Creative Projects
My Creative Gallery
Over the past few months I have been creating my own little gallery wall in my study, that includes all my creative/ crafty projects, designs, self-made stationary, gift wrapping, pretty packaging, illustrations, washi tape and Japan trinkets.
Publications:
Japan In A Collection:
A little sneak peek of the cover of my new zine
'Japan in a Collection'!
Travel Japan with me in 62 mementos! ‘Japan in a collection’ is a little travel guide with a twist!
Discover the best shops for buying; character goods, stationery, books, magazines, gadgets, kawaii collectables, anime, fashion and yummy treats. Japan locations include; Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagano, Yudanaka, and Hiroshima.
Eeep! I am so excited to share with you some of my favourite places discovered on my trip to Japan.
For those of you who read my blog regularly, you would probably know how obsessed I am with Japanese mt washi tape.
So it made sense to me to design and make a zine dedicated entirely to just that- mt tape!
My 'Little Book Of Mt Tape' includes collages and craft projects that include - yep you guessed it- mt tape!
Here it is fresh from the printers, my 'Little Book Of Mt Masking Tape' zine!! 20 pages dedicated to my love of Japanese mt (washi) tape which includes craft projects, collages, gift wrapping ideas and my own little 'mt tape story'.
Frank Magazine: Editor/Designer
I was Editor and Designer of three issues of online women's magazine called Frank. I designed page layouts, scourced images, scourced talent, looked after contributors as well as write features and reviews. I also started and looked after Frank's social network community and gained new subcribers.
Designs:
'Hope & Pray'
'Kawaii pop vending'
'Waves Upon'
These 3 designed prints featured in edition' Paumes 'Pray for Japan' charity exhibition (un coup de main pour le Japon) held on April 5th- 17th at Tokyo's Galerie doux dimanche.
My print creations combine both digital & collage art.
Materials used include; scrap paper, Japan magazine cut-outs, pen, fabric and MT washi tape. My works are inspired by Japanese book & magazine layouts as well as Japan sign and packaging designs- a ‘kawaii pop-culture’ mixture!
Digital mixed media Easter design
Happy New Year 2011 Poster: Digital Collage using Japanese magazine cut-outs, Paper craft and handmade confetti bows etc.
Zine pop-up fair poster: Digital, Pen illustration.
Snap Tokyo Girls Bunting DIY Kit
The 'Snap Tokyo Girls Bunting DIY Kit' includes an how to instruction sheet as well as Tokyo Girls stickers, Fluro coloured pieces of cardboard, twine as well as Washi (mt) tape - all to help make your 'Snap Tokyo Girls Bunting'!
I thought this would be a nice project for Tokyo fashion lovers to make, that will also pretty up the place and bring a little sense of Tokyo home!
Doctor Who Tea Bags
It was my dad's birthday a few days ago so I wanted to make him something special. After being inspired by the Royal tea bags I decided to create my own using Doctor Who characters; The Eleventh Doctor ( Matt Smith) his companion Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and the fourth Doctor (Tom Baker).
I used illustrated images from redbubble for the heads but I designed and created the bodies myself using a design program.
I also used the Cubee Craft template to wrap around a plastic cup to make the tradis. It did take most of the day to put them together but it was all worth it for a smile and good chuckle from my dad. Aren't homemade gifts the best?
STAMP MAKING
Those of you lovelies who follow my twitter will know that about a month ago I was working on an exciting craft project. Well here it is! My own handmade stamp idea and I would like to share it with you. In a Japan craft world you can normally by special tools and rubber kits to carve your own stamps, but without these in Oz (that I know of) I came up with the idea of using foam board.
Unfortunately I am unable to carve into it, but I think I produced a number of great shapes to create pretty prints. Foam board acts like a great sponge on the ink and can be washed clean after use.
I am going to have a go at craving into erasers next, but for now I can't stop stamping with my foam board shapes.
Let me know what you think!
Craft Videos:After reading observing countless amounts of Japanese magazines & craft books I just had to channel my inspiration into a little creative project on the weekend- A Kawaii Tokyo Cut & Paste Bag!
I also used stickers created from scans from when I made some confetti bows, doilies and some pink heart bubble wrap that came with one of my UGUisU purchases.
I enjoy playing around with Mt tape, arranging them in different angles alongside each other or using triangle whole punches- I also created a Mt tape bow using two triangles.
Rather then just use the confetti I started to use the remaining bits of paper with the punched out wholes, this has been interesting to play with...I'm working on making a city out of them alone :)
Japan are really big on recycling and with their amazing Japan packaging it's no wonder they like to make stationary and gift tags using used Japan packaging. I just bought a book on it from amazon Japan that I will review in a upcoming post. Below you can see I made a gift tag from a Japan smarties box!
Hope you like and enjoy a video of my latest craft project!
Using a old drink coaster, Japan washi Mt tape, confetti and pictures from my fave Japan magazines; Zipper & minnk Journal- I have created a 'Tokyo scrapbook collage coaster'.
