Gaining Momentum

Few things give me more pleasure than making a new journal. I still have a few pages to go in my present journal but just checking on my paper supply, pulling out the creamy, lovely paper, counting the sheets, determining that I have everything needed is enough to pull me into the delicious process. It's funny how often this has happened to me. Always when I am supposed to be doing other things is when the journal-making inspiration strikes. And every time I cannot resist the siren song. I have to make it NOW.

So I tear the paper for four signatures. It's going to be a pretty thick book. Mmmm, I like that.

I choose an image for the cover and then for the endpapers (above) and back paper. I paint a strip of canvas for the spine. I look at it this way and that way and tell myself it's going to be wonderful. I write a secret prayer inside the canvas of the spine. Life takes a good, firm spine.

I lay out the parts and smile. It feels right. Colors I have never used before. I am not a fan of purple but this soft twilight shade feels right. I use a color copy for the front, just because I've never done that before and I want to see how it wears. The back is a painted piece of textured wallpaper. I use matboard instead of bookboards; two pieces for each cover glued face to face. Also an experiment. In the past I've used wooden boards, acrylic sheets, Davey board and canvas board. It's all good.

I use some beads that were a trade 3 years ago at Artfest. Artfest! Yeeks, only a few days away and I'm very excited. With a zillion things to do I'm making a new journal instead. Yes, this is how I work; lots of sideways movement.

I find some alphabet beads and use them on the spine of the book. The "P" is for John's last name which I use when I feel especially wifey.

This shows the textured back cover. You could get a similar texture with crumpled up tissue paper I think. It's all ready for me now. I can't wait to get in there and make my mark!!

Yesterday I found a special gift in my mailbox from the very thoughtful Pilar Pollock. She works circles around most of us, participating in swaps, keeping up with her blog, etsy store, selling prints at Imagekind and also keeping her store stocked at Zazzle.

She said she used her "spider wisdom" to choose the color and how perfect it is. So if you want to see some great mixed media work, stroll over to one of her sites and look around. The work there is wonderful. And thank you again, Pilar.

Whew, I'm tired now. Time for chocolate. Hope your day held some special moments and I'll see you later this week. xo