Day 1 - 10 Thirty Days of Gratitude and a Handmade cereal box journal

So a couple of days ago i showed you a little Gratitude journal that I had made out of a box and some cardstock. Today, as part of Louise Gale's 30 days of Gratitude and Effy's Sunday Swoon blog hop, I would love to show you the larger journal I made using a cereal box as a cover. I just love this ready made peep hole in the front cover. This journal was once again inspired by one that Jennibellie made. The link to the you tube video is here.

 First I carefully opened the box at the seams to lay it flat. I kept the flaps on the box until the end so I could use them as little pockets if I wanted to, but also as reinforcement for the outer edges of the cover. I cleaned up the edges where it was stuck together and gave it a good coat of gesso.

After this was dry I painted the background with Jo Sonja paints in Pthalo Blue and Aqua. Don't you just love these two colours together?

I then stenciled Pthalo Blue all over the cover with this lovely new stencil I just bought from Crafters Workshop.

then I laid the stencil in a different direction on the cover and stenciled again with Aqua and white

added a layer of stamping with Black Archival ink and then stenciled on some feathers with Rich Gold paint.

I glued a piece of scrapbook paper on the inside of the cover to reinforce it and the spine,

gathered my papers and made signatures out of them

punched some holes in the signatures and spine, bound with some linen thread coated in beeswax...

and there you have it, a journal made with a cereal box. I doodled around the letters with a Gold Signo pen and a Gelly Roll Clear Star pen as well as outlined the feathers in black Aqualip pen. I just have to add some beads to the dangling thread and I'm ready to use it.

I used various leftover scrapbook papers and various other types of papers that I had in my stash for the inside pages. This is a great way to use up those leftover scraps of paper or patterned paper that you bought ages ago but don't know what to do with now.

 They feel so good in my hand and I can't wait to use them, They are infused with so much positive energy that I know they will be a special keepsake for my thoughts.

So my Sunday Swoon is the feeling I had when I finished these lovely little journals.

I still have to finish some of the pages in my gratitude journal for the 30 days of gratitude so will share those at the end of the month. I'm off on a 10 hike across New Zealand next week so not sure if I can fit my journal in my backpack but I will try my best.

My gratitudes this week are

• firstly for the host of wonderful artists that share so generously on you tube (thanks Jennibellie)
• for my students that have come to all my classes this year. We had our last class for the year on Saturday and it was great. I have some great recipes to share in a future post.
• for the time I am able to spend in my studio with my creative muse
• for my family who unconditionally support my creative endeavours
• for this beautiful place on earth that I live in
• for my friends who I love to bits
• today is Remembrance Day so a huge gratitude for our service men and women, past, present and future. 

 Namaste

Lee

30 Days of Gratitude - my guest post

I have some exciting news today - I'm guest posting over here at Your Heart Makes a Difference blog for their 30 days of Gratitude. I have added a badge on the right hand side so you can easily find your way there each time you visit me so please drop by and visit and show this lovely blog some love.

It's been a busy couple of weeks here and I haven't had much time to really dig my teeth into any of my art projects ,but Louise's 30 Days of Gratitude has prompted me to make a little Gratitude journal and keep up with it for the month of November and then beyond. I was fortunate enough to participate in a dreamboard workshop with Louise when she was visiting Australia some time ago and I love everything she does on her blog. She is a beautiful soul and I am grateful for our connection.

If you are a long time reader of my blog you will know that Gratitude is a BIG part of my life. Being in a state of gratitude has changed my outlook on life keeps the positive energy flowing through me and those around me. This outpouring of gratitude that seems to happen each year in November concentrates that positive energy and spreads around the world. It has been a long held belief that the earth energy as a whole is changed when there is a global outpouring of positive energy and by sharing our gratitude this month it is sure to have an impact, which hopefully is ongoing.

Today I am sharing my thoughts on my gratitude practice in my guest post but I really encourage you to  follow the whole 30 days on the blog. Louise has wonderful prompts everyday to get us all in an 'Attitude of Gratitude'.

 

 My little Gratitude journal was inspired by the greeting card journal made by Jennibellie. Here is the link to her tutorial on her blog and there are links in her blogpost to her youtube videos showing you how to make one. I made my with a a little box  that I had lying around and now I have started collecting old coffee sachet boxes and my cereal boxes to make more journals.

I used plain kitchen twine to bind it with and then plaited the ends. I really like the way it looks and it is small enough to have beside my bed to record my grateful lists, thoughts and ponderings.

For the pages I used pieces of white and black cardstock and also some offcuts of watercolour paper.  I even have a little pocket on the inside front cover that I have tucked in the printed list for Louise's 30 days of Gratitude. 

Yesterday was Melbourne Cup day and the weather was glorious so I sat outside and doodled on the front cover with my collection of Gelly Roll Pens, my Signo pens and my glitter pens. What a lovely way to spend the afternoon. 

I enjoyed making this one so much that I also made one out of a cereal box. More photos and a info on that in a later post.

So, what is on your Gratitude list today? My 5 things that I am grateful today for are:-

** the sun shining brightly heralding the forthcoming summer months **
** my health **
** my friends who listen to me when I am down and always cheer me up **
** this beautiful land that I live in, the lucky country **
** my family safely tucked in their beds tonight **