Last week, I discovered, to my delight, that my local shop received a shipment of Amy Butler fabrics. *eeee!* Her fabrics and designs are beautiful, and that's saying it lightly; I just HAD to return today to grab some (since I had a 20% off coupon). While it's expensive, I splurged to get 1/3 yard. It's enough to make two journal covers; at the left is one.
Forgive the poor quality; the camera's dead and there isn't good light here on the couch (God bless the built-in iSight on my Mac!). I took the bookboard covers off my current journal, glued on a thinner variation, and covered the whole thing with the pretty, pretty fabric. The band was made yesterday, as I went all demolition on my journal.
You see, of the five signatures sewn in, two were of the thick, nice, expensive Arches hot press watercolor paper. When I began this journal, I did so with the intent of using it everywhere, for everything. Business cards, receipts, photos...the detriments of life on layers of paint. However, the nicer paper intimidated me, and I began making "pretty" pages, worrying about those with doodles, painting over writing.
I ripped out the watercolor paper signatures. I poured all the business cards (my own, as well as those collected) out of my wallet and slapped them on a page covered with cover but not yet gessoed. An empty tea packet. A receipt. A wireless code card I got from a coffee shop (unused!). Slapped in. Stapled. I tore the cover from a mini book of Frida Kahlo paintings (stickers!) and used masking tape to make a pocket.
The pocket is now full of my business cards, random ephemera, some photos, and a flier from a haunted house I visited last weekend, so much so that it warranted a journal belt!
My journal barely resembles what it began as, but I'm committed to using this one until it's full; there are too many orphans in my bottom drawer. I think somewhere along the line, I told myself I could only work in my journal, couldn't use loose pages or whatever because I wanted my journal to be my place of work. I need to remind myself that I can work on whatever, wherever, but this blue, fabric-covered volume is going to record my life -- not pretty painted, artful life, but messy, random, slapped-together life.
I'd love to make another video for you all; what is it you're curious about? Suggest something! I'll post the video Sunday night. I'll respond to all your marvelous, awesome comments tomorrow night.
Now open your journals and do something spontaneous! Do it now! Don't worry -- like life, your journal can be full of mistakes and beautiful imperfections!