30 Days in your Journal

I did something I never have the time to do -- sign up to take an on-line workshop. I'm usually so busy teaching my own classes that I don't have time to take any. When I saw this class from Julie Fei-Fan Balzer I  decided I would make the time -- even though November is crazy!

It started out disappointing for me -- not with the course -- but with the journal I made. Last week I trekked down to Portland to pick up some watercolor paper to make a new journal -- and made more time over the weekend to get it done. I was ready to start on Monday.

Yesterday I got right down to work after dinner -- thinking I would "catch-up", I created my background -- which I fell in love with the layered colors and black circles.....and when I flipped the page it ripped at the score mark. (Another reason to use the masking tape like she suggests -- but I didn't have that and decided to just get to it and pick it up next time I went to staples.) I didn't use cheap paper either -- 140 lb. watercolor paper from Canson.

Anyway, this is one of the pages after I ripped it out. I decided just to go with it and see what I could make of it. I added stamped words and journaling and then ripped the one page into tiny pieces. It was almost freeing to rip that pretty background into tiny pieces!

I used Gel Medium to re-attach them to a new page in an old journal. At first I was skeptical -- it's such a 180 degree deviation from my style. I usually am clean and straight and balanced. This was a MESS. I did try and keep the stamped word "balance" together -- but other than that I just stuck them down to the page.

This is what it looked like when I went to bed last night. I was happy, it turned out ok and no one would ever be able to read my journaling!

This morning I got up and decided to finish off the page. Instead of ripping the second background, I used my paper trimmer to cut it into small pieces and then attached them to the page in an "organized, chaotic" fashion.

I added more circles, and kept the title really organized -- but with a few bits of chaos and added the journaling, some color using punchinella and the second page turned out like this.

My double page spread. Individualy the pages are kind of ugly -- but together they look ok. So not a representation of my work - AT ALL. But you must learn from your mistakes. I decided to just buy a journal like what Julie is using in the workshop and be happy with it!

Thanks for stopping by -- hope you'll make the time to ART Journal today!