Nature Journal - In the Making - Part 2

This handmade journal is meant to be my winter nature journal and at first had a simple plan to make it easy and fast, in order to have it ready for the winter solstice.

Well, thing is that new ideas came up while I was cutting and sewing the signatures and I couldn't help myself but complicating it a bit more ( Ha! Like if I could do differently!).

I thought a fabric cover would be nice, but which fabric? Hmm... a blue one, with a rustic feeeling.. Ok.. I don't have any like that in blue... let's choose one and paint. 

And so I did, cut a piece of natural cotton, middle weight, found a brush and some leftover blue silk paint from my stash and a blue fabric was done. Using this paint is part of a goal I set myself this year, on putting to good use the old supplies that are forgotten in some hidden place at the studio.

Cool! It's a beautiful blue, this one.. (although, it's not a good photo to show it, but anyway.. you've got the idea :)

Hmm..now.. it's calling for something else.. maybe a printed pattern? Yes.. definitely a printed pattern. 

Which one? 

Searched through my handcarved stamps.. none that suits me...maybe the ready made ones? Nopes.. nothing like what I imagined. 

Ok, let's make one, then.

I took a precious little german book on wildflowers, a small treasure that I won from T's grandma, got some inspiration, sketched a few little flowers, chose one. 

That's it. Let's carve it.

After some tests, I was pretty much satisfied with the stamp. 

So, time to print! The color choice was easy, I had it clear in my mind already, as I really like the effect of white on blue.

And there it is! Done.

I had a lot of fun doing all this and I'll probably repeat the process other times, to have some different and personalized fabrics prepared. I do like some of the beautiful designer's commercial printed fabrics, and I have quite a few, I have to say, but when I am creating from scratch I think the results I get translate much better what I had in mind and what I am able to create. (not to mention how fun it is to try out our skills on different techniques :P )

Now, what's next? Ah, ok.. making the cover :)

Nature Journal - In the making- part 1

Selecting

Preparing

Sewing

Sewn 

Uma tarde azul

Uma caneca de chá, algumas canetas, uma pequena tesoura, retalhos de papel e tecido, carimbeira, um tantinho do cola, e a dupla que inspirou uma tarde azul : o moleskine e o mug rug, ou porta-caneca feitos à mão pela Sonia do blog Cozy Memories ( vale uma visita). 

Vieram da França há cerca de 2 semanas atrás, mas só agora consegui ter tranquilidade para fotografar. Gosto da  forma do mug rug, da mistura do tecido Liberty com os detalhes da flor e do cordão que amarra e especialmente do carinho do feito-à-mão ( faz toda a diferença). Os dois agora são presença constante nos momentos criativos.

A casinha é parte de um outro projeto que começa a tomar forma. Experimentos e descobertas.

A toalhinha de crochê também fui eu que fiz. Descobri que crochê é sempre um bom remédio para os momentos "sei-bem-ainda-qual-dos-projetos-vou-fazer" :)

A hot tea mug, a few colored pens, a small scissor, scraps of paper and fabric, a pinch of glue, stamp pads, and the couple which inspired a nice blue afternoon: the notebook and the mug rug, made by Sonia from Cozy Memories' blog (worth a visit).

They came from France and arrived a bit more than 2 weeks ago, but only now I've managed to find the time to take a photo ( even a not so good one). I love the mug rug shape, the use of Liberty's fabric together with the flower and the tied twine and most of all that unique feeling of  "handmade with care" ( makes all the difference!). Both are now loyal companions of mine at my creative moments.

The little paper house is part of another project that begins to take form. Experiments and discovers.

The crochet doily is also made by me. I've found out that crochet is always a good medicine for my "i-still-don't-know-which-project-to-choose-next" moments.