A Journal for Contentment

Okay - first project from my e-course (Creatively Made, taught by Jeanne Oliver, 4 weeks long) is a vintage mixed media journal.  You're supposed to use the cover from an old book, add do-dads and what-nots, special messages, visual textures, etc. to make it special to YOU.

First, I gathered some parts and pieces:

I'm not in love with the project, but took a swing at it since I had a gorgeous book that was already missing its spine and came up with this:

 I like the textures of it - the lambskin leather cover, velvet trim with the leather ties and tiny beads on the top part.  But it's a little fancy, I think, for my taste. I wish I'd quit a little sooner.  It just looked so bare next to all the other people's journals.  Darned peer pressure!  Why oh why do I care about other people's opinions?  Oh yeah - because I'm a broken human.  :o)

Here's a peek inside the front cover.  Cutest end page ever!  That picture is from another book called Lilac Times.  A horrible book that was really just a screenplay and photographs from a little-known silent film.  I have lots more pictures from that book for later projects.  Lucky lucky us!

The fun part that you can't see is the variety of pages in it - photographs, letters from friends, odd bits of paper to write on.  It's a fun way to make a journal, but I don't know that I'll ever actually use it?  I don't know.  It's just not something I'd choose, which I think is so funny, because I made it.  What a weirdo.

*sigh*  I'll try to make the next project more personal.

I do love my handwarmers, tho!  See?

They're super long and super duper soft.  I made them from one of Dan's retired work shirts.  I made a red pair, too.  Amazing how a thin layer of knit on your wrist can warm you up so much!  yay!