resourceful responsibly repurposing

It all started when I took a detailed inspection of my 2024 Vision Board and realized I accomplished all the visions that were written on paper and pinned to the cork.  That meant it was time to put the board to other use.  I already knew I was not going to prepare a Vision Board for 2025 so I brainstormed for a few seconds, yes it was only a few seconds when ole heck broke lose!  My mind wandered in all directions and I became resourceful with responsibly repurposing!   Before doing anything with the cork board, I went off on another tangent! 

In January of this year, I received a precious gift from a precious Valley Girl friend! She became aware I had a thing for nice pieces of paper.  She was holding on to several pieces of fancy paper until she could find a use for them.  I entered her vision of being resourceful and responsibly repurposing.  Along with a lovely letter she mailed me the papers.  These are a few of the sheets and there are sheets behind each of these sheets. When I received them, I had an idea of what I would use them for knowing it would be a few months down the road for when I was ready. Well, now is go time!

I have many watercolour books that are filled with my paintings.  They were sitting in a box in my basement, out of sight out of mind, oh what a waste.  Each coiled book has a couple of blank pages at the front and at the back.  I removed those pages so they could be used in a homemade watercolour book.  I also removed the cardboard back covers to use at the front and back.  I had twine and lots of washi tape packed away not being used.  This is the front of my homemade watercolour book.  The blue is the special paper from my friend with pieces of washi tape holding it in place and adding a bit of decoration.  

 

The left is the inside of the front cover with the green being a piece of the special paper and the flower washi tape holding it in place  I painted a background on the first introductory page and wrote the words with a marker. Four pieces of twine hold the book together. 

This is the back of the book.  The special purple sheet of paper is being held in place by the butterfly washi tape.  The pieces of twine were threaded through holes I made with a hole puncher and the twine is knotted then I made bows to finish if off.  

This is my first painting in my new homemade watercolour book.  I replicated this from a tutorial.  I wanted to learn how to paint this kind of people.  Oh they were friggie to paint!  It took many practices on scrap paper before I attempted to do in on my painting.  I am so happy with how it turned out!  

Now back to the vision corkboard!  With many pencil sketches on separate sheets of paper and lots in my mixed media sketch books, it was time to be resourceful and responsibly repurpose them.  I picked out many of the sketches and cut out sections from some of them and used the whole sketch of others.  After clearing off the visions from the board, I then pinned my sketches to it. The board measures 18 inches by 24 inches and is on the wall by my computer.  Now these "works of art" are no longer out of sight, out of mind. They are right there in front of my eyes where I will see them daily.

My mind continued to wander with how not to waste!  After every painting project, I am left with leftovers in my pallet.  I always wash it clean before starting another project.  Instead of washing it clean this time, I was resourceful with responsibility repurposing.  This is what it looked like to start.....

.....and this is what it looked like when I was finished!

I used the left over paint to paint a project!  I used a piece of wet twine pressed it in place on the paint beneath the bird and when it was removed, it created a snowy branch.  I also used salt to give a snowy look and added a little bokeh effect.  This is the outcome! It definitely would look better with more paint but the idea was to not take more paint from the pods and add it to the pallet.  This is the second painting in my new homemade watercolour book.

I have many more coiled books filled with sketches and watercolour paintings.  There are enough blank pages at the front and back of each book that I can use in another homemade book.  There are about ten special pieces of paper left from my friend that I will use to decorate the new book.  

I need to brainstorm again to come up with ideas to be resourceful with responsibility repurposing all the additional sketches and paintings!  I am not into selling them, I did throw a bunch out yesterday and I cut lots into smaller pieces to use the backs as practice paper.  I am hoping ole heck breaks lose again and my mind wanders in all directions!