Art Journal Page - Blue

After creating my Blue ATC cards and I still had all of the materials out I thought another page in my Art journal would be a good next step.

A double page spread using the same shades of colour.  I stuck the pages together and put a blue watercolour wash on the background.  On the left hand side I added coloured tissue paper using decoupage glue and once dried i ran some blue oil pastels over the surface to show up the creases.

The lettering is cut out of thick blue craft paper and attached with tacky glue with white pen to look like stitching.

Behind the lettering i added some textured fabric and metal gauze.

On the opposite side I put a copy of one of the ATC cards which I transferred on to card and added behind that some more of the blue silk and metal gauze.

For the first time I added to text as well.

Around the edge I added some Aqua crayons which I did not add any water to but left looking a bit sketchy.

I am still not sure if the right hand page might need something else but then to clutter it up would perhaps detract from the overall appearance.

Not many more pages to go in this book and I have started another page which links to patterns.  I have not yet finished that so more on that another time.

xx

Midori Travellers Journal

Last September I invested in a lovely purple Fauxdori made by the talented Ray Blake at My life all in one place.

My intention was that at some point I would buy a proper Midori Travellers notebook in the Passport size.  Last weekend I found that I had some Paypal money from selling and de-stashing some of my fabric etc so I decided to go for it.

It arrived well packaged and once I had removed the bubble envelope I found this package in cellophane.  The above is a lovely thick card package with an elastic strap which I shall use as a spare Midori strap.

 Inside this there was the paper label for the Travellers Notebook, instruction sheet and an orange elastic strap.  The Notebook itself was in a thin cotton bag which is a novel idea and made me think that my Fauxdori could do with one when I take it away with me, like last week.

Little cotton bag with small grip tab.

I tried to get a good photograph of the colour and I decided to go with the Brown.  At the moment it has a brown elastic strap and I might add leather attachment to match my purple fauxdori, I will let you know what I decide to do. 

I would like to start using it straight away so I did include the card and zipper pocket to put paper, labels etc in as there are no other pockets.

There is a plain paged notebook with a burgundy cover.

I want to add something here on the front inner cover but I have not worked out what just yet.  Possibly just part of a postcard or may be a small photograph.

Lovely creamy paper.  I want to make my own books to go in here but it comes with one and I shall use this for ideas, blog post planning, website items to list etc.

When I ordered this I was visiting my SIL and in the past I have purchased some cute mini post it notes from the branch of Clinton Cards in Seaford.  They have not had them there for nearly 2 years but on the spur of the moment on our last day I popped in and found these.

The above are to replace the ones that I had used up.  These will be used in my work planner.

I also found these labels which are also quite small for adding to a journal.

Shaped novelty stickers which I have not seen before.

Plus these mini stamps which I thought I could use in my work planner, journal and on letters or cards too.

Also this mini notebook which I thought I could take the pages out of and sticking on to my Midori pages.

I now need to have a little think about what i want to do next with it.  I do know what it will not a an art journal as such but more of an ideas book which I can update and replace with new notebooks as i use them up.  I intend making these or buying ready made note books and cutting them to size.

Hope your week is going well.  Only two problems at work this week which is enough but thankfully Friday tomorrow then a couple of days to re-charge the batteries.

Take care.

My New Raydori- What colour is it?

I have been looking for an alternative to carrying various sketchbooks.  Having had a Malden filofax for 18 months, and use it every day for work, I decided to head off to Philofaxy to get some ideas and then You tube and various websites.

I found myself visiting My Life All in One PLace and found the posts about the Midori travellers notebook, this then led me to  look at You tube to see how they were being used. I then thought that this style of notebook was ideal, being able to add notebooks and archive them when they were finished.  The price did put me off, not really knowing whether I would like it and then the colours did not really do it for me.  

I then discovered that Ray Blake could make them and I got in contact.Several emails later the above arrived.

Wrapped carefully in tissue paper.

A surprise pencil with a clear lid.  Love that!

Oh , sticker upside down, sorry so impressed with the new pencil you see.

Some scraps of leather which I had asked if I could have if possible and I shall do a future post on this.

I asked for a deep purple.....and I was not disappointed.  It is lovely and my picture does not really do the colour justice.  I have a purple Malden, well two actually but we shall say no more on that and yes they are both in full use.  

There is matching purple elastic to keep all of the book closed, two slim bookmarks and two black inside elastics

I also took the option of having my initials added to the front. The leather is the softest I have ever seen and the colour ....well!  I could have made one of these but I could not find the leather and you do need to get the positioning of the holes etc just right, and I basically did not trust myself.

Plus a plain papered notebook inside with a blue cover.

The paper isIdeal for painting and printing in plus gluing in images and adding creative ideas.

I just kept looking at it and then I was really good and wrapped it back up again.

Why?

Well I had lots of work to do for the day job and if I allowed myself to be distracted then I would never get it done.

But it is now the weekend and guess what I shall be doing?

I shall be setting it up and deciding how I am going to organise this book and it is going to be my on-the-go sketchbook and will be used for many areas of Art and textiles that I do.

I have bought some inserts which I want to decorate and I shall come back and show you how and what I have done.

I dare say that one day I shall buy a full blown Midori but not just yet.  I managed to sell my Brown Zippered Collins personal size filofax so that has paid for this, therefore I am sort of guilt free.

I shall have hours of fun with this and I thought I would start with adding to the blue notebook cover with some white paint, not sure what design just yet.

So, thank you very much Ray, it is gorgeous and I shall really enjoy using it, looking at it and treasuring it.

Do you use your Midori Travellers Notebook as a sketchbook, journal or scrapbook?  How did you make that first move to actually draw or paint in it?

Have a good weekend.

xx