The ingredients:
1. Inspiration
2. Photo
3. Quote
4. Sewing machine and thread
5. Tiny envelope punch
5. A bit of paper
Now I generally don't start off my posts with a materials list, but that's kind of the Tip of the day.
In our busy lives making time to craft, especially for the holidays can be a real challenge. But this is how I solve that problem. By deciding what I am going to make and then gathering the supplies, then the making is generally the easy part. I really find the first two can be the most challenging.
So number 1 was inspiration and my favorite and most handy answer to that is, BOOKS!
Today's inspiration is from
True Vision
Authentic Art Journaling
By
**Featuring the artwork of over 25 leading artists**
As art
journaling grows in popularity (even attracting a new breed of
scrapbookers who call themselves "life artists"), there is a movement
afoot toward creating more authentic, personal, what some people call
"raw" journals. These journals are filled with not just attractive,
well-composed pages, but pages that are filled with personal,
meaningful content.
True Vision
is focused on ways to bring authenticity and meaning into one’s art
journaling. The book examines themes and topics common to all while
offering activities and exercises to create rich meaningful content.
Each chapter highlights familiar subject areas such as life events,
spirituality, childhood, and even an artist’s favorite writings. Within
each topic, readers are given guided activities and exercises for
developing content, provided one or two artistic techniques, and are
shown inspiring examples of work by a variety of talented art journal
artists.
L.K. Ludwig
works predominantly with mixed media artist books and photography with
a strong inclination toward creating personal intimate works. Her
artwork has been featured widely in books, magazines, and galleries and
is held in private collections. She is also the author ofMixed-Media Nature Journals: New Techniques for Exploring Nature, Life, and Memories
I should also back up just a wee bit and say I wanted to make an ornament for my Mom for her Birthday. The constraint was it needed to be light because it was going on a tree that could only support light ornaments. Paper it was!
And I am all about old photos these days (if you haven't figured that out by now)
In True Vision, Chapter 3's Title is "The Written Word" and that really sums up my mom these days, she likes to write letters to the editor and has to write important documents that effect people's lives.
The quote on the page was perfect!
"But words are things, and a small drop of ink, falling like dew, upon a thought, produces that which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think."
-Lord Byron, Don Juan, 1819
So, with picture and words I was all set!
I printed them both out.
Then I stitched them together with the back sides together. I purposely did it in an irregular line since I know I wouldn't get it perfect I figured really wonky would look more "artsy".
I punched out a tiny envelope with the Marvy Clever Lever Giga Square Envelope Punch and glued it onto the back. This was the perfect place to write a tiny note to my mom.
This is what the front looks like:
Now on to day 8 of our:
15 days of Holiday Goodness Giveaways!
Simply leave your answer to each day's question in each day's comment section and we will randomly pick a winner of a book from each day's commenter. You can enter every day but you are only eligible to win 2 times! (You can go back and answer previous day's questions. We will be drawing the winners after the first of the year.)
8. Do you tend to make a whole bunch of the same thing or do you create unique gifts for everyone on your list?
My
Answer:
Both. For the people I tend to see as a group, co-workers, book club, extended family etc. I do a similar gift.
And for close family and friends I do unique things. Special request are my favorite. I love when someone asks me to make them something. I feel a bit like "Handmade/custom Santa" It is kind of funny when they get what they consider picky, I say that's the whole point of me making it, I can do it just the way you want!
Be sure to read the comments of others, maybe you can pick one up a good idea that will make holiday crafting a bit more creative and personal!
And be sure to sign up for our Electronic Newsletter, (top right) to get more crafty goodness!
I also do both. I often find one thing that I make in masses (this year it was a dozen pair of crystal Christmas tree earrings). And I also make custom gifts for particular people. Marjorie
Posted by: Marjorie | December 12, 2008 at 11:15 AM
I too do both. I will make some orny or baked good that everyone will get. Something quick and easy. When I make the personal gifts, I want them to be different, because I get bored with repetitive work. I made TONS of Cabbage Patch knock offs the firtst year. But I needed the money, and they all would have their own personalities. But making dozons of legs arms and bodies did get a bit monotonous. Sherelyn
Posted by: Sherelyn Nichol | December 12, 2008 at 01:51 PM
I also do both. For teacher gifts and such i'll make the same thing, but for good friends, I'll make something personal. This year it's a Christmas album for one of my best friends.
Posted by: Casey | December 12, 2008 at 05:12 PM
I tend to make individual gifts, but I find that I sometimes think of people in groups. For instance, I think of teachers as a group, so I think of something I know that they'd like and then make several of the same thing, but with variations tailored to the individual. Otherwise, it's something different for everyone.
Posted by: Tamara | December 12, 2008 at 06:05 PM
I tend to make individual gifts, but I find that I sometimes think of people in groups. For instance, I think of teachers as a group, so I think of something I know that they'd like and then make several of the same thing, but with variations tailored to the individual. Otherwise, it's something different for everyone.
Posted by: Tamara | December 12, 2008 at 06:05 PM
I do both. For things like stocking stuffers or "annual" gifts like PJs or socks, everyone in my family gets a set, just different colors. For special gifts, I almost always make individual gifts for the people on my list. I want each gift to be just right so I make unique gifts individually tailored to a specific person. Sometimes it's a hand-knit scarf or Andian hat, other times it's a hand-embroidered vest, or a bathrobe made from really cool beachtowels. needlework piece. I've even made pottery or jewelry. It all depends on the person and the hints I've picked up from conversations throughout the year.
Posted by: Lori Northon | December 12, 2008 at 07:36 PM
Over this past year I have experienced a creative blockage. I "used to" create many things, from braided rugs to embroidered items,seed-beaded jewelry,etc. Then I would give it to whomever expressed a desire for it. Often I would make a similar piece taylored for the person. Thanks for the inspiration to look at this issue in my life. I need to find my creative muse again.
Posted by: Nancy K in WI | December 13, 2008 at 04:47 AM
This is the first year, I have made all of my gifts. Everyone so far is getting something different, except for the picture (of my son) keychains that immediate family will recieve. Alot of my gifts revolve around photos that I have taken. I am altering a box for my sister with paint and tissue paper, and filling it with meaningful pictures. For My dad I will be making a collage of family pictures in a frame that I already own. I got inspired really quickly this year, since I have been unemployed for a few months. I find making stuff more relaxing than going to the stores.
Posted by: jami | December 13, 2008 at 07:24 AM
Well to be honest with you this year I think I will have to make everyone the same thing but personalise it..... oops!!
Posted by: Heather | December 13, 2008 at 08:13 AM
I'm also in the "both" category. When I do make things for a group...teachers, coaches, etc...it just easier to get, say, half-dozen of the same supplies. I did this with pretty jars I stamped, embossed and turned into oil lights.Or I might make the same type gift, but different versions. If it's an individual gift, well then, of course it's personalized.
Posted by: Doreen aka LuniLadi | December 13, 2008 at 03:51 PM