Creating My Art Dump Journal 

Ceri, there are reasons we all adore you…you are engaging, thrifty, and artistic, and as a self-declared person who deals with anxiety, you keep it real. Love this notion of a journal to experiment where the annoying perfectionist inner voice will have little cause to complain, i.e. a virtually cost free place to play and experiment! I too have been collecting paper bags and now shall also put them to great use! Many thanks once again!

Ceri... followed you for a LONG time. I know how you feel about cleaning your storage out. I owned 2 stained glass and custom framing businesses. I also had an art studio of 24' x 40'. Every art thing you could imagine. I hit 70 we sold out and I had to get rid of everything. It broke my heart. That was a year and a half ago and I'm still not over it. Please take my gift to you and buy yourself a Crop-A- Dile II. It should help you immensely! Love to you and your good work!!!

While watching this video, and you were struggling with the eyelets, I was struggling with jump rings for my dangles. I mean seriously, there is nothing complicated with opening a jump ring and slipping in a charm, yet here I was, muttering death threats. Thank you for keeping it real. I appreciate all struggles. It keeps us humble.

I have a fancy cropodile and still struggle. The struggle is real..

I read some of the comments of using a crop-o-dile for the eyelets. I use mine and I STILL have mangled eyelets 50% of the time. So frustrating!

Letting go is tough. Be kind to yourself through the process. I heard this a while ago "be the water, not the rock" which I take to mean... Go with the flow and know that things change. The rock gets worn down by debris, stones, etc. The water keeps moving seeing different things, experiencing a slower and faster pace. As if it is at peace moving along. You have evolved from the cake business to your crafting community. We love you, your personality and your creativity. May all your supportive comments lift you up when you are feeling down. I watch your videos often and they are very calming to me. Thank you! ❤

Letting go of so many things that were tied to your identity is difficult. Hugs, unc. ❤

I always have trouble with eyelets, glad to know it’s not just me! Love the journal!

Ceri, I love when you call yourself by your last name when you do something wrong😂 and I am so pleased that you decide to channel your inner Darcy❤. As much as I admire your neatness I fell is another step toward experimentation and evolution. Thank you for letting us be witness of that.

Ceri, believe you need a second piece for your eyelets. That is why they don't flatten.

GREAT TUTORIAL! How sad for me that we dont have vendors who still utilize them as much anymore. Such sturdy paper, too. I can recall using them to make school bookcovers back in the day instead of buying the fancy, plasticzed ones. That may well be when my desire to be doodling and collaging on them got its start. Your video brought back good memories, Ceri! I'll be eager to watch how you fill it.

Keeping it real and we love you for it! P has the same struggles with the eyelits... she has a piece of iron and a little hammer that she smashes those unruley parts. She also likes to yell out "HAMMERING" hahahahaha

The struggle is real. It's good to know everyone has problems sometimes.

💖 The twisted brown bag handles make great kitten/cat toys, just as is. My cats go nuts for them!

You can untwist the handle material and it's lovely for floral, leaves or bows.

Can't wait to see what gets 'dumped'......

I have the same issue with eyelets! Drives me nuts! So you’re not alone!

Thank you so much for including your struggles with eyelets!! I have the same exact issues with the things! I firmly believe that it's a love em or hate em kind of relationship 😊!!!!

I have that exact grommet punch/clamp and I’ve learned that there’s a smooth side that is one smooth piece vs. one side that is two parts fitted together. The smooth side works better on the open grommet side. That’s a messy explanation… 😅 I wish I could just come over and show you 😂

And here I thought I was the only one that still struggles with setting eyelets properly. I am not mechanically inclined AT ALL, so it never occurred to me that a poorly set eyelet could be rescued by using small pliers to unbend the mess. Brilliant! Thanks for sharing your solution.

