Lessons Learnt - 16 - Shhhh! Can I tell you a secret? A Magical Secret.

Dear Scribblers

Here's the final layout I'm showing you from my journey through September 2011 on Shimelle Laine's Learn Something New Everyday course.

I think it's probably my most art journal-y layout of the lot. What do you think?

The wording reads, "Sssshh! Live A Life Less Ordinary. I believe in Magic, Fairies, Spirits, Enchanting Dreams, Dragons, Spooky Ghosts, Angels and all things Fantasy."

I began by painting the background quite thickly in acrylic paint and, once it was dry, painting over the whole thing with Glitz It Sparkles glitter glue, writing in the glittery word MAGIC at the same time.

I used a lot of pieces from magazines, the lips, the main title, the black wings, and the roses, even the girl came from a Vivienne Westwood advert! Although the wings were added separately, her wings was a butterfly from a clothes label cut in half, the full butterfly can be seen in the top left hand corner.

There's another fabric butterfly label used linking the Creative Imaginations Narratives by Karen Russell Journaler's Notebook journalling sheet to the top most rose. I then scattered various stickers throughout the layout including a princess chipboard, 'fantasy' word, and word rub-ons from DCWV's Once Upon A Time range, and a dear little witchy cat from Daisy and Dandelion's Pumpkin and Aubergine Halloween range. I then added more glitter glue and highlights with Sakura's gelly roll stardust pens. It's all about the sparkle.

I wanted it to be a fun page, so I hope the whimsical nature comes across.

This may be the last page, but please come back tomorrow for my closing thoughts on LSNED.

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 15 - The Chicks Do The Hen Party!

Dear Scribblers

One of those modern day rites of passage is celebrated in this LSNED 2011 page.

The Hen Party!

My sister-in-law married the boy of her dreams last October, which meant there was much fun to be had at her hen party a fortnight before.

I began with the photos, taking a selection of my favourites and printing them out using my tiny Polaroid PoGo printer, which is fantastic as the 2 x 3 inch sheets are sticky-backed. Great for scrapbooking. 

As the photos were quite dark as they were taken in a restaurant/nightclub, I decided to make the background colourful, taking the colours from the waitresses psychedelic Pucci-inspired dresses (as can be seen in the photo third from the bottom). 

I used a glittering balloon theme, as balloons and glitter balls were shown in the photos. Of course, birds needed to be added. We were 'chicks' out on a hen do after all!

Draw the balloon background free-hand, using Whispers Strokes pens, and Sakura Gelly Roll glitter and neon pens. Before I stuck each photo down, I drew around it with an orange neon pen to make them stand out from the background a little more.

The die-cut birds and 'A little bird told me' label came from a free kit from Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine. The title journalling card came from Creative Imaginations Journaler's Notebook - the Narratives by Karen Russell Collection. WeRMemoryKeepers Promenade Foil Glitter and Flock Adhesive rub-on kit provided the green glittery 'Birds of A Feather' transfer. 

Unfortunately I can't remember where the lovely glitter balloons and celebrate banner came from, but it was all from one sheet. If anyone remembers, please let me know.

The finishing touch was the big Hen Party button we all wore on the evening, and a good time was had by all the chicks, especially the Hen herself, Julie, as can be seen in the photo second from the bottom. She's loving married life, and coming round to her first wedding anniversary in October. Time does flies, especially for the birds!

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 11 - You sip your cappuccino, and I sip my Fortnum and Masons Royal Blend.

Dear Scribblers

Onto the second half of my pages from last year's LSNED:

This layout focuses on my husband's love of cappuccinos and my devotion to tea. Using as the title, the first line from Hazel O'Connor's song 'Will You':

You drink your coffee and I sip my tea.

I used an oriental inspired scrapbooking kit I bought from QVC many years ago, sorry I don't know the name of the manufacturer. Then I made a coffee cup using real coffee shop sleeves, and added the tags and individual bag sachets for the tea.

My hubby and I have a lot of things in common, but I think it's our differences that make life interesting, don't you?

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 8 - My Life in Books

Dear Scribblers

After yesterday's break, we are back on track, and here's my next layout from last September's LSNED.

As you can see this was all about my love of books, and the books that shaped my life. I think you could probably tell a lot about me from reading the covers. A tom-boy as a child, into the dramatic arts. love of sci-fi, gothic, magic, fantasy and positive thinking, keen on the odd block-buster or two, a nod towards the classics and history, but with a very silly streak. Mmmm! Sort of sums me up.

Have you ever made a list of your favourite books at different ages? What have you found out about yourself? Have a go!

