Making Travel Journals

MY ARTY TRAVEL JOURNALS

I belong to a couple of online art groups and have been asked many times how I make my journals, what my documenting process is and what supplies I take with me - so, with some photos, I hope to explain, and hopefully, encourage you to make one too!

I've been documenting my important travels for  nearly thirty years and I myself am in awe of the changes over the years -

from tidy and neat and text only like this 

.. .gradually adding collage to writing pages 

... to creating whole collage pages

and ...
to the now preferred style of hand made junk journal style brimming over with flaps, envelopes, tickets and brochures, and completed with writing, doodling, collage and washi tapes.

WHAT I TAKE WITH ME:
My essential supplies are the journal, and a tin or pencil case containing scissors (if traveling by plane they'll be in my checked luggage or if I have only 'carry on' then I'll buy a pair of scissors at a discount store when I arrive.  I have also just used torn images). A couple of favourite writing pens, a few Pitt and/or Posca pens in favourite colours, or one or two black fine liners, a white pen (love Signo) and a glue stick and a small ruler all in a small carry bag.
SIZE:
My preferred size is made by using A4 pages or smaller, with a cover of heavy card a little larger. This is a nice size to carry around and easy to work in.
PROCESS:
I collect found papers or junk papers, travel brochures of the destination, scrapbook papers I like, hand painted pages, hand decorated and/or painted or Gelli printed or the papers that I have underneath other projects - all sizes - small and  large are used then assemble them in an order pleasing to me with a mixture of sizes, weights to give me interest when opening a new page.

 

 Various papers, envelopes, words and last picture above is of assembled pages for a signature.

Pages and cards are added with washi tape or glued on a narrow page as I assemble the journal.

Envelopes make pockets or pages.

ASSEMBLING THE JOURNAL
15 pages make 30 pages when folded. (This is a good size to work with - but my recent one had two signatures for a 6 week trip).
I then sew this signature using the basic pamphlet stitch (lots of tutorials online - I like the 5 hole version for stability) into a cardboard cover measuring about 1 - 2 cm larger all around than the A4 pages the book is made from. I usually collage the cover with travel words or maps as I go.

I prepare the pages before I travel by decorating them with washi tape edges, random words, gesso some pages, use left over paint on some,  rubber stamp some, collage postage stamps or scraps of paper or brochure words and pictures eg 'holiday adventures", "take time", "enjoy". Some words and pictures I keep in an envelope stuck inside the back cover to use later.
I attach pages 'on the go' too with washi tape or even strips of paper. Envelopes can be added and are glued in - glue stick is perfect!

I sometimes create an arty piece - like this collaged and drawn postcard - that I add or have a page for doodling in the journal eg these flowers on the inside of an envelope page.

Pitt pen flowers.

When on my travels I can work in the journal on a plane or train or during the day/ night in accommodation ranging from a tent to a caravan to a ship and of course a hotel or house.

I range from just jotting down words of impressions to historical information to documenting my daily thoughts, activities or  ponderings,  depending on the time available.
I add pages creating a flap or a fold out of zig zag pages. I add pages or postcards next  to the spine or sometimes I'll glue a postcard on to a narrow page.

TIME:
I try to work in my journal daily and for at least an hour but that is not always possible so I'll adjust my expectations according to the time available - or get up early - or stay up late! I often travel with my husband and I need less sleep than he does. I thoroughly enjoy this process. I delight in recycling and reusing and finding a place for souvenir brochures, postcards and bookmarks. Questions very welcome - and you might like to check out other previous posts with my journals too. I'd even love to make you one so just email me re postage costs etc.

21 Secrets Online Art Journalling Course

I am so glad I signed up for this course (through Ro Bruhn's blog). I am having a wonderfully creative liberating time - and I've only done one workshop so far.

 

My first workshop was Carissa Paige's "Following the Wild Winds". Part 1 encourages exploring and playing with paints using hands, fingers, stamps, found objects - after allowing an appreciation of where you are.
I went with a serendipity flow and painted.


This Red Tree appeared and reminded me of a beautiful childrens's book The Red Tree by Shaun Tan.

Days later I painted over the red tree and a whole forest appeared!

Next exercise was to put yourself in a painting - again serendipity was at work for me when 2 old photos turned up whilst sorting a drawer.
Significent moments in my life up to now called to be painted. The colours were what came to mind rather than a laboured decision.



No 1 - 1970 - a young couple in love.



No 2 - 1985 - stepping out into a career, study, family, travel



No 3 - 2013 - mellow, wistful, exciting, future awaits an older and wiser me!

This one has song titles that were playing when I was working on it - Brown Eyed Girl, That's the name of the game, Love lifts us up where we belong,I'll be there ... and many more.
I know I have most probably built on other techniques I've learnt and now have freed up a painting method for journalling, which I love.

