Ever since I heard this podcast from the Paperclipping Rountable, I’ve been so excited to get my own planner. See, I love paper. No, really, I love it. I am quite possibly a paper addict. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love technology, and use it for tons of organizing, but there’s just something about the act of writing something down. Something about opening a book that’s all mine and putting my thoughts, my plans, my “stuff” in there. After the show was over, I started looking at what kind of planner I might like. I don’t like traditional “by the week” or “monthly” calendars. And I kept thinking I just wanted a place to doodle. To brainstorm. To have a place to document this journey I’m on.

And then I found the traveler’s notebook. It’s just basically a cover – with elastic – which allows you to put in whatever.you.want. And that’s when I knew that’s what I wanted! I saw leather ones, vinyl ones, fabric ones – and they were all so amazing, I decided I need to try to create my own. Because that’s what I do. 

So I found some fabric – just scraps really, to give it a try. I got some elastic and some stabilizer to give it some
weight. I measured, I cut, I ironed and punched. And it turned out really great! For my first one. I definitely want to do some more. Hone it – you know, make it more mine. But here it is, the first one.

I also created some inserts for it, little booklets to hold dreams and doodles. That was fun too – probably because it involved more paper. I want to make some more of those too – maybe even some envelopes, pockets…I can tell this will be addictive.

Do you like paper? How about journals or planners? What’s your favorite kind?

I’ve been wanting to document some of the projects I’ve been working on – so I’m starting a weekly peek post into my artful activities.

Today’s I Spy is a look into my Art Journal. I’ve been using the Documented Life Project as prompts for my journal, and it’s been great exploring new techniques and getting into a creative state of mind.

This page was based on the March 21 prompt, “Art as a focal point”. The theme for March is “making your mark (doodles and mark making)”.

I started the page by using some old scraps of paper, torn and pasted down, then began adding layers of paint and using bought stamps and some home made stamps (in this case, made from cardboard) to mark the page. I also used cotton swabs to add some of the dots on the page, and a white pen to detail them. I used some letter stamps to add the quote “today is a time of great change”. I’ve been really feeling that lately – I need a change. Still working through what that means – practically, but it seems change has been on my mind, in my soul. I’ll have to see where it leads.

I used india ink and a calligraphy pen to add some words from the book “The Moonstone” by Wilkie Collins, which I’ve started reading. I also added some additional color and interest by putting some strips of washi tape about the page. I like how the butterflies look a little like stamps.

My focal point is the flowers – which I cut from pages I had gelli printed (this is a new technique for me – and I can’t wait to do some more. After pasting them to the page, I added some shadowing and then some more marks to help them stand out.

I don’t think this page is done, I believe I’ll go back to it later and add some more marks and doodles.