The Art Journal Caravan

With the end of 2009 come and gone, so had the P365 project I worked on all year. In 2010 I’m going to try something a bit different (I haven’t decided whether I will try and do another P365 project too). Tangie Baxter at scrapbookgraphics has a year long journey into the craft of art journaling planned and she has invited everyone who wants to come too to join her. It is called the Art Journal Caravan.

Since the Journey didn’t officially start until 1/1/10, our first assignment was to think about what we were going to do for a journal and design a cover of some sort. I’m not really sure what I will do for a journal, but I’m leaning towards a ‘do it yourself’ sort with office rings, kind of like the Halloween album I did a few months ago, so that I can mix different sizes and play with hybrid when something strikes me. A LO I did before Christmas with Sarah peeking through a door into Wonderland sparked an idea for me and here is where it led. It ended up in my typical crafty, messy style. The doors open to a new world where I can explore my inner self. I used a second copy of the door to make an elevated door frame and I also elevated the topiaries above the door frame with more foam mounting tape.

  digital credits: by Tangie Baxter at scrapbookgraphics: Steamer Trunk (Art Journal Caravan 2010 exclusive kit), Ultimate Art Doll kit, Hollie Day Dollie, Studio Remnants Collection, Wonderland Collection; Doors by Jen Ulasiewicz at scrapbookgraphics; Topiaries from Steampunk by Maya at scrapbookgraphics; scissors by Adrons Catherine from Once Upon a Sewing Room (Teacher's Pet competition at FPD)
paper credits: Scotch Foam Mounting Tape used to elevate the door frame and topiaries. Distress ink and Zig markers.

If this does end up on the cover of the album it might just end up with a few real odds and ends stuck on it as well. Then again, it might just end up somewhere inside the album if I come up with another idea for the cover- time will tell. I’m just collecting my pages in a box for now until it is a bit more obvious what the format of the actual album will be.

Week #1’s assignment was to choose a word for 2010, ala Ali Edwards, and to make a page for it. Here is what I came up with last night. Like the cover page above, this one is a hybrid page too. I needed somewhere to put my journaling, so I turned the large frame into a flap with the journaling hidden on the underside. I toyed with the idea of actually using a transparency inside the frame and really stamping my word on that, but then there wouldn’t have been anywhere to put my journaling still :P Digiscrapping to the rescue- I ‘faked’ the transparency part on the computer and still had room for my journaling! Digiscrapping is awesome ;)

 
I've chosen the word enjoy for 2010. I spent almost 2 hours on Jan 1 putting together the family calendar for the next 6 months. It is amazing how incredibly busy the kids are, and my personal schedule revolves around it all. I want to try and remember that these days with the kids are precious. It won't be long before they don't need me to taxi them to and from their activities, they won't want mom hanging around all of the time, and they will start leaving home. It gets incredibly noisy and chaotic at times, but these are times to enjoy and savor- the fleeting moments of my children's lives as they grow up. I also need to remember to make time myself to do the things that I like to do, just for me. Making time for myself helps me keep a better attitude during those periods where I don’t get to do the things that I want to.
credits: at scrapbookgraphics: Art Journal Caravan Provisions Parcel 1 by Tangie Baxter and Amanda Sexton, Palais Royal by Ztampf, The Inner Path by Wendyzine; Handstamped alpha by Michelle Coleman at LittleDreamerDesigns
font: CK Becky, Ticket Capitals Impressed, Myriad Pro
paper credits: Vintage Photo Ranger Distress Ink, blue dotted ribbon by Michaels, Red Felt Ricrac by Offray

and as we were putting up the Christmas decorations and cleaning up the house this weekend, this page just had to come out. It was better at yelling at my family to “TURN THE VOLUME DOWN!!!!!” and some other less polite phrases like I really wanted to. Between the talking, TV and Wii, computer, vacuum, and who knows what else I was getting a serious headache. It’s no wonder I stay up so late- it’s the only time the house is quiet and I can hear myself think!

 
credits: by Pixel Works at scrapartist: Jan 10 Artist 2 Artist- A Beautiful Mess Papers, Watercolor Solids, Elements, Crayon Scribbles, Finishing Touches, and Leather Lovelies; Ultimate Art Doll kit by Tangie Baxter and Sherrie JD at scrapartist and scrapbookgraphics
font: LD Letterpress