Using some spraypaint experiments done on heavy watercolor paper, I fashioned a pouch to hold journaling supplies and collage fodder I collect during the day while in Italy. This will go in my bag so I can write while exploring. Plenty of duct tape add strength and flexibility. When I get back from the day’s adventures I’ll reinsert the pages I’ve written into my travel log.
Another envelope for saved and found scrap materials. Receipts, bus tickets, and interesting street trash. My eye is constantly scanning the sidewalks honing in on stray notes, numbers, lists.
When I wrap up Visual Journal #9 I plan to dust off the container of little boxy canvases that have been sitting in the garage for the last few months. Without the journal to distract me I’m hoping to collage & stencil my way through the entire container. This is unlikely to happen in reality, but in my mind every one of the canvases is already finished.
LA is cooling back down. 59 degrees with 72% humidity right now. Rain is on the way. I hope the garden gets one last drenching before the long dry spell begins.
The Pride of Madeira offers up her tiny blossoms one by one, until the entire stalk is saturated with the bluest shade of purple.
A small bite of Mary Oliver to tide you over:
from the time of snow-melt,
when the creek roared
and the mud slid
and the seeds cracked,
I listened to the earth-talk,
the root-wrangle,
the arguments of energy,
the dreams lying
just under the surface,
then rising,
becoming
at the last moment
flaring and luminous
the patient parable
of every spring and hillside
year after difficult year.
Your journal is looking so very good!
The beautiful mosaic along your doorway, in the climbing rose picture, caught my eye. What a whimsical beauty to have along your doorway. Beautiful.
I envy you with your blooming flowers and rain. We have hail, and not all the snow is melted yet haha.
Aside from the abundance of color and life from your garden photos, I couldn’t help but notice the mosaic border around the purple door. What a lovely accent!
Hi Mary Ann,
Hope you are well. What a gorgeous journal – all of the layers of paint are fabulous – I must whip out some spray paint, as you definitely inspire.
Some of your patterns remind me of batik.
Susan
Isn’t this marvelous? I love the creativity. Lately I’ve been getting into cardboard. No, silly, not as a cuisine! Is there any cardboard in your creation? Anyway, it will serve you well, and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to it while it’s in Italy.
What fantastic creations!
sigh…
sighing a very BIG sigh…
scrolling, sighing, scrolling…
sigh…
“dreams lying just under the surface…”
xox – eb.
You ARE going to post from Italy…YES? YOu wouldn’t make us wait until you get back!!!!
drinking in the blooms here….our tiny tiny purple flowers on the vinca vine are currently under snow.
My garden is breathing a sigh of relief and the little flowers are doing the happy dance right now as I type. I have lost a wee bit of weight lately, and I think I can squeeze by *** into that envelope so you can take me with you. o.k.? So looking forward to the visual journey that you will share with if you actually come home. 😉
Love the journal! I think I will make one and then I can magically transport myself to Italy too! The pocket idea is excellent and the whole thing looks fabulous! I adore that shade of purple too. And with the roses!! Ahhhh…
I love Mary Oliver. Her visuals are so strong, they almost make me ache. Your flower photos are a lovely compliment to them. Can hardly wait until Spring decides to bloom here.
Oh you clever girl, you! What a sumptuous creation that journal is- what are its (almost) final dimensions? How thick has it grown? and, what does it weigh? Did you put in the tile mosaic around the doorway? It is inspiring to see peek at your yard. So far not inspiring enough to start working inn mine – it has so much basic cleaning and maintenance before fun stuff that I have successfully spent spring break avoiding it altogether. I did do a lot of playing in my journal however. More stamps and a new stencil.