I've already started another page - my version - where I have written down words of concerns, messages, joys, sorrows, struggles  - then covered them up with text and paper.


No 1 - My hidden secrets.

No 2 - First painting session. with ink drips too.

Next I will stamp, tape, write, maybe paint ...who knows ...but I am dedicating it to calmness in my life, relaxation and enjoyment. Which probably spells ART!

Journals and more Journals

I have been having the nicest time this month ...
 - sorting papers and making the stash into journals - two for me as Travel Journals for 2012, some for friends and maybe some for Etsy - still to be decided.
 

My two Travel Journals for 2012

Decorated covers


- decorating the covers of two altered books using molding paste pushed through lacy curtain fabric and painted

 - preparing painted pages and starting collaging a page which I will work on further 

Ready for an Autumn collage

- making weekly journal pages influenced by Nicole, one of my Lawendula's Paper Swap friends. Nicole pastes down various pieces of coloured paper and writes over the top. Her pages are amazing!

Background prepared

A rotated view - does anyone know how to turn it around - it keeps jumping back even though I alter it in my photo folder!

   - and entering a blog competition hosted by Bronwyn - AND - WINNING - A Brother Sewing machine and a $50 voucher, courtesy of Lincraft! How lucky am I?
Browyn set herself the task of creating an item every day for 2011 and blogged about it. If you open the "Home" tab on her blog page you will discover paper and fabric and wood crafts - many recycled clothing ideas and many easy-to-do projects.
What a great creative year lies ahead for me! I hope for you, dear reader too.

NEW YEAR 2012

Happy New Year to you!

 Here in Australia, and particularly in my part, summer is in full swing! Beach walks, outdoor meals on our deck, tourists and holiday atmosphere everywhere.

We had a very relaxing Christmas Eve BBQ (prawns, special salads & marinated meats, berry coconut cake) and Christmas Day Dinner ( Turkey, special vegetables, plum pudding & brandy sauce).

As we  had such sadnesses during 2011, I deliberated for ages about whether to say grace, make a speech etc but in the end I lit 3 candles - a red centre one for our son-in-law, who died in July; one to "acknowledge" the sad and difficult times of the year and one to "celebrate" that we were together and are looking forward to good times.

I received 2 more cards from my Paper Swap friends - after Christmas - caught up in overseas mail & public holidays- they took more than 3 weeks to arrive. But I love them both - thank you Robert (card on left) and Nicole (right).
Nicole won second prize in a competition with her card, which is layered in red and green and features a tag from Cavellini and paper from anna griffin. Robert has collaged a monoprint and painted on watercolour paper - a lovery wintery feel.

I've been spending time finishing my Junk Journal (begun at the end of 2010) when I retired from regular teaching - which also means I've been getting rid - no - using - all those bits lying around on my bench, in drawers, in the cupboard ... you probably know what I mean!

I've used some old Christmas cards I'd kept because I loved them - to make 2 Christmas books, using paint, serviettes, wrapping paper, stamps, and the cards. I love the cover of the pink book!

 

Two pages from the Christmas books made with old cards.

 I've done 2 spreads for the Round Robin Altered Book for girls in the group and made 3 journals so far - one for our up coming cruise, one to just play in - and one I'll use to collage and write in - inspired by Nicole's blog. I want to make another larger one to work in for Effy Wild's course, Book of Days.
 

Altered book page for Joanne.


I'm looking forward to a creative, healthy and happy year - and wish you, dear reader, the same.

STACKS OF JOURNALS

Browsing through some of my favourite blogs on the weekend I came across Seth Apter's posting for a  Stackaholics Anonymous challenge of a couple of weeks ago. There are to date - 102 posts showing people's studio stacks of whatever you can imagine - and more! There is a huge amount of inspiration included - and I'm only half way through the list of links! I know I am very late, (my life has been a bit difficult recently) but hope he will forgive me if I post some photos of my Journal Stacks here.


My Junk Journals with collaged paper napkin covers - I give them as gifts to friends, to my Paper Swap buddies - and use some myself, of course.




 My Travel Journals - beginning in 1985, with our first trip to Europe - and continuing with Journals from trips to Vietnam, Cambodia, France, England, Italy, Singapore, Hong Kong, Belgium, Lichtenstein, New Zealand, Switzerland, Pacific Islands ... and hopefully many more travels to come.



The wobbly view above, the neater view below, of hand made and hand painted pages, altered books and notebooks.



I am very proud of my hand made journals and seeing them stacked together made me realise what a lot of enjoyment I've had from painting, stamping, sewing, collaging, decorating , drawing - and even - writing in them. And what a delight they'll be in the twilight years as Memory Treasure Troves!

 Below is a delicious stack of boxes and envellopes of inspiration I've received from friends I've met by being involved in Lawendula's Paper Swaps.Such a delightful experience to open one or two and use the papers enclosed.



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A stack of cards I am in the process of making.