Bookmark For Your Summer Novel

So I'm on vacation this weekend. Of course, I must pack a small craft bag. As we are camping, I really have to taper my craft bag down to a few items. So, I brought a couple of pre-made, unfinished Paperclay bookmarks, a cheap Daler Rowney acrylic paint kit, some paint brushes, and a package of Delight (just in case I feel like sculpting a bit!) But tonight, it was all about painting those bookmarks. I find it is always good to have ready-made crafts on hand for quick and easy project fun!

What You Need: 
Creative Paperclay
Rolling pin
Non-stick craft mat or wax paper
Butter knife
Straight edge or ruler
Toothpick
Acrylic paint
String, thread, or embroidery thread
Beads (optional)

Camping Craft Kit

What To Do:
1. Roll out a clump of paperclay really thin to 1/16th of an inch. Make sure you do this on the non-stick craft mat or wax paper.

2. Cut out bookmarks with the butter knife by guiding it along the straightedge (or ruler). Or have a blast with some cookie cutters! Make sure you take the toothpick and make a whole big enough for your string to fit through. Also, make sure the whole is not close to the edge as this may promote breakage.

3. You can try baking your cut-outs at 230 degrees for up to 5 minutes. I have found that allowing them to air dry for a 3 hours, placing them under a heavy book over night, and then allowing them to dry for a few more hours in the morning is best for a really flat bookmarks. This is why I make several at a time and keep them on hand. Patience is not a virtue I have a lot of!

4.  Once dry, go ahead and paint to your heart's content!

Put Down That Flyer From The Camping Office and Be Messy!!!

5.  Once the paint is dry, run your string, thread, embroidery thread through the whole. Add a bead to the end if you wish! And now you have yourself a lovely, paperclay bookmark for your summer reading books!

           

Or You Can Put Your Bookmark in Your Latest Edition of Art Doll  Quarterly

Love Summer Reading!!!

Really Simple Creative Paperclay Project - Make Your Own Bookmarks!!!



What You'll Need

Creative Paperclay

Small cup of warm water

Non-stick craft mat

Acrylic Paint

Embroidery Thread

Straight edge-knife or cutter

Rolling pin

Pencil

What To Do

1.  Break off a clump of paperclay.

2. On your craft mat, roll out a very, very thin layer of paperclay - about a 1/16th of an inch.

3.  Cut out a long rectangle. You can make several book marks at once, so feel free to cut out several rectangles. Actually, feel free to cut out as many shapes as you wish. Why not have unique bookmarks!

4. Remove excess paperclay and place back into airtight bag/container.

5.  With the pencil tip, create a hole in each shape large enough from some embroidery thread.

6. Allow to drive overnight. You may even place a sheet of wax paper over the pieces and place a heavy book on top. Keep in mind that this may crease or wrinkle the clay, so if you want a flat surface, make sure the wax paper is very smooth.

7. Once dry, draw a design of your choosing lightly with the pencil. Draw designs on both sides!

8. Paint the bookmarks to your liking.

9. Once dry, add embroidery thread that compliments your design, three or four strands should do. Make the strands as long as you wish. Tie the strands, braid the strands, twist the strands and voila! You have just made a Creative Paperclay bookmark! 

Reflective Moment and Some New Stuff

I never thought I would be able to say this about a semester of nursing school, but I'll dare to state it here. I am thoroughly enjoying this semester. I feel like I have my head on straight, that I'm actually accomplishing what I set out to, and that the future is bright! Perhaps I feel this way because it is my last semester. Perhaps I feel this way because I have learned many tough, weighty, but great life lessons these last few years and I am now effectively applying what I have learned. Whatever the case, I am grateful for these lessons, these experiences, this life of mine. I am very fortunate for all I have and I have stopped wishing the days away. Full life is right here, right now.

The creative process is vastly important for my sanity, for any artist's sanity. I have to create...I have to make things. I have sooo many ideas. But time is a hot commodity these days. I spend 3 days a week in clinical, 2 days a week in class, stuff in some work hours for a little money here and there, and still have to find time to study and complete assignments. So my creative time is limited, but I find that this is good! I really get down to it...I experiment, I pull out my supplies, and I just go with whatever comes to mind. Here's what surfaced this week:

I made my husband a bookmark for Valentine's Day. It is made from a very thin piece of paperclay, hand-painted with acrylics, and embellished with a few pieces of embroidery thread.

Valentine's Day inspired me to create a heart-shaped funky box with these letters and shapes that were hanging around my art bag. All pieces were sculpted from paperclay, painted with acrylics.

Finally, I have been thinking about small projects I can do that quench my creative thirst and fulfill a need. I am always looking for unique hair accessories, so I figured I would make my own. Hand-sculpted from paperclay, painted with acrylics, embellished with curled jewelry wire:

 That's it for this week! I hope to post new creations early next week...Monday is a holiday. I may just have to squirrel that day away for art!