Junk Journal #2

Subtitle: Pink Things

I fully expected there would be snow in March.

But the truth is that snow isn't quite as magical on March 25th as it is on December 25th.

But it's still beautiful...and it won't last long.

Becky's second junk journal is a little chunkier....and the layered cover just kind of happened on its own. 

Many years ago Becky gave me a stack of cards from her mom's stash. She knew I might have a use for them....some day. Roses were a favorite of Lucy's...and they certainly are a favorite of Becky. So I chose some cards rose cards from that stash and pink things ended up being a bit of a theme.

I didn't originally intend for these two rose cards to become the cover...but I loved the way they stacked up....so decided they deserved front and center. And that tiny black and white leaf peeking out makes me smile. It's on a card from David, Becky's husband.

Like the other one...this one has vintage stationary.....

greeting cards, an old cookbook cover, a couple of recognitions certificates for Becky's teaching, and lots of this and that.

And again, several places for her to add more this and that.

I love the way this velum rose card becomes the spine. 

I enjoyed putting these two journals together....and we're thinking about doing a version of this for our group art exchange. We will iron out the details when I visit at the end of April. 

Junk Journals

Junk journals are kind of a thing these days in the art journal world. They're handmade books created from recycled and found materials and used for journaling and creative expression. They can be any size and assembled however you want....it's just a matter of curating a collection of papers...and stitching them together.

I shared this photo in a post back in February....and this is just one layer of a whole big pile of ephemera Becky sent me to make her some junk journals. And I'm also modifying an art journal like the one I've been working in....ripping down pages and stitching in her stuff. She doesn't sew....so that part has always held her back.

Becky's pile included some of her own art and coloring....vintage and precious papers and memorabilia. There's stationary from her childhood....gelli prints...and even a few things that were originally from my stash that now have found their way back to my studio.

I've put together two junk journals so far...and have enough for another one or two. 

The first journal is small and simple. I used a card from her stash for the cover and reinforced the spine with a piece of fused fabric. I've made a lot of books....but this is actually my first junk journal so I'm learning as I go along. I have no idea if it's what she had in mind. 

It's a mix of things...and there are lots of places for her to embellish....add more art....doodle....or write memories and quotes.

Here are a few spreads from the journal....ready for Becky to add her touch.

It starts with a Mother's Day card from her daughter Emily....mother of Max.

This page hold the famous quote: Where the hell is my pickle fork? I can't have anything nice with you kids. That was the inspiration for my "chuckle" Tiny Pages Art Exchange card I did for her back in July.

And how can you not love this 1958 Super-Service Station receipt for $5.40.

Becky saved this winning score sheet.....

and this note is actually from Margie. 

Yes....my Margie!

I probably got a letter on this stationary when we were young.

And the last page is the inside of Emily's card...which is just so precious. 

Dear Mom,

Thank you 

for having 

Band-aids.

From Emily

There are more pages....but you get the idea. I'll share the second one tomorrow. 

Tiny Bits of Hope

Although I still have faith that ultimately the arc of the moral universe will bend towards justice.....on a day to day basis there are only tiny bits of hope in the news. 

In many of my Words of Encouragement kits I sent along tiny hope tags.

Once I attach a phrase to a tag...I cut it to fit and am using up the short cut-offs for just one word: hope, love, joy or peace.

I sent several of them to Dotty...and this one hangs on her husband Dave's pen holder on his desk.

And these two little cut-offs were too small to punch a hole...but big enough for a tiny hope. 

They live on the laps of these little replicas of Dotty's mom and dad sitting on an adorable little bench. 

And just look at that adorable itty bitty bird! 

In between things today I added this tiny hope on a tag I created for my old tag project.  Other tags can be seen here. The ring is actually kind of full...so I'm calling this project complete! 

Ending my old tag project with a tiny bit of hope from my new tag project seems just right.

Bright and Beautiful

This made me laugh out loud!  

