Three fun to make upcycled journals: Third is denim notebook

Denim notebook


I love denim, all colors, and I have many, with new fashion every year, some happen to stay in closet with no use, so I decided to repurpose an old one to make few upcycling projects from, I started with a notebook, as it seems I am in a book binding mood.

Supplies:
A pair of denim pants.
Waxed thread for binding
A tool to punch holes and a long needle
Scissors
Desired paper
Cardboard
Hot glue gun

I cut out the pants legs, I'll use a part of each leg in a notebook, so a denim notebook only needs a part of a jeans leg.

lying the piece of cardboard sandwiched between two layers of wrong side denim, used the hot glue gun to fold the edges and stick in place.

Now I have a denim folder, time to bind paper to it.

 I used A4 photo copy paper, folded it into half, and divided it into 5 signatures of 8 sheets.
Used simple stitch binding and stacked the signature into place.
You can also use any kind of binding stitches or a simple square knot to bind a one big signature into place, get your threaded needle from inside to outside a one inch close to top, then back from outside to inside a one inch close to the bottom, make a square knot, and voila , a simple bound notebook.

Some embellishments, a crochet bookmark and I had a nice gift for my sister-in-law.

Three fun to make upcycled journals: Second is shopping bags art journal

Upcycled shopping bags art journal

I never thought that I'll like the final result like this.

I started a while ago following a tip I learned in art journaling is to stretch a plain white sheet on my working area and blend colors, clean stamps and stencils on it, those sheets of paper turned to be so colorful plus I realized I have so many shopping bags in all colors and designs, so I decided to make an art journal using all that stuff as a background for my pages.

Just paper cutter, or a pair of scissors or any cutting tool, plus thread and needle for binding, I didn't use more than that to build my journal.

I also chose to stick some white or lined pages on top of the backgrounds as I decided later to make it my ideas journal where I'll write down all ideas of projects or posts I like to make later.

Then nothing more than a lot of washi tape, glue, and maybe some stamps for decorations.

This project was really fun and the result turned to be very beautiful and satisfying, knowing it was only trash turned to something beautiful and useful.
Please share and leave a comment .
Have good time crafting.

Three fun to make upcycled journals : first is Fauxdori notebook

Fauxdori notebook
Best craft project for art journal and book binding lovers.

I have heard and watched videos on youtube about Midori travelers notebook, and  fell in love with fauxdori tutorials there. You can find a lot of tutorials of how easily you can make it at  home,but I want to share with you how I use it and decorate it and also that you don't have to buy expensive supplies to make it.
This is my homemade version .

This is really an invention, to have a simple durable cover to be filled and refilled several times with any kind of paper or notebook you like but in the same size, you can use plain paper, photocopy paper, watercolor paper,  etc....

Of course I don't mind much to buy supplies to make my crafts but I always care to reuse whatever I have, upcycling things leave me very satisfied I did something beautiful from unused stuff.
An old black clutch lying there in my closet with a broken lock would do, and I have tons of ready to be used paper, from old notebooks, and other projects.
Hairband elastics
A lot of paper clips, decorations and charms. and that's it.

The first notebook is the only bound one, the other two are only loose paper stacked under the elastic in half.

I put 3 notebooks in it, two of plain paper are for writing or simple sketching, maybe a diary, the second one of graph paper for to do lists, monthly and weekly views, mainly time organizer.the third one of heavier plain paper, I think it will be a new art journal.

I made some file inserts, two pen loops and a lot of pockets and made sure I include all my on the go supplies "flags, colored pens, pencil, eraser, ruler, sticky notes, clips and bookmarks" so I could only pick it from my desk and throw it in my bag and I have a 3 in 1 organizer, diary and an art journal anywhere I go.

I only started the set up of my new fauxdori and I so love it, try it , I am sure you will love it too, yes ?
Tomorrow I'll share the second journal :)
Please share the fun and leave a comment if you like it.

