Last week I received the July 2024 Your Creative Studios subscription box!!! Was in the middle of doing a painting so I didn't get around to this as I don't care to get paint on my computer... As usual I didn't and won't do much talking in this mostly just tearing, cutting, gluing and pasting. It's a longer than most, lately I just seemed to putter and take my time enjoying the collage play.

This month's theme is another floral theme in fall colors with another set of papers with lacy edges,. The custom papers are only 6x6 but printed on both sides. There's a custom set of teeny tiny die cut stickers and some cute mass market stickers in a match box. The custom stamps again have issues; the image isn't as crisp and clear as in the past, also one of them stuck so firmly to the stamp block that the foam teared as I tried to carefully peel it off; so the block is possibly ruined. The adhesive issue has just annoyed me so much that I went through all the customs stamps from this year and just removed the foam backing. I will continue this subscription till the end of the year but if the issues with the custom stamps doesn't improve I won't subscribe in 2025. I'll research other art material subscription boxes and try something new. If any of you have any subscription suggestions leave them in the comments and I'll check out some unboxing videos.

I didn't do an unboxing because there are a plethora of "Your Creative Studios" unboxing videos so do a search and give these other creatives some cred...   / @butterflyblessingsstudio   is one who does several unboxings of monthly subscription boxes curated with creatives on mind.

This collage is created in my "Your Creative Studios" Art Journal/Glue Book. I use this journal specifically for making collages with materials I receive each month in a subscription box I get from Amanda at "Your Creative Studios." I got the idea for making and using this type of glue book from a video by creator Nina Ribina (    • Let’s Make A Journal Using Your Creat...   ). I really enjoy watching her videos, she's very personable, creative and she does pretty solid compositions.

Most of the pages in my YCS glue book are from repurposed junk mail. The cover is made from a cereal box, paper grocery bag and packing tissue from a YCS subscription box. Most of the collage materials are from a single current month's YCS although I occasionally supplement with materials from previous YCS boxes and even rarer from my personal stash of repurposed mail, packaging, periodicals, books, decorative papers, stickers and vintage ephemera.

If you're ever in the Sacramento area please visit my studio at Artistic Edge Framing and Gallery, you may even catch me painting, drawing, printing or carving...just approach quietly as I may be shooting video as I work...