Preparations For The Art Journal. (Photo Essay Format)

As many of you know my Art Journal Collaboration with Gideon has been progressing quite well.

Now, I'm ready to start on mine, well, sort of. I still haven't gotten a journal, but that doesnt mean that I still can't start on it, right? *grin*

Remember how I said I had a box similar to Gideon's filled with things to use on/in the journal? Well, here you'll see just what is inside of that box among other things.

This is a shot peering into the overstuffed box.


Let's take some of that stuff out for a closer look, shall we?

My colored pencils and unopened oil pastels (no they are not new I've had them for years!) Along with 4 pairs of decorative scissors and a nice ribbon that was once my grandmother's.


Here we see some postcards, some gift wrap ribbon, laces (from my grandmother), confetti and die cuts. There's also some ornate ribbon on the bottom there from my grandmother.


A closer look at those two ornate ribbons. Surely something special must be done with them. :)


Stickers! Yes, I'm a sticker fan, lol.


This is a neat little thing. You make them and fold them up like this and you can paste it into a book and open it up for images/messages. Kinda neat. Maybe I'll make some for the journal.. who knows.


A couple photos as well as a photo holder that was given to me from my gramma years ago. The one photo is a red panda from the Bronx zoo years ago and the other is the raven outside of Edgar Allen Poe's Philly home. What better inspiration than from the man who created the genre I write? Panda photo by my mother.


Another photo of that adorable panda (I'm a panda lover through and through!) and that photo holder opened. At one time it had an old photo in it, but I don't know where it went to. Panda photo by my mother.


A box of magazine cut-outs that need to be cut around and trimmed before use.


More stickers! (What you thought that was all I had, lol) Gideon has a nice collection too! :) I want to use that camera sticker in Gideon's journal on the intro page for his photography.


Gold glitter glue and Beads! We have a beading store here in town and I'd often go for miniature supplies. Perhaps they can find a use in the journal? We'll see. For now they are here in case I do find a use for them here. Pretty, aren't they?


Ribbons! Lots of ribbons for use in the journal for borders or whatever else tickles my fancy. Also a cute Garfield picture of him writing in his diary. I had kept it years ago because I like Garfield, but now it fits so well. :) Also here: Buttons, die cuts and a mini frame.


Here's something that Renéhas been asking to see. Here you go Rene! My resource books that I've been looking through lately for the journal idea. I've edited the shot to remove the library name on the two library books.

The titles are: Spirtual Journaling: Writing Your Way to Independence by Julie Tallard Johnson, The Decorated Page: Journals, Scrapbooks and albums Made Simply Beautiful by Gwen Diehn and Handlettering for Decorative Artists by Jackie O'Keefe.

I bought the Spiratual Journaling one on a whim in the same town that the author is from. :)


Here's a few page spreads from Spirtual Journaling: Writing Your Way to Independence. It's more of a teen geared novel, but it works for all ages.

Recognizing The Language Of Your Soul spread.


Nature's Peace: Finding the Self through Nature spread.


Getting in the Flow of Writing and Life spread.


There's also a great travel journal section that sounds like it'd be fun to do on the long trip to NY on the train.

This is a particularly beautiful spread from The Decorated Page: Journals, Scrapbooks and albums Made Simply Beautiful. I really liked the drawing and layout on the left side.


Another resource book: Zen In The Art Of Writing by Ray Bradbury (Essays on Creativity.) This was highly recommended by a friend ( Dominique "Rubber Ducky" D) and it's a wonderful read. I still need to grab some quotes and such from it (as well as On Writing by Stephen King.. another great read) for possible inclusion in the journal.


One last thing to leave you to mull over. My notes (rather messy notes at that) of quotes that I liked and will/may include in the journal somewhere. Be inspired! *Grin* There are more that need to be added, but here's a few for thought.


I might not have my journal, but I sure do have a lot here to work with, don't I? Stay tuned for the next progress update. :)

Sorry if this loads slow due to all the photos. I didn't realize quite how many there were!