Crafting Creativity Series 1: Collaging

Dear reader,

Have you ever felt just a little stuck, but not sure why? Need a way to shake out the cobwebs and get your juices flowing? I recently had my Aura read, which sounds a little ‘woo woo’. Which it was. But that shouldn’t discount it fully—it just means that we need to consider it part of a balanced ‘understanding ourselves’ diet.

As a part of the Aura reading, the facilitator read my chakras: energy centers in the body thought to influence emotional and physical aspects of life. It was so interesting to see the machine reading my chakras and aura colors change, and even more interesting to read the 15-page report that came with it explaining the results. Imagine my surprise when my solar plexus chakra, the chakra that represents creativity, was blocked AND low. I mean, me?!! But when I thought about it, I had just gotten back from a trip and I hadn’t been in my usual routine, which includes a lot of creative outlets. So it all made sense, and I set out on a mission to unblock my solar plexus chakra. AKA do something ~super~ creative.

Here’s the thing you likely know about life. It can be HARD to do something you know is good for you. Washing the dishes takes actually one minute and 34 seconds, but our heads make us think it will take 40 minutes and be horrible and it’s just better to sit and think about it than just get up and do it. The same can be said about starting a creative project. You know you’ll feel good if you pick up a marker/paintbrush/pencil, but why, god, is it easier to scroll on my little box and avoid the feeling than just try?

Is it the ever-present task resistance that keeps us from starting? The #perfectionist tendencies that keep us scared of doing something wrong (and therefore being judged), or maybe even the fear of being bad at something? Well, reader, it’s often all three for me, and maybe for you, too.

One of my favorite ways to slide past the task resistance and jumpstart the metaphorical brain battery is collaging. Yes, autocorrect (and your brain) may want you to think that says collating. But get in losers, we’re COLLAGING.

But why?

Why collaging? It’s simple. Literally. The act of collaging is one of the easiest ways to get into a creative flow state. It helps you fight that perfection monster in your head, and it makes it OK to make mistakes. Because at the end of the day, it’s just you, your scissors, your glue stick, and the pile of things you cut out of magazines. Plus, there is just something soothing about using your hands. The tactile experience of making something is one of the most underrated things in the world. So let’s do it. Open magazine, find something you like, cut it out. Done. The collage is a sacred, special place to explore (yourself? your feelings?) and literally throw things at a page and see what ‘sticks’. Are you following me?

Now if collaging brings back memories of summer camp, teenage sleepovers, or god forbid ransom notes, let’s put those preconceived notions aside. Might I turn your attention to the top 25 collage artists of our time? Because some might surprise you! (Personal favorite Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar). Because in reality, a collage can be anything you want it to be. It can be big or small, made up of all words, images, or a mix of both, made with newspaper, magazines, photos, printouts of things you like—literally. Do you want to make a vision board? Sure! A bucket list? Do it! A lady with a spaceship head walking on the desert? Yes, go you! You have full control, and that can be scary. But the collage will keep you safe, don’t worry. We’re all friends here on the page, in amongst the glue, wading through magazines long outdated, and somehow finding some relevance in their words.

So you want to try collaging. But how?

I’m SO glad you asked. I just want to say that collaging is absolutely for the faint of heart. Anyone can do it. It has an extremely low cost of entrance, and it’s relatively portable. And after all, it’s just simply FUN. So let’s jump in.

1. Supplies

You’ll need a few supplies to start collaging. I’ve created a nifty list if you want to get an idea of the types of supplies I personally use and love, but your local craft store, Walmart, Target, Amazon, and even dollar store will have most of these materials. (Note: The following links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. However, dear reader, this in no way clouds my suggestions. I just found some of the products I had and added them to this list for your ease of browsing in this ever-online age.)

Check out my favorite collaging items here! But again, I want to reiterate: Collaging doesn’t need to be some huge thing. You can do it with paper, some materials to cut up, and some glue.

The Basics

• Magazines or media to cut up. I love to scrounge thrift stores and little free libraries for old magazines at a low cost. You could even ask your local Buy Nothing group, as it seems people are always looking to give away their collections! Now here’s the thing: Don’t be picky about the magazines/materials you get. There is always something surprising to be found in those pages. (During our recent collaging session, Amanda fell in love with Bon Appetit and decided to subscribe.) So don’t be judicious when choosing! It’ll be all the more fun for it. A note: It doesn’t need to just be magazines, either. If you are a Pinterest Person, print out some pins! A photo taker? Print ‘em out! (If you want to get fancy, like Amanda and I wanted to this time, we have our eye on this mini portable printer so we can print things in real-time for next month’s collage.)

