Monday, January 18, 2016

Art Journal Plans 2016


 I am participating in a number of groups this year to help inspire my creative juices. Last year I really missed joining in with One Little Word (OLW) and The Documented Life Project (DLP) due to my busyness with the His Kingdom Come community. This year I am already enjoying slowing down and spending time on projects that foster reflection and changing habits, life planning and documenting memories. This is what these two projects bring to the table.

One Little Word is led by Ali Edwards - you can learn more about her on her website here. Ali offers a year full of prompts and ideas to incorporate with your word for the year. The Documented Life Project is a year long project done in a planner that uses prompts and technique challenges to record daily life throughout the year - you can learn more about their project here.
 
Originally I thought I would combine my different art adventures into one, or maybe two, journals. But as time progressed and I got involved in the plans for each group I decided on separate journals. And I decided to actually use the journals each group was offering their members. But then, just because I love making my own journals, I added an altered book journal in which I sewed the signatures and bound them into the spine of the book. I found this wonderfully worn German book at a book sale and the pages were literally falling out of it. It's worn cover and beautiful red spine were calling to me to be made into a journal and I intend to use it for miscellaneous art projects and classes throughout the year. In addition to that I made a small pamphlet style booklet to use as a travel journal on my upcoming road trip with my sister (I made one for her also!).

Here are some glimpses of my various art journals:


One Little Word:


OLW January divider page with my word circled: Rest

The Documented Life Project





Altered Book Art Journal:




Sisters Road Trip Travel Journal:




I will still do art and make recording from my photo walks in my Nature Journal. Who knows what else I'll get involved in this year. I'm just going with the creative flow!


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9 comments:

  1. Wow, this is going to be amazing!!!

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    1. I love all you're doing here, Mary! I'm going to check out both of those sites. Also, I was wondering how you're inserting the pages into the red altered book? Thanks! I always look forward to your blog!

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    2. Shawna. I made sewn book signatures out of watercolor paper and then bound them into the book shell. It gives me about 60 pages.

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    3. Thanks Mary! Do you show how to do that on your site or could you recommend a link? Thanks! YOU got me hooked on the altered books! Love it!

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    4. Shawna, on my site I have altered book journal tutorials that use ring binding. For sewn bindings I highly recommend checking out www.vintagepagedesigns.com.
      Ali Manning has many tutorials for a large variety of bookbinding styles.

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  2. I love the documented life project the way you do it. By any chance, is there a way to get a jpg or pdf of the empty week spread you do? (the callendar think mo - sun) I loved the last year one too.

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    1. Thank you for your comments, Dasha! If you are a member of DLP then the week spread is one of the templates on the downloads that are included for members.

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  3. This is amazing. I love what you created and I can't wait to see what else you do! I'll be joining you in DLP.
    I am doing so many art group/challenges it's crazy but I am happy. I ended up combining all of mine. I just didn't have the month to separate them all out, plus it makes life alot easier that way too.

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    1. Thanks Cody! Glad you are enjoying your art groups!

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