An Upcycled Art Journal for Care December

I love creating with old, worn things that have a history and a previous life.  They add depth to my art and inspire a greater satisfaction than anything shiny and new.

I made this art journal mostly out of materials that I purchased at my favorite thrift shop: 

The Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse!

PCCR has a wide variety of papers -- from old office paper, to decorative scrapbooking sheets, to music sheeting -- as well as fine art supplies, fabric, vintage items, jewelry, and heaps of other treasures.

I made the journal as part of Care December, artist Kasia Avery's course in intuitive art journaling for self care.  

This free event is available online for you to join at your own pace.  You can sign up on Kasia's website, Everything Art:

 https://www.everything-art.com/p/care-december-23 

I followed the instructions on Kasia's YouTube video to create my journal: 

https://youtu.be/Nd5THleyZfw?si=ZsYYTN9oP4YK3TTp

As part of Care December, Kasia is raising funds to support Action Against Hunger.  You can find out more here:

 https://www.everything-art.com/p/care-december-23 

I hope you will join me in art journaling for self care in Care December!

copyright Betsy Bangley 2023

Create Your Own Journal

I recently created this blank journal out of mat board scraps, an old atlas chock full of maps, and several different types of blank paper I found at yard sales.  I wanted to use up materials I've had in my studio gathering dust, and prepare for an upcoming class I'm teaching for the Continuing Education Department of the Community College of Beaver County. 

Join me for Create Your Own Journal on Thursday, July 25, 2019 from 6-9 pm.  Check out this link to the online course catalog, and flip to page 2 for details of the class. To register, go to:  https://my.ccbc.edu/ICS/Continuing_Education/

I incorporated an old library card pocket I had from a second hand book.

When you sew your own journal, you can include different types of paper.  Here, I used white computer paper and an eco-green recycled paper.

Upcycled Valentines Coloring Book

I had a snowy afternoon, a Sharpie and some scrap paper.  Here's the result of the day:

I took 4 sheets of legal-sized paper, printed on one side, and folded them, printed side in.  I arranged the pages so that the fold was on the right, then placed the pages in a folded craft paper cover, and punched holes on the left side of the stack. I inserted grommets to bind the book, and then added decorative silver embroidery floss.
That left a blank book with 8 pages to fill. Add black Sharpie, and ...

Book cover

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