I used the brown bag twisted handles to make a ribbed book spine instead of twine or cord. Then cover spine. Thank you Ceri👍

I’m sorry for the loss of your business due to COVID, and having to part with your supplies. It must be very difficult for you. Best of luck. Thank you for being a wonderful artist and teacher. ❤ (no reply necessary)

For handles, cut the glued ends then start unrolling them like when you separate the strings of jute. You should get several layers of paper that looks like crepe paper. Love your videos. Janet

if the handles are twisted paper you can untwist them and they make narrow textured bits of brown paper

I've struggled in the past too as I had a tool like yours. If you put the eyelet in, put it in with raw side down, then insert the nub into the smooth side of eyelet. It should flatten for you. Hopefully, that helps. Also, I saw someone slit the pages on the seams, top and bottom, and your pages won't rip( about an inch). Lol I've learned everything from Gail and all the junk journalers on RU-vid. Very talented people you all are.

I want to thank you for sharing your extensive talents. I think of each of our personalities as a gift. You do these videos and I think it's like making friends. You don't have to apologize for who you are and why you do what you do. I'm a 51 year old wife and mum from Arizona. I have ADHD and more often than not, I juggle many projects at a time. I have to be creative every day, and I'm very critical of myself as we creatives are. I think that you are lovely, so talented, and so like me. I'm grateful that I found you and I hope you never stop creating. Have a wonderful day my friend. ❤

❤Beautiful Dump Art Journal. Fantastic way to use brown bags. I like the weight of them to do art on. I am excited to see you start working in it. So fun! 😊❤

Hi Ceri~I also have loads of different journals on-the-go at any one time. So, when I find myself in a creative funk, I pull some of them down off the shelf and review them for errors, unfinished pages, or simply to add something new or special. Sometimes this process "revs" up my muse again. And it's fun!. Bye for now.

Oh Ceri, I feel you pain with the eyelets and I do have a Cropodile - still can't do them 🫤

I uncurl the brown bag handles - I love the material/paper and use it for multiple purposes

Very nice idea, I just purchased an eyelet tool so lets see how I do. You are not the only one I have seen that the eyelets don't press all the way. I think this happens in our crafty world. Take care.

Enjoyed listening to your real conversation to ...all of us out here....thank YOU for being real ...I know how hard it is to let go of things...you are a strong guy...not having issue with it!! cool stuff here....love the whole thin g !!! love to you ...be happy in spite of ..."things"...

I just made a dump journal while watching this vid. I love it and am so excited to get started!

OOOOOOwww! Looks like bgreat "roll off" papers to me.

I think I will make this just for dumping things like you are and see how it turns out , I might just enjoy the freedom and not be so anxious about it not being aesthetically pleasing

merci, cette façon de faire est très intéressante ! merci à vous ! Brigitte du sud ouest de la France !!!

Great tutorial, love the use of paper bags. Eyelets are not my friend lol. Life has certainly changed for all of us, creating helps when you can find the supplies you want

Thank you Ceri! This came at the most perfect timing for me! I've been wanting to create a "play" journal and have actually gutted the book already. But that's as far as I've gotten. You have given me the inspiration and motivation to get it done now. I'll add that buying the cropodile was a total game changer for me. I did watch videos on how to use it. It was on sale and I was able to use a coupon. And about letting go of things...it is hard. I'm right in the middle of downsizing and yes, it can be emotional at times...and other times it feels like such a relief. We all must do what is right for us. Struggling sometimes, and celebrating other times. That's life, isn't it? I say..."Craft on!"

I do have a crop-o-dial and I still have the exact same problem you have with eyelets. We must not be holding our mouths right.😊

I made one of these a while back, but I didn't sew my signatures together so that I could remove the whole page to work on it

Love this art journal! I struggle with jump rings! Most of the time my eyelets work but not always! I plan to make one of these journals in the future! Thanks for sharing!

Throughout life we must let go and each time we learn and grow even through the heartbreak. You are an inspiration! ❤❤

I am exactly the same. So this video is a great help. Being a perfectionist. ❤❤❤❤

This is just what i am needing! I have been working on an art journal and keeping the pages of my signatures in a plastic ziplock bag because I didn’t want to bind them until all the pages were finished. This is the perfect solution. Thanks so much for sharing this idea!!!

