Dear Diary...

First, let me (Becky here today) start by remembering all those that fell on this terrible day back on 9/11. It was a day that rocked & changed our world forever. I am saddened to remember the images of that day & of all the people that lost their lives from such a senseless act of violence against our country.
A special thought goes out to those that lost loved ones that day & to all the amazing citizens who came to the aid of so many.
You will never be forgotten.
Bless you all!
 ***
As a young girl, I remember TRYING to keep a diary. I would write in it for a while & then forget about it. Then, when I did pick it up again, I would read over what I had previously written & feel embarrassed! Silly, I know, but I was probably 14 & so worried about what others thought of me! But not today!

Now I have discovered the wonders of Art Journaling! I am still not that deep-thought-provoking kind of journaller, but more of a TECHNIQUE journal person. I use my journal more for online workshops, new techniques to try or even just playing with a color pallet that I envision for a canvas I'd like to do. I also have to admit that I am one of those artists who sees something in a magazine or online & I kind-of get obsessed with it. So, I make a list & I the next time I'm at the art store or Michael's, I buy the "ingredients" to attempt to replicate what I saw! But, with a journal, I have space to play with the new tool or technique before I commit it to a canvas!

AND, the greatest thing about art journaling is that it's just for me! If I am stuck trying to come up with an idea for a kit or some other project to meet a deadline, I simply pull out my journal & PLAY. Usually, the ideas start to flow after that...if not, I keep playing until my mojo comes back to me!

So, today, I am sharing a little of my journal with you. Most of the pages aren't 100% complete - I still need to go back in & either write some thoughts down (not really my thing!) or even put some technical notes in, like the colors I used or the cool technique I tried. Anyway, I hope that it inspires you to pull out some of your favorite materials (or the ones collecting dust) & just play with them for a day. Who knows, you might discover something new inside of you too!

 Did you know that Jean carries tons of supplies for you to play with in your own journals in the Altered Pages store?! Really!

There you will find Lutadur pages that you can use to create your own handmade journal. Then add some eco-friendly acrylic paint,  stamps & ink for texture & layers; sheets to create your own stencils by hand or with a die-cutting machine, Silly Sticks - which are best thing since sliced bread & a brayer combined to help smooth out your collage images! Not to mention papers & collage sheets to add to your pages -  whatever your little heart desires to help you broaden your artistic horizons!

Finally, this "Home is where the heart is " page was created using lots of textures & layers for the background like I usually do, but the houses were made from various papers. 6x6 pads & scraps are perfect for these types of projects & playtime!

Well, that's it for me today! (If you'd like to see more of my journal pages & how I created them, please visit my personal blog here.)

Hope to see you again soon!

Cheers!