Leather Scraps and Creative Designs

 
Welcome to Material Mondays blog post! If you're an artist working with leather, you might have found yourself with lots of little scraps that you don't know what to do with. Before you think of throwing them away, I will show you a fun and creative way to make use of them.

To start, I recommend grading your off-cuts into different size categories. Even the tiniest strips can potentially be saved and used as an embellishment on something else. Once you have your scraps sorted, you can then start playing around with larger pieces to create something new.

I like to use fabric glue to put my pieces together and create interesting shapes. These embellishments can be used in various projects, from jewelry to decorative pieces. If you want to add a little more texture, you can use a wood-burning tool to burn the leather.

If you have time, I recommend batching your work by marking up several pieces at once. These pre-made pieces can be used in future projects, so don't worry if you're not sure what you'll use them for yet.

Overall, the possibilities are endless when it comes to using leather scraps. With a little creativity and some basic tools, you can turn your scraps into beautiful works of art. Don't throw away your scraps just yet and remember to experiment and have fun with your leather designs.

If you're interested in seeing more of my leather designs, be sure to follow me on Instagram and check out my Etsy store where some of these embellishments may be available for purchase. Stay blessed and be a blessing!

Remember to check out the FREE resources in the  Arts Resource Hub

Material Mondays - Leather Faces, Creating in Leather

 

Welcome to another installment of Material Mondays! Today, we are continuing our series on leather and creating designs and I am excited to share some new pieces I have been working on.

I love creating unique pieces using different tools and techniques, I will be using a  a mallet, wood-burning tool, and a range of different supplies to create patterns and designs on my leather pieces.

I find that experimentation is key to unlocking the full potential of these tools and supplies, so I encourage you to play around and try new things.

In today's episode, I will be sharing four pieces that I have created. And, in the last piece, I will be using a variety of tools to create a border and patterns.

I am also doing some mark-making on the leather. I am excited to see what we can come up with, so, grab your leather and your tools, and let us dive into the world of leather and Material Mondays.

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Loving Healing and Creating Summit - Want Unlimited Access and check out some of the sessions that you missed?  Check it out

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One BADASS Art Journal Has Started - Check it out HERE

Material Mondays - My Tools for Working with Leather

Welcome to Material Mondays!

As a DIY enthusiast, I love working with different materials and finding new ways to use them in my projects. One of the materials I like to work with is leather, and in this post, I wanted to share some of the tools that I use.  It is by no means an exhaustive list, it is just what I have available to me at the moment.

Most of the tools that I have in my arsenal can be used in other areas of my mixed media work, whether it be working with jewelry pieces as embellishments or working with clay or paper crafts. I find that having versatile tools gives me the most value for my money and the flexibility to explore new creative avenues.

I found that purchasing a bag of leather scraps is a great way to sample a variety of leathers, and if I have a specific project that calls for a larger piece, I can then go out and buy that when needed. This is a great way to save money and still have the option to try out different leathers.

One of the things that I always recommend when working with materials is to experiment and play around. Get to know your tools and find what works best for you. This will also help you find your creative inspiration and develop your skills.

If you're interested in exploring leather crafting and would like to take a look at some of the supplies that I use, I have created a Leather Supplies Guide on Amazon. Feel free to check it out and see what catches your eye.

Working with leather can be a lot of fun and there are so many possibilities for what you can create. Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things, and most importantly, have fun!

Check out other leather posts:

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Check out the FREE Art Resource Hub

 

Tropical Black Sage - In my Creative Garden

Welcome to the garden! I am wearing my creative gardener hat today and we are going to look at my Tropical Black Sage - also known as Varronia curassavica. Its journey developed from a simple plant cutting to a full-grown tree.  I have it growing within a tyre in the garden and whilst I wasn't going to let it grow into a tree by regular pruning - I am glad I did as it has got a really lovely shape to it. 

As the tropical black sage was growing, it encountered various pests that I have had to deal with. One such pest was a small moth with a lilac color that liked to feed on the tip of the shoots and lay its eggs on the undersides of the leaves. At first, I thought they were cute, but soon I realized they were a real problem and have drifted on to other plants.  Over time I tried different natural solutions, such as spraying soapy water and oil, and even made my own neem oil, and the ladybirds also help when they can.    

In addition to dealing with the pests, I have allowed the tropical black sage to grow in different areas of my garden and it seems to love it, I keep them trimmed regularly to reduce their size. The birds are the ones that have dropped the seeds in different areas and depending on where they are growing some of the leaves have been really large in size.  I use the leaves in tea and for cooking and also create smudging sticks.

Check out the video of the Tropical Black Sage Plant above

Another interesting aspect of the tropical black sage is the wood. It's a fairly strong and semi-hardwood that I'm still experimenting with in terms of creative use. I will keep you updated on what I come up with.  

Also check out some of these gardening resources:

The Backyard Homestead 

Medicinal Garden Kit 

Garden Freedom Micro Course