Women's Circle Traveling Journal

I follow this wonderful blog called Introverted Art, and when Ana mentioned she wanted to start a Women's Circle Traveling Journal, I just jumped on it without thinking. I've been wanting to break out my paints and do something creative, so I felt this was the perfect opportunity, especially since there were no rules. Anything goes. 

Once I received the traveling art journal, I had one week with it before I had to send it on to the next participant in the group. I was so stumped for ideas at first. I sketched a few things (in a lovely sketchbook my sister gave me a few Christmases ago). Then, I just decided to take the paints out, dip my brush in, and just paint. I just grabbed some color and started painting with no idea where it would lead. 

I always hear people say that all the time about art journaling. Don't think about. Just do it. Well, I didn't know how amazing it would be until I actually took that advice. I now know why people love doing them. It was so darn fun and relaxing, and it really does feel like a release of pent-up creativity.  

I painted a few pages in my sketchbook of nothing in particular, just shapes and colors. (I even got my husband to play along. Love his sunset, which he first drew on his ipad and then translated it perfectly with paint.)

I let them dry overnight, and the next evening I opened the traveling journal and decided to take the same tact, and just start painting. I didn't go as crazy, because I wanted it to be a clear background. Then, I started cutting shapes out from one of the pages I painted the night before.

With still no plan, I just started gluing the pieces to my painted surface in the art journal. Is it just me or does it kind of remind you of the 1980's? Maybe I'm just reliving my childhood. 

I let it dry another night and the next day I took some black paint and brushed along some of the edges of the cut out pieces just to give a little more depth to them. 

And the lettering. Oh my. This is where I really need to be more intentional; with my lettering. I love typography, so you'd think I could have done a better job. Next time I will try to be more creative with my lettering. 

I mod-podged the entire surface to preserve it, and I let that dry overnight.

"None of my pleasures are guilty". A quote by a non-famous person. Me. ha. It's my motto in life.

This was a great exercise and I hope to do more of this art journaling in my own sketchbook. It really was very fun, relaxing and such a creative release. 

A big "thank you" to Ana at Introverted Art for allowing me to join in this traveling art journal.

Here is a list of the other participants in this Women's Circle Traveling Art Journal:

Artful Fairy Tales

The Marmelade Gypsy

Goodness Recycled

Middle Girl

Ophelia's Art

Christina Jackson

Lovely Reveries

Kyra Wilson's Studio

She Who Seeks

Words & Blooms

Free Spirit Scribblings

A North End Journal

Magic Love Crow

Bichinhos na Cabeça

Art of Nadia

Castles Crowns Cottages