Monday, January 30, 2012

FWB

If you looked at my entries this month, you might think I've been lazy.  But in fact, I've been quite busy.  I'm working on Top Secret FWB projects. In civilian language, that stands for Friends with Birthdays.  So, of course, I can't show anything here. All I can reveal is that one of them is getting this.  I can't say more.  I know you understand.


And don't even think about trying to peek in my windows to see what I'm doing.  I have lookouts posted around the perimeter of my compound.



Tuesday, January 24, 2012

How To Make A List

I really admire people who make a list of goals to accomplish, or a list of dreams to fulfill in the course of a new year.  I don't know if it's a lack of commitment on my part or a fear of failure, but I just don't like to tie myself down to completing a list (although, I admit, when I do make a list, it feels great when I mark things off it.)

If your word for the year is Action, you kinda do need a list.  In my head, I have lots of lists.  And I found a system that, so far this year, is working for me.
1.  Do something on the list in your head.
2.  When it is finished, write it on the list.
3.  Check it off as completed.

No fail.


Here are a couple more pages in my physics journal for this year.  I seem to be boxing things in on the pages.  Hope that is a sign I will be more organized this year.
This journal has some pages that fold out.  I have started a map on one of them.  Because I'm going places, don't ya know.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Nothing up my Sleeve

Check out these little pockets.  Great place for mad money, business cards, moo cards, or other little treasures. 
Each one is made from the cuff of a long-sleeve shirt.  The wider the cuff, the more room inside.  If my Fabric-Tac glue had not dried up, I think I'd rather run a thin line of glue as close to the edge as possible rather than sewing.  That would give even more room inside.

Heres' where I saw the idea.  I am envisioning men everywhere putting on their favorite long sleeve shirt, only to find it is now a short sleeve shirt!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

More Blog Posts in January

I'm glad that was not my new year's resolution, to have more blog posts in January.  And if it was, I sure am glad I didn't say it out loud.  Then I'd feel guilty that the month is half over and I haven't been posting much.

I'm also glad I'm not a perfectionist.  I make too many mistakes to ever survive being a perfectionist.  I've been admiring my Physics Journal all month.  But I recently noticed that I put the back cover on upside down.  Now, that's no big deal because there is nothing on the back cover.  However, the raw edge where I cut the cover off the physics book is on the outside, instead of the inside where it should be. 

I debated putting some washi tape over the edge to cover it up, but then I spied some fancy schmancy art paper I bought a long time ago. I cut it to size and used it as an endpaper to cover the inside back cover, but made it wide enough to wrap around the cover to the outside. I love it! And if I had not made a mistake, that might never have happened.

I added a colophon of sorts on the last page of the journal. I stamped the date it was made and added notes about materials I used. I drew boxes around the stamped date and used Inktense watercolor pencils to color them in. I used a black pencil for the border, and left some of it untouched with water so that I still had the rough lines around each box.




Another hot mess I made was when I used acrylic paint with my stencils on the first page (where you'll see I also used words from the original Physics Made Simple title page). The paint seeped under the stencil and I was not a happy camper at all when I saw how sloppy it looked. I used a black marker and white poster paint pen to even out the edges of the design. I am still playing with this page, but I like it better now. And again, that was not the plan I had in mind at all, but imperfection led to something different than what I intended. 

If I can just apply this go-with-the-flow attitude to all of life's problems, it's going to be a good year!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Learning Physics

If you wanted to, you could learn "simple" physics for one dollar.

I mean, who doesn't want to know more about molecules, magnetic fields, and the Brownian Movement. I do question the term "simple physics".  And the self-taught part - is that possible, to teach yourself physics?


 On the other hand, you can cut off the covers and make your own journal for the new year.  I used scraps of scrapbook paper for signature wrappers and painted Tyvek for tapes.
I used white Canson paper for the pages, because I have a lot of it. I wasn't sure if I would like it for mixed media, so I made a sample sheet using a lot of different paints and tools. I was pleased.


And the physics pages I removed have a section on color theory!  Really?  I might like to study physics after all.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy New Year

The new year is going great so far!  Seems like only yesterday it was 2011.  Oh, wait.... it was.

The first day of the year is warm for this time of year, but very windy.  The sun peeked through the clouds early this morning.

Looking back on last year, well, I'm too lazy to re-cap at length.  But if doing things that make you happy are a sign of success, then last year was a success for me.  I learn more and more how much I love making books.  Here is what last year looks like (in my eyes). 
(I have already learned something new this year - how to make a photo mosaic!  Yay, me!)

Happy new year to all!  Wishing you all much success and happiness in the new year.  Thank you so much for visiting me here.