My Dori Insert Makings

April 1, 2016April 1, 2016 ~ Patty Radish ~ 7 Comments

The other day, when I’m sure I was supposed to be doing something else, I came up with what I thought was a pretty clever idea. It started when I was about to use an insert I had purchased to do some art journaling in. The kraft colored paper was less than inspiring.

So, I put a think on it, “What would be inspiring?” Scrapbook paper! but, then I’d have to make a space for journaling. Graph paper! but then I’d have just a bunch of lines, not much more inspiring than the kraft paper.

So, I came up with this…

How about printing graph lines onto the plain side of scrapbook paper!?

And here is how I did it…

First, I chose some pretty colors of one-sided, thin scrapbook paper. The package didn’t say the weight, but I’m guessing about 24 lb., slightly heavier than average copy paper.

Next, cut them down to 8 1/2″ x 11″, so that they will fit into your printer.

I purchased the pdf for this graph paper from One Little Penguin on Etsy for $4.00, can you say “Bargain”!

I set my printer to “borderless 8 1/2″ x 11” and hit “fill entire page” to completely fill the paper up.

These are the tools I used, a ready made insert to get the right size, a cutting mat, a rotary cutter, a ruler, a bone folder, a long arm stapler from Amazon, and a brayer to get the crease nice and flat.

These tools are mentioned in the Youtube video I watched to learn how to make these. The link is *here* if you want to take a look, there are lots of videos on how to do this if that one doesn’t tickle your fancy.

Once the inserts are made, you can use the leftovers to make matching ephemera! I ran some plain copy paper through to make matching graph paper for journaling pieces.

See all the mixy-matchy! I added a few store-bought ephemera pieces and stickers too, how fun is that!

It doesn’t take very much time or effort to get some page spreads ready for journaling and decorating! Stickers, stamping, more washi, and journaling, these pages fill up fast and look fantastic!

I have already filled these two page spreads out, so it’s time to get some more done!

Thank you for stopping by,

Have a great weekend,

~Patty

Dori Making, Faith Journaling, and Expectations

March 29, 2016March 29, 2016 ~ Patty Radish ~ 2 Comments

In the midst of getting ready to drive over the mountains to spend Easter with my daughter, I decided I needed to take on learning how to make a “Fabric Dori”, to keep my faith journaling inserts in. You see, I had ordered some Illustrated Faith inserts a couple of weeks ago, was expecting them any day, and I wanted to be ready!

Well, it may sound strange hearing this from me, but I have been questioning the amount of time I spend on my creative pursuits. Thinking about them, planning them, buying supplies, then talking about them on social media. You can imagine how patient my husband must be! But he fishes, a lot, so let’s not go there…

Anyway, the inserts of course arrived when I was gone, but I had printed up some freebie downloads, and glued them in an insert I already had. That was all I really needed.

When I got home, there was a gorgeous pile of Happy Mail waiting for me! So, I set to filling this Dori with Faith Journaling goodies!

The insert on the right is a plain kraft paper one I’m going to use to art journal in. The one on the left is an Illustrated Faith insert from the “Beautiful” devotional kit.

Now to the expectations…

or lack there of…

The first page in my I.F, “Created to Create” insert. When I read through it the first time, I didn’t know what to say. You see, I’ve been referred to as an artist in the past, I just don’t see myself as one. Maybe I have a different idea of what an artist is. All I know is, I feel a lot more comfortable with the label “Creative”, so let’s stick with that.

The most wonderful thing I realized after working on this page spread is that I don’t have to feel guilty about the amount of time I spend creating! My creativity runs throughout my life, my cooking, decorating, gardening. In a nut shell, I live a creative life! It truly is a gift from God!

So, no more guilt! (I hope!)

Thank you once again for stopping by,

Have a great day,

~Patty

Washi Days

March 26, 2016March 23, 2016 ~ Patty Radish ~ 6 Comments

I have been on a bit of a washi tape buying binge lately. In my defense, I really use the heck out of it, and with Spring in the air, I needed some color!

These are from Michaels craft store. I’ve been waiting for months for them to get some new varieties in. Very Spring-ish I would say!

I used a 30% off your entire purchase coupon for these. The two large rolls on the left are from the Heidi Swapp “Marquee Love” collection, the others are from the Michael’s “Recollections” brand. They’re all a bit pricey, but pretty good quality.

Scotch brand is stepping up their game with some gorgeous color! I’m going to have to buy more of that pink floral soon, too cute!

These are some skinny washis I bought on Amazon, made by MT Co. I just put “thin washi tape” in the search, then scrolled till I found some I liked. The florescent ones really add a nice punch of color to your work!

