I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's grocery store. I love the staff, and the food!
Over the last few years, I amassed a collection of their sturdy paper bags. Determined to recycle them, I turned them into a journal.
I got the idea for creating a faux leather cover from an idea I saw in a YouTube video.
I cut my paper bags into pages, wet them and crinkled them for some extra texture.
After letting the pages dry, I sewed them into a journal and added a cover.
On the pages that have print, I gesso and paint over, or simply collage. Here I've used music sheeting and old book pages, acrylic paint, homemade stamps, and Sharpies.
I copied a wonderful "permission slip" from The Unexpected Gypsy. It's helpful to write down your intention in a journal, and to remind yourself that you are allowed to create without judgement.
I love the brown craft paper surface of the unprinted pages. I can use white paint pens and black ink to contrast. I've sewn in a string of battery-powered lights to this page to remind myself that nurturing myself helps my inner light to shine.
The beauty of upcycled materials for me is that I've saved something from the landfill, so it feels like there's no pressure to make anything "pretty."
A beautiful way to slip past perfectionism.
Why not create your own art journal from materials around the house?
No comments:
Post a Comment