My Journal

I started a new journal earlier this month.

I made the book using my BindItAll. The covers I made using some fav scrapbook paper I had been hanging onto cuz I liked it so well. Decided I should use it if I like it THAT much! Especially if making something for myself!

I used a tablet of ledger paper for the inside cover, I also cut 1 inch strips and folded them over the edge of the pages before I punched the holes. This give the edge a little more thickness to help allow for the thickness I'll add to the book by working on the pages. Also, then I don't have a stark white edge where the binding is when I paint the background. The journal has 40 pages, so is a big book. I used 10 of lt gray cardstock, 10 lt weight watercolor paper, 10 white cardstock, 10 of India watercolor paper. The working area of the pages is 8 1/2" square.

Once the book was made I started painting backgrounds on various pages. I never start on the first page and work my way through. I randomly pick which page to play with next. And I really like doing backgrounds so go ahead and start there without even always knowing what I'll put on the page. The worse that can happen is I'll have to paint over it if I can't figure out what to do with it! So far I've just used gesso and acrylic paints.

Here's the first page I did. I don't know yet if all the pages will be nature themed but it is a definate possibility. Again I used acrylic paints, and I printed the words on a piece of ledger paper (same time as I printed "journal" for the cover), drew around it with colored pencils and cut it out and glued it to the page with gel medium.

Thanks for looking!

Enjoy!