This week my children and I are in Maine visiting my grandmother. My husband (and cat) are home holding down the fort.
Due to me not having a computer up here (other than this slow connection at the public library), I have more time on my hands this week. I am using it to make art and relax.
Monday night I was stressed due to having the kids on my nerves. I put a movie on for them to watch and went into the other room. I took out ephemera that I gathered while on the 500 mile drive up here (maps, travel brochues, etc.) and cut out some stuff to glue into my journal. I also wrote in my journal.
Tuesday I visited the library and found a large bunch of free magazines. I took four and on Tuesday and Wednesday cut them up after reading through them. My children and I all were cutting them up. I glued pieces into my art journal. My kids glued things into their own gluebooks. Actually they are now also drawing in their gluebooks so I guess the right term for them is now a journal.
Right now I am at the public library and will see if there are any other good free magazines that they are giving away.
Three times so far this week I got into that "flow" thing which is always great to experience. My journal is turning into something quite unlike any other journal I have seen pictured on the web or in various books or magazines. I think that is a good thing as it is turning out to be a reflection of me and my style, instead of me copying what someone else is doing.
I keep telling myself that there are no mistakes in journaling. I can't remember if it was Teesha Moore or Lynne Perrella who said that but anyway...it is true. I am experimenting and if I don't like the outcome I change it. I am not chastizing myself if something I try doesn't come out well.
Altered Book
This week I started my first altered book that is not a board book base. What a pain this is turning out to be.
I am doing the method where I glue 12-15 pages together with acrylic gel medium (Golden brand) and holding that together with bulldog clips until it dries. I am trying to be careful but it is messy. The clips are getting glued to the pages themselves.
Not all the pages stick and I had to reglue some.
Some of the glue is bumped up and a mess. I bought some sandpaper from the local hardware store (gasp--it is not a Home Depot!). I sanded down the edges to try to fix that.
I have watercolor and acrylic paints up here, as well as my tinted glazes.
I am wondering why I have not seen anyone complaining about the not so perfect side of making altered books. Or am I the only one who is experiencing this?
If it is always going to be a pain I will stick to making my own journals from thick paper and binding them myself. Really, it was not hard to make my own hardback journal.
Okay I must get off the internet now. We are limited to 15 minutes at a clip here at the public computers at this library.
Happy New Year!
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1 comment:
I have only attempted one altered book, and it is a disaster...I never did more than glueing the pages together bacause I hated how it looks. I did this in a short altered books workshop. I was in kind of a hurry, as there wasn't much time. Making an altered book is one thing I want to do this year. Good luck, I'd love to hear more about it.
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