If I'm going to over think something...it might as well be joy.

Paul and I don't go out at night much...but last evening we attended a delightful concert at his church in Scarborough featuring a local folk/bluegrass band called Darlin' Corey. 

And we were early enough to take in the sunset at Pine Point Beach before the concert.

Sometimes joy looks like the bright and beautiful colors of a seaside sunset.

And today joy looked like the bright and beautiful new space for Maine Needs. It's huge....and it's impressive. 

This whole middle section is for clothes and all of the shelving and racks were donated from L.L. Bean from their recent remodel. 

And there's another section for homegoods.

And even more spaces and places for so many other things. 

I worked alongside Amanda...and our first task was to finish unpacking children's books.

This is one of the first things people will see when they come in to pick up their bags. They will be encouraged to shop for books for kids they know who might enjoy them.

The Amanda and I unpacked and organized children's coats.  

Then moved onto pajamas and other kids clothes. 

The space is bright and beautiful...and going to be so much more user friendly place to volunteer. Today the space was buzzing with excitement and anticipation of things to come.

Little Things

And I mean that literally!

Is it silly to get excited about the tiny little punched dots from my tag project? I think not! These dots are from all over the country....and a few from outside of the country!

I was collecting them in a small pottery bowl...but just this morning I transferred them to a little bottle. They make me smile and I think they would make Margie smile too.

It sometimes literally IS the little things that capture your heart!

Connections

"I can almost feel it, beneath my parka. Not quite, but almost: burgeoning, blossoming, a murmur of springtime." Jason Fargo, One Painting Got Me Through Winter

Happy Spring Solstice!

At the top of my blog there are three words: Collecting, Creating, and Connecting. All of these things deeply feed my soul....and these days I seem to need to embrace them more than ever. 

I still have the dried blooms that I collected from my amaryllis on my dining room table reminding me that there is beauty in imperfection. And I am hip deep in creating several projects for Becky out of the ephemera she sent me reminding me how I love to be generous sharing my skills and my craft.  And I have re-connected with people that I love....and have had delightful email conversations connecting with readers of this blog and supporters of my tag project. 

THESE are the things that keep me grounded during these chaotic and scarry times.

Lynn K from Maryland (I know a Lynn K from Wisconsin too!) gifted me an article from the New York Times called One Painting Got Me Through Winter by Jason Fargo. It's a beautifully written article about the impact that one painting had on the author. And as a bonus it was very beautifully presented in such a unique way. If you read it...be sure to read to the end scrolling past the advertisements.

I'm not sure if the gifted link will work...but I'm going to try: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/18/arts/design/mondrian-flowers.html?unlocked_article_code=1.5E4.RkRD.jhUFkN2nvJpM&smid=em-share#

Thank you Lynn!

And Dotty just shared a photo of the bonus bookmark I sent her from my tag project...and the book she is paring it with. She celebrated the fact that she was starting a book from a good friend and pairing it with a bookmark made by a good friend. 

And Dotty might be tickled to know that I'm using one of her bookmarks in the Daily Joy book that was gifted to me by another blog reader...Louise. 

And it pairs especially well with today's entry. 

And how could I not love Tracie's collection of Richard Scarry books she shared with me.

It is not lost on me that this is a connection about a collection in response to my creating the little Busytown book for Max. 

Which by the way....tracking tells me arrived in Madison today. 

Collecting • Creating • Connecting = JOY!

Joy Things

It was a full day...filled with so many joy things....I just have to share.

I spotted some snowdrops in the garden this morning. Spring is coming and that's a breath of fresh air joy thing!

I finished the wooden fox puzzle this morning during breakfast.

The fox head...actually ended up connecting to several pieces that formed a body that mimicked the whole shape of the fox puzzle. I don't remember that from the last time.

I hope you can see it....because it's a fun joy thing.

I saved this chicken as the last piece...a silly joy thing.

