I am such a creature of habit.  I like drawing on the same size paper most of the time – 8 1/2 x 11 so every now and then it’s a good idea to get out of being so complacent!  The above pages are done on what i believe is mulberry paper – it’s kind of porous and not something i’ve ever worked with before.  It was a stretch to create these two journal pages – the Omm page was almost ruined as i added water media to it – the paper began peeling and buckling………my first thought was “ACK!!!!!!!  I’ve ruined it!”  But then i put a piece of wax paper underneath and dried it with a hair blow dryer.  Did you notice i have a bit of a theme going there?  It’s all about nature and peace!  When working on your journal page it’s a good idea to go with where you are at at the time.  That’s what i do anyways – it always has to be personal with me.  If you like to be inspired by checking out the journals of other people you can always go to flickr and search for art journals – you’ll find tons of them.  Or if you are like me and are a bit old fashioned you’ll also enjoy holding a paper arts magazine in your hands and flipping through the pages while being inspired – i love love love the flippy noises the pages make as you leaf through them. 

Art Journaling!

For my birthday i received lots of Chapters/Indigo gift certificates so i was in book/magazine heaven.  I bought some paper arts magazines as well as arts and crafts related books.  One of the magazines i bought was Art Journaling Magazine by Somerset Studio .  I just LOVE it!  Pam Carriker has a lovely article in the magazine featuring her hauntingly beautiful women, Cathy Bluteau has a gorgeous, juicy and oh so colourful spread called Following the Doodle – you can imagine that i would love that!  Her colourful art makes me happy!  Orly Avineri almost made me SCREAM when i saw her Passport journal…….oh my gosh…..it looks like something you’d find in a pirate’s treasure chest……….all poofy and bursting with juicy goodness.  Orly uses all kinds of stuff to “poof out” or trick out her journal – coins, cork, gum wrappers, dried flowers, beads and more!  I hope you check out Orly’s art journal pages on her blog and hope that you are as enchanted as i was by her gorgeous handmade journals!

Going to Disneyland………whoops….Vacation!

Guess what?  Mr. G and i are going away on vacation for 2 weeks starting tomorrow. We are going to a gorgeous area called Desolation Sound, B.C. We’ll naturally be kayaking and enjoying being in nature!  I’m inspired to paint some pages from cardboard discards, like packaging boxes, spagetti, cereal, etc. to ready them so i can create some journal spreads while i’m away.  Just reading the Art Journaling magazine and also making the Junk Journal the other day is prompting me to make a different kind of journal for a change.  Should be heaps of fun!

Guest Blogger

While we are away i’ll have sporadic internet access so i plan on posting photos and maybe even pics of my journal as it evolves on my blog.  My friend Wendy Gibson of Craft Dinner has graciously accepted to be a guest blogger here on the two mondays while i’m away so stay tuned for Wendy’s lovely projects. Thanks Wendy!  Speaking of my artsy friend check out her article on the Retro fitness craze of hooping.  You just might want to take up hula hooping for fun and fitness.

Okay………so i’ll be seeing you next week…until then have a fabulous weekend!

Love, Violette xo