Collage To Go

Me being pushed by Liam at the airport in Florida. 

There are two trips on my horizon. One by car and one by plane. Last month, while spending a week in Florida, my back went completely out, and I could not walk very well. Being confined to bed most of that trip made me very stir crazy. I kept wishing I had brought some of my craft supplies, since I could at least paste some stuff down from bed (even if this were more of a traditional  glue book without the paint I usually add).

Now, with two trips coming up in April, I have been searching for some tips on traveling with art supplies. Everything I can locate on YouTube and blogs talk about taking supplies for things like sketching or watercolor. Since I am more of a true collage person, I soon realized I would need to adjust some of those recommendations.

Picture from Stillman and Birn

I usually work in a 9 x 12 journal. But, for travel, I will be using the much smaller Stillman and Birn 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 Zeta series journal. I also purchased a Bag in Bag from Ebay. I will be taking the following with me:

• 2 black Pitt pens
• 1 metallic pen
• Page bling of some kind
• Stickers
• Random ephemera
• Glue sticks
• Glue dots
• Baby wipes
• Scissors- shorter than 4 inches for the plane unless you check it. 
• Possibly a stamp and ink pad?
• Possibly some pastels?

31 Things: Days 2 and 3

You may remember that I am taking part in 31 Days with Ali Edwards at Big Picture Classes. I thought I would update you with days 2 and three. I am greatly enjoying the journaling prompts that Ali has been providing.

Day 2 is morning routine. The color is a bit more vibrant in real life . . .

Day 3 is reading.

 

Journaling with Ali Edwards and 31 Things

Day one: Jewelry

 I am super excited to now be enrolled in an intense journaling class with Ali Edwards. Ali is  very well known for her real life journaling and scrapbooking. She is currently teaching 31 Things at Big Picture Classes (I am not certain if registration has closed yet or not).

Today is the first day and the prompt was jewelry. I wanted to take this class because there are very in-depth journaling prompts. One thing I like is that it is not just the prompt itself, but many follow up questions. I like the challenge of having to do more long form journaling.

Journal Your Christmas Continues

A page about Santa

 I have been very busy keeping up with my 2013 Journal Your Christmas class led by Shimelle. As I mentioned previously, there are daily prompts. Though many scrapbookers enroll in the course and keep Chritstmas scrapbooks, I have been using it to keep a Christmas art journal.

Based on a prompt about wrapping paper, I used some vintage style doggie gift wrap.

 I have been finding it very insightful to think through some of the traditions we practice and why. Some of the prompts refer to childhood memories of Christmastime. Interestingly, since I grew up Jewish and converted to Christianity in 2005, I do not have childhood nostalgia for Christmas or childhood memories of Christmas celebrations.

Do you perhaps notice the glitter alphabet letter obsession I currently have?

 So, my writing tends to focus more on the traditions we have built as a nuclear family. But, I also plan to refer to my extended family- especially once we are in Florida for Christmas.

This year, we returned to an former tradition of seeing The Nutcracker at the Fox Theater.

Some traditions encompass my husband's Dutch heritage.

Journal your Christmas 2013 with Shimelle

I altered a vintage hymnal I picked up at a thrift store. This is the cover and spine.

I am very excited to be taking part in Journal Your Christmas 2013 with Shimelle. Each day, she gives some reflections and prompts for journaling. I altered a hymnal (above) and recreated the cover and spine.

My first page is my manifesto page, where I journal what my hope for Christmas is. This is followed by a page and jouranling about Advent. I am using mostly Graphic 45's 12 Days of Christmas collection, with other stuff thrown in.

Beautiful Altered Box

You may remember that last month I entered a challenge posted on the Scraps of Darkness forum. I was beyond excited to be one of the 2 winners. The host of the challenge, Karen (from Lost Coast Scrapper), very generously gave out prizes for the winners. Mine is this beautiful, handmade box using Graphic 45 papers!

 

 

 

Here is the box from the front. Look at the beautiful details!

Now I have my own book of spells!

Look at the design elements!!!

Challenge Win and Feeling a Lot Like Christmas

On Left is Renea's beautiful original. On the Left is my interpretation using a vintage First Communion image.

I was extremely excited to learn that I am one of two winners in a Scraps of Darkness forum challenge  where we lift a designer's layout. My entry was the First Communion journal page above right. I blogged about the challenge here. I was hoping to get a better picture of my page yesterday, but it was overcast and rainy, so the lighting was not cooperating.

I have also been  feeling the Christmas spirit. One yearly tradition I have is to begin listening to Christmas music right after Halloween. I know some people complain about celebrations beginning too early, and not having time for a true Advent season.

However, I have long thought that the early yearning for Christmas is all part of the Advent season of expectation and hope and waiting. To me, Advent and Christmas is one of those times of year when the world is, in the words of Celtic traditions, a thin place. "There is a Celtic saying that heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in the thin places that distance is even smaller. A thin place is where the veil that separates heaven and earth is lifted and one is able to receive a glimpse of the glory of God."

My art journal plans for Christmas is to join Shimelle Laine's annual Journal your Christmas workshop. It begins December 1. I may attempt to prep some pages beforehand if I have any time. I am so looking forward to this workshop!