It is lovely to be back to working in my own journal, this one just for me. I do love the Sketchbook Project and have signed up for the 2013 project, I have even received my blank journal. But I guess I was ready to do some journaling for myself because that is exactly what I have done! And thanks to my friend Joanna Urbani in the UK, I have a theme!

This is how I started, earlier this week. I took a photo that I took sometime in the middle of my circle challenge piece, and added a positive affirmation to it (thank you, Joanna!) as text laid on top of the photo. Then I printed it out onto brochure paper! Easy peasy . . . although, the finished challenge piece did not look like this when finished. Using it like this was a great way to include the image I had created at this stage ; ) I left it like that and returned to it a few days later. 

I added black gesso to go with the very black print of the affirmation . . .

and soft pastels. A thank you to my instructor, Bill Buchman. I can't stop using this new tool!

I smudged the pastels with my finger . . .

added perfect pearls mist and a ticket from my movie date with my husband, plus a bit of journaling with a white Sakura Glaze pen. The green compass is a child's toy Steven picked up on our last walk together.

Without hesitating, he gave it to me knowing it would most likely end up in my art! 

Earlier this week I did another spread . . . 

Click on any photo for more detail . . . use the back arrow to return if you are on my blog.

This spread includes a blipfoto card by my dear friend Frieda . . . more explanation is here.

Even though it is still sometimes hard for me to START working in my journal, when I do make myself begin, things flow and I have such a good time. It feels good, and it is good for me. I credit my interest in art journaling to Julie Balzer - thank you so much! If you would like to see more photos of my process in this particular journal, go here to my flickr account. I appreciate your visit! My blog template has changed recently -if you need help navigating shoot me an email. ; )