The layout itself is very simple. I thought I would let the covers do the talking. I made a table in my word processing document and dropped each jpg into a slot, so I could keep them sized the same, which I then printed out on A4 photo quality sheets. The background is K&Company 12x12 paper I've had in my stash for about 8 years!

Happy Scribing!

Just a note: Any companies or products I mention are items I've bought myself. I am not attached to any other crafting, scrapbooking or art website or company. I mention them because I use them or like them!

Lessons Learnt - 5 - The Wonders of the Universe... Sorry, without Dr Brian Cox!

Dear Scribblers

A dark LSNED page for you today, but with a positive meaning.

I painted the whole of the background with black acrylic, and then using an air gun, blew paint onto the pages in a variety of colours. You could get the same effect using a straw. Just don't suck the paint back up the straw too far! I'm sure a mouthful of paint isn't very tasty at all. Yuck!

I sprinkled glitter into a few places which stuck where the paint was still wet. The white paint burst behind the photo was actually cut from a shopping mall's brochure, which I added a layer of pale glitter to. The photo came from NASA's website, I think, or from one of the mainly space photos sites on the internet. I then used a white gel pen to write and to doodle with. The main title is stencilled from a standard school-type alphabet plastic stencil.

It reads. "Our daily problems are insignificant in relation to the wonders of the universe. Our lives are a blip in the cosmos, don't fret the small stuff! Celebrate being alive!"

There's further writing around the white paint bursts which reads, "As Humans, we spend so much time worrying, complaining and stressing our our day to day lives, making dramas over the tiniest thing which seems so big, so right out enormous at that moment in time, but look at it in comparison to where we live. I don't mean your house, street, town, country or even the whole world. I'm talking about being a child of the universe. The fact we are even alive, and know this, is a MIRACLE! It's amazing to be part of the energy of the UNIVERSE. This vast wonderful system, full of beauty and things known and unknown. Part of everything forever. Now don't those issues seem small? Enjoy today. Marvel in life."

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 2 - Life is a Roller-coaster!

Dear Scribblers

Here's the second page I'd like to share with you from Shimelle's Learn Something New Everyday course in September 2011. I hope you'll understand if I write it as LSNED from now on.

This is the double layout for each day that I explained in yesterday's post. I was a little nervous about tackling what was 18x11 inches of blank space each day, but going about it as an art journal, instead of what would be almost a standard 12x12 scrapbook page with another half (6inch width) tacked onto the side, I found it easier to think about. If you get my meaning. That would be an enormous amount of space for me to scrapbook with layer papers, but with paints and art journal freedom... not so much. It seemed to be the right amount.

The extra length meant I could tackle ideas like this one! My life as a rollercoaster. The journalling reads, "I learnt that when you deal with pain on a daily basis, Life truly is a rollercoaster! The best way to cope is to relax, take the dips as you take the highs and remember... always remember to ENJOY THE RIDE!"

I used watercolour paints again, with Whispers Strokes watercolour and permanent double-ended pens (used a lot on the whole LSNED project), Cosmos Cricket letter stickers, and the rollercoaster framework is thin black ribbon.

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 157

Dear Scribblers

"My life is important because... I feel that each moment matters when..."

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 155 and Project of the Day

Dear Scribblers

"The advice I would give the happy couple is..."

Project of the Day: Are you watching the Royal Wedding? If so, don't forget to scrap/journal/art about your own experiences of today. It's always the personal perspective of events that make them important.

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 142

Dear Scribblers

"What do you think the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything is?"*

Happy Scribing!

*With thanks to the late great Douglas Adams for his answer... 42, of course!

Journal Prompt 140

Dear Scribblers

"Life is brimming with..."

Happy Scribing!

Scrapbooking and Journalling Your Own History Part 10 - Family Life

Dear Scribblers

Family

Do you have a family? 

Who is your partner? What do they do?

Who are your children?

Describe your first pregnancy?

What is your home-life like?

Do you have a schedule?

How has life changed over the years?

What was your favourite moment as a family?

What was the funniest moment?

What was the toughest moment?

Remember your 3Ds (Description, Date, Details), What, Where, When, Who, How, Why and Senses: Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste and Sounds. Also take your time, and choose what is relevant to you. For further details about how to use these questions, please see Part 1 and 2 of this project.

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 58

Dear Scribblers

"What Is Your Life's Work?"

Today's prompt could mean your real job, your dream job, it could be your family or hobby. Think about what Life's Work means to you.

Happy Scribing!

Thoughts on Moments with LSNED and Poems

Dear Scribblers

Today on my other blog, My Year as a Poet, I've been thinking about how things change. As life moves on you need to remember and enjoy each day. Take for example, this digital page I completed for LSNED.

