My Journal......The Music is You.

I would like to share where I am up to so far with my journal.  As I have said before I am very unsure of myself and am a bit daunted by the responsibility of adding to everybody's precious journals.

There have been plenty of doubts and dramas so far, but my trusty mentor Louise has been there to hold my hand virtually. Thanks xxxx

So here are the steps I have taken so far.

1 Cover

2 Inside cover

3 Step 2 Inside cover and Opening page

 4 And my first page

So I am feeling much happier now I have got to this stage.  I hope everybody enjoys adding to my journal and expressing themselves through a musical theme.  Let the journey begin.

Creating a Touch of Alice

For me, art is a lot like swimming in cold water. You stand at the edge, dangling your toes in trying to acclimatise.  Then you take a deep breathe and jump.  There is always a moment of panic where you wonder why you ever started. But before long you are swimming and you suddenly realize you are having fun.

"A Touch of Alice" was a lot like that.  So many decisions to make.  Not to mention a few false starts.  The final one was the smallest.  I was concerned about the cost of posting, knowing it was only going to get heavier.  I created it from canson paper and I think it was called edition.  It is the replacement in the local art store for stonehenge and at least twice the cost!

This is me off to one of the false starts.  This version was way too heavy but perfect for a new journal for home.  It now has a beautiful blue canvas cover.

Teesha Moore finally gave me the idea I needed.  A whole book from 2 pages!  Perfect.  This is the beginning of the layering of the cover art work.

Close up of title.

An image transfer of the white rabbit from my childhood copy of Alice in Wonderland.

I was concerned that not everyone might be familiar with Lewis Carroll so I began to do some research and this image from my visual diary captures a modern Alice.

The beginnings of some hints with small drawings on the back to help inspire everyone.  I've created a pocket on the back inside cover for them so don't forget to claim yours when the time comes.

Along the way I got side tracked by making my own gelli plate from gelatine, sugar, glycerine and water. I was too impatient to wait for a real one to come in the mail.  Not knowing what a real one is like, I think this one works well.   I have had fun decorating my little gifts.  I hope you like them.

The idea of my theme is that Alice is leaving home for the first time and you, the gifted guest journaler will provide her with guidance along the way in the form of quotes from Lewis Carroll.  I hope you enjoy the challenge.
Sharon

Setting Up a Journal for a travelling journal swap

There are many ways to set up a travelling art journal,

I am just setting up this one for the Australian Art Journal Swap

I like to have a title on the outside and a title page when the front cover is opened.

I also have a little mini booklet just inside the front cover to welcome my fellow artists and to share any hopes or guidelines I might have for that journal.

I tend to offer a variety of different pages, here there are pages with extra flaps and others without, I also do the initial spread to set the tone for the journal. I think it might be harder for others to be the first to work in a pristine new journal that belongs to someone else.

In the back I like an area for each artist to sign in.

Here I have included tags in pockets.

I also have a bigger pocket in the back of the journal for people to leave anything extra they might like to leave.

Thanks for the invite Louise

This is a test run to see if I've got it happening. I have been trying to tell Deb that I love her cover so now I have lol.

Deb Parkes here with "Natura"
In the last week we have been threatened with a cyclone which turned out to be a fizzler for Townsville, but not so for further south unfortunatley. In the lead up to this event it has been very muggy and revolting so i have been confined to the house pretty much. What has been taking up my time in a lovely way is the making of my journal for "the Australian Art Jaournal Swap" (AAJS). I had a great time painting and sewing my soft spine journal, using freemotion stitching, bit s of lace, material, paper and splashing around paint in bright colours. All that is left to do is my 2 page spread and my intro.

 front n back cover's

 inside front cover

inside back cover the stitch scrawl at the top say's "dear journaler" there's a card in that there pocket with a thankyou note to all our lovely artist's.

Grimoire - Monika's Journal

The theme for my journal is Grimoire. Here's a sneek peak at my journal so far:

I made the journal from scratch using mat board offcuts covered in soft leather from a hideous secondhand 80s leather jacket onto which I have painted the tree and glued stitched and leather leaves onto.

It is a Coptic bound journal with more stitched leaves sewn into the spine. The paper for the pages is 300gsm Watercolour paper so it will be robust enough to withstand serious mixed media treatments.

The inside cover is from a wallpaper sample book.  And opposite the first page.

 

Here the back inside cover with a favourite Roald Dahl quote and a pocket on the right where there will be a little surprise awaiting each participant.

The back cover has a leather abracadabra triangle.

This is where I am at so far I still got to do my double page as well as the surprises.

xoxo

The Art of Transformation - Louise's journal

I finally the time and space today to make my new journal this afternoon.

I am doing Soul Food this year 

and just watched Grace Howe's beautiful journal making class.

We have only just started this fantastic art course that is covering so many creative possibilities, in 2 weeks we have done a beautiful mixed media piece, some fabulous drawings, a really groovy collage and the journal making- all of the "Sous-Chefs" are sharing some delicious recipes to feed our bellies as well as our souls, so if you want to join us its certainly not too late.

 I combined some of Grace's techniques with my own.

- writing intentions for my journal on the first layer of the outside cover

and using stencils,
I am so into stencils lately that they would have been in there anyway

adding the layers to the outside cover

 and the inside cover is coming along 

my traveling art journal, ready for me to do some work inside now.