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Dearest Sylwi,
This week, I wanted to use the marbled paper I made last week to make some gift wrapping boxes and tags... and maybe some little journals. I sat down to create at least one of those things this morning, but at the last minute, I completely changed my mind! :-) I suddenly remembered a complete obsession I had last year with quilling.
It all started when I came across this amazing artist, Yulia Brodskaya. Her work is really extraordinary. I'm always in awe of the new pieces she constantly creates.
Completely inspired by her, last year, I began exploring techniques for quilling and came across this lovely tutorial by Reese Dixon, for ornamental gift tags. I decided to try and make one of these today with marbled paper. I thought it would work really well with the marbling. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out quite how I imagined :-) but here's what I got up to today!
First of all, I cut 1/4 inch strips of the paper in the following lengths:
- 5 x 6 inches
- 4 x 2 inches
- 12 x 3 inches
Then I quilled them into the round, teardrop, marquis, scroll and arm piece shapes, as instructed by Reese's tutorial {see detailed directions here}.
{I didn't have a proper quilling tool, so just wrapped the card around a toothpick to make tight coils. It's probably easier with the proper tool, but I don't think these turned out too badly}.
I glued them all together...
Added the final points and a silver thread to hang it with... and it was finished!
In hindsight, I should have used paper that had the marbling effect on both sides. It was only once I was quite far into the project that I realised that though {sigh!}, so I just continued with it! :-) I'll know for next time! :-)))
Reese calls these snowflakes and covered them with glitter at Christmas time, but I think they make pretty, ornamental gift tags for any time of the year.
It's hard to believe that next week, we'll be approximately a third of the way through! I can't keep up with how fast time is going! :-)
Lots of love
Fi
xx
Dearest Sylwi,
Hello! How are things?! I'm quite excited this week, as (hopefully!) this week (or next) should be the end of all the chaos and more peaceful and creative times will return! :-) I know things have been extremely tough for you... for quite a long time now. It's amazing really that you've been able to squeeze your weekly steps into your schedule. Bet you're looking forward to finally finishing your school work and having some time to play! I just hope that you're well enough. I know how exhausted and ill you've been feeling. :-(
This week's step was inspired by a recent short break to Venice. Everywhere I went, there were small, stationery shops selling beautiful, marbled paper. You could buy a huge variety of products made from it; photoframes, journals, wrapping paper, boxes, pencils, all sorts of goodies! I would have stuffed my suitcase full with it, had it not all been obscenely expensive (as was everything in Venice, generally!)
I always remember marbling paper as a little kid - something to do on a rainy afternoon. We'd use neon coloured paints and the designs we created weren't very pretty, so I hadn't given the technique much thought since! However, once I'd seen the designs in Venice, I was determined to give it another go.
I could write a whole post on all of the methods and the paints I tried to use (everything I tried failed miserably) but I'll skip that bit and go straight to the marbling kit that I ordered from 'Make It Now' in the Uk! :-)
I'm not a huge fan of kits - usually there are a lot of things included that you never use, or never want to make. However, I'd tried everything I had at home (including shaving foam and various water and paint mixes) and was fed up with wasting time and getting disheartened with the terrible results.
I was so relieved the kit arrived in time for this week's step. I have a whole rant about how discouraged I've been getting in general with my weekly steps, but this week's was made easy by just having the right materials and a definite direction to head off in!
The kit was so easy to use. Just add 3 teaspoons of the provided thickener into a tray of water, shake the squeezy paint tubes and you're off!
The kit has everything you need. Plenty of paper to print onto and they even provide a comb to make the patterns with...
My first prints were very unattractive - I didn't know how much ink to use or how to create the patterns I wanted, but I soon got some results I liked and became a bit more adventurous. In fact, it's safe to say, I got quite carried away! :-)
I had planned to make up some boxes or some gift tag type things with the paper I created, but found that I used up all my time printing instead!
Maybe that can be my step for next week - finding interesting uses for this marbled paper. I'm also quite intrigued to try some more advanced patterns. Especially after I found this technique on YouTube, posted by Papier-Royal. They also have this stunning website - papieR Royal - where you can see lots more of their beautiful work. Sigh!
Here are some of my prints from this week... I love bits of them, don't like other bits so much.. but as a starter, I'm happy ... plus, I had real fun doing this!
I have no idea what you're going to be able to do today as your Step Fifteen - I know you have a lot on. Maybe a painting that takes 2 minutes? ;-) Looking forward to seeing it, whatever you do! :-)
Take care of you! Speak to you later,
Lots of love, Fi
xx
