Upcycling a 2004 Art Journal

I've joined an online 

Art journal group, 

Effy's Book Of Days.

It's completely free and

chockfull of cool techniques

and lots of glitter flinging by the 

workshop leader,

Effy Wild from 

Wild Precious Life.

There is also a 

supportive and generous  

face book group 

to participate with.

I've met many

very talented women

and am having a great time. 

For my Book of Days

I am recycling a 

Somerset Studio

Art Journal Calendar from 2004.

Below are pics of the 

front and back cover.

 

I'

Above, 

I've taped up the inside pages

to protect them from paint.

I gesso'd the hell out of 

both covers. 

Added some kind of thin fabricy 

stuff that a Christmas present was 

wrapped in a few years ago.

Yup. I save everything.

On top of the fabricy stuff

I used gesso with a palette knife 

to create texture.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do 

with it, 
I may try to make it look leathery

or like the surface of an old stone building.

 From the cover of the

original calendar

I only kept the word 

"TODAY"

which I covered with
Dimensional gel

and now has a cool

raised effect highlighting it.

Part of our practice in this 

journal is to pick 

a word for the Year.

I've been struggling mightyly

with choosing the right word.

I have been thinking 

for months about my 

focus for the upcoming year

and I keep coming back to

"use what I have"

and that phrase does not 

boil down to one word.

DAMN IT.

So, like all things,

I'm learning that the word

Mindfulness

pretty much covers 

everything.

If I am practicing mindfulness

I am using what I have!!

I probably have thousands

of rubber stamps

but I really 

don't use them anymore.

I came to a realization a

year or two ago that

I really don't want to use 

anyone else's art in my work.

Sooner or later I will start

organizing them and selling

them on etsy or ebay.

These 4 stamps are among

my favorites. 

"Be Still" is "still" 

one of my favorites.

On these tags I journalled

about the things

I am looking forward to in 2012.

On the back of Be Still 

I journalled about learning

more about Buddhism and

practicing Mindfulness.

On the Frida tag

I journaled about looking 

forward to making strong friendships

with women who create.

On the dragonfly tag I journaled

about the upcoming Milestones 

I am looking forward to this year

taking place in Sam's life.

Prom, choosing a college,

senior trip, and the continuation

of her independence.

And on the Venus tag,

I journaled about 

"using what I have".

 

Pan Pastels

 add the color to the tags.

I originally embellished a 

baseball pocket page 

with alcohol inks intending

to attach the page into the journal 

to hold the tags.

You will see that idea

never made it into my

Book of Days.

After I got a start on the book

the feel of the plastic 

is not organic enough with 

the pages I have so far.

 My next post will show 

pics of the progress I've made

on the first few spreads.

I deviated somewhat

from the instructions

but Effy encourages

and nurtures our individuality

in a funny, wise,and

completely stress free

environment.

Good times!!

Now tell me,

how have you started

this new year?

Have you picked a word 

to support your endeavors 

in personal 

and creative growth?

Or do you play it by ear?

Spill it, sisters.

xoS