Yesterday afternoon while trying (and failing) to make the clock tick faster so that the long weekend could finally start, I was procrastinating by reading one of my interior decorating blogs, decor8, I found my mothership. I found kinfolk just like me. People who meticulously cut images that they love from magazines and glue them into scrapbooks. Or inspiration journals as they call them.
Here is what some of their scrapbooks look like (I just love looking at other people's scrapbooks, seeing what inspires them -- especially when I see something that I've included in mine, too!):
Here is the post about inspiration journals:
Victoria does it. I do it. Marieke Berghuis is huge into it. Irina Troitskaya makes her living from it. And Jason constantly blogs about it and even creates the goods to do it. So I ask you, do you journal?
I maintain several. One is a written one, a "diary" of sorts that I've actually been writing since I was 7 years old. Then there are the more artistic journals where I draw and paste words and images that tell a story of what I'm feeling at that moment. These are a bit more personal, so I don't share them with everyone. Finally, there are my inspiration books that contain hundreds of clipped pages that inspire me or my work. These I freely share with anyone that is interested.
Aside from being an amazing spot to catch all of your thoughts, dreams, fears and I-can't-believe-I said-that moments, journals give you an outlet to plug into, a place to collect everything that you 'see' in your head and translate it into the pages of a book through words, images from magazines, photos, stamps, ticket stubs, fabric and paint swatches, wrapping paper, anything that can help you tell a story or create something to inspire you. You can create books according to category, i.e. bedrooms, baths, living rooms, outdoor spaces or by object, like art, chairs, or whatever it is that you are passionate about.
I encourage you to start a journal of your own. You'll absolutely love doing it. If you don't like to write, and many people don't, then go for more of a visual journal like some of those shown above. It's quite relaxing to sit down and cut + paste your thoughts into books. You'll be surprised by how much you'll learn about yourself. If you'd like to get started, click here for a DIY guide on how to create your own Look Book.
Have fun, explore, enjoy, JOURNAL! posted by decor8 @ 4/05/2007
The DIY guide is a bit much for me however. I mean, everyone who has seen my scrapbooks thought I was obsessive. But they have obviously never met these people, who are meticulous down to the kind of scissors that are being used:
It's time to have fun with this little DIY project that I've pulled together for you. All you need is a book, adhesive, scissors and plenty of clippings!
If you're getting ready to renovate a space, compiling a book like this (also known as a 'look book') before you throw yourself into a design project will help you pull the process together. It's also fun to simply create these books to inspire you and pull you out of that occasional design rut.
Step One: Locate an artist's notebook - something spiral bound and thick with pages measuring at least 8.5" x 11" (bienfang is good). You can use one book per room (i.e. living room inspiration), or you can divide one book into sections for each room in your house. My books have everything thrown together, however I'm soon to begin working on new ones that will be organized according to room. must. get. organized.
Step Two: Purchase a good pair of scissors. I use a standard pair of Fiskars with the typical orange handle. I like the ones with the micro tip for trimming those pesky edges. Pay attention to how you clip - pretend you are laying out a magazine page. Make it look pretty, not clunky. Make sure what you're pasting fits the pages, you don't want to close your book and see clippings sticking out everywhere. No, no!
Step Three: Avoid using a glue stick, they'll give your pages the bubble effect. Instead use my favorite, Tombow mono-adhesive. You can find these online or at your local craft store. They are more expensive at craft stores, so unless you have a coupon for your local craft emporium, purchase them online. Order 6-12 at a time. I know it sounds like a lot, but these little guys go fast. (I suggest shopping at Dick Blick and Charette.)
Step Four: Cut and paste, baby! Scour magazines, catalogs, books, or even online (blogs!) to find things that you know you'll want to refer back to again and again. If you find something in a blog, simply print it out in color, trim, and paste it into your book. You can add articles that you enjoyed, quotes, ads, fabric swatches, paint chips, pretty business cards, font styles you like, stamps - get creative and have fun with it. No one is going to grade or judge your book, this is your personal space. You can even doodle on your pages and add handwritten comments describing why you like something you've pasted - these all lend a personal touch.
