Journaling Challenge

Anna has a creative journaling challenge, involving hopes and dreams, over at designerdigitals.com and a free download for your digital scrapping and journaling for use with Adobe Photoshop or Elements. Since I don't use either, yet, I will participate in this challenge by listing some of my hopes and dreams here that I have recently written in one of my handmade books:

Hopes and dreams for myself:
- to be the best wife and mother I can be
- to help others see how important and special they are
- to help my own children, the children in my preschool class, and the children I teach at church to experience God's love
- to work and play creatively each day
- to continue to grow as a teacher, storyteller, puppeteer, artist, and catechist
- to lead in a positive way in all I do
- to record parts of my family's life story in creative ways so that they can read later and know who they are - and to encourage other's to do the same

These are just a few of my own dreams for myself that I recorded a couple months ago to help me to manage my time and to be sure that I was actually spending my time working towards those hopes and dreams. It's been a great thing to write these down. I wonder how they will change in the next years. Now to think of my hopes and dreams for my family.

The following image is one I drew in my art journal a couple years ago. Seeing these shoes side by side today, knowing that my son put his little shoe next to his daddy's big shoe, just seemed to scream 'hopes and dreams' to me, of a little boy who, thankfully, wants to be like his incredible daddy!

Fall Bookbinding Completed...

Here are the notebooks that I completed with the coptic/chain stitch yesterday. They all use recycled/reused paper (white, manilla, and decorative scrapbook paper) and raw Davey board covers. The leaf and "recycled" images are from my own carved stamps. The two Fall leaf notebooks are in my Etsy shop here. The small one I am keeping for myself. I always keep a notebook in my purse for writing down numbers, product information, ideas, etc. I especially like the reused envelope that I have sewn into the first signature of each notebook for holding receipts, Moo cards, and notes. All completely adhesive free books!

Autumn Bookbinding

I love the beginnings of Fall in Georgia. Today I took my favorite podcasts and green tea up to the crafting room/art studio that I share with the kids and hubby. All windows in the house were wide open and the fresh air was glorious, which put me in the mood for making some Autumn books. Here is peek at what I did with the recycled paper and bookboard that I've been holding onto for inspiration. The leaf image is a stamp that I carved myself for a special order a few months ago. Perfect!


Here is who kept me company in the craft room while the kids were at school all day:

You can see the kids' crafting table with work in progress. I love this room and that the kids are free to make a creative mess up here!

I finally decided to make our new family photo journalling album in the 5"X7" size, using the new leafy book cloth that I made a few days ago. Here are the completely wrapped boards which are now drying in the press (my handy National Geographic set of heavy hardback books!).


Here is a shot of my gluing station:


And cutting the corners for wrapping the boards:


Helpful hint: use one of those catalogs that you get in the mail as scrap paper for gluing. You can turn the pages with each item glued so that you have a clean scrap of paper every time!

I'll be back soon with the completed projects from the photos above!

Bookbinding Etsy Street Team in the Storque!

If you want to check out some other interesting bookbinders see this article in the Storque at Etsy about one of the Etsy Teams of which I'm a member. There is a team blog as well. You can find lots of good info and tutorials if you're interested in that type of thing. I am.

New Bookcloth

Since the moment I spotted this fabric at our local designer fabric store, The Scarlet Thread, I've wanted to make book cloth with it. And, since the moment that I brought it home, I've wanted to make a photo journal/memory album for my own family with it. So yesterday I took time out for personal crafting and made the book cloth. It looks even better lined with thin Japanese mulberry paper - so stiff and smooth and just waiting to be wrapped around some Davey Board. Now I just need to decide on a size before I cut the Davey Board. 8"X8" or 5"X7"? I love the square albums, but the 5"X7" one seems to be more efficient. This album will be perfect for holding photos and my children's narratives from our trip to New England last week to visit family! The cousins had a ball together - there was much noise and laughter!

Easy Postcard Memory Journal Tutorial!

This is one of the simplest bindings you can do - a hole punch, some post cards, and a metal ring! I started this collection of post cards when my first daughter was small. Each time we travelled, whether to the beach or to the local zoo, I picked up a postcard and wrote down what my daughter's favorite part of the trip was, in her own words. Hole punch and add to the stack! We enjoy reading through these when we unexpectedly run across them, dropping everything for just a moment spent together remembering! Sierra was three (now eight!) when we went to the beach and she said her favorite part was "swimming in the waves with Daddy."

Art Journal Supplies

Yesterday's blog post included a drawing I did of my daughter in her pirate costume last Halloween. Today I am sharing the supplies that were used to create the drawing. I do most of my drawings in my handmade Life Stories Books art journal on 90lb. Fabriano Artistico hot press watercolor paper in natural white. This is my favorite paper for making art journals and photo albums. I usually draw the picture out first in pencil and erase any unwanted lines with my handy eraser. Then I went over the lines with my Micron 002 pen. I let the ink set overnight and add color with the Derwent Watercolor Pencil and go over the color with the water brush for the watercolor effect. I take lots of photographs of the kids, but some of my favorite memories are recorded in my drawings - as imperfect as they are!

Talk Like a Pirate Weekend!

When in Jr. High, on Georgia History Day, I refused t' dress like all t' other lasses in Southern Belle gowns! Instead I dressed as a pirate and gave a speech t' me class t' draw attention t' THAT part o' Georgia's history - gettin' me picture in t' paper t' boot! Here be a drawin' I did o' me daughter last year dressed as a pirate for Halloween! A daughter after me own heart!