“Quick Paper Dying Technique”

Hi Friends,

I have had a couple of extra days off this weekend which has been nice. I have visited my sister in Ballarat with my son, had the first part of my permanent tooth done yesterday at the dentist, got the rest of my porch garden finished today, which I will show you in another post and I am quickly coffee dying some paper for my Garden Journal! Phew!

If you know me I do my craft in between everything else and using my time efficiently is important. As much as I like using the “bath method’ (coffee in a container and soak your paper) of coffee dying my paper, it is mesy and time-consuming for me.

I can get quite a lot of copy/lined paper dyed in an afternoon by doing the “spray method” which is putting your coffee mixture into a spray bottle and spraying over your paper. This may seem messy also, but I use something to protect my work surface and as it dries I can spray more onto it if needed. I get some great staining effects on the paper doing it this way too.  I use A4 binder books which are really cheap, I take the staples out of them the spray a fair few at ta time. I move them around so they are at the top for a while and it helps them dry quicker.

Above is how it dries and I am not really particular with the end colour, but it depends on I what I am using it for. I wanted it a bit rustic but still able to journal on the pages. Sometimes I will sponge a bit of brown in on the edges.

These papers I have torn with my ruler to approx 7 x 9.5″ to fit nicely into my journal.

These are a few different pages I am adding to this journal. Book pages from a couple of garden books I have, a bit of this and that and some scrapbook paper also as I will be adding photos also 🙂  I have kept my plant tags etc to add to my journal etc.thanks for stopping by and I hope to have another post tomorrow for you

Happy Crafting

K x

 

“Secret Garden Journal – Cover”

Hi, My Crafty Friends,

Another busy week here with work and life, as you all can probably relate. I have been busy also creating a porch garden for us and a bit more this last week.   My mum always kept a garden journal and it was fun to look at what she had recorded in hers. If dad asked her a question about the garden she would have the answer in her journal!

As you can see I couldn’t help myself and I am making my own:) The inside is covered with some napkin then over the top this pretty butterfly fabric. I added the jute in the middle for a bit of strength and decoration. You won’t really see the join once the pages are in.

This pretty napkin was one of the packs I found in Ballarat and it was perfect for my cover. I just adhered it with my homemade mod podge, over a layer of pattern paper. The burlap lace finished it off nicely. I am up to decorating the cover and adding a title before making the signatures

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned 🙂

Kerri x