trash to treasure - Gelli Arts® Artists Tutorial

Living in Florida, I am surrounded by beautiful landscapes, seascapes, and all the amazing wildlife they contain. Nature’s constant presence inspires my family and me to try to always put the environment first. This includes, among other ideas and actions, recycling. For this project, I was inspired to create something using mostly recycled materials. Therefore, the tools and paper were all found in the “trash”. Well, actually, I saved them all from the trash. After monoprinting, I searched through my stacks and stacks of printed papers, ephemera, washi tapes, scraps (you get the idea) and found all the things needed to create a one-of-a-kind “junk” journal. The plan is to give these journals to the people I love to use as commonplace journals. "A commonplace [journal or] book is a central resource or depository for ideas, quotes, anecdotes, observations and information you come across during your life and didactic pursuits. The purpose of the book is to record and organize these gems for later use in your life, in your business, in your writing, speaking or whatever it is that you do. Some of the greatest men and women in history have kept these books." ("How And Why To Keep A 'Commonplace Book'” by Ryan Holiday) You have the power to make a difference in the world, one bit of trash at a time. Begin to see your garbage as an opportunity to create art and aid for mother earth. Use this tutorial as a guide and then make it your own! Get creative!