{Erosion Bundle Art Journal final part}...

I think it's been about a year since I first created the fabric bundle and buried it.

And after many additional dye attempts and processes

the project is complete.

The cover

 New pages,  This includes the lace pocket.

The lace was also dyed in blueberries.

  I found this specimen jar on a road trip this past summer.

The label really does read 

"Specimen of Painting on Linen"

 Page with hair embellishment

 Page including stitched "sunflower"

And the back cover

{Erosion Bundle Art Journal part 6?}...

3D butterflies attached to the page.

And how it looks as part of the center spread in the book.

 Two more pages in the process.  I did add the shadow photo to

the journal.  The colors were so perfect I couldn't pass it up. 

A close up of the "lace" I made. It was an idea

I thought I would try out. I like it for a first try.

Hopefully you can see the flowers in it.

And it's facing page quote.

These last two pages include the beautiful dress

photo I featured on the cover of a recent art journal a few posts back.

 Again the color was a good match.

Well that's another 6 pages assembled.  I think I have approximately

4ish more to assemble before I focus a bit more on the embellishments

{Erosion Bundle Project part 5?}...

While I still have a lot of pages to create I thought I would give

you a bit of a peek into the creation of this art journal.

One of the page spreads so far. 

In order to allow the Erosion Bundle fabric to be a dominate feature in this journal I'm going to keeping the layering limited.

The sheerish layered fabric on the right was dyed in blueberries to blend with the

original bundled fabrics coloring. 

 Currently this page will become the cover.

Again I took the commercial printed fabric and dyed it in blueberries.

This spread has been embellished with embroidery stitches representing

the fields and roadside niches of tiny yellow flowers that are everywhere here this time of year.  They

are so spectacular.  I spent the day just walking barefoot in them.  And as you can

read from the poem on the left I was not the only one enjoying it. 

It reads

Forget not that the earth delights

to feel your bare feet,

 and the winds long

to play with your hair.

                                              ~Khalil Gibran

{how do you define beautiful}...

The new art journal is done.  Well, done in the sense that's it assembled.  Are they ever really done.

The cover photo of course was my inspiration.

I just love this dress.  Makes me wish I had somewhere to wear such a beautiful dress.

And 30 years younger.  Or maybe 30 years older.

This dress and many others was made by Nattyboho at http://www.etsy.com/shop