EASY DOES IT: ART JOURNALS

JOURNAL TIME!!! No excuses...

There's no need to spend time agonizing over how you're going to decorate the cover. Do it if you want, and when you want.

Select the type of paper and binding (wire spiral, stitched) you prefer. My favorites are wire bound tablets of sketch paper and composition books. Sketch paper is a great paper. It's not as heavy as card stock and slightly heavier than text weight...an excellent mid-weight paper.

Select the size journal that works for you.

Don't limit yourself to one journal at a time.

I usually have three 'in service' all the time. Right now a 6 x 4" wire bound sketch paper tablet is kept in my purse; a 9 x 6" wire bound sketch paper tablet and a composition book ( 9 3/4 x 7 1/2" with lined paper) move from spot to spot as needed.

To keep track of 'what is where' I stick either one of those little neon tabs or a smaller version of a magnetic bookmark (http://paperfriendly.blogspot.com/2007/04/make-it-easy_25.html) on the edge of a page. To make a 'page marker,' cut a 3/4 x 3" strip of magnetic tape, cover with paper, crease and fold.

When one of those journals gets filled, I may...or may not...replace it with a journal of the same size or type. Although I always have at least one a wire bound sketch paper tablet.

None of the covers are decorated in the typical sense of the word. The covers of my journals are testors...that's where I test supplies, techniques or a combination of both. It's easy determining the durability of something when it gets handled to the extent a journal does.

The one in my purse is my go-to journal: it's where I stamp an image in need of a special embellishment; it's got the list of needed supplies to buy when they're on sale; it's got a failed technique (usually just a portion) in need of another supply (or step); it's where coupons for a crafts store get stuck; it's where I doodle whenever I have to wait for something or someone. I slide a ball point pen into the spiral binding, so a pen is always handy. Remarkable how useful a 6 x 4" pad can be...

The larger sketch paper journal is pretty much filled with samples that either worked or didn't...the 'how to/not to' bible. Lots of notes in this journal. Sometimes it makes the trip to the store with me. I paste a large envelope inside to front cover to hold text-weight testors, and one inside the back cover to hold card stock testors. Wrapping tissue testors don't get an envelope since they stay put nicely between the pages of the journal.

The composition book gets all the other stuff...whatever strikes my fancy! Phone numbers, addresses, reminders (birthdays, anniversarys, etc.), references to products, notes to me, lists of to-do things...whatever!

Start a journal (or three?)...it'll be one of the nicest things you've ever done for you.