Journal Pages - The Latest

These are a few recent journal pages. They are all "clickable" for a larger view.

The page above was done when I messed up my computer. This, for me, is like being cut off from the world. It was a cat-tastrophe. I have never been more grateful for an extended warranty (Apple Care) than I was that day. I had not thought of buying it because of the price tag, but DH thought it was a good thing. Boy oh boy was I blessed that he had gotten it for me. The turn time was 3 - count the t-h-r-e-e days from out the door to back again. Needless to say, I love my Mac - and Apple Care

This was my Woodstock Memories. All of the hub bub about the 40th anniversary of Woodstock had me really reliving it all. The odd, furtive story that a friend and I told out parents - that, amazingly, worked. The ride to the Woodstock site in bumper to bumper traffic in an old Rambler in that odd teal-y blue. The music, the mud and the fun. The bliss of a hot bath and room service when I checked into a hotel after leaving the music fest early because, although I may have been considered a hippie at the time, I still disliked being dirty!

This page is all about my ever growing historical fixation. The portrait is that of Elizabeth Woodville, a commoner who married Edward IV for love. The story that is, in part, the subject matter of the "White Queen". At times, it seems, that I feel more comfortable in an imagined centuries old 'skin' than I do in this present form. I look at people and wonder how they would have looked in this fashion or that. I feel the desire to take a trip - to return to some of these spots and walk in the steps. I wonder if I am losing my grip or just enjoying a fertile imagination. Nah! I can't be losing my grip any more than I have right?! Anyway, I am a sucker for romance and for history - so how could I not be carried away by this notion of " another time and another place". I mentioned to a friend that, had I truly lived before in this time frame that I cling to so ferociously, I would most likely have died young because of my asthma. She replied " but if you had lived then you might not have asthma! I had not thought of it that way - but she was right!

So - that's it - some of my recent pages.

Something To Caw ABout

I had a "to do" list this past weekend and I surprised no one more than myself when I actually managed to finish the list! One of the things I had wanted to was to add more pages in the new journal that I started. I have a new journal partner now whose name is Judy. The journal swap program is from the Yahoo Group Blissfully Art Journaling. Once you are paired with a partner you swap your journals out once a month for a year. I knew that a journal page or two a month for a year was something that I could commit to. I am really looking forward to seeing the results! I know I will learn a lot and, although Kim (BAJ's list mom) could not have known it when she paried us, Judy & I actuallly share many common experiences. Very interesting! We will be sending off our journals to each other next week & so I have wanted to do some introductory pages about myself. I'll finish the pages up this coming weekend in time to get the "little black book" sent off in the post early next week. Of course no introduction of myself would be complete without a page that honors my love of Corvids (crows & ravens).

I found a new technique that I wanted to try in a book I have been browsing through about Book Binding. I used a candle to drop wax "droplets" onto paper, applying paint coats in between. The wax becomes a resist. I really liked the effect that I got but, as with anything, I need some practice. I also think that soy candles might be easier to remove than the old candle that I had on hand - that had been languishing in a drawer awaiting the next power outage. I think the technique - which could not be any simpler really - bears some further experimentation. Of course this technique is now making me think about seeing what encaustics is all about. There is always something new to try isn't there?

Where Have I Been? Down The Rabbit Hole !

Just when I thought that the coast was clear and that I might get away from Winter without a bout of the usual bronchitis or whatever - zingo - last Wednesday I fell like a gnarled old tree. I began to feel rather faint at work. Got up and took a bit of a walk-about, sat back down & felt it again. Decided that I better skedaddle. I left work, went home & went to bed. It's a different cold bug this time and I am cautiously optimistic that I will not have bronchitis from it - which would be a first in my life actually with a cold. I have, however, been feeling rather under the weather.

Speaking of the weather - we have have had some seriously odd weather gris-gris going on here in the Pacific NorthWest. Yesterday we had hail (the photo above is a picture of the skylight covered with it), snow, sleet, rain and sun. All within a day. Sometimes twice in a day! March is most assuredly coming in like a lion. That must, surely, mean that Spring is close at hand! I am on Hummer watch - they generally return to the fold cold and hungry by Saint Patty's Day.

Aside from sleeping and some reading I have been doing little else. Yesterday, however, I finally finished a couple of journal pages. One that I like and one that I don't. Bet you will be able to tell which is which here ! After a nap (I woke up at an ungodly early hours this morning) I am hoping to paint some more. I also have a commission piece that I need to get going on as well. That should, by rights, be my priority, but I don't like working on things that are going to new homes when I am feeling somewhat off kilter .. that just does not work for me! Of course, there are those who consider me to be seriously off kilter in general!

The 'Prompt' for this page was Mandala. I can't think of anything that I like doing more than mandalas but this one came out a bit more personal than most of them. I think I stretched the strict terminology for mandala a bit too.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines a mandala as:

1: a Hindu or Buddhist graphic symbol of the universe ; specifically : a circle enclosing a square with a deity on each side that is used chiefly as an aid to meditation
2: a graphic and often symbolic pattern usually in the form of a circle divided into four separate sections or bearing a multiple projection of an image

As such, I suppose that this does fit the bill more or less since it was a meditation as I drew it and is, if nothing else, graphic in design!

This next page is the 'black sheep' in my book. I considered tearing it out but decided I should not do that. There were, actually two prompts that I thought applied to this page. 'Family' and 'Release & Receive'. My idea of a family is one that is rooted in strength, patience and love. Trees also symbolize releasing your negative feelings or thoughts into the ground where they can be cleansed - allowing you to, once again, receive. I wish I had made the page nicer. I was experimenting with Golden Fiber Paste over Gesso and was not really sure how to manage the medium....so I think, in this case, the medium managed me instead! I'll give it another, more light-hearted, try when I am feeling chipper again!

It's odd how making visual journal pages is helping me in in other areas. I am busting out to get a quilt on canvas for something that I have been working out & on for some time. I wanted to use primed linen - until I caught sight of the prices. Ye Gads! Primed linen is right up there with gold in price! I will probably settle for a 3 yard roll of primed duck cloth.... anyway I am really excited about some quilt ideas that I am getting from making these pages. It all works together. A happy confluence of mediums & hope. Hope everyone has a day that includes just a little touch of magic!

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!

Soul Journaling WIth Doodles

I recently joined a wonderful Yahoo group called Soul Journal - somehow when I discovered the group it just fit in exactly with what I had been doing - and wanted to continue to do. Each 'challenge', or topic, is called a 'Journey' (I love that way of looking at it!). The latest was on doodling - a topic that is near and dear to me as I do some doodling almost every day in my journal - my written journal. These are the latest doodles from my journal - they all seem to be fitting into my "working in a series theme" 'Circles'. I sometimes think that I should doodle in my strictly visual journal, but my written journal is the one that's always in my hand - so I guess that this will do for now. I am thoroughly enjoying each of these journeys and have already learned a lot from the talented artists in this wonderful group!