The Art Journaling Journey Continues

Three Art Journals in Progress

I spent the day collaging and journaling. I had a great time checking out websites for inspiration and trying all the new things I saw. I don't think my journey with art journals is anything new...except to me. I'm loving the journey. I have been able to let go of some of my OCD tendencies that seem to be accentuated by my scrapbooking. The art is messy and sticky and amazing. I love it.

Trying out new styles of borders and doodles (Your name is doodle)

Got brave with watercolors and tried a desert scene while in Arizona last week.
Added the poem in photo editing.

She started a new art journal anyway.

I felt so despondent the day I found out about leaving my journal outside overnight. I had sprayed sealer on a couple of pages and left it out to dry. My amazing husband Mike found it the next morning after the sprinklers had turned on during the night. He didn't want to wake me with bad news so he asked to kids to tell me before I went downstairs and found it. My sweet son Zachary was so kind when he saw me that morning. "Mom, are you happy today?" I asked why and he shared the news with me. I tried to dry the pages but since the journal is spiral bound the perforated edges just couldn't take being wet. All my completed pages came out of the journal as I was turning them. I laid them around my craft area to dry. In the midst of all that I asked my son for a hug as I began to cry a few tears of loss. He gave me one more hug of support before heading upstairs. A little while later my daughter Brittanie came down for a hug. "Zach, said you needed a hug." What wonderful children. My good friends all gave me such loving support. After the days and weeks went by I was able to put the pages together into a new homemade album. It was quite the ride but I'm learning that it's about the process not the final product.