So today is a nice day, cool. Lots of things happening around here that are good and creative.
ART JOURNALS: Been obsessing over these lately. Reading about them. Looking at them. Thinking about them. But not really creating them. Above is a cover I started for one…and then put it away. Maybe not the time then. Maybe I was just overthinking it. They are so different than my normal linear mode, but I think that is why I am so interested in them…and in the freedom I assign to that type of project. So, as life goes, I received an email this morning from a woman named Mary Anne directing me to an online class called The Art Journal Challenge taught by Shimelle Laine. Read about it. I signed up. I love that I will get prompts each week – a bit of direction goes a long way for me! In the mean time, check out collage artists like Claudine Hellmuth or my new favorite (as you have probably read) Sabrina Ward Harrison. Shimelle has a great list of links on her site. Also the book Artists Journals & Sketch Books.
Anyone wanna join me?
A couple other things:
BLOG: I spent a couple hours this morning printing out all my blog entries since I started in November 2004. I want to have a record just in case something ever were to happen on here…and it is cool to see them all together in a notebook. Just a thought you may want to consider for yourself. Also, don't forget that the journaling you do on your blog can be directly translated onto your scrapbook pages. I have been doing this recently and it works so great.
GARDEN: New Garden coming May 1 on Two Peas. Been working on pages for a super cool theme.
Gorgeous, Ali! Art journals are so much fun for me to look at…but the thought of actually creating one stresses me out (which I think defeats the whole purpose)…:)
Very interesting! Don’t know if I could handle being that free.
Just this morning, I wrote in my journal to remember to use blog writing (both mine and Brad’s) for page journaling.
I would love to try this! How fun. Love your first shot at it, too…
it’s funny- I think we may be traveling down similar paths (artistically) but coming from opposite directions. I am just beginning to experiment with scrapbooking, but have my roots in collage and art journaling. I am a huge fan of both sabrina ward harrison and claudine hellmuth (sooo excited to be taking ms. hellmuth’s workshops this fall!)… for further inspiration, check out the work (most especially the journal pages) of john copeland (www.johncopeland.com)- incredibly strong and beautiful.
Ali!
My gosh, that is simply beautiful!!
Laura
I love the freedom that art journals like that can bring. It’s always refreshing to step outside of your box a bit!
*Loving* this AE collage! Awesome.
Love this kind of art!! Yours is beautiful!
I, too, have been thinking of printing out all my blog entries—gotta have a hard copy! I bet it takes forever though…..
love your layout, too!
Beautiful, Ali!
At the end of each month, I’ve been saving my blog entries for that month to my hard drive to later save onto a disc. Great idea to print them and keep them in a binder.
I am so gonna get that art class! What an awesome website! Thanks for the info!
I think your collage is great and I like the idea of the art challenge.
Just got two artsy books by SWH at the library. Thanks for pointing me to them. I’m with Carrie, I don’t know if I can be that free
Humm…scrapbook journaling from the blog..why didn’t I think of that sooner?!? keep on sharing your thougths woman–that are meaningful and helpful to me and so many others!! Happy Wednesday 
Ali, Love that cover, WOW!! Can’t wait to see your new garden stuff!
WOW! The collage is gorgeous!
i am so in….love this idea…i just signed up!!!!!!!
thanks for posting about this.
Gorgeous journal you have there…that class sounds fab! I had started my blog with the intention to use some of the stuff for journalling for layouts. helps me to write it down now so I can use it when I’m ready. Good idea to print too!
i have been reading ‘brave on the rocks’ and experimenting with my sb style. so i am really excited to be joining you on this great challenge..no holding back…just jumping right in…thanks…
that is just too cool! I keep wonder how the heck do you do some of this? With photoshop? Wow.. that’s all I can say!
Okay…just signed up as well. Ali Edwards…you are my new life coach.
: )
THIS PAGE RAAAWKS!
What an inspiration you are, Ali. I know dozens of people have said it before, but it’s
really cool to see you stepping beyond your comfort zone (and being willing to let so many
strangers experience it with you!) I hope you realize the encouragement you’re giving to literally
hundreds of people to think more creatively, see the art in their everyday lives and to seek it out.
Thanks.
Ali, I am completely loving your cover. Thanks for sharing with us.
Great idea to print out all those blog entries. Can you share how you are organizing those?? In a three ring notebook or something more creative?
M
Great idea- I looked at her site a few weeks ago- I think I got there from her stuff at 2peas. I appreciated the comment you made on the chat the other night about how a lot of us just need to believe that we’re creative. That really hit home with me. I don’t like some of the “art journal” stuff that I’ve seen but I do like the idea of each person doing it in their own style which is what its all about. I may sign up too- still thinking on it.
Life coach… you need to put that on your business card.
Are you looking for houses in Albany? Great halfway point!! LOL
WOW–that cover is amazing Ali! Beautiful work, don’t know if I know enough about design to attempt something like that right now…maybe someday. Enjoy your class. Thinking of buying a book by Sabrina Ward Harrison, though, just to check it out. A link from one of your previous posts got me kinda hooked! Love reading stuff like that, it’s quite a learning experience. thanks for the great links to check out!
