scrapbooking

As part of my Scrap Social series, I thought it would be interesting to take a look into the scrapbooks of other bloggers and creatives in the form of a Guest Scrap Social feature! We’ve previously taken a flick through the pages of Holly and Jacky, but now I have the wonderful Areeba from Not Your Type. (Also big shout out to Katie for introducing me to her!)

Why do you use a scrapbook? I’ve always used a diary/journal to write or make art so it has become a part of me after all these years and I feel like I can’t live without one. It helps me to give my creativity energy a way.

What are your favourite methods? Layering. I love putting pieces together, pasting different things on the page, making a lot of layers, balancing colors and drawing on pictures. I try to do much more on 2 pages than looks possible.

Where do you find the images for your pages? They’re mostly from calendars (my nanna has a lot of them) or newspapers. All of the magazines that I have are mostly about literature so they’re usually disappointing when it comes to visuals. So I’m always looking for calendars or maps because they have waters or skies, which are my most favorites.

Has your scrapbook inspired you to go further with any other projects/ideas?I started an art journalling project with a fellow blogger in January called #ohjournaletc, it’s mainly based on Instagram to give the teen artist community a direction to channel their creative energy into something.  We have weekly art journalling prompts to help them come up with excuses to make art. It’s been going pretty well so far.

This is my favourite page (first image above), which is your favourite out of this selection? The one with ribs and Lorde lyrics all over them. I’m a Lorde freak and these are my top 3 songs from her. And it feels like a little tribute to her through my art.

Do you think each page represents a period in your life, or the mood you are in? Not the mood, but the life changes I’m going through. I like spilling my current life phase on the paper to see how it looks like if turned into art.

When and where do you create your wonderful collages? Mostly in my room after midnight or in late afternoon. Mainly when I can’t sleep. I have this little wooden table by my bed and it’s loaded with my journals and art materials so it’s always easy to reach my creative tools whenever I want.

Do you think your scrapbook is a representation of your personality? Definitely yes. It’s creative, different, abstract with a touch of madness. It is so me.

Paint or Ink? Paint. I feel at freedom with them. Also, paint brushes are my most favorite tools.

Glitter or Puffy Paint? GLITTER! Give me some glitter and liquid glue and I’ll be the happiest girl in the world with pages full of glittery art.

Neat or Messy? Neat. I like all the pieces in their position, all colors balanced and blending perfectly with each other.

You’ve bought a new magazine which would be perfect for scrapbooking. do you chop it up straight away after reading, or wait a little while until it’s considered ‘old’? I’ll cut it into piece right after I’m done reading, if it has something that would make my art journal look prettier. I don’t care about magazines much.

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~ ABOUT AREEBA ~

Areeba is a creative lifestyle blogger who celebrates being different over her blog Not Your Type. She reads a lot of psychology thriller books and always has an excuse to make more art. She’s a professional fangirl and she is in love with a city. Culture and human psychology are two things she is always curious about.

BLOG – TWITTER – INSTAGRAM – PINTEREST – #OHJOURNALETC

Look who’s back-back-back again! Both myself and our good little friend Scrap Social! I totally forgot of this series over the past few months so I’m back and I hope to still be doing it in the New Year! This is actually a showcase of the last few pages of this scrapbook. You’ll probably be mad at me for this but this scrapbook was finished in March… *gulps* so I will definitely have a new one to show you after this… don’t worry!

These pages unintentionally matched… I just suddenly realised after finishing them up that the model on the left page, had very similar sandals on to the ones from the postcard on the right. I loved the free spirit of the editorial piece on the left, so I added some fun little doodles around it… which sort of adds a contrast to the rough edges that I decided on to go with the natural backdrop and colour palette. To match the doodles, I added a border of ‘HAHAHAHAHA’ to the edge of the postcard (this one was featured in my Scrap Social Essentials post actually!), and some extra outlining as per usual. I love the colours of this page combo!

Another page combo with a nice colour palette are these two which I made up from a Claudie Perlot advertorial. I absolutely love the aesthetic it had, so I added a few other elements to it and I’m really happy with the effect. As I mentioned above, as per usual, there is some of my well known outlining again, which I think adds the finish touch. Sometimes pages don’t have to make sense in terms of telling a story, they just make sense in an artistic sense. Matching colours and creating a ‘vibe’ is what is important. Don’t ya’ think? Also – note the Hozier lyrics!

Yes, that is indeed the final page. It’s an odd one, once again using some postcards which have an old/retro vibe to them. Sometimes I genuinely have no idea where I’m going with pages so they end up being really odd and this is a great example. I like it though, it has a nice message to it in a sense, even if the picture has no relevancy to it whatsoever. The bottom postcard I used was kind of weird and gross in some aspects (sloppy hot dogs from what looks like the 90s in a public swimming pool?!) but adding some captions and the BORING sign made it tie in nicely.