 

I went to visit Jane this afternoon...and we took a little beach walk. 

That's always an awe-inspiring joy thing.

Jane's rainbow bottle collection always brings me joy....

...and my pleasure in seeing a stained glass piece I made in her bathroom is a proud joy thing.

I wrote about making it back in 2015 in this post: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/08/thinking-outside.html

And on my way home from Ocean Park....I made a stop at Marden's. I had another $65 to spend from more generous donations from my Words of Encouragement project. This time I was looking for a few items often requested for setting up a new home. 

I bought sheets, a blanket, kitchen towels, a set of plates, and several bottles of shampoo. And I couldn't help myself...I also bought a package of underwear. I didn't make much of an effort to add things up in my head...I just kept putting things in my cart knowing that Paul and I would cover the difference. 

Look at the total: THAT.....is a how did I get it so close again joy thing!

Now I have two big bags in the car. 

Maine Needs is in the process of moving...so they haven't been taking donations for a few weeks so I still have the other bag. 

I will be at the new facility on Saturday to help unpack and setup. That...is a big jump up and down joy thing! 

I hope you had some joy things today!

Fox Within a Fox

The morning sky was so soft and pretty.

If you haven't ever done a wooden puzzle...I highly recommend it. I'm enjoying this one....and it's going together pretty fast.

This colorful fox was a gift to Margie from Lynne F. I remember the first time Margie put it together.... she just squealed with glee with how it felt to slide the pieces into place. 

Many of them have animals and special shapes...like this wolf. Or teeny tiny pieces that fit just perfectly.

And the light was just right to see the etching of a small fox head when these pieces were put together. A fox within a fox! Do you see it there on the bottom?

What Was I Waiting For?

Subtitle: It takes as Long as it Takes!

I started re-making this lampshade in February of 2023. That's more than two full years ago. 

The lamp that it goes with was a hand-me-down from Linda W. as she was downsizing...and I enjoyed it in my guest room in Lexington for many years. But the fabric was starting to break down and fraying at the edges. 

I knew I wanted to redo it...and I found this polka dotted fabric in my stash that I thought would be fun.

The yellow in the Lexington guest room was not as obnoxious as it is in the photo.

I love this little vintage lamp and the way it fit perfectly on the vintage desk from my youth.

I enlisted the help of Patsy...who has made several of lampshades using this stitched panel technique. The first step was wrapping all the wire with seam tape giving me something to stitch the panels to. Then during a visit to Patsy's place in Perry in February of 2023....I started stitching on the lining panels. 

It was fussy work...and a little hard on my hands...so I had to take it slow. Once I got a panel stitched on...I trimmed it up close.

Once the lining fabric was finished it was time to start stitching on the polk dot panels. Again...I took it slow. Just a panel here and there. Then in November of 2023 I took it with me on a girls weekend hoping to finish stitching on the colorful panels. 

But on the very first evening I injured my thumb.....and all the stitching came to a screeching halt. I wrote about that trip here: https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2023/11/one-thumb-down.html

In the months following that trip I did finally finished the polka dot panels...but held off glueing on the trim. Which...by the way...is a hand-me-down from Connie. Was is the right choice? Did I have the right glue? How would it look around that scallop bottom? I wasn't sure...so I just set it aside.

But a few days ago I wondered what I was waiting for....and I started glueing. Turns out my favorite fast drying craft glue was just the right glue...and the scalloped edge around the bottom was no big deal. I just glued a small section at time...secured it with a clothespin and waited for it to dry before moving on.

And just this morning I finished it.

Over two years in the making...this precious little lamp has been reinvented and is back on the vintage desk in my dining room where it belongs. It's a little bit of Linda and a little bit of Connie...two of my very favorite people. And now it's a whole lot of me.

The desk is shallow...so the narrow profile of this lampshade is one of the things I love best.

What was I waiting for? Maybe I was waiting for this rainy day....and it just took as long as it took.