Love Sabrina Ward Harrison… Be brave on the art journal, Ali… Thanks for the inspiration…
Ali–I am soo into the art journal thing–glad to see you’re jumping in–I think it’s a natural progression from scrapbooking–too cool!!
I’m doin’ it! I’ve been keeping an art journal for a while, but love the idea of receiving prompts and making a 20 week commitment. Hopefully this challenge will motivate me to be more prolific!
Ali, love the cover. Such a stretch from your usual style. I just ordered Artist’s Journals and Sketch Books. My sb style is much like yours and the thought of an art journal is a bit intimidating. I’m thinking about the class – just was part of a SS art journal swap and would have a super nice journal to start this with.
I love the challenges you constantly keep presenting to us. You are so motivating and uplifting. This is the kick in the pants I need to keep expressing myself in a creative way.
Thank you.
{r}
Yeah, art journals have become my life lately, thanks to you.
Still loving it, still excited about my new work. And trying to keep and work on one of my own as I write about them. Such a cool experience. (Though, like you, I am struggling with letting go of my linear, list-like ways!). The online course looks awesome. Thanks for sharing that.
I am not much of a gusher these days, and I don’t think I’ve posted a comment on your blog yet (cluck-cluck says the chicken..;)..), but your art journal cover stopped me dead in my tracks (not that the office chair I’m sitting on could have anything to do with track-stopping), and I just had to post something.. like.. :::gape::: ..yeah, that about covers it.. *way* cool..
Hey, thanks for pointing out that site. I signed up. Have you checked out any work by Teesha Moore? I LOVE her style. I just posted a journal page sorta inspired by her on my blog if you want to check it out. She is one of the artists that is in the amazing book called TRUE COLORS. I’m sure you have seen that, but if not you have GOT to see it. It is about 3 or more years old but I STILL drool over all of it. I am taking an all day art class with Teesha Moore in June at the Art Bar in Orange County. Can’t wait to get all of the cool prompts…
See you later Muse….
I was in B & N on Monday…Loved the Altered Journals and Sketchbooks,
but bought Altered Book Collage by Barbara Matthieson. Breathtaking examples and tons of techniques. LOVE the book!! I’ve been collecting old volumes found at antique sales for just this type of project. (I love the idea of ‘coring’ out sections and creating shrine cubbies)
ps
if you’re using any spackle, get the stuff that goes on pink and dries white
nice Ali! i think i have the same syndrome where i’m split between “collage” art and a linear graphic style. i’m “torn” in two so to speak. great to see you experimenting and stepping outside of the “box”…
that cover is just gorgeous ali…i posted a page to my blog the other day that i made after reading sabrinas books and the artistjournals&sketchbooks book…it was really freeing and fun….but mines not so **pretty**!! LOL! thanks for the inspiration!
ali, you’re such a tease! i can hardly wait to see the new garden
hey! that class looks fun…hmmm…
Glad someone is enjoying next month’s theme
(I type from my desk, which is covered with pieces of layouts that I can’t bring together)
Can’t wait to see your art journal work!
I am loving that cover! WOW!!!
Can’t wait for the new garden!!!
I have also printed out all of my blog entries, as I will use them in my scrapping. Great entry!
**Deep Breath** Okay . . . I just signed up, you enabler!! I’m at a point where I need to find my own style, to not be intimidated by what to put on a blank piece of paper, to stop copying everything I see because I think that my own ideas aren’t “good enough”. This art journal class sounds like it might help break down some creative barriers, and I decided to go for it!! **Gulp** A little bit nervous, though . . .
Thanks for the link and the inspiration!!!
Wow…what an awesome pix…loved your entry today!
I’m supposed to be *saving* money, but the challenge looks so cool. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve taken the journaling for several of my scrapbook pages right off of my blog – it’s so easy and always very fresh and in the moment.
Just another vote for printing out those blog entries. My brother suggested this to me when I started and it really is a great idea…especially since most of my entries can definitely be used for “matthew” pages later on. Plus, it’s fun to just see everything in book form.
What a cool journal! I am sure yours will be truly unique! Go for it.. have fun! I am thinking of starting one to.
I have also been printing my blog pages to put in a binder. Definitely would hate all my thoughts to just go poof because of a site clich!
Shelley
This is the validation I needed. I have been seeing, reading, and thinking about art journals for awhile now…and when something comes at you from various directions, it’s time to pay attention!!!
Anyway, I decided this morning to begin an art journal by combining my blog journaling as the “journaling” part. I realize this is rather redundant, but I want a ‘hard copy’ of my blogging. So strange how I was thinking along those lines and then I read you blog and it’s about the same thing. Enough validation for me!!
Thank you for always sharing your heart!
Greta
Your cover is gorgeous! I checked out the link and am joining the challenge too. I’ve been amazed by the journals in True Colors and in Lynne Perella’s book. I’ve been wanting to give it a try myself for a while now and this is the perfect motivation for me! Thanks so much for sharing this! By the way, I just wanted to also say that I think all of your work is amazing and your book is awesome!
Hi Ali
been really wanting to try art journalling for a while as a development from scrapbooking. You are going to love Shimelle’s art journal class – her ideas area fab. Her mail art class is already underway and great fun!
Fiona