Playing with Layers

These are some pages that I completed last week.  I haven't done any more pages since these because I've happily been involved with other activities involving real people (yes, I have to go outside of my own mind occasionally!), and sadly, I've been sick!  Keith had a birthday on Sunday and we enjoyed the day with Nick, Heather and Mike.  It was our first 80 degree day and we enjoyed being outside to the fullest.

I've been sick all week with a horrible head cold.  Yesterday is a vague memory of sleeping and coughing dispersed with The Waltons and various other sitcoms and "Girl TV".  I made it to my colored pencil drawing class this morning.  My instructor was out of town last week and today and asked me to take over the class in her absence.  It's been fun and I'm happy to say that my classmates eagerly and gratefully enjoyed what I had to offer.  I was a little anxious as I had big shoes to fill.

OK...enough of my rambling. Last week,  I was in the mood to get messy and play with layers in my journal. I concentrated on adding texture and collaging papers to my background.

 I was watching the movie, "Eat, Pray, Love" while I was working on this spread.  I really enjoyed the movie and have watched it twice.  Although it was a little long in parts, it was beautifully filmed and I think it's worth the watch.

As is typical for me, all of these spreads were intuitive; meaning I had no plan when I began other than to collage paper to the background.  In this case, I used an inexpensive, unmounted rubber stamp and acrylic glazes.  I sketched in the fish and face.

This is my favorite of the 3 spreads.  I began by using Mod Podge and magazine images collaged on the pages.  I dug through my portfolio of images, words and phrases and chose items that seemed to fit well together.  I used water soluble crayon for color, layering them like watercolor washes and then coloring heavily in areas like crayon.  I then scratched through those areas to add more texture.

Using different methods of journaling keeps your pages fresh and prompts you to think in ways that are different from your norm.  Experimenting with your usual mediums will also allow you to discover new ways in  which they can be used.  Whatever you're doing in your journal this week, I hope you're able to do it without coughing, sneezing and sniffling, and I hope that even if you are feeling under the weather, you still find a way to "Celebrate, LOVE, and Create!"