Lisa's Round 3 Journal...!

I have been watching the progress of everyone's journals for the past year since I've been in this group, with great interest!  But also some trepidation - what beautiful work; what amazing ideas; what gorgeous imagery.  I've been much more comfortable doing ATCs than journal work, but finally decided, what the hey!  Or as the kids say, YOLO!  You never learn if you don't try.

So I decided I'd like to make a journal, rather than purchase one.  I have a Dylusions A4 journal which I just love, so decided to make mine A4 too.  

I had watched a few YouTube videos and thought I remembered what to do.  Last night I was home alone (bliss!) as the hubby and kids were down the beach (I had to come back for work, sadly!).  Surely it would only take me a short time...!  

Anyway, I discovered I needed a refresher because it just wasn't working for me.  A bowl of icecream, a glass of wine, and a few videos later, I worked it out!  

I've used 5 signatures of 3 pages each, with good quality watercolour paper.  Probably too many pages, but I'm thinking that I'll use the first and last pages as inside covers.  I have cardboard for the cover, and am considering covering it with some heavy calico I have, which I can then paint.  The problem with A4 size is I don't have paper large enough to use for the cover!

Back down the beach tonight for New Year's Eve, so might get a chance to make the cover on the weekend.  

My theme is Summer - it's my favourite season.  I'd much rather be hot than cold (though 39 is a bit much today!); I love the beach, and swimming in the ocean; I love the long days and warm nights; Christmas holidays, and getting together with family and friends.  

I'd love to see what Summer means to you, and am excited about my journal making the rounds, and getting to contribute to everyone else's journal!

Happy New Year to everyone! xx

Round Three - Ros is Making a Start!

This is my first journal swap!  I am excited!  I have chosen the theme “Maps” as it was my intention to fill a journal with map goodness this year.  When the event popped up I thought it a perfect opportunity to meet my intention in a collaborative manner. 

I am inspired by Jill Berry’s book Personal Geographies. Berry uses and encourages others to create maps as a tool to self-discovery.  We use maps as a means of finding our way to a location or finding our way around a location or gathering knowledge from a map. Most people know their way around their local shopping centre and wouldn’t need to have a physical map.  For me, the mental map comes into play as I enter the centre and track my way to the coffee shop, the Ladies (loo), the supermarket and back to the car. If someone asks me where something is in the centre my mental map comes into play and I can send them in the right direction.

It is the same for most things in our lives.  I know where everything is in my house (most times!) as it is embedded in a mental map.  I don’t know where everything is in my son’s room apart from the things in the most logical places.  I would need either a map to navigate his disaster zone or ask him and he could refer to his mental map to send me in the right direction.

So consider your personal map of Self. If you were to map your whole life it wouldn’t squish onto one page of a journal but aspects of your self could fill a page.  If you are grumpy when you get up of a morning you could map ‘your grump’, map ‘your hopes’, map your ‘good mood’, your overflowing washing basket, your pantry, your art supplies.  The list of things you could map about your ‘Self'' is endless.

I had intended to use an A5 Canson illustration journal for the project but was worried the papers would not stand up to media other participants may wish to use. The suggestion of using loose leaf was made in conversation in the Facebook group and I immediately knew by going this route my problem was solved.

A hunt though my hoard uncovered some perfect loose leaf surfaces to work on and they will travel around in a small box and when they return from their journey they will be kept in another box from my hoard. Included in the box will be an assortment of hints and tips to help or inspire you to complete your contribution. 

You do not have to divulge very personal information about yourself. You can expose a facet of your ‘Self’ you don’t mind sharing. You can use whatever you have to map yourself, collage, paint, draw, write, photographs.  

Jan's Page in Wendy's Flower Journal

This is a wonderfully colorful and bright journal. Just as Wendy wanted.

I found a lovely quote from Eeyore and thought it very appropriate as my garden is always full of interesting weeds!!
I used neo colour 11 pastels and some stamps and drawing.

I enjoyed this page and just realized this photo is a still in progress.. i added a few more bits to it and then forgot to take extra photos.

Hope you enjoy weeds too Wendy!

Jan's page in Natasha's Goddess Journal

Wow Natasha what a beautifully made journal, I love the cover and the work already in the Journal from Roz and Robyn.

I wanted to keep the really clean, clear style that the journal is presenting and this is a bit of a challenge for me as i am a bit of a messy art journaler.

I chose a Celtic theme due to family connections and enjoyed looking up some goddesses from that realm.

Brigit was a Celtic goddess who as years went by was adopted by the church and she became a saint. I made a St Brigit Cross for Natasha.

Roz's pages in Wendy's Flower Journal