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!

Mini Album Part 2

Previously, I wrote about beginning work on a Halloween-themed mixed media Mini Album based on a YouTube tutorial by Anne from Anne's Paper Creations (xannero1 on YouTube).

Cover

Embellished Pockets

Even though I am taking a break from crafting jewelry, I still love bling!

I had one of those weeks where all sorts of small things go wrong, so I was so looking forward to my art day today in my studio. I completed the cover and first page. So far, I am really liking it!

Within all these cute pull outs and pockets, there are many places for hidden journaling and also photos, though I have not added them yet. I hav been using a combination of  Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells collection and my Scraps of Darkness Gothic October kit.

Working on a Mini

I have been hard at work on a mini, mixed media Halloween album/journal based on a wonderful tutorial by Anne from Anne's Paper Creations (xannero1 on YouTube). There are many pages, pockets, tags, and other pull outs (what is not to love about all these adorable details??).

I plan on using a combination of Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells collection and my Scraps of Darkness Gothic October kit. Once I have completed it, I will be posting many pictures, I promise!

Dimensional Art Journaling

Scraps of Darkness challenge

Lately, I have gotten more into using dimensional embellishments in my art journaling. I have begun taking part in the Scraps of Darkness  discussion forum challenges. In the example above, I was using a layout by scrapbooker Renea Harrison as inspiration.

I built up a small amount of collage and stenciling on the background. I have a small collection of antique First Communion pictures so I matted one onto coordinating cardstock for this page. I also used some cross embellishments, butterflies, and flower stickers.