Cookery book decoupage

I've just realised that I've not shared my big news here yet! I quit my evil, time stealing, demoralising, upsetting, depressing, creativity killing job! eeee! I need to remember to stop my self from ranting on about how bad things there were. A lot of it was good, but the bad bits were bad enough to colour everything. That's it. End of rant.

Although quite clearly I have left because of "not wanting to be here" reasons, I also left for "I want to throw my self headlong in to doing the things I love right now!" reasons.

I hope that makes sense?

So I have left the life of "Work" and started following my dreams. I am (or will be very shortly) self-employed. I have some work lined up. Enough to pay the rent for a little while. This is something that, although not my final goal, is 1) enjoyable. 2) progress will be obvious (I think I'm someone who needs to see my achievements.) 3) will actually benefit Chloe and the Chimera.

This will really allow me the time to submerge myself in to my business.

I imagine I'm doing this 'the wrong way around' by most peoples standards. I.e. most people build a business to such a standard, and then go self employed with it. No! Not me! I'm gonna go for it first. I've never been one to walk before I can run. Always run before you can walk. It's far more fun that way!

These first few days (today is only the 5th day since I left) I have been trying to relax though. I've caught up on the house work, and done a little sunbathing. But I have also been working on some projects. I have continued to develop my 'modern/minimalist/hand-drawn decoupage' (still not sure what to call it), along with a few other undertakings.

As the title suggests it has to do with my cook book. This is a note book that I write recipes in as I go along if I find a good one. It was plain and boring. The intention behind this was not to make something exactly like one that I'd sell, but to practice the methods of the gluing and varnishing involved.

 I love the shapes made in the paper when I've cut out the pictures.

The banana and carrot are my favourites.

Trying to decide on layout. This is when I realised I'd drawn the knife the wrong way around.

Close up of my dubious paint work, but perfect gluing. 

All glued down ready to varnish.

Varnish is dry!

I'm not sure about the colour I chose to be honest. I think white would have been better, but the only white I currently have is gloss, and I wanted to get it done quickly!

Oh well, I'm viewing everything I do for my self as either practice or a product development. This is both. I now know that I'm good enough at gluing small things down, and that I shouldn't paint cookbooks blue!