Support Your Fellow Crafter Linky Party #6

Hello.

Today is Support Your Fellow Crafter Monday - 6th edition! Some lovely bloggers linked up last week with some super cute and easy DIY's and I'm happy to share some of their projects :)

First up,it this totally amazing DIY melted bead bowl from Dazzle While Frazzled!

Second is this helpful Blog Post Writing guide from Becoming Press!

Thanks bloggers for such awesome inspirations!

If you were featured for last weeks Support Your Fellow Crafter, please snag a featured button below!

<div class="Support Blog for Moms of BOYS!-button" style="width: 150px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://superstinkyboys.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> <img src="http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b440/gingercochran/IMG_0663_zpsyyxskqa6.jpg" alt="Support Blog for Moms of BOYS!" width="150" height="150" /> </a> </div>

Now lets move on to Support Your Fellow Crafter :) I hope you are all excited!

First the rules of the house:

Please link only to your blog post, not your blog

Please link back to my blog on your post

Please visit and comment on the 3 links before your link

Please do not link your Etsy or other similar site
Please snag the linky party button to the right
Have fun!

How to Get Started With Creative Writing

Hello.

So in recently finding some adorable Coloring Journals at the Dollar Tree, I thought I'd share a post that stems from creative journaling, mainly focusing on the visual creative, and into the realm of creative writing!

Now I have never been much of a writer... any journals I have ever started end up having doodles in them.... It's in my blood I guess LOL!

As long as there are actual words right..?

Well, I decided to look up some reference materials and study some prompts for channeling and practicing regular writing habits.

Whether your goal is creative writing, short stories or even just morning pages... It's time to explore and perhaps you'll find you are more of a writer than you thought :)

First thing is to find a great journal or stack of paper - or heck.. even the computer! It all works the same. I prefer a bound journal, cuz it just feels good to me ;)

Writing can be just thoughts to paper, short stories, poetry (whether it rhymes or not) - I've dabbled in it all.

How to get started?!

Here are some fabulous writing prompts for an entire year! 365 daily writing prompts :) Some of them may seem a little rudimentary but they are designed to force thoughts to page. This will def be on my to do list.

Random scribbles.. :) 

Let's talk poetry! 

Now while we can all agree that there are several types of poetry, my favorite is the laziest :)

FREE VERSE! 

Free verse is exactly as it sounds - free from rule, rhyme, count, and all that ABBAA nonsense. It's the abstract painting of poetry :) 

Of the most celebrated poets of all time, Walt Whitman was most honorably titled the father of free verse. And if you haven't acquainted yourself with his work, please do so. Thanks Walt ;)

Now let's explore short stories!

Short stories are novels in a hurry...That's my kinda writing! LOL I tried a novel once and got bored almost instantly. It's just such a huge commitment for me.

However, short stories are.. haha, another story. I'm teaming with them and they stem directly from my dreams 99.9% of the time. ( I've always had extremely vivid dreams)

Check out this comprehensive on starting your own short story!

My own personal writing tips? Here are some of my go to's:

1. copy down the lyrics to a song

2. quick words (start with one word and then copy related words that associate with that word. eg; BIRD. flight. float. sky. freedom. 

3. short 2-3 sentence thoughts. eg: I saw a man today begging for change. What led to this moment for him? Has he retreated into himself with no return?

4. write about a dream

5. copy a random conversation down - either your own or one you overheard

6. write about a world mystery. eg; What really happened at Roswell?

Enjoy!

xoxo

Ginger

I will be linking up to these awesome parties!

DIY Accordion Journal

Hello.

Once again adding to my creative journal collection :) Well what can I say? I'm heading to New York this weekend for a company retreat and I direct art shows for a living...being creative will be a given.

And I would like to journal about my first experience to the big apple ;) I decided on a smaller sized, accordion journal for easy traveling. This was a good one because I was able to use paper I already had on hand.

Up-cycled, recycled and cute as a button. Let's get started!

Here is what you'll need for your journal:

a scrap piece of poster board

2 sheets of card stock printer paper

ruler

scissors

glue stick

pencil (not pictured)

paper cutter or utility knife

Let's talk paper for a sec. You could really use any paper or regular copy/printer paper. However, I wanted thick white paper that will hold up to paint.

