Hello 2023 - Paper Napkin Glass Bowl

 

After 5 years, I have decided it's time to come back to my blog. I haven't stopped crafting in that time, in fact, I have done many crafts and you can find them on my Instagram page, linlovespaper or search the tag #linscraftroom.

I am not even sure why I stopped blogging.....I guess Instagram was the new kid on the block and I loved being able to just upload a quick pic. The thing is, I always like explaining my crafts, not only for others, but for myself. Sometimes I will make something and years later, completely forget how I did it or what products I used. By blogging my process, I can use it as a diary that I can refer to when needed. This morning, I have been going down memory lane looking at all the things I have made. 

Those of you that either followed my blog or follow my Instagram page, know that I am obsessed with paper, hence my name, LinLovesPaper. Paper holds a fascination for me that started in childhood....but that is another blog for another day.

The pic I have posted is a glass bowl that I have decorated with a paper napkin. Yes, I have certainly done this technique before, but this time I have used only the top, floral layer of my paper napkin, which I have Mod Podged to the underside of the bowl. When held up to the light, the design is translucent. I then gave the outside of the bowl 2 coats of Matte Mod Podge to make it durable. 

Happy crafting,

Lin

Daphne's Diary Paper Covered Small White Chairs

I found these small chairs, while out walking. They were thrown out for Council clean-up! I just couldn't leave them to be squashed by the truck so I picked them up and brought them home. My favourite magazine is Daphne's Diary and each issue has pretty papers to use on crafts. I went through my back issues and found exactly what I needed. For the seat of the chair, I used my flower punch and punched out heaps of paper flowers. I Mod Podged them onto the chair. The petal shape of the flowers made it easy to turn the edges in and give a neat finish. Even though I have put three focus flowers on the top, I am still undecided as to whether to leave them there or not......

Upcycled Glass Plate

Using a clear glass plate that I found at the op shop, I Mod Podged pretty fabric underneath the plate so the pattern would show through. It is now ready for some treats. To clean, just wipe the plate with a damp sponge. Too easy!

Stencilled Dressing Table ♥

I realised that I hadn't posted anything on my blog since April, 2016. I now use my Instagram account, linlovespaper, to post pictures of my crafts. Today, though, I thought I would share with you my dressing table that I stencilled many, many years ago. I used paints and it is still holding up very well.

Crafting With Paper Napkins YouTube Tutorial

Lately, I have been trying my hand at doing some YouTube tutorials. In this video, I show you how to prepare the paper napkin for crafting. It is only my second try and my lovely daughter kindly helped me out by doing the filming.

Birds at the Birdbath

Ages ago, I bought some structure paste to use in my crafts. I hadn't really done anything with it until yesterday, when I decided to use it for stencilling. I had a pretty brass stencil that I thought would cope with the paste and I am really happy with the result. It is a bit like buttering a piece of bread and is lots of fun to do.

Magazine Covered Wardrobe Doors

This is a progress pic of my magazine covered wardrobe doors. I cannot bear to throw out my Better Homes and Gardens magazines so I decided to do something that would preserve some of my favourite craft, gardening and cooking pages. Some of the magazines I have used are nearly 20 years old! I love the soft, muted colours which is the look I was going for in this spare room. I did a patchwork design and used Mod Podge to glue the pages to the doors.

Watercolour Painting On Vintage Book Pages

I am trying something new....using watercolour paints on vintage book pages. The page is lovely and thick and absorbs the paints beautifully.

Miniature Envelopes and Tags

I have been making some teeny tiny envelopes and some teeny tiny flower tags to go inside......just in case you need to send a teeny tiny note to someone. I have used vintage book pages, paper lace, colour-washed paper and buttons.

Paper Patchwork Scrappy Dress

A while ago, my friend cut me a dress shape out of some thick pink foam for me to decorate. Well, every now and then I would work on it....a bit of paper patchwork here, a bit there, until yesterday. Yesterday I finally decided I would finish it so I set about combining lots of my scrap serviette and colour washed papers and lace. The finishing touch was a sweet little pocket with a lace hanky peeping out.

Flower Card Using Vintage Book Pages

On this rainy Friday, I pottered about making this card. Colour-washed background paper; flowers punched from a vintage book; faux pearls for the centre of the flowers; wonky donkey stitching for the stem; a scrap of lace; a butterfly and dragonfly.

My Second Handkerchief Curtain

I finally finished my second handkerchief curtain. All new hankies were used and the light is diffused and looks really pretty. Some wonky hand stitching but it was so much fun to do!

Go out into the sunshine....

 

Saturday was a rainy, cloudy day here in Sydney so that meant it was the perfect day for crafting! I had some paper that I had colour-washed that I wanted to use. This sweet girl was just whiling away her time in an old children's book that was falling apart so I decided to bring her out to play. I knew I wanted her to be in the sunshine and after flicking through lots of my old books, I found the words I wanted to use. A little strip of lace and a sparkly flower and my card was finished.

Thank You Card, Using Scraps

I used fabric, lace and paper scraps, a button and a sparkly dragonfly to make this card. My girl is now ready to start the day!

A Pocketfull of Happiness

A pocketfull of happiness is all we need.....

A scrap of material, lace and a button and my sweet girl is made. Can you see something sparkly in her pocket? Yes, she has just picked a little flower. The words from a vintage book tell you how she is feeling.

Orange and Almond Cake

Today I made an orange and almond cake for the family to have for dessert tonight.....served with a generous dollop of whipped cream, yum! The recipe comes from Food Safari and here is the link
http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/orange-and-almond-cake

It really was extremely easy to make and the taste is scrumptious....this has become my new fave recipe!!

Handkerchief Curtains

I bought a few packets of new hankies with the plan to make curtains for my craft room. I have now completed the first half and added some pink lace tabs at the top. Keep in mind that I usually work with paper, so don't look too closely at my stitching....

The hankies were actually very inexpensive as I bought them from a discount store and there were 10 large hankies in each pack for $2.00. As I needed 40, that was only 4 packs, although I bought an extra pack in case. Total cost of the hankies.....$10.00.

Matchbox Art......Abilene's Surprise Visitor....

 

I covered a small matchbox with some colour-washed paper and then added a vintage picture of a sweet girl, who I am calling Abilene, from the book The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. In the book, she is separated from her treasured china rabbit, Edward Tulane.

 

 Inside the matchbox, I used some foam to make a mattress and a piece of serviette paper for the sheet.

 

 Then I added another piece of serviette paper for the quilt and glued a small piece of lace trim to the top. Finally came the pillow and a cheeky little teddy bear who has snuggled into her bed while she is out looking for Edward.

I am sure Abilene will get a surprise when she comes home...

It won't be the same without Edward, but teddy might make her feel a little better....maybe....what do you think?

Envelope Art...And You Shall See The Beautiful Things.....

I used a piece of my colour-washed paper to make an envelope. It seemed the perfect background for my sweet girl picking flowers. The picture came from a vintage children's book and I added fabric scraps, pearls and a little handmade postage stamp.

 

A piece of my colour-washed paper sprinkled with salt was used for this envelope. Again, I have used vintage pictures and words from a children's book and added lace, a doily, a pearl and a handmade postage stamp.

Heart Paper Patchwork Birthday Card

I used some scraps of my prepared paper serviettes to punch out some squares to make a patchwork heart and then stencilled Happy Birthday. The final part was to add a sparkly jewel.