SerendipityArt

I’ve been making handmade journals….but they aren’t what you’d find in a cute shop in some resort town. They are messy journals. I start with my favorite kind of paper – brown Kraft paper. I use acrylic paint with glaze mixed in to add color (I add matte or glossy glaze to ensure the acrylic paint dries smooth, not tacky). Sometimes I’ll xyron down some colorful papers from whatever projects I’ve been working on…or more accurately, not working on. And yes, I add wrapping paper in between the brown paper. A lot of paper artists have a problem with wrapping paper, but I love the colors and the blank side takes Sharpie ink wonderfully (which makes me happy because Sharpies are my writing utensil of choice). Plus I tend to use paper that I’ve given or received gifts in. That adds meaning and sparks memory and feeling – which is key to strong, honest journal writing.

Believe it or not, masking tape provides lines to write on and gives texture and depth. I know, masking tape is a no-no, but I’ll talk about that a little later.

I use heavy paper shopping bag brown paper for the cover – I mean the thick brown paper of old school shopping bags…or the extra large department store bags that come out at Christmas. I use this paper because it’s sturdy/stout. I punch holes down the middle of the book using my Japanese screw punch, and use wing-back fasteners to bind the whole thing together. This process is fast. I try not to think too much or measure to closely. The point is to be impromptu…to let the materials move you in whatever direction they want to go while keeping the book strong and structurally sound.

Now, I have many art addictions…and several of them are not kosher in the art or craft world – like packing tape and masking tape. They are not archival, but they give me the look and feel that I seek. I use packing tape over my cover collages…and those collages are layers of paper stuff that I collect over the life of the journal. The packing tape makes for a firm cover that is still flexible and I can slowly build the cover over time – front and back.

I like these journals because they are lighter than the hardback version I used to use. Well, I still use those glorious Borders hardback blank journal, but only when I’m at home in my studio. I travel with my handmade journals because they are light and easy to fold up and jam into my carry-on bag. I also like how easy it is to add pages. I use redline tape and add pages whenever I see fit.  I will admit though, these journals feel different than any other journal I’ve ever used. They have a depth that starts with the non-blankness of the pages. Their essence is grounded in me and my work because I use the ‘clean paper’ from my studio. I put Kraft paper under all of my projects to keep my desk clean. Paint, ink, stamped images…they all end up on the scrap paper and that’s the paper I use in my messy journals. The paint and images remind of my work…of time spent in the studio – which is especially good for me because working in the studio has been hard and easy all at once lately.

I am happy when I’m creating, but it can be so hard…it is so rare that I want to work with color and paper anymore. What used to bring me so much joy sometimes makes me feel so isolated that I can’t think. I end up washing my hands and sitting in front of the TV looking for something to spend my time on. These journals are a glimpse into what I am before I begin to write, and it feels good – it feels welcoming and comfortable...different than the stark white of store bought journals. So, I roll with it.

I like how the elegance of fine wrapping paper balances the roughness of the re-purposed Kraft paper…envelopes of all shapes and sizes give me places to stuff bits and bobs I find along my way, and I make copies of writing exercises that strike my fancy. I save all sorts of interesting things – articles, advertisements, poems, pictures, letters, and postcards. I add them to my journal as backgrounds and writing prompts – they are anchors for my thoughts; holding me to ideas in a loose, impromptu kind of way. Some evenings I sit down with the intention of writing, but instead I spend my time adding my bits and bobs to the book. The images say what I can’t write…which is perfect for a woman that has lost her words of late.  What I’ve been working on has been self contained – things made for myself, by myself. My mail art has trickled down to nothing; therefore my mailbox is often empty. One more reason I’ve felt lonely and out of sorts…but I have an idea. (I’m always full of ideas!!!)

This weekend I will create 10 journals. All unique, all hand made. I will send them to the first 10 artists that send me their version of a messy journal. If I get more than 10 journals, I will send you one of the journals I get in the mail OR make you a journal – whatever makes the most sense at the time (which means… does my travel schedule allow me time to make you one). All journals, not just the ones I make, will be photographed and put on this blog.

All of my journals will be approximately 8.5x11 inches because that’s the size I like to work in…and actually, they tend to end up a bit larger than that, but it’s a good rule of thumb and your finished product should be about that size as well. Each of my journals will include some journaling supplies as well, just to keep it interesting. If you would like to send me a journal that you’ve made, please send to: Serendipity, PO Box 3246, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. If you have questions, send me an email to:  serendipityartist@yahoo.com and I’ll respond as soon as I can.

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