When it's time to renovate, you can refer to your books as your guide since they'll assist you throughout the decision making process. Something so visual will most definitely pick you up when you're feeling stuck in a design rut - you'll have your trusty look book to turn to, it will get you back on track!
Before I consult with clients, I always ask them to pull together a folder of clippings that define their design style. I'm often so surprised when I meet with them and they pull out spiral bound notebooks stuffed with articles and clippings that they've collected for me. They always remark how grateful they are that I gave them homework because it helped them to pinpoint their design style. It also helps them to better communicate their vision with me because it's easier to express personal style on paper than through words. At least for most of us.
I hope you have fun with your look book, and if you you'd like to send me a photo of yours, I'd be happy to post your book so we can all have a look.
So even if I am not as obsessive as they are, I do adore having had the opportunity to peek at their books and seeing what makes them tick, where they draw their inspiration from and what ideas they may have that I can draw from.
sfgirlbybay's Inspiration Books (in her own words)
If you have happened to have followed sfgirlbybay for a while, you'll know that I have kept inspiration journals for the past few years. I used to let the many pages I pulled from design and shelter magazines pile up to ridiculous heights. Sometimes I'd actually organize them into individual folders; fashion, recipes, craft ideas, interior design, photography etc. and then watch them collect dust. But one day an old boyfriend of mine shared with me his journals. Hundreds of scraps of newspaper and magazine clippings, personal thoughts, ideas and anything that ignited his passion. In his case, mostly entrepreneurial, cultural and political observations. His journals motivated me to finally glean through my gluttonous stacks and cut and paste my images into my own journals. I use blank white sketch books because I like a plain white canvas. I like black & white images, sometimes bright and modern, occasionally sweet and sentimental. Whatever makes me happy and puts an idea into my head. And now, I flip through them for reference all the time. It's always creatively motivating. Here's a glimpse into some of the many pages that inspire sfgirlbybay.
Here is what some of their scrapbooks look like (I just love looking at other people's scrapbooks, seeing what inspires them -- especially when I see something that I've included in mine, too!):
Here is the post about inspiration journals:
Journals As Inspiration
Victoria does it. I do it. Marieke Berghuis is huge into it. Irina Troitskaya makes her living from it. And Jason constantly blogs about it and even creates the goods to do it. So I ask you, do you journal?
I maintain several. One is a written one, a "diary" of sorts that I've actually been writing since I was 7 years old. Then there are the more artistic journals where I draw and paste words and images that tell a story of what I'm feeling at that moment. These are a bit more personal, so I don't share them with everyone. Finally, there are my inspiration books that contain hundreds of clipped pages that inspire me or my work. These I freely share with anyone that is interested.
Aside from being an amazing spot to catch all of your thoughts, dreams, fears and I-can't-believe-I said-that moments, journals give you an outlet to plug into, a place to collect everything that you 'see' in your head and translate it into the pages of a book through words, images from magazines, photos, stamps, ticket stubs, fabric and paint swatches, wrapping paper, anything that can help you tell a story or create something to inspire you. You can create books according to category, i.e. bedrooms, baths, living rooms, outdoor spaces or by object, like art, chairs, or whatever it is that you are passionate about.
I encourage you to start a journal of your own. You'll absolutely love doing it. If you don't like to write, and many people don't, then go for more of a visual journal like some of those shown above. It's quite relaxing to sit down and cut + paste your thoughts into books. You'll be surprised by how much you'll learn about yourself. If you'd like to get started, click here for a DIY guide on how to create your own Look Book.
Have fun, explore, enjoy, JOURNAL! posted by decor8 @ 4/05/2007
The DIY guide is a bit much for me however. I mean, everyone who has seen my scrapbooks thought I was obsessive. But they have obviously never met these people, who are meticulous down to the kind of scissors that are being used:
DIY Project: Look Book How To
It's time to have fun with this little DIY project that I've pulled together for you. All you need is a book, adhesive, scissors and plenty of clippings!
