

Revisiting Altered Books

I have made a few altered books before, but about a month or two ago I discovered a new (to me) mixed media/altered book artist, LorriMarie Jenkins, on You Tube.  I have been binge-watching her videos on altered books ever since. She teaches in person in California but also uploads tutorials on her channel.

I just finished a book using her videos for the different pages. I only had one book with a stitched spine when I started watching her and I had already removed many of the pages, so this book only has about ten spreads. It was way too much fun! The spreads below are in the order in the book, but not in the order of when I created them. I will try to link her video for each technique.

This spread has a background of watercolors dripped with alcohol. The left page has a magazine collage with a top layer of crackle medium.  The right page has a cut-out niche with a collaged "tile" tied in. I did not cut a window for this page as I had already made the page backing it. (adding tile video)

These two pages are collaged magazine images of women. The left page has a background similar to the first spread, but with acrylic paint and alcohol drips. (acrylic paint and alcohol)

The right page has a background of texture paste through a stencil, covered with black gesso and highlighted with gelato. It seemed to be missing something so I added painted book page circles.

(black gesso and texture paste technique)

This spread is collage over a background of torn book pages, music paper and patterned paper. Watercolor adds the colors. (collage technique)

This spread has two pockets. The background is painted and stamped. The pockets are adhered by tying torn fabric strips through holes along the edge. 

The three focal points are actual tea bags with vintage images sewn in. They were then dipped in beeswax. (pocket tutorial) (tea bags with beeswax)

The large focal images of this spread are image transfers over a collaged background of various papers. I added stamping and lots of doodles in white pen. (image transfers)

The left page above features a hinged "door" revealing a magazine image. A magnet is hidden behind the book pages on the back of the door and catches the metal charm to keep the door closed. (adding door to page)

The right page is a napkin collaged to a background of book pages and music papers. The Eiffel Tower is a stamp and I added dots with a white paint pen. (napkin collage)

Detail - door open

This spread has a pop-up vintage image featuring several men. The background is black gesso with rings stamped with white paint and a toilet paper roll. I added lots of metal gears and tied fibers close the pockets which create the pop-up. (pop-up technique)

Better view of pop-up

This is a double spread - a left page, right page and a page with an acetate window between.  The photo above shows the right page peeking through the stamped acetate window. (adding window, substituting acetate)

The photo below shows the left page showing through the window.

Center page with acetate window

This is the last spread. The background is several layers of acrylic paint, dripped with alcohol. Two microscope slides contain vintage images and are adhered to the background. I added some collaged images, half circles and some white dot doodling. (adding microscope slides)

No ideas for the cover yet so it is unfinished. 

 She is just beginning a new altered book. This series will only feature the backgrounds and the rest of the pages will be up to each person to complete as desired. I am going to follow along with this one, from start to finish. Here is the first video of the new series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0V3awQB-5c&t=2967s  Come play along with us!