The Noticing Journal {an Altered Book Journal} #1
Tue, March 27, 2012 at 07:46AM 
Finally joined the world of washi tape lovers, will add more about that tomorrow!
Working on new things? Yes!
Please don't forget to work on your "stuff" for the Daisy Yellow Creativity Queue Challenge. Try to do something from your creative radar {creativity list, queue, schematic, journal, plan, calendar....} on one day of the 8 non-consecutive days of the challenge. Tomorrow is DAY TWO. That means you have 7 more chances to report back on what you've started. But that's tomorrow.
And today was tomorrow yesterday. I've been saying that since I was a little kid.
The first two pairs of pages in my new book. I call it an altered book journal, because I'm taking a hardback, gessoing the pages, and then using those pages as an art journal. My new project {like I needed a new project} is altering a hardback I found for $2 at the bookstore. Past books I've altered into journals have been my absolute favorites. They are so quirky, so imperfect. I'm calling this my Noticing Journal because I want to journal about stuff I notice, little things. The photo of birds on a wire was taken while I was waiting at a traffic light on a busy day. They were so calm and pretty. The other pages were done separately (usually I'll do both sides at once). I found the watermelon seed packet in a drawer I was cleaning out this week.
Do you want to make your own NOTICING JOURNAL? Join us at the fresh new Daisy Yellow Workshop: The Museum of Simple Things.
Reader Comments (8)
Altered books are so much fun to work in. I have two going at once right now. I love the idea of a noticing journal.
{Tammy}: Karen, I am surprised at how calling this my "noticing" journal has impacted what I write inside, about simple things that I might not consider otherwise.
Hi, Tammy. I love to read about all your projects I haven't used a "real" book for an art journal but would like to try. Are you gluing pages together or is the gesso enough support for the type of materials you are adding to the pages? You have also inspired me to take more random pictures.l
{Tammy}: Grenae, Thank you for saying hello. When I seek out a book to alter, I look for sturdy pages (not too thin and weak) and a solid cover/spine. I'm sort of prepping the book as I go, and I'll try to talk about that in the days ahead. Some pages have gesso and some do not. The gesso might help on the page itself but still that page is connected to the spine and it's still going to be weak if you paint the page. So I glue together pairs of pages with golden fluid matte medium or mod podge and I don't worry if they aren't aligned perfectly. It's all very rough and quick.
It looks so fun and bright. What's your favorite place to get washi tape? Or can you name just one? I have a few rolls but have burning desire to grow my stash.
{Tammy}: Carlene, I bought the washi tapes at cutetape, overall very good service + good selection.
I love the idea of a noticing journal Tammy! Ah...washi tape. I have more on order... it's going to become a problem, I can tell! :-)
{Tammy}: Lorinda, My thought before buying the tapes would be that they were just pretty extras but I absolutely adore them. I am already wanting more!
Love your Journal. Love all the bright colors and the tape. But I love the purpose of it the most. To keep a journal to jot down and paste all the little things of everyday life. Hmmm... I'm adding that to my 'to do new things' list.
{Tammy}: Susan, Thank you for your kind words... and I think it evolved from my goal of noticing more of the every day things, I do that with a camera and I want to do that with words too.
Thanks for your reply and helpful info, Tammy.
{Tammy}: Grenae, Of course! Thank you for visiting.
Oh I love these luscious wonderful pages! Welcome to the wonderful washi world!
OMG I LOVE this idea of a noticing journal, it just what I've been thinking of doing myself! Now I'm inspired and will definitely DO IT! Thanks for the inspiration!