If you're getting ready to renovate a space, compiling a book like this (also known as a 'look book') before you throw yourself into a design project will help you pull the process together. It's also fun to simply create these books to inspire you and pull you out of that occasional design rut.
Step One: Locate an artist's notebook - something spiral bound and thick with pages measuring at least 8.5" x 11" (bienfang is good). You can use one book per room (i.e. living room inspiration), or you can divide one book into sections for each room in your house. My books have everything thrown together, however I'm soon to begin working on new ones that will be organized according to room. must. get. organized.
Step Two: Purchase a good pair of scissors. I use a standard pair of Fiskars with the typical orange handle. I like the ones with the micro tip for trimming those pesky edges. Pay attention to how you clip - pretend you are laying out a magazine page. Make it look pretty, not clunky. Make sure what you're pasting fits the pages, you don't want to close your book and see clippings sticking out everywhere. No, no!
Step Three: Avoid using a glue stick, they'll give your pages the bubble effect. Instead use my favorite, Tombow mono-adhesive. You can find these online or at your local craft store. They are more expensive at craft stores, so unless you have a coupon for your local craft emporium, purchase them online. Order 6-12 at a time. I know it sounds like a lot, but these little guys go fast. (I suggest shopping at Dick Blick and Charette.)
Step Four: Cut and paste, baby! Scour magazines, catalogs, books, or even online (blogs!) to find things that you know you'll want to refer back to again and again. If you find something in a blog, simply print it out in color, trim, and paste it into your book. You can add articles that you enjoyed, quotes, ads, fabric swatches, paint chips, pretty business cards, font styles you like, stamps - get creative and have fun with it. No one is going to grade or judge your book, this is your personal space. You can even doodle on your pages and add handwritten comments describing why you like something you've pasted - these all lend a personal touch.
When it's time to renovate, you can refer to your books as your guide since they'll assist you throughout the decision making process. Something so visual will most definitely pick you up when you're feeling stuck in a design rut - you'll have your trusty look book to turn to, it will get you back on track!
Before I consult with clients, I always ask them to pull together a folder of clippings that define their design style. I'm often so surprised when I meet with them and they pull out spiral bound notebooks stuffed with articles and clippings that they've collected for me. They always remark how grateful they are that I gave them homework because it helped them to pinpoint their design style. It also helps them to better communicate their vision with me because it's easier to express personal style on paper than through words. At least for most of us.
I hope you have fun with your look book, and if you you'd like to send me a photo of yours, I'd be happy to post your book so we can all have a look.
So even if I am not as obsessive as they are, I do adore having had the opportunity to peek at their books and seeing what makes them tick, where they draw their inspiration from and what ideas they may have that I can draw from.
sfgirlbybay's Inspiration Books (in her own words)
If you have happened to have followed sfgirlbybay for a while, you'll know that I have kept inspiration journals for the past few years. I used to let the many pages I pulled from design and shelter magazines pile up to ridiculous heights. Sometimes I'd actually organize them into individual folders; fashion, recipes, craft ideas, interior design, photography etc. and then watch them collect dust. But one day an old boyfriend of mine shared with me his journals. Hundreds of scraps of newspaper and magazine clippings, personal thoughts, ideas and anything that ignited his passion. In his case, mostly entrepreneurial, cultural and political observations. His journals motivated me to finally glean through my gluttonous stacks and cut and paste my images into my own journals. I use blank white sketch books because I like a plain white canvas. I like black & white images, sometimes bright and modern, occasionally sweet and sentimental. Whatever makes me happy and puts an idea into my head. And now, I flip through them for reference all the time. It's always creatively motivating. Here's a glimpse into some of the many pages that inspire sfgirlbybay.
Labels: Home decor, Scrapbooking
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