Art Journal Pages

As some of you already know, I have been journaling for many years. It is only recently, however, that I have decided to add visual or art journaling techniques to my journal. Until recently,I had been separating the two types of journals - keeping one for the more personal , written pages & one book for the visual, art pages. I have decided that I rather like having them all in one book though- so that's what I have been doing. Thanks to the magic of cropping I am able to separate the personal written journal pages from the visual ones. I still use my other notebooks for larger more involved paintings. Some of you may also remember that I am new to painting & that I have taken only a cautious "toe-dip" into the collage aspect of visual journaling. I am woefully inadequate in understanding the requirements of collage, unlike my friend Kathy Zieben who took to journaling like a fish takes to water. She is a mosaic artist though so I can see how this transition is a fun one for her. Have a look at her journal pages and see how great she is!

I have joined two groups recently that have really inspired me & that have made my attempts at visual journaling easier. Both groups are comprised of terrific, amazing, talented women who have no axes to grind & who offer the gifts of help & inspiration. The groups are : Soul Journal & Blissfully Art Journaling. Typically there are daily, weekly or monthly 'prompts' & quotations to spark your creative instincts. I am finding that these groups are very instructive, stimulating, a lot of fun & I have been learing some things that I believe will help me a lot in my art quilting.

This prompt was 'Birds - what's your favorite?'. I cannot begin to name my absolute favorite bird since I have many of them. Since I make full sized felted crows though I decided that I needed to honor my intelligent, beautiful corvid friends.

This prompt for the pages below was 'Miracles, Have you ever experienced any?'. You bet I have! I know that my Guardian angels work over time on me & I am grateful that I have no second thoughts about their reality in my life. Indeed, I have experienced miracles on a very personal basis. This page took on the aspects of the end of a sunset - just over the mountains. I have tried to use a bit of collage in each page that I do since collage is the area that I need to bectome comfortabel with.... or maybe not - but I DO need to try it just to be sure! One of my step mothers used to do collage & my memories of her & her work are what I consider "typical" collage. Painstakingly cutting out small images and gluing them onto furnitue, quirky bags etc.

I really HAVE been continuing with TAW- and I am hoping that I will post about the next chapter tomorrow....I know, I know, I have said that before haven't I ???? Enjoy a miracle today!