Wow!!! Great video! Thanks! And, you sure have patience, of which I Admire!❤❤❤

That is a great idea. Thank you for sharing this practical and inexpensive project.

The Crop-A- Dile is the best tool - you have great ideas and I always learn from you. You're the best! Thank you from North Carolina USA.

This was very interesting, I hope you share the journal when you have worked in it. I would love to see.😊

May God bless you as he has me by bringing me here to watch your video today. ❣️🙏 My restless spirit quieted down 1/2 way thru to hear about the paper bags.😮🤔🇨🇦 But hearing the heart breaking story of the loss of your cake business during the pandemic. Iam so sorry. Sharing your storage costs became a little too close to home for me. It became a butterfly 🦋 moment, as i need to push to make a decision on my storage, as the cost Can a month is 107$ .Ty for chaneling a Darcy moment too! She and her gel plate are magical! 🩷 but her opposite personality really helps to let go , to not stress over things too much. To go with what we can and find peace where we can.

What a great journal I love recycling I just made a journal the other day with left over papers and even it Nest ructions leaflets and booklets, your right it is it more carefree feeling. Can't wait to se what you create in your journal 😊

Love this idea. Simple idea to teach beginners.

I really like this idea! Thanks so much for sharing and keeping it real- I know I have struggled with eyelets- it’s good to know I am not alone! Have a wonderful week!

Arted upon!😂. Ceri, you're so cute.

Ceri, enjoyed the video very much. I have lots of bags that I want to use this for, Dumping! I hope you share with us when you play in it! I am definitely going to make one…..cyndi m. Thank you!

Great video Ceri, the struggle is really with eyelets and I thought it was just me! Have a fab week, Laura ❤

Love how this journal turned out. Thank you for showing your process, your videos are always so well done and helpful. Good luck with the storage unit. It's hard, I did craft shows starting at age 13. In my mid 30's a chronic illness put a stop to my shows. I still have my display unit and other things that I should go through and donate. (I'm now in my 60's!) I have the Crop-a-dail and it does work well but I still struggle sometimes. I've heard if you get the eyelets that come with washers you get a nicer finish ... I haven't purchased any yet. Hugs ❤

I would love to see you using your perpetual prompts. I am using them as a weekly challenge on my channel already.

I love it ! And I have the same problem when doing g eyelets. Sometimes it works sometimes, it doesn't . ❤

Goodmorning......have a grest dsy!

Thank you for the realism of your Vedio defiantly made one like this using all items .

Such a great project Ceri! I’m sorry you’ve had such a tough day. Letting go of much loved “history” is tough. 🩷💛🩵🇨🇦

I have the large Crop o Dile (sp?) and my eyelets turn out that way about half the time! I think it's just an imperfect process altogether. Enjoyed your video!

Hi there! I found your videos a few months ago and I absolutely love your tutorials!🎉❤ And I, too, have trouble with them darn eyelets.😱 Wishing you well and HaPpY book/journal making. Thanks for sharing🥰

I just found your channel and you are amazing. Thanks for showing things that are “basic” for those of us who don’t know how to do these things. Thank you!

I'll leave mine to you in my will😊

Awesome. Thanks for sharing.

Carrie when you get your new eyelet maker get the deluxe one the one that's got the big handle that you can sit on the counter and do it it's so much easier you don't have to Fumble with it you'll like it so much better and you can do any kind of snap anything you want to do with it

I am so proud of you for letting go of your baking supplies..etc.. It is always good when we make the right decision, and saving money is always a bonus to our pocketbooks...I always enjoy whatever journey you are on.. You are an inspiration to so many! Hello from Texas ❤

Super! 👍💖🌹

All my stuff is in storage and we are paying over $300 a month for it and to make it worse I am living a few hundred miles away from it now and we can’t seem to get anything closer to where we live for less than around $700 a month so it’s a right problem and it’s so frustrating not being able to use anything and also knowing that I will have to somehow get to it at some point and won’t even have time to sell anything but will have to give things I still love away. Good for the people getting the freebies but not good for my mental health so I could definitely empathize with what you were saying! Love your helpful video though and will be subscribing for more. Keep smiling if you can or at the very least keep creating.

