Archive for August 2011

Self-Made Envelope Making

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 11 Comments A⁺ a^-

Here is a little neon coloured, Kawaii-pop themed self-made envelope collection I have been working on.

Materials used include; pretty papers, Tokyo maps, Japanese magazine cut-outs, mt washi tape, self-made/alphabet stamps, paper scraps and used postage stamps.

As usual I wanted to include lots of polka dots and cut & paste collage elements.

Glossy Love: Yen

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 2 Comments A⁺ a^-

Issue 52 of Yen magazine is HOT HOT HOT with technicolour fashion that jumps of the pages, interview with my recent fave actor Emma Stone, pastel watercolour artworks, profile on Melbourne based Japanese zakka/book store Mr Kitly (it's on my 'must visit' list) and a feature on Zine making and distros + much more!

I love picking up Yen for it's fresh fashion page layouts that always give me lots of great colour inspiration and their interesting features on creative peeps.

Crafty Book Goodness

Sunday, August 28, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 4 Comments A⁺ a^-

As requested by some of my lovely readers, some inside pictures of my latest Amazon Japan craft book buys!

1. 女の子の大好きをたくさん集めた乙女なコラージュBOOK (Girl Collage). This has to be my favourite book at the moment as it includes some of my most loved Japanese collage artists; Wool Cube Wool and Bleu Blanche. Learn how to make collage; bookmarks, cards, boxes, envelopes and journal pages using materials such as; mt washi tape, lace, doilies, postage stamps, pretty papers etc. It also has a downloadable collage section containing pictures of macaroons, bunnies, bakery goods and pink and white stripe backgrounds!

カメラ日和 Life With Camera + Neko Love

Thursday, August 25, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 5 Comments A⁺ a^-

One of the lovely things in this weeks Amazon Japan package included an issue of J-mag カメラ日和 Life with Camera. This issue is dedicated to taking pictures of cats! (Neko in Japanese). The magazine is packed full of kawaii pictures of cats, photographic techniques and photobook making ideas. I've started to make my own photobook of my cat Salem (Yes, named after the cat from 'Sabrina the Teenage witch'- my family's idea). However unlike the cats in the book Salem is a bit more anti-social than the other cats in the mag, so it was hard to get some different posed shots.

Hello Mr Letterbox!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 9 Comments A⁺ a^-

Incoming Mail - Some of the lovely things in my letterbox from the past two weeks. 1. Amazon Japan! Like it's box I had a big grimace on my face when my new Japanese craft books arrived. Will share some inside pix of them soon! 2. Little tags found in my Japanese books, I think they are used for cataloging books 3. Package from Crafty Japan which included....4. Latest washi tape purchases!!! Eeep! new mixed colour and pattern range! 5. Package from Sandy (Cookie Cutter) her travel zine Run of the Mill was inside 6. When Beebee sent me her latest zine she also included this hoard of kawaii letter pages/envelopes..and wax paper! Thanks Beebee! 7. Obsessed with MMMG stationery, had to by this letter set, love the simple use of shapes in the design. 8. Latest issue of Frankie magazine, jam (pun to come) packed with inspirational creative peeps. This issue comes with 'Jam' sticker labels illustrated by Dawn Tan and Amy Borrell.

Colour Coded

Sunday, August 21, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 6 Comments A⁺ a^-

Here are some of my latest 'colour-coded' buys, makes and eats;

1. Always a sucker for buying pretty wrapping paper, neon green catches my eye, 2. 消しゴムはんこのちょこっとアイデア by Mizutama; A cute Japanese book on stamp carving. Let me know if you want to see inside! 3. Blue/white cross washi tape, 4. My new android smartphone - in white! 5. A little self-made notebook 6. Fujiya Peko Milky chocolate bar. Peko is my favourite mascot in Japan.I love collecting Milky chocolate boxes as the packaging is oh so pretty!

Blog Love: Bonjour Johanna

Saturday, August 20, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 4 Comments A⁺ a^-

Bonjour Johanna is a collection of daily updates about the work & life of french artist Johanna Tagada, who currently resides in ~~Zurich~~ Berlin. Looking at her inspirational blog it is clear we share a love for many of the same things; pretty packaging and incoming mail, Japan, Polka dots, stationery, pink, circle stickers, mt taping trinkets to the walls and mixed typography title headers.

Her latest works and projects include; illustrated pink dot poetry art prints, Pink Kiwi ceramics, We love tote bag workshop, urban street art and a photobooth zine project.

Lazy Oaf

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 2 Comments A⁺ a^-

I love re-discovering past travel mementos! One of my most loved items include these amazing kawaii buys and souvenirs from Lazy Oaf a store I stumbled upon on Carnaby Street in London when I was there in 2007. Hearts, stripes, character typography, polka dots....what's not to love about their cut & paste feel designs.

Going Postal For.....

Sunday, August 14, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 2 Comments A⁺ a^-

Postage stamp collecting and collaging!

While doing some 'almost' Spring cleaning I came across my Stamp Gang Collecting kit that was a hobby of mine back in the 90's. It brought back some great memories of stamp collecting and attending stamp month. It has also inspired me now years later, to use postage stamps for my new craft love - collaging.

Below are some of my Stamp Gang Explorer monthly magazines from the 90's and my favourite Japanese collage books that incorporate postage stamps in collages and for making gifts and self-made zakka and stationery.

Party Craft Workshop

Sunday, August 07, 2011 by Jenna Templeton 5 Comments A⁺ a^-

Yesterday I attended Kit's Party Craft Workshop which is part of this years Sydney Design Festival celebrating - 'Is old new again'. As you can see by the pix Kit had set up quite a crafty celebration in her studio! We got to make bunting, party hats, crackers, invites and a SURPRISE BALL. There were so many trinkets to add into our projects that really took me back to my childhood; sherbet in fruit containers, spin tops and mini kaleidoscopes etc. We even got given a goodie bag of lil trinkets at the end of the day!