I finished up a couple of projects in the last few days and that usually means that I clean up my studio just a little too so I don't get lost amongst all the junk. That's why the table looks a lot less messy than usual.
Finishing up projects also means starting up new ones and that's what the above picture is about. I am doing a sort of mind map on an idea I am having for making an artist's book around one of my favorite novels of all time: Wuthering Heights (yes, I have two copies lying there on the table and would you believe that I actually had a third, but had read it so often it broke?).
That's about all I know about my idea yet: an artist's book on Wuthering Heights. Of course I have all sorts of images in my head, but because it might be a big project I need to have a little more to go on, so I am doing research and putting down thoughts and ideas in my sketchbook. We'll see where it leads. A plus with this novel is of course that it's free of copyright, so I can just use the text in my work without having to worry about the copyright monsters. For now it's just an idea. Working on it will let me know if I should pursue it or not. I'll keep you posted.
Now here's a glimpse of something that just makes me happy. For two reasons actually. It's the wicker thingy in my sewing room (what do you call this?). In it are a bunch of very colorful fabrics I have collected over the past months. About half of those I bought two weeks ago during my vacation. Just knowing that those fabrics are there puts a smile on my face. Pretty fabrics are like pretty papers: they're a joy to look at and being able to make something with them is just a bonus.
The second reason this picture makes me happy is because on top of the wicker thingy is the big project I finished last sunday: my totally handmade book. You know, the one with the self made papers and hand drawn labels and elements. I made the cover this weekend and I like how it turned out. I will show this book more up close sometime next week and also give you a look at some of the spreads inside.
Another thing I completed was filling up my very first ROD journal! It was a great joy to use and I'm kind of sorry it's full now. So...I desperately need to make another one or maybe two or maybe three or... ;-)
Very quickly yesterday morning before work I picked out three fabrics that I will probably use for the first one I will make. Here they are:
The coloring in the photograph is a little off, the actual fabric is greener in color, but you get the idea. Of course there will be added ribbons or snippets of other fabrics included, but these three will form the base. I'm really looking forward to starting this one.
As for the filled up ROD journal, I will probably show some of that in my next post.
The third thing I finished is the prepping and covering of the altered atlas! I just started using it as my current journal a few days ago. I will show the atlas and some spreads of it also in a future post.
Well, I've been a busy bee and it seems this post is mostly full of teasers for future posts. Now you have a reason to come back again! ;-)
Hope you're all up to something artsy too today and if not...what are you waiting for?