Debasree Dey

Have a bunch of old cardboard boxes lying around? Instead of tossing them in the recycling bin, why not turn them into something beautiful and functional? In this blog, I’ll walk you through how I transformed a plain food packaging box into a grungy, vintage-style texture box—perfect for storing art clusters or mixed media scraps.

The technique is simple, budget-friendly, and packed with texture. Plus, it’s a method you can use across so many different art surfaces!

Have you ever wanted to create your own rust printed papers and fabrics for mixed media, collage, or art journaling? This beautiful process is surprisingly easy, super satisfying, and only takes a few basic supplies—most of which you probably already have lying around at home!

In this blog post, I’ll show you how I created a stash of rich, textured rust printed papers and fabrics using a few old book pages, some scraps of cotton and muslin fabric, and rusty hardware bits. Whether you’re into grungy textures, vintage-style papers, or just love experimenting with organic, natural dyeing techniques, this is for you!

If you’re anything like me, you probably have a collection of vintage ephemera—old letters, postcards, book pages, receipts, or even brown paper bags—waiting to be transformed into art. In this post, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process of how I turn these nostalgic pieces into expressive, colorful collage papers using acrylic paints and energetic mark making techniques.

If you’re like me, you love the rich, earthy tones of rust—but not everyone has access to actual rusted materials for their art.

So I asked myself: What if I could create that rusty, weathered look using only acrylic paints?

I experimented a bit and came up with an easy, no-fuss way to make gorgeous rusty-colored collage papers right at home.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through my process step-by-step. This is an easy, low-cost method, and you’ll be amazed at the textures you can get!

For this group of nine artworks in my 100-day project, I took a different approach—starting with scraps and turning them into something meaningful.

It all began with a snippet roll, a long, layered piece of mixed media made from paper, tissue, and fabric. I then transformed it into individual pieces, each carrying a unique message.

Through this process, I found a story unfolding—one of adventure, courage, and self-belief.

Days 19 to 27 of my 100 Days of Collage project are all about Blues.

For this group of collages, I wanted to capture the feeling of looking up at the vast summer sky—the endless blues, the drifting clouds, and that quiet sense of freedom that comes with it.

I started by gathering scraps in shades of blue and brown from my ever-growing collection, picking out old book pages, bits of blue fabric, and soft, airy materials like gauge. I layered them together, letting the textures build naturally, just like the sky layers itself over the earth.

To bring in a sense of grounding, I added real tree branches and roots—because when we look up at the sky, we always see it framed by the landscape around us. The delicate threads, mostly in shades of blue, weave through the pieces, adding movement, like the wind threading its way through the clouds.

This whole process felt like piecing together little fragments of the sky, and I love how they turned out.

Transform your old books, journals, and scrap papers into stunning inky collage papers that are perfect for art journals, junk journals, or mixed media projects. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every detail of the process—from gathering your materials to executing each creative step—so you can turn forgotten paper into vibrant, expressive art.