We were sitting in the right spot, at the right time to watch the festa fireworks explode over the buildings. Then pow! Caught a fabulous shot to boot. Life should be filled with moments like this. Remember to appreciate them. 

As well as using Shimelle and The Queen of Quirks kits. The firework digital stamp is from the Home of the Brave kit by Sande Krieger.

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 46

Dear Scribblers

"If I could live another life, it would be..."

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 44

Dear Scribblers

"The experience I will never forget."

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 20 and A Request

Dear Scribblers

I hope you are enjoying these prompts. If you have a comment, please leave it in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think, and to see if you would like me to continue with this, or return to the Favourite Quotes. 

"The top twenty experiences of my life. "

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 4

Dear Scribblers

"The moment my life changed forever was... "

Happy Scribing!

Scrapbooking & Journalling Your Own History - Part 1

Scrapbooking & Journalling Your Own History - Part 1

Dear Scribblers

To Recap:

Every person in the world has their own story to tell, and I feel that it is important for you to record your own personal history. You can include your own family tree and genealogy, or just begin with your own birth or any other significant point in your journey. It's up to you.

Think about what areas of your past life you would like to record for your future. Are you going to include past family? Present family and friends? Are you going to go from birth? From school? From adulthood? Will you include photos? Draw? Writing only? How much details would you like to go into, and how you would like to capture these memories? Are you going to scrapbook? Journal? Art book? Mini book? A4 folder? Sketch book? Canvas panels? Artist trading cards? Film? Let your mind wander, bring forward the images of your life. 

Over a number of blog entries, I will be sharing with you my ideas, and hints and tips I’ve picked up along the way on how to journal your life. There will be plenty of writing prompts for you to think about.

… And off we go!

Part 1

I trust by now, you have some idea how you are going to begin. Are you a happy scrapper? Or are you a raring-to-go writer? It doesn’t matter how you journal your physical or digital pages, what matters is that you are doing it in the first place.

Some of you may want to work chronologically, but you may find your mind wandering off on a direction you didn’t expect. If this happens, don’t worry about it, just go with the flow. Out of this, you may find undiscovered pearls of wisdom and creativity. 

Remember this project is about your life. You may decide to include your family tree and your ancestors stories too, or you may decide to focus on just apart of your world; such as your work life. It’s entirely up to you. 

It’s Your Story

Never forget that. It may take you a few days or weeks to tackle your idea, or it may be a project that will be with you forever, as you add events in the future too. This may sound very daunting, but whatever the reason for your journalling, take each page as it comes. Little steps finally finish the marathon.

I also recommend that you keep each idea or event separate, as it gives focus to your work.

I think that each page, be it digital or tactile, be it writing or scrapbooking, should contain 3 essential items:

The 3D’s - DESCRIPTION - DATE - DETAIL

Description - This is your title for your page. This can be just one word such as; ‘Me!', or a sentence, ‘This is Me!’ or a saying ‘It’s All About Me!’

You can add a sub-title too if it needs explaining; Title: ‘This is Me!’ Sub-Title: 'by The Crafty Scribe.' Your heading can be simple, serious, funny or thoughtful, but it must tell you exactly what the page is about. After all, if a tin of sweet corn was labelled baked beans, you would be mighty disappointed if you had wanted beans on toast!

Date - This is important to add, especially if you are adding it to a time-line of your life. This can include: full date and time - 24 March 2010 10:00 am, or if you don’t remember it could be - Spring 2010, or even circa 2010.

Detail - Now this is the fun bit. This is your journalling. The information and additional data about your page. It can be as simple as a sentence to name the people in an added photograph. Or it can be a quick paragraph, or a whole essay. Once you have your 3D’s you can add whatever you want to your page. It may just be all about the writing or it may be about photographs, embellishments and ephemera, it’s up to you.

If you are having trouble wondering what to write. Jot down your memories using the famous journalists prompt:

What - Where - When - Who - How - Why.

If you follow this, you may recall more details than you thought you would.

To get you started, I would like you to have a go at the following:

Project of the Day: Write a Me page on how you are right now. Title it. Date it. Describe yourself. Do you want to include a description of how you look? Where you live? Your family? Work? Mood? Goals? Add a photo? Write as little or as much as you want. Make it personal. This can become the title page of your entire project - even if you are going to be delving into your past, knowing where you are at this place and time, when you are deciding to journal your life is your jumping off point. Don’t forget you as you are.

So now you have the basics on how to begin a page - (and hopefully a ‘This is Me’ page) - what are you going to write about next? In the next few parts of Scrapbooking and Journalling your Own History, I will be discussing journalling prompts in full. I hope you will join me.

Happy Scribing!