It's like greeting an old friend: Getting back into Creative Journalling

Hey guys!

I've been on a bit of a creative spurt since coming back from Cambs Planner Con. I'm not sure whether it is being in a room full of creative people or having spent time with amazing friends surrounded by like minded individuals on a mini holiday from normality. Once the post planner con blues have passed I'm left feeling rejuvenated and inspired!

For some time I've been in a creative lull, my journals both my art ones and my documenting ones have been left pretty much untouched since mid December (I've still not finished my Dec Daily!!). I've been creating, in the sense of dying leather and creating beautiful (if I do say so myself) planners for other people, but I've not created anything just for me.

Now the rush of stock making and creating for Cambs has finished I've had time to sit down and just create, and create, and create! Not only have I been involving myself in new areas of creativity (Mermay & Kerry's Monthly Challenges) I've also had a breakthrough. I've started working my way through alllll the pretty ephemera and papers I've hoarded for years. It is a turning point for sure!

I've two creative journal spreads to share with you today. The first documenting my trip with J to the cake baker for our wedding.....a rather tasty trip!! I thought this spread would perfectly suit Anna's 'We go together' Collection. The second documenting my time away for Cambs Planner Con 2018.

We go together like...

Often when the vellums (this one is from Filofabulousss) I use in my actual planning planner become too tatty or torn from use I'll include them in my creative journals. This insert is one I made especially for this entry as I thought the gorgeous teacups suited the theme perfectly, although I didn't have tea at the tasting, boo! Tea and cake, mmmm!

I began with a gentle water colour wash, I tried to pick out colours which complimented the teacups. I didn't want anything too bold or strong that it would overshadow the rest of the page. I then tentatively used my heatgun to quickly dry the wash....the thing still scares me!

Whilst I deliberated which pieces from the 'We go together' Collection I wanted to include, I used my  Canon Slephy to print off the photos. I will often print more than I use, so a) I have more choices available and b) I'll print other photos from other days so as not to waste the paper.

Space can be a bit of a premium for me at times, I like to leave a lot of white space, for my writing, which often navigates around the photographs and any bits of ephemera I've included. So using a journal card washi'd (is that even a word?) down as a flip out window really helps free up some of this real estate. I've also recently adopted Anna's style of adding a tab, which I came across in one of her DecDaily Youtube Videos. The tabs really do add that little bit extra to the window, gives it a bit more purpose, I think. 

Next played around with some 12x12 paper scraps I had left over from making this insert. I had a bit of mishap with the double sided tape and ended up ripping up some of the paper underneath. I need to  be a little more brave about just going with where I've stuck something down. In the end though I managed to cover it up with another sticker. When we travelled that morning the air was incredibly misty or foggy? Either way, it was pearly white and it always made me feel so nostalgic. Like I'm a kid again embarking on a new adventure.

I'm quite pleased with how the pages turned out. I decided to put the date on the vellum, I wasn't sure at first but I felt it needed to be tied in to the spread a little more as initially it felt like it was kinda just plonked there. A bit of layering and more washi and I'm a happy bunny. I'm really drawn to layering at the minute which you'll see in the next few pages I did documenting my trip to Cambridge for Cambs Planner Con 2018.

Cambridge Planner Con 2018

Whilst I was creating the above spread I decided to watch Anna's latest Patreon videos where Anna explores and demonstrates how to create your own ephemera. It got me thinking about how I would document Cambscon. The colour scheme Anna chose for this year was spot on! So bright and colourful, it sparked so many creative ideas for me. 

It has been an awful long time since I've made my own ephemera and journal cards, I tend to stick to scrapbook collections, and honestly I'd forgotten just how fun it was to make them myself. I didn't have to search through all the little bags of ephemera looking for the right colour or theme. I could just make them to fit exactly what I was after. 

I wanted to follow the bold and bright colours Anna chose for the event. So I grabbed out some of my acrylic paints and set to work. I tried to mix the colour palette in a way I wouldn't usually, for instance I tend to shy away from putting pink and green hues together. But here I decided to just have fun and try something different. Pushing away my usual creative lines. 

I really love how this page turned out. At first I wasn't sure how I was going to tie all the aspects together as  I just wasn't feeling it. Once I had added a few more layers and some phrases to the photos it began to feel more cohesive. I love the contrast of the black washi against the bright green and yellow acrylics!

Here I totally stole this idea from Anna's patreon video! Shameless but it is such an effective way of adding lettering to your page as well as creating interesting visuals. I had some left over bits from the ephemera pages I made, so I used a paper punch to punch the circles and then used a Sharpie Fineliner to add the letters. I'm definitely going to use this more often in my pages!

I'm not too keen on the black border on the yellow piece of ephemera I made, so I decided to hide it as much of it as I could...haha. A couple of stickers added and it softened the harsh edge a little more. I've also left quite a of white space as I have one or two more photographs to add, but, unfortunately I ran out of paper, so I'll stick them in when my new batch arrives. I have just clipped in the photo at the top for now until I can work out how I want to place them. 

I got a little carried away with the alpha stickers and realised I'd left very little space for me to add my writing, however, I love how this page turned out. To me it represents perfectly the excitement and buzz I felt just before everyone came through the doors. I did catch the 'Awesome' sticker as I was peeling it off the backing and the white layer underneath was showing. So I covered the worst parts with the gold stars and actually I think it looks even better for it. A happy little accident! 

Another flip out window tab thing (I'm still not sure what I want or should call it!). Initially I was going to add this to the acetate but I didn't like the way the sticky tape showed on the reverse so I opted for the good ol' washi trick. I've left it a fairly blank so I have some space to write! I get so carried away I often forget this part, haha. 

Here I've included some of the journal spots/ephemera pieces I created with my Dylusions acrylics, layering it behind the group photo. I then went with some contrasting alpha stickers, I love the way the word stands out. I even love how the word 'family' looks, as after I'd stuck down the F and A I realised I'd run out of M's and I's, so had to revert back to the silver alphas. I also really love, love, love all the bright colours and layers I have going on in this part of the spread! I'm all about the layers!!

Lastly here is a picture of my desk, just because, and also Anna has several desk avalanches in her video! A common occurrence for me too, haha. This, for me, is tidy! 

So that is all from me this time. After a rather brief time of short and sweet posts from me we are back to the long essays!....Sorry!

I would love to see everyone's desks mid creating, and to know if there is anyone who doesn't create mess as they create beauty?

In a bit x

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