10 Indoor Painting and drawing ideas.

10 Indoor painting and drawing ideas.

Sometimes you feel like drawing, or starting a new painting, you have the sketch ready, oil paints or pastels ready to go, but no idea sparks in your mind or vision, this happens a lot to us specially when the need to draw comes and no way out of home due to weather or anything else.
My only advice :just dig in your house stash and you will find a lot of inspiration in simple things around you.

• 1-Travel and touristic books: they include a big variety of landscapes, monuments, big buildings and landmarks., they are suitable to any kind of media, oil painting, pastels, or watercolors.

• 2-Google search engine: Google images: hit search to whatever word, idea, dream you think of , to find a lot of illustrations on your subject, also try different painting media, sculptures " for gesture or portrait drawings", abstract art, contemporary art, Google images is a a huge treasure of yummy arts inspiration ........

• 3-Pinterest: I recommend this site for all kinds of inspirations, ideas and tutorials, again hit the search bar for whatever field you like and a flood of pins and boards will definitely bring you the idea you wish for or even learn a new technique.

• 4-Magazines: Fashion, interiors, home decor, even housekeeping have plenty of figure gestures, portraits, fashion poses, open air scenes even landscapes......
  
  
  
• 5-Family photos: good source for variety of drawing practice, portraits, figures, landscapes, seascapes, etc.and also, this is how you paint with love, as definitely you will pick a photo which has a memory or for someone you love.

• 6-Kids stories and books: some books have a real painting on every single page, beside of how fairy tales and unusual characters inspire artists more than anything else.
  
  
  
• 7-Ads and Real estate brochures: some have good color combinations, big houses, gardens and city sites.

• 8-Cartoon episodes and movies: They always have something to inspire; colors, characters, a story to bring a group of artistic elements together, not only animators would love a cartoon movie but anyone loves colors, and art.

• 9-Color books and printables: color books and color sheets, other than giving you a ready-made idea to draw but also is an inspiration for bigger  painting compositions and inspiration to work with your professional paints.

• 10-Items all over the house: could be a real painting in front of you to illustrate, every room, each person, decors, households, pets, windows, doors, furniture, scenes from your TV., kids toys, your closet, your desk, even your own arts and crafts supplies.

Believe me your next painting or drawing masterpiece might be lying there in one of your drawers or the family garage.

Do you have any other ideas of how to get more ideas to draw or paint at home ? please leave a comment, have a nice day/night crafting.

Free crochet bag tutorial.

The crochet bag tutorial you've waited for to welcome summer.

Summer crochet bag step by step tutorial.

Hello dear friends,

Today I'll show you how to make a colorful practical crochet bag for beach and summer, one of its best advantages, it is lined in an easy way with transparent sheets, so no water or wet clothes will ruin it. "smile"

Supplies

You will need cotton yarn in 6 different colors
A hole puncher
PVC transparent flexible sheets, found in art stores from 0-8 mm thickness A4 sheets or in hardware stores in rolls
Crochet hook suitable to your yarn
Scissors

Note

I used 6 colors of yarn of my choice, you can use whatever colors you like, or just one simple color, or even make different designs to the whole bag by using only 4 rectangles on each side of the bag instead of six, there are plenty of choices, this is how fun handmade crafts are, aren't they ?

Front and back

Same six similar blocks in different colors, so for this bag, make two rectangles of every color, one for back and one for front, same for all six colors, on total twelve blocks of same pattern.

Abbreviations

ch :chain

sc : single crochet

dc : double crochet

rep. : repeat

nxt : next

sk : skip

tr2tog :  triple two together

trtr : triple treple crochet 

Pattern

ch 59

1 dc in 8th ch from hook, *ch2, sk2, dc in nxt ch, rep. fr. * across, turn.

Row 1: (RS) ch1, 1 sc in 1st dc, *ch9, sk1dc, [1sc, ch4, tr2tog] in nxt dc, sk1dc, [tr2tog, ch4, 1sc] in nxt dc, rep. from * across to within last 2 ch-2 spaces, ch9, sk1dc, 1sc in 3rd ch of space, turn.