This is the brand I used - available on Amazon.com here.

First I've taken my scrap piece of black poster board (about 7.5 inches long) and marked the center point length ways. *Honestly, I think this was a piece of backer board from a frame I bought* I never throw papers away!

You'll then mark 1/8 inch on either side of the center mark. This will be the spine of our journal.

Then, using the straight edge of the ruler, bend/fold over each side to create the spine.

Then bend and fold the opposite side.

Now you have a spine ;)

If your edges don't line up like here, just trim the access off with scissors.

Now you're ready to make the inside accordion of your creative journal. Taking a piece of the card stock, eyeball about 1/8 inch from the edges of the cover.

Once measured, mark with a pencil and cut the card stock length ways at your measurement.

Then cut the second sheet of card stock likewise.

Then using the ruler, bend a small 1/4 inch section on the ends of both card stock pieces.

Then, using the glue stick, apply glue liberally and sandwich both "grooves together" making a "V" shape with the card stock.

Set aside to dry for a few minutes ;)

Once dry, you can use this "mid-point V" to gauge your accordion folds. Just a simple "over/under"fold.

Then, using the glue stick, glue the left end piece to the back of the book cover.

Then allow to dry.

I then took another scrap piece of paper and glued it to the inside of the front cover, but that's optional.

Lastly, I had a sweet little watercolor doodle that I've been hanging onto and thought it would make a pretty front cover :)

I added a fun striped binder clip and all done! Ready for a New York adventure!

Enjoy!

xoxo

Ginger

I will be linking up to these awesome parties!

DIY Cat Cave

Hello.

I think I've mentioned before that I tend to spoil my cats :) I'm always thinking of new toys for them and giving the occasional canned food as a treat.

Here's Oliver looking all majestic in the studio ;)

Today I got a package from Amazon and it came in a pretty big box. And I'm thinking.... what can I do with that? Bingo. Cat cave!

Here's what you need:

Big cardboard box

contact paper

clear packing tape

utility knife

scissors

white craft paint 

paint brush

white cotton rope ( I had some left over from this project)

marker

glue gun

left over carpet piece (I had a piece left over from my cat tree)

Let's get started!

First, draw an arch to cut that will be the opening.

Once cut, tape the box closed with clear packing tape.

Reinforce the other side with tape.

Watch your cat climb in your project LOL!

Cut some contact paper to size and attached to the sides of the box. Cut the corners at 45 degree angles and fold in.

Note: I reinforced the edges of the contact paper with clear packing tape to make sure they wouldn't come up.

Once all the sides except for the opening are covered, grab your paint and brush and add a first coat.

Let dry.

Then add second coat and let dry.

Once dry, plug in the glue gun and hot glue the carpet piece to the top of the cat cave.

Lastly, hot glue some cotton rope around the opening.

Then add a little catnip as well as an old towel and watch the kitties explore!

I think they like it :)

Enjoy!

xoxo

Ginger

I will be linking up to these awesome parties!

Dollar Tree Haul!

Hello.

Well, we all know I am a big fan of the Dollar Tree...well maybe if I have one or two readers out there LOL. Are you out there??

Joking aside, I love the Dollar Tree because it provides economical ways for me to explore my mixed media tendencies and come up with more fun ways to create entries in my creative journals.

Let take a look at what I scored:

The first thing I was excited to see in the Crafts section was some decorative/craft papers pads. I tend to do a lot of collage work in my journals, so I picked up several of these.

Lovely patterns :)

I also was happy to see some stamping sets! Even an acrylic block!

I def can't wait to try these out ;)

I also found some new washi tape that you can color in yourself! It's a cool wave pattern; it will look great in my journals and perhaps new mixed media art work pieces :)

And since I am so big on creative journaling at the moment, I was excited to find these Coloring Journals. Beautiful designs and pages to write poems, thoughts, etc.

I snagged some rad neon colored gel pens too to start out some great journaling pages!

Lastly I snagged some fun patterned binder clips for my journals :)

Strips are always in style in my book ;)

Enjoy!

xoxo

Ginger