It’s actually interesting to compare the first and last page of my scrapbook because they’re so vastly different in colour scheme and style. You can see I stuck to Biro scribbles throughout, but you can definitely notice a change. You can see it for yourself if you like, take a click through this year’s Scrap Social scrapbook!

~ CATCH UP ON #SCRAPSOCIAL ~

So, yup! That’s it 🙂 By the way, in case you missed it, there’s a #MooiEnLiefbyTDP give-away going on ight now! It ends in 2 days so make sure you get entering before it’s too late. Good luck and happy holidays everyone! Speak to you soon…

It’s been a long while since I got someone else to share their scrapbook with you, so today’s the day where I do that again for you 🙂 I’ve got another blogger, this time a fellow teen, who goes by the name of Jacky Auerbach from Do It For The Irony. Let’s take a peep in this Scrap Social post…

Why do you use a scrapbook? I started journalling when I was in high school.  It was a required art assignment from my art teacher but you didn’t have to go above and beyond with it.  Hers was SO amazing and it really pushed me to be creative every day.  I’d have days where I would just skip my schoolwork and journal after school.  It worked out!  So I continue it to always be creative.

What are your favourite methods? Anything messy.  My art mentor advised me that I needed to let go.  I was always so scared to make art on canvas because I felt like I would mess up and it’d be a waste of money.  So she’s just like let go.  Go crazy.  So I did.  Finger painting, layers, glue, fabrics, sketches and text everywhere.

You use quite a lot of paint and texture in your pages, why is this? I don’t like subject matter.  I don’t like to paint or make “things”.  Along with letting go of my art fears, I gained my love for messy things.  So I found beauty in texture and more importantly color.  Thus my love for color + color theory.  If you see my comments on fashion blogs, I almost always comment on color.  I’m not trying to be repetitive I really just care about color the most!  It shows emotion, which I care about a lot.

Has your scrapbook inspired you for any ideas/projects (or are you going to start one because of it)? I’m going to start a new altered book soon!  Basically journalling in a book.  Some say it’s a waste but it’s very beautiful.  I’m very excited because it will be my first art book without a mentor.  Scary, but hey letting go is always good in art.  I don’t like people telling me to up my technique or to get better at painting realistic faces.  I want to do my thing.

This is my favourite page (the one with CUTE on), which is your favourite out of this selection? Definitely the green spread with a tie dyed silk on the other.  The text says, “I’m pressured by time Maybe I would have noticed it pass if the seasons had changed for once.”  I speak in metaphors and it irritates people.  But I was obsessed with time during this journal.  I love the aging person I quick painted on the other side.  I remember being so happy because I made it out of three messy globs of paint on the paper.

Do you think each page represents a period in your life, or the mood you are in? Both.  I was in a time of huge change and so many things about myself were rapidly different, I didn’t know how to deal with it!  Thus my expression of time.  And as for my mood, I always consider my subject matter to be emotion.  If it shows my emotion the way I want, then it’s a success.  I believe that’s my niche.

When and where do you create your wonderful collages? At home, in my room with any material I can find.  Even makeup.  Wherever I can find a ton of glue I’m there.

Do you think your scrapbook is a representation of your personality? For sure.  Emotional and metaphoric on the inside.  Mysterious and speaks weirdly.  But despite all the deep and enigmatic stuff, I’m super loud and bold and messy and colorful.

Pen or Pencil? Pen.  I can make mistakes and I can’t erase them.

Glitter or Puffy Paint? GLITTER.  Anytime I get my hands on cheap craft glitter, it’s a total mess.

Neat or Messy? Messy messy messy.  No planning.  Go for it.

You’ve bought a new magazine which would be perfect for scrapbooking… do you chop it up straight away after reading, or wait a little while until it’s considered ‘old’? Wait a little for sure.  I am weird about resources.  I hate shopping for art supplies and I hate using them up.  I hate spending money and the fear of wasting it.  I rarely buy magazines but when I do, they sit for a while.  I most of the time pick up the hidden free catalogs at H&M and use those!  Saves money and they’re great quality.

~ ABOUT JACKY ~

Do It For The Irony is a blog written by Jacky Auerbach.  She likes to focus on creativity in life & style but ends up being a little bit funny about it all.  She questions the world a lot and hopes to help you see from a new, accepting perspective. Having fun with casual fashion is something that Jacky holds dear and she just wants to be heard for a little bit!

BLOG – TWITTER – INSTAGRAM – PINTEREST – #MAYMAKERS

I’m so sorry to those of you who have been missing my Scrap Social series, I really do apologise for the delay! I was meant to have put an update up a while ago but time flew by… eek! Today I have a round-up of what I use to make my scrapbook pages (sorry if you were expecting a full page-by-page review!). I’ve almost finished up my book so I’ll make sure to note it down as a near future post… I promise! Anyway, here are some of my scrapbook essentials which everyone and anyone should have if they want to start their only little book of scribbles and inspiration…

~ THE BOOK ~

Literally. Any notebook will do! My notebook is a really random one I picked up from a shopping mall in France and cost me about 1 euro. It’s lined, but I don’t mind because I actually really like the way the lines look, sometimes I even incorporate the lines into what I’m doing with everything else. It has that sort of homemade, more scrappy vibe to it, in my opinion. You could go all fancy and get a great big huge (uhum, A4) size one if you like, but A5 is cool too.