Row 2: ch10 (as trtr, ch4), 1sc in nxt ch9 loop, *ch4, [tr2tog, ch4, sl. st, ch4, tr2tog] in nxt tr2tog, ch4, 1sc in nxt ch-9 loop, rep. from * then ch4, trtr in last sc, turn.

Row 3: ch1, 1sc in 1st trtr, *ch5, 1sc in top of nxt tr2tog, rep. from * across ending with last 1 sc in 6th ch of turning ch, turn.

Row 4: ch4, dc in nxt sc, ch2, * dc in nxt ch-5 loop, ch2, dc in nxt sc, rep. from * across,
Repeat from row 1 to row 4 another 2 times, cut yarn, fast off.

Now it's time to cut PVC sheets into 

12 pieces 12 x 20 cm (5 x 8 in)

2 pieces 38 x 5 cm (15 x 2 in)

1 piece 42 x 5 cm (17 x 2 in)

1 long piece in desired length for the handle with width 5 cm (2 in) I made it 64 x 5 cm (25 x 2 in)

Make holes across the whole circumferences of those 16 pieces using the hole puncher, then with crochet hook and yarn work across with single crochet , just making 2 or 3 sc in the corners

the 12 pieces, 2 in each color of your choices corresponding to those crochet blocks you made.

Then the other 4 long pieces, use only one color to unite your whole bag, it could be one used in the blocks, or maybe a 7th color, again it's your choice.

Assembly

As we work in granny squares join, join each two blocks with their linings with simple single crochet stitch, for example, if you will join the orange and purple colored blocks together, the orange right side is facing you, behind it, the right side of its transparent lining, followed by the purple lining wrong side, then at the end from your side, the purple crochet block wrong side, in this way, you assemble the crochet bag with its lining in one step.

After you join the 6 rectangles for the front, and the other 6 rectangles for the back, join those long transparent stripes we have for the sides and bottom, and also the handle, all the joins are in single crochet.

Note: in the bag I made in the pictures, I have the side , bottom, and handle stripes are in pieces, this is more difficult, and not much durable for the handle, so I changed the tutorial to whole stripes instead of pieces.

Now you have your beach colorful crochet bag assembled and lined, some embellishments and you are ready to go camping, beach, vacations, even shopping, with this crochet stylish bag.

Tell me if you liked the idea, any questions , please leave a comment, I will be very happy to see your ideas, or projects done with that tutorial, share the idea, but please refer to my blog for copy rights, have a good day/night crafting.

Hi Sweet Friends,

Welcome to my Queendom.

I am Rehab, an arts and crafts obsessed soul, and my passion is  ..... Paints and Yarn.

This is my soul space where I share my workshops, projects, tutorials, thoughts and ideas.

This place is for you; you and me. I need that crafty friend in you.

I live in a place where handcrafts are not that much appreciated or valuable, there is no Michael’s or Walmart in my country, but who cares, I make everything in a professional way but with simplest and easiest tools. “wink” I’ll teach you how.

I have gained a good reputation for my crochet, and sewing projects, digging deep inside me, I found that drawing and painting are my favorite therapy, then all of a sudden I fell in love with art journaling so as a challenging person, I try to manage my time as a mom of a little man, and leading a fashion business career to make the best of my hobbies, learn more, create more and have more fun.

I believe that every one of us after a long busy day deserves a time for one's self, for one's soul, for one's hobby.

You know that time when we all - I mean artists - feel the lack of inspiration or bored of same techniques, get ready to never feel like so, and start an anti-boredom hobby, I will lead you to my colorful queendom, where you will find free inspiration, prompts, ideas, tutorials and most of all, a friend who cares to share you your passion.

I will start on a daily basis, sharing a new post, it could be a step by step Painting in several media "I love all kinds of paints", a Crochet tutorial ,an Amigurumi pet, an art journal page, a mixed media canvas, a sewn project or even a simple idea that will blow your inspiration. 

Feel free to contact me here or by email, on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and soon I will start my Youtube channel.

Leave a comment, share your projects’ photos, and let’s communicate, my friends.

Now it’s time to prepare tomorrow’s tutorial, have fun and stay crafty.