Ceri, I too have more trouble with eyelets. I watched someone’s video the other day and they said they always had trouble with eyelets until they bought them with washers. I’m ordering some from Amazon. If they work I’ll let you know.

I like this idea. You made it look doable. Thanks

I like how you put this together. Great tutorial. I'm learining so many good things!

Love this, and I love real ❤

This project looks like fun, and I can't wait to see what you create in it! Love your videos!!! ❤

Thank you!

You need the fancy tool😂 Spend $20 or so and get it. It works like a charm. I love it! It’s We R Memory Makers (Keepers). I speak from doing the exact same thing for years!

Hi Ceri. Great project. I have trouble with eyelets too. I heard on another channel that if we buy eyelets with a split shank they crimp much easier with less boo-boos 😁. Haven't tried them yet myself but they are available on Amazon. TFS Hope you have a great day.

Just found you and love this idea for my slow stitching journal! I have I grommet/ eyelet thing and I have the same problem. It’s a hit or miss on the grommet being flat. Enjoy your art dumping 😁

😊 That was amazing, thankyou

Thank you for this Ceri, I am so inspired! I want to do so many things but am afraid that I'll mess it up. This Dump Journal resolves that. I will do this after I finish a card order this week for a friend. We have had 4 major moves in the last 30 years so many real treasures (tilt top drafting table with drawers waaaa) have had to go so I feel your pain, even knowing you probably won't use them they were yours and you kept them for a reason. I look around our current home and there is no room for that drafting table anyway, but it hurts just a little. Looking forward to doing this project.. Oh, btw, an idea is to use the leftover handles and make gift bags from your old masterboards, your friends would LOVE it :)

Love it

Also ty for leaving the struggles in as my whole experience of doing any blooming thing at all is a struggle so I really appreciate seeing others having head banging moments also! lol

This will probably be a good one. Going by the usage of the journal terminology you’re using this is not for a biginner tutorial & also requiring supplies I am short on. ty

Yeah you! The clean out of your storage space is indeed "death cleaning"! The feelings and memories come along for all who do this process! Thanks for being so open with your RU-vid family! Oh and as an aside-the Big Bite Crop-a-dile can screw up eyelet crunching too.🤫 Thanks for a great video!

This is a fascinating process.

I had the same eyelet problem this weekend.

This has been a Wonderful learning experience for me ... I am new and it's so much fun to watch you work your way through a project ... looks Perfect to me ... Thank you 📔

Have you thought of unwinding the handles and flattening them out a little to make a textured base for something of your choosing?

Great project. I am not good with eyelets either

Good job, you gave me some new ideas. Thanks

I feel your frustration, as I have trouble with eyelets too. I love the idea behind this journal, love the name, and love that you will be doing your best to let go with it. I will try to live vicariously through you and maybe someday I can let go as well 😅 Thanks for sharing and inspiring!

Thank you ,that was inspiring.

I love this idea!

thought i knew youre name from Kerry Sue cake moulds .like you i make my own journals but had thought of using envelopes as an alternative .Ilike the idea of the paper bag too,

This is a great video. I love the idea of FREE and using it as a dump journal sound like fun.

Love this ty.

Amazon has a kit to do eyelets That is not expensive with a little steel post you use to put on eyelet and then use a small hammer , that what I used before I got my crocodile and it worked pretty good .🙂

A good idea. I'm looking foward to see you do something on that journal. Thanks, Ceri 😊

My eyelets are always wonkey 😂. I Love this art journal ❤️