Book of Days update

 Hi everyone,

Well it's been a busy week, painting and art journaling. I've been having a lot of fun with my Book of Days and would like to show you today how I did the cover of the book. For this year long project we are altering a book and in her comprehensive videos Effy shows us the steps to alter an old book or to make a Book of Days out of a composition book. So I scoured the charity shops and found my book - From here to Eternity. I thought the title was appropriate for me at this time in my life. Effy suggested to use your word for the year on your cover so thats what I did and with out further ado I will take you on the step by step with me.

 So, after preparing our book I covered my book with Jo Sonja Blue Lagoon and Harbour Blue in a slip slap motion with a flat brush. I just love these colours together.

 Next I found some scrapbook papers with some script on it, ripped it up and adhered to the book with Atelier Binder Medium.

 i used my make up sponge to rub the two colours of paint lightly over the papers and the book to blend them into the background somewhat.

 I then used Jo Sonja Warm White and a circle dot stencil from Crafters Workshop. This is the centre of the Peony 12 x 12 stencil. Inside that I doodled with my white Gelly Roll pen. Now I love these pens, they write over anything and they are so versatile. I love circles as you know, and these two are representing the endless possibilities that await me this year in balance from beginning to end.

 I also used the 6 x 6 cosmic bubbles stencil with the make up sponge and Jo Sonja Lilac to stencil randomly over the cover. I picked up some Warm White as I stencilled so there is a variation in colour in the bubbles.

I then found an image off the internet that really represented my word of 2012 which is Balance. i printed it out on photo paper, then sprayed it with Matt fixative spray so it wouldn't run, tore the edges and adhered it to the cover with Binder Medium.

I then did some stamping with StazOn in Midnight Blue and a Kaisercraft script background stamp and Kaisercraft saying, wrote my title on the cover with the Sakura Souffle pens and there you have it.  To finish the cover off I rubbed perfect pearls over it although it doesn't show up on the photo. It gives it a subtle shine and shimmer.

Now I know the words balance looks out of balance ( I'm not very good at spacing words without measuring) and when I sat back and looked at it I was disappointed but you know what, that is to me part of finding my balance in my life at the moment, meaning that I have to let go of the little things and concentrate on the important matters. My choice was - do I rub it out and start again(which wouldn't have been easy) muck up my cover that I loved and probably put it away in frustration and probably would still not have been finished, or do I embrace it how it is with all its imperfections. After all, that is what I love so much about art journaling, knowing that nothing is wrong, it is your expression and getting it on the page is more important than fretting about whether it will be perfect or not.

Book of Days has a huge following with over 1000 members online and over 500 members on a very encouraging and inspiring Facebook page. Do go and check it out if you would like to join in on the fun.

I would also like to share a fun video from you Tube that is going around Facebook at the moment. Is is only me that recognises myself here. 

What else can you add to the list of crafters sayings?

So I have pinched the saying from my Book of Days cover for today's post

"Remember that something incredibly wonderful is always possible"

Hope you are having a creative week

Namaste

Lee