After receiving lots of lovely comments from my other Mt tape craft video, I wanted to make another for all of you to enjoy!
Music is by Lullatone 'Tiny Orchestra in the sky' from album 'Melody Design Libary'.
Music is by Lullatone 'Tiny Orchestra in the sky' from album 'Melody Design Libary'.
Exciting news! I have made my first 'My Life As A Magazine' craft video!
I have been busy working on some Japan craft inspired projects, so I thought I might share with you via video a sneak peek of some of my work....finally I can use some of my film degree skills.
This will be first of many more creative videos to come!
Using Japanese Mt tape, colourful paper, a doilie, alphabet stencils and some stamps I have created a...
MT Tape CD Holder!
I got crafty while listening to Japan band Lullatone album 'Little Songs about Raindrops' - 'Wake up wake up' is featured in the video.
I have always wanted to make a gift bag from scratch using pretty gift wrap and washi tapes, so after I found this cool retro polka dot print paper I just had to make one! For decoration I made a pom pom tissue paper flower and used a Japan magazine fashion cut-out.
I also turned my photo tutorial into a little craft video.
Enjoy!
Music is by J-pop band Capsule!
Illustration:
'My Life In Biscuits' is my illustrated biscuit memoir. Each one of the 20 pages of this full colour zine includes stories and descriptions of the 'biscuits' I have consumed from childhood to adulthood. Sections include; How I have my tea, Hot beverage essentials, My First Biscuits, Tea at Nanna's, Little Lunch/ Recess snacks, Quality tea dipping biscuits, Luxury macarons, Japan treats, My tea cup collection & a place to put some of your 'biscuit' memories.
If your a lover of teas, biscuits, pretty tablecloths and doilies, you might love this.
Each zine comes attached with a handmade illustrated tea cup gift tag
Story about making a 'quality spot' of tea.
My First biscuits
Primary School 'Little Lunches' ....with my Dinky Diary!
My Fave Japan treats
There are 10 tea cup gift cards to collect!
A 'Home made' publication.
handmade biscuit gift tags
My new Biz card!
Garland garden illustration and Succulent flower made out of Japanese washi MT masking tape as seen in Toffee Magazine.
Tokyo cafe chalkboard: illustration chalk & black cardboard
Japan packaging illustrations: Textures, Black pen, pencil.
Melbourne tram sketch: Pen & digital colour
Gift Wrapping & Crafts:
Kawaii Self-made Envelope Making:
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.
More crafty projects are on the way!
DIY Card Kit Making:
As well as working on a new zine I have been making some little DIY kits - a 'cut & paste collage' one. This is one I made recently for my mother as she is making Christmas cards at her local craft club. I put it together to match her xmas colour theme; purple, green and gold (she always has a different colour scheme every year). In the pack I included lots of different crafty bits and made some pretty paper buttons, a confetti Christmas tree and added some washi tape strips. I had so much fun making these kits and designing the little packets, so looking forward to making some more.
Photos were taken using android phone apps and dbox adobe effects found via Pugly Pixel.
Thank you banner made out of mt washi tape!
One for the dads:
It's Fathers Day here in Oz, so I am sharing with you something I made for my dad. An envelope card decorated with my polka dot and alphabet stamps, a little text square with some new mt slim two tone tape. I also made a cute origami t-shirt to go on it!
Hope your Dad's are having a wonderful day!!
Materials used; MT Tape, Coloured paper, pen, recycled paper and shopping bag tissue paper.
CRAFTY CELEBRATIONS
It is both my mum's and hubby's birthday this week, so I have been busy making and baking crafty celebrations!
First I baked some vanilla & chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles and made some mt tape bunting flags. Found some kawaii pink polka dot patty cases to put the cupcakes in too. It went down as a real treat with the family, the confetti on the high tea stand made it that extra bit party special too!
I found some blue gingham paper and rainbow tissue paper and cello to wrap my gifts in. As usual added lots of mt tape collaging with heart stickers. I might make a video or photo tutorial of them in a future post or save for my next craft publication.
To give my gift some 'OOOOOOOOO' factor I made...yes! a
'Make and Celebrate'
my new motto!
PARCEL IN THE POST
I really enjoy decorating my packages in pretty washi tapes either in strips or collage.These are some of my parcels sent to buyers of my 'Little book of mt masking tape' zine.
ETSY CRAFT TUTORIAL & PARTY
I had a wonderful crafting day the other week with the lovely Kit (Candy Castle) she made these sweet Etsy letters out of cardboard and fabric for her upcoming Aussie Etsy Craft Party.Some of Kit's craft projects for a party hat and bunting are currently featured on the Etsy blog I was fortunate enough to be Kit's Etsy tutorial hand model for the day! Ha! So my hands made it to the Etsy blog too!
Some bunting I made & Kit being a foot model!