• Scissors. This may seem obvious, but you gotta mention it. Any type of scissors will do, but I’m partial to this brand.

• Base paper. This is the paper you add your cut-out pieces to. We use 8.5×11 cardstock in white most of the time because it’s nice to have a little heft to support the end piece, but really, any paper size or weight will do.

• Glue. Plain ole white Elmer’s glue will work here, as will glue sticks! This is the type of glue I personally use, and I love how it is dual-tipped for all sorts of uses. You can even use a scrapbooking double-sided tape roller like this. I have one of these as well and it works great for larger images.

The extras

Now, you can go down a rabbit hole of supplies that will add another element to your collage. In fact, I urge you all to start collecting massive amounts of craft supplies so I feel less alone. But, if you’re just starting your collection, here are some of the things that I’ve found to be enjoyable additions to my humble collages.

• Washi tape. Did we all go through a collective washi tape craze, or was it just me? No? Ok. Well, if you haven’t jumped on the washi tape train yet, allow me to introduce you to the cutest, most fun little tapes there could be. They feel like a mix between electrical tape (?) and masking tape but they remove with zero residue, making them perfect for hanging up small mementos on the wall, decorating envelopes, or aha! Collage pages. Pick your poison, they come in -every- color and pattern imaginable. These are my current picks for solid and patterned.

• Hole punches of multiple sizes. (The real OG’s will remember my Pop Studio phase, where I was obsessed with making dot collages. I told you, remember? My love for collage runs DEEP.) Hole punches can be great for so many things. Love a pattern but not sure how to incorporate it? Punch out a circle and add it to the collage. I love this pack with multiple sizes. I use them more than I anticipated. Plus, if the need for homemade confetti ever arises, you’ll be set.

• Holographic paper. Amanda and I have been on an iridescent kick ever since this spring. So when we found some holographic sticky paper at a garage sale, we scooped it up. Here are some similar options. We love to punch out shapes and stick the sparkly circles (or stars) to our boards. Plus, it’s just super cute, and now I want to decorate everything with it.

• Markers of all shapes and sizes. Ah, the joy of a good pen or marker! Simply unmatched! Amanda got me hooked on these, and now I’m eyeing every colorway they offer. The dual-sided tip, one with a brush and another with a slimmer end, literally makes me want to scream—that’s how good they are to write with. We like to color in the background of our collages, or write on top of some of our cutouts. But you can never go wrong with a good marker.

• A collage notebook. No seriously! If you start collaging and realize you kinda like it, you may feel the need to keep them somewhere, elevate your collaging to scrapbooking, or even start bullet journaling? In any case, this cute little cardstock book would make the perfect addition. Because we all know having the right notebook for the task makes it just that much more fun.

2. Space.

You will, of course, need a location to begin your collage journey! This can be your bedroom, kitchen table (I’m partial to large tables because I need to spread out my supplies), the floor, or even a coffee shop or restaurant. Have no fear: if at some point you fall in love with collaging and want to take it on the go, Amanda and I have been collaging at breweries and people always think we are the coolest (and art students, but that is neither here nor there.)

3. Start.

Once you’ve got your supplies and your space, there’s no reason to delay. Remember, this is your safe space to play, and the stakes are ZERO. Cut out whatever your heart leads you to, whatever catches your eye. And don’t get caught up in thinking you have to follow a ‘theme’. If this is your first collage or your fiftieth, I promise you, the gems you find in your materials will lead you where you need to go.

And if you start out with an idea—go with it! Is it someone’s birthday? Find photos of them and/or things they like. A holiday or special event? Collage what you hope it will look like. For example, Amanda and I have been making vision collage boards at the beginning of every month.

4. Savor.

Savor? Yes, savor. Savor the slowing down that your mind does when it is focused on something so tactile. The excitement you feel when you find something that resonates so much, you want to cut it out. The satisfaction of looking at a completed project, or even just a bunch of cut out fragments that make you smile—it’s all worth it. Because even if this isn’t a Frame Worthy^TM piece of art, to heck with it! You tried something new, and that’s all that freakin matters.

Well, dear reader, this is where I leave you. With your head full of ideas and (hopefully) your fingers itching to get on some magazines. Have you collaged before? Did you try it after reading this post? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

Grace