Handmade Journals and Books

For a significant piece of time the desire to make my own books has been poking at me, worrying at me, and wearing me down. One would think that by now, with all the things that tug at me in one direction or another, I would be smooth as glass like a river rock polished by the current. In May I started to act upon the whispers. (To be honest, they started as whispers, but had turned into shouting long ago.) Against all odds I decided to join the 100 day challenge and work on making books during that challenge. 

Little did I know that life would intervene. My father passed away and for a time I ceased my book making and painting. For a time other things, precious things, took my time. Not only that, but the end of the school year arrived. My creativity was harnessed in a different direction for a few weeks. 

Slowly, I am returning to the books. The contents will, no doubt, be different than if I had filled them six weeks ago. That's ok. All part of the journey. I didn't finish the 100 day project, but it did kick start me on a project that has long wished to be allowed into the light. 

The top picture shows the cover of the journal I put together immediately after sewing together. The base of this book is a JoAnn Fabrics calendar that did not find a home on the wall. The colors were lovely and the paper strong. The 2nd photo shows the cover with a layer of gesso. It is ready for some adventure. 

Inside there are some pockets made from folding over the paper. Brown paper from a purchase was added to the middle. I have always admired handmade journals featuring a variety of shapes and sizes of paper. So I tried to add it all to this journal. 

Here's a spread with three different shaped papers which have been gessoed, painted, sprayed and painted over again. 

Love the sizes, shapes and textures, but need to pull them together a bit and make them ready for what comes next. 

First step - gesso, paint, stencils, and blotting. 

Another peek at before...

... after. 

The transformation is exciting to watch. While it remains clear to me that I am the one making the transformation happen, it is still a surprise and delight to see it marinate and deepen. 

What have I waited so long for? Making books is so much fun. It is actually much easier than I imagined and the possibilities are endless. 

What have you been itching to try? What have you been putting off until the time is right, the star align and the stock market is favorable? 

17/100

I am always over enthusiastic about how much I can fit into my life. So when I saw The 100 Project and noticed many interesting people signing on to the party on Instagram I jumped in. I'm not keeping up with the pack, that's for sure. But I made more art than I would have unprompted and I'll call that a win. If you are on Instagram check out #the100dayproject. 
My hashtag is #100daysofbookingit

 The first few books I made were made of one piece of paper. The background fun began on the full sheet. It was then folded and cut so that it would form a book with 8 pages. You might think of it as a greeting card with a lot of pages, a pamphlet or a sparse book - your choice. 

Yes, there's plenty of pink. Why wouldn't there be?

The layout possibilities are endless.

Here's a peek at several I've made. The one on the top includes a fortune cookie fortune that I've held on to for a while. 

The uncharacteristic shock of green in this one makes me smile. Nevertheless pink reigns front and center. 

Perhaps I'll post some more of these. I lost my momentum as Spring appeared. Seasonal allergies, end of the school year (how will I finish everything in time?) and other projects have been a pull at my time, but I hope to get back into the swing of things when we break for Summer. There will be work to do, curriculum to work on, but I think there will be a few more hours for paint.

How is Spring treating you? What delights you these days? Hope to be in touch.

Those days

Some days are for finishing, for forging ahead, for executing visions with paper, pencil and paint. Other days are for starting. 

Today I am thinking ahead. Preparing pages for those days...the bleak and barren ones...the days that there is little energy left and deciding to give up would take but a moment. Those days are days I would not like to loose momentum. I would not like to pass the day without creativity. Yet on days such as those there is not a shred of inspiration, motivation or drive. Those are days that I can pull out a sketchbook with some colorful ink or paint or paper already installed. 

A page that seems begun is a resting place. A place to feel peace. It is a place I can go and stay for a moment until I can see the hint of a shape, the breath of a life. On such days I can pick up a marker or a gel pen (have you heard how I love them?) and add a hint of this and a sparkle of that. Those are the days for such tools. 

On days such as those I will be glad that today I chose to spread ink for future happiness. Storing away the color and the warmth for a day less blessed. Today I felt like banking the colors and inspiration I could feel and invest it for a future which needs this color. Which needs the vibrancy of me on this day. So some day I will look at these backgrounds and see the love that pours through me on to the page and into the blogosphere. 

That day I will be happy I had today. 

Every Day

Sometimes it's increments of the smallest measure. Sometimes it's bigger. Sometimes it's grand. 

A few dots. Several lines. Once started the gel pen moves almost on it's own. Just a few minutes is enough to keep the momentum.

Work, Family, Art Balance

It's not easy to balance everything. That's exactly the reason I am determined not to give up. So finding ways to sneak in more creativity is an art I want to pursue. 

Some people would stick with one journal and see it through. 

Not me. I am a firm adherent in the multiple journals philosophy. With just five minutes to create, unfurl three journals to in progress pages - usually pages that are in their first few layers of existence. 

Choose one color of acrylic paint and then another as the first one is dried up. A dollop of paint on the palette, a make up sponge and a couple of minutes is enough to move three pages along....more if you have space to spread them out and have them dry. 

Always having something in progress - rather having multiple things in process has been a technique I have used to keep me moving forward. 

It works for me. More pages. More art. More finished products. Happier me. 

Busy Time Play

It's been hard to fit in time to paint lately. Too many things to start a new year. I am signed up for two classes and had hoped to make progress in each of them this weekend, but alas, it was not to be.

Still I just had to listen to that voice that begs for expression. Some time ago I decided that I needed to create a forum for just such times. Using a thin journal I splashed paint on the pages, added ink and started adding extra paint/ink/stmaps from other projects. The concept of this book is that it would be easy enough to pull out and do 10 minutes of playing. Some of the pages have ended up favorites.

Too bad it lay forgotten - until tonight. I pulled it out and added color with abandon. It now looks nothing like the page it began as. Transformations are fun. The page wasn't the only thing energized. I was too.

Note to self: This should be a core activity and done so regularly that it is not forgotten in overwhelming times.

Hope you will make a play journal too.