~ THE BASICS ~

It may seem silly and pointless to mention these two simple items, but they are absolutely necessary to be able to do any form of scrapbook. Any pair of scissors will do (if you’re headed to IKEA, they do sets of 3 different sizes I believe) and any stick of glue will do too! You may also like to get fabric glue or other more high duty glues to stick down things like sequins, feathers and anything else like that. Simple but vital!

~ THE SOURCE ~

No, not the ketchup of the scrapbook world… the source. The items and places where you get all your pictures and content from. Depending on what style of scrapbook you are doing, depends on where you should look. If it’s a travel scrapbook then you might want to use your own images and things like tickets, but it really does vary from person to person. My scrapbook is an art inspiration/fashion design bible, full of things that catch my eye and inspire me. So I turn to magazines, postcards and Tumblr for all of my content. My Company magazine collection is running on empty (almost) so my other favourites which are still available to buy are Vogue & Glamour.

~ THE DECORATORS: POSCA PENS* & TED BAKER PENS* ~

I’m a big fan of using pens and pencils as a decoration to each page. My favourite method is using biro pen to add scribbles and random details to photographs and writing words that match the mood of what I’m portraying. I recently added these 3 super cute mini pens to my collection (they’re Ted Baker, pretty snazzy if I do say so myself) and I love them. They’re a tiny size so they fit just in the spine of my scrapbook and I can have 1 or 2 on the side for my blogging notebooks too.

I also recently added my other ‘decorator pens’ to my stationery collection and I’m obsessed! These are POSCA pens (from Fat Buddha) and they’re pretty darn awesome. They’re sort of like paint in pen form, brilliantly opaque and they leave no streak marks behind. I’m converted and I would totally recommend!

Make sure to let me know what your scrapbook essentials are in the comments, I’d love to know! Speak to you very soon…

Hello everyone! Do you remember a while back, I got Papa Posh (aka. my dad) to write a lil’ post for me? Well, you guys seemed to really like that, so today I have dragged in Mama Posh (can you guess who she is?!) to do one too! I’m hoping to get most of my family members to write a post each, so it should be fun! Today Mama Posh is going to speaking all about how to stay creative. We’re a pretty creative family, so hopefully this will help, especially for you fellow bloggers 🙂 Take it away Mama Posh…

Even on your bad days you can always be creative! Have you ever got up in the morning and thought, ‘I am so bored, I cannot think of what to blog, or what to do today?’. As a designer myself, I sometimes find annoying life problems can be discouraging and depressing, and find that trying to brainstorm just isn’t enough – after all, I’m short on inspiration, brainstorming isn’t going to turn up much! So today I thought I would jot down some tips for you…

Watch a movie…

Feeling really down and totally uninspired? Watch a good movie, buy some good old fashioned sweets, get a big warm blanket, snuggle down and enjoy. You will find little inspiring thoughts will spring to mind and will usually stay with you, so you can use them at a later time. It’s often good to re-cleanse your mind and just relax.

Look, look and look again…

Remember to look at your surroundings. Many of us go through our day through blinkered eyes; try to find inspiration in everything you see. I recommend cutting a small hole in a piece of paper, pop it in your pocket and when you are alone, on a journey or walking, take this paper and look through it at the world around you, and guess what? You will see everything in a totally new light!

Become a scribbler…

Always have something to write with, even in the most absurd of places! Take a pen and paper, any scrap will do, and draw and write about everything you see, wherever you go. Write on tickets, wrappers, cans, whatever you can scribble on! Keep all of these little notes in a scrapbook or journal to flick through from time to time.

Be curious…

Creative people are insatiably curious. Like me, curious people ask so many questions! Look at the world around you and always want to ask why? How? Expose yourself to new experiences, new sensations and states of mind and this openness will significantly boost your creative output.

People watch… (in a non-creepy way)…

I am always looking, watching… (but not creepily staring I will just add, before you think I am some sort of weirdo!) Creative types often love to people watch, and it can be a great way to generate some fantastic ideas this way! Look at what people around you are wearing, what they are doing and how they portray yourself. Pin point different characters that interest you.

This is one of my favourite quotes by Steve Jobs. To keep those creative juices flowing, you have to surround yourself with creativity. That doesn’t mean you have to live in a creative city, or know other artists… it means you have to search for the creativity around you. Keep looking, and you’ll find that spark once again.

Thank you so much for writing Mama Posh! I hope this helped some of you and that your creative juices will come flowing straight back for all your blogging needs. Speak soon!