While looking for a "wayback" portrait to post on facebook this week, I came across my very first art journaling pages, inspired by a Rhonna Farrar "21 days" challenge which I did not finish. I was proud to look back at these early pages and realize that I have begun before; the goal this year is to continue and finish!
I was inspired by Rachel's suggestion of taping pages of an old book together to make sections; my friend Christy gave me this 1973 desk diary ages ago and I've never used it. Turns out it was just the size I was looking for (5"x7") and just beat up enough for me to not feel bad about tearing out pages.
When Christy gave me this diary, I took a moment to copy the words to a song by Innocence Mission that she had had written out in the front pages...pages she went on to tear out, which is why this diary starts on January 31st...
The song is about a writer and a painter working out their weekdays and soaking up art on the weekends. Prophetic, huh?
I haven't done anything with the cover yet...I'd like to wait and see how this journal fills up first. I'm all about doing the cover last, anyway.
Sundays are my "day off" from family life; E takes the kids to his mom's and while I'm welcome to come along, I'd really rather have the day to myself. They can speak Russian without asking me if it's okay, and my MIL gets some quality time with her grandkids. That is something I did not have growing up; my dad's parents died early in my life (my paternal grandmother died years before I was born; my paternal grandfather died when I was just over a year old. I'm told he adored me and even liked to babysit me; he smoked cigars and the smell still makes me nostalgic). My mother was constantly battling with her parents (mostly her mother); her dad died when I was 12 and the battles continued, so any relationship with my grandmother were very strained; she was a difficult woman (and my mother, a difficult child!)...I love that my folks want to take the kids on a regular basis, and that they have a chance to visit with their Baba once a week.
I went to Michigan Book & Supply today and wandered the aisles upstairs (the art supply section). Finally bought myself some acrylic glaze and found a stamp carving kit/mounting set that I'm looking forward to using. I've been wanting to make some Russian letter stamps for years; this set is complete enough to get me started, and cheaply, I might add. We'll see what comes of that!
are they teaching the kids russian too?? that would be cool if they are! :) the girl that sits next to me is from paris and she is teaching her kids french and english..which i think is neat.... can't wait to see the final book! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
ReplyDeleteLove the way you did that first prompt... I'm still looking at a white page and affraid to start in my new "virgin" book... have to get over it and start creating!!!
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