I found these at “I luv Design” on Etsy while searching for that skinny washi by Amy Tangerine. If I’m going to pay shipping, I’m buying more, stands to reason! Some new faves! Great Shop!

Hows that for cute! I bought these on Etsy from “Silent Poetry Arts“, isn’t that a lovely name! I love that woodland one, but that red and gold dotted one is super awesome!

I use the skinny washi to divide up my planner pages. It would be less expensive to draw a line, but definitely not as pretty! As you can see, finding skinny washi is getting much easier now I’m happy to say!

I hope you will visit the Etsy shops I listed and check out their stock. Both are in the US and had a super fast turn around!

Until next time,

Thank you for stopping in,

Happy shopping,

~Patty

Thrifty Thursday Happy Mail Organization

March 24, 2016March 21, 2016 ~ Patty Radish ~ 4 Comments

Yep, I decided to bag “Throwback Thursday” and replace it with “Thrifty Thursday”. If I’m going to share about a bunch of old crap, I’d rather it was once somebody else’s old crap!

That being said, let’s move along…

At the beginning of March, I shared about some of my thrifted finds, and said I’d get back to you on this sweet, little overnight case.

When I first bought it, I had no idea what I was going to use it for, but I just had to have it. I didn’t take long to come up with a plan…

…my new Happy Mail Organization case! Yay!

Up until now, all my happy mail was thrown into a box with no rhyme or reason. I love to use the ephemera that people send to me in my journals, and I like to keep track of who sent what, so organizing was a must!

Isn’t that rectangular case perfect for stamps? I’ve been tearing stamps off letters as long as I can remember. There’s quite a few years worth in there!

So, I went through my box of happy mail and gathered up all of the envelopes, put the pieces into these large plastic envelopes, and labeled them. There is a pocket on the backs of these envelopes for any larger pieces that don’t fit inside, perfect!

Speaking of Happy Mail, here is the latest from my dear friend Iryna.

Some beautiful post cards.

Stamps, journaling pieces, and educational floral cards.

Bird cards, stickers, and hand written phrases.

Thank you Iryna!

This is the page I put together from the ephemera in Iryna’s letter. There was even some gorgeous bird tape and stamps on the envelope that I carefully removed and used! My only addition was some colorful washi tape to pull the colors together.

I love the message on this page, “Time to Fly!”.

And so it is!

Thank you so much for the visit,

Have a great rest of your week,

~Patty

Vintage Supply Findings

March 21, 2016March 21, 2016 ~ Patty Radish ~ 7 Comments

This is what happens when you wait too long to share, it piles up! It’s been two months, to the day, since I last wrote about my vintage findings. And it seems I’ve been very busy!

These are a few things I picked up while spending the day with one of my best friends. Milk caps and vintage Japanese postcards. I’m not sure what I will do with those postcards, I may have to come up with some kind of postcard album, just so I can look at them once in a while instead of poking them into a drawer.

Dennison goodies from Ebay. I have since found a much less expensive alternative, I’ll share that in a bit.

Those Thanksgiving seals will be fun for journal decorating around the holidays, I have no explanation for the music dictionary.

Books that have seen better days. There’s an antique mall in the next town that has loads of books that are in pretty bad shape, but for a decent price. I just love the covers on these, I don’t care if they’re falling apart, I think it adds to their character!

I have to say, I love taking something that other people might look at as hopeless and making something useful out of them!

French Prayer cards from “French Vintage 4 You” on Etsy. Her shop is in France, but the shipping was very reasonable. This is just a portion of what I received, I just love them!

She has lots of great antiques and ephemera too, go check her out!

Some super cute ephemera from “Feed the Birdies” on Etsy. Her shop is filled with so much cute, vintage ephemera, it was hard to choose. I love that she sent a report card from Moses Lake, WA. That’s where my daughter lives, how cool is that!

I’m considering writing my name at the top of these, I couldn’t bring home a report card like these in my wildest dreams!

A treasure trove from “Saturday Morning Vintage“. I ordered this ephemera pack along with some Dennison labels. I had the hardest time getting all this into the photo, there was so much of it!

I have to admit, I didn’t pay very much attention to the shop photo when I purchased this because I was in such a hurry, so what a great surprise it was when I went through it and found so many awesome little goodies! There isn’t one thing I’m not in love with here! Swoon!

Here are the Dennison labels from her shop. The rest of that, at the right, is the gratis pack she included with my order! Again, I love every bit of it. (I hope you can sense my excitement over all this!)

I don’t know where she finds all this awesomeness, the lucky duck, but you have to go check out her shop, its fantastic!

Well, thats it for now. I hope you will go check out the shops I mentioned.

Till next time,

Thank you for stopping in,

Have a great day,

~Patty