VARYING THE SIZE OF YOUR ART JOURNAL

My first art journal, and one in which I continue to work occasionally, is 5-1/2" x 8".  As a newbie to art journaling, I found the smaller size journal a bit less intimidating than the larger ones.  I have created about 20 art journal pages in that journal.  I enjoy especially working with this size now when time is limited.

The next size up for me was 6" x 9", and contained water color paper.  I bought the watercolor paper journal as a required supply for an online class I took (where the journal was never used).  Since I am not watercoloring in this journal, I have found it a bit more difficult with which to work.  I have created only three art journal pages in this book.

As a birthday gift to myself, I bought Dyan Reaveley's new Dylusions Creative Art Journal (from Ranger), where the pages measure 11-3/8" x 8-1/4".  I have only completed one page in my new journal, but will share that with you today.  

Since in her videos, Dyan never says whether or not she has pre-Gesso'd her pages (or whether they are already pre-Gesso'd when you buy the journal), I was hesitant to start adding inks directly onto the page.  For this reason, I took a piece of patterned paper, cut it to size and adhered it to the journal page.  I then was confident about adding my inks!  I love the look since my patterned paper had an embossed "chicken wire" element to it.  I then added stickers, including the title letters, and some mail ephemera.  Here's the result:

Thanks for continuing to visit my art journaling blog.  Working in my art journal(s), regardless of size, gives me great pleasure.  One of the lessons I have learned in this new endeavor is to embrace imperfection!  You see, in art journaling, there really are no rules!  And, it's more about the process than the end result.

Joy to you!

WHO CAN FLY?

Most often, with the idea that I want to share the process of creating an art journal page, I take photos of the steps leading to the final page.  Sometimes, however, I am so engrossed in what is happening on my page that I never reach for the camera.

I can share with you that the background was created by layering paints onto my "canvas."  Using an old plastic gift card as an applicator, the paints were applied one after the other, drying each coat before moving on.  First  blue, then green, next white, finally  topped off with yellow!  Additional texture was added with stamps and bubble wrap.   My title was created by stamping individual letters on paper.  A fabric bird with stitching was the final embellishment!

I am happy with the page, and feel I am progressing in creating more "personal" pages!

Joy to you!

MY WORD! (for 2013)

Today was a play day for me! My husband was at work and Jake was at The Common Dog for a bit of R&R with his buds!  The piano solos are playing in the background.  The new inks were at my newly-organized studio craft table, and I was pumped!

My challenge for today was to create an art journal page about MY WORD!  On her blog, Tracy Weinzapfel (http://tracywburgos.typepad.com/treasure_the_momentlove_l/2013/01/january-2013-creative-dare-1.html) challenged her followers to choose a WORD for 2013. A word to inspire, to direct and to create a path.  It took me half of the month of January to decide on my word.  Several words came to mind, but I finally settled on the word JOY. I hope it will keep me focused! My art journal page is now filled with color and personal inspiration.  I want to find joy.  I want to recognize joy.  I want to share joy.  And, finally, I want to create joy.  Here's my WORD page:

The path I took to get to the completed page was long and challenging, but not without JOY!  I began with a brand new art journal!  As is usual, no matter what the surface, I begin with a coat of Gesso to "prime" the page and make it ready for whatever I might do!  You will also notice that I placed a piece of waxed paper under my page since I am working on this page IN the spiral-bound journal rather than removing it.

Next, I spritzed my page with water, then began to spray it with three inks, again with water, then yet again with the lightest ink.  I began to tip my journal to allow the  inks to run and create some interest.  When I was happy, I rolled across my page with a paper towel role to absorb all the liquid, then dried it with my heat gun.

Next up was tissue paper (from an actual dress pattern), torn and randomly adhered with Mod Podge.  I then used a tube full of distress ink across the top, lifted the journal, and allowed the ink to drip down my page.  Again, with the paper towel role and the heat gun.

I love to add layers to my pages, so I added some circles cut from a greeting card, several stamped images and bubble wrap with white paint, used as a stamp.

I have, over the years, tried my hand at making ATCs.  My title ATC was created in 2009 and has just been waiting for today!  It is constructed of a piece of cardboard with a piece of orange joint tape (think hardware store) atop it, and the chipboard word JOY.  

When my page was completed and I sat back and looked at it, I was pleased.  Indeed, today I have created JOY!

Cheers!

JOURNALING ABOUT YOURSELF

Journaling about yourself is not always an easy thing to do, but, if you wish those who will one day read your journal to know who you are and what is important to you, its time to do this!  My New Year's resolution is to do more "personal" journaling, or, what some like to call "soul" journaling.

It is in that vein that I created this quick journal page today:

Thanks for stopping by my blog!  Take a moment to leave a comment so that I will know you were here!

Cheers!

CAPTURING MY MOJO

To an artist, mojo is more than the common interpretation of charm or spell.  It is that place within us that drives us to create.  It is in our thoughts, our dreams, our very being and essence.  When we lose our mojo, we as artists are at a standstill.  You will find us doing the laundry rather than in our art studios sitting empty and without direction!  But, once found, our mojo can drive us for days (the heck with that laundry)!

One of my resolutions for 2013 is to create more, but without that artistic mojo, what is one to do?  Well, today, when I walked into my studio, there she was...just sitting on my table waiting for me.

Had she not been sitting in the middle of my work space, I would have immediately taped her down!  But, wait, I had another thought.  I could capture her in an art journaling page and I would *always* know where to find my mojo!

A bit of paper, acrylic paint, ink, stamps and a bit of ModPodge, and I had captured my mojo for all time...or have I?

Cheers and a very HAPPY NEW YEAR to you!  Make me happy; leave a comment!