and the winner is....

Early this year I announced the winner of the "365 days of craft competition" to a lucky lady named Sue Maher. Sue submitted a great poem inspired by my crafty works. The prize was a gift voucher to Lincraft and a super brand new Brother sewing machine. 

This weekend I made the trip down to Sue's house at Mt Martha to hand deliver her prize.

My husband and I were greeted by a very friendly faced Sue and invited into her house for coffee and homemade cake. Sue was also keen to share some of her own crafty creations called "Junk journalling".

So what are "Junk Journals"?.... well its basically scrapbooking's more creative and environmentally friendly cousin. Sue was kind enough to let me take a few snapshots of her work to share with you all (see the pics below). 

I was really thrilled that the prize was going to another passionate crafter and left Sue's house also feeling very inspired to pull out my boxes of magazines, old cards and wrapping papers and to have a go at this Junk Journalling myself!

           

 Below is one of Sue's handmade notebook's. The cover is made from painted and textured cardboard, the internal pages are attached by binding them together in the centre fold. All the internal pages are different shapes and sizes and made up of old cards, maps, wrapping paper and magazines. She has cleverly decorated the outside edge with fabric cuttings, beads and ribbon.

 Sue has also created travel memorabilia junk journals. She explained that she actually takes these with her on the trip (along with some glue, a few pens and some paint). These were filled with ticket stubs, chocolate wrappings, newspaper clippings and postcards from her journey's (as well as notes and thoughts about the places she visited).

 another of the "travel" junk journals

 and then some of the journals were made by using old books (THESE I REALLY LOVVVVEEED!!!)

"up cycling old books!!!" what a super idea! Basically you purchase hard cover books from the op shop,

then recover each page with paint, pictures, fabric, photographs, cards, stamps.... the possibilities are endless. These books become quite large and overflowing (almost bursting open with inspiring images and thoughts). You can do these as a "visual diary" with themed pages if you want ("your dream home", "dream garden", "dream wedding" anything really). You can also do these as a form of "art therapy" things that make you happy, things that make you calm, favourite quotes etc....

See an example below...

It was truly lovely to meet you Sue, I am glad the prize went to such a lovely lady and I hope to hear more from your creative journey's in the future.

Keep crafting, 

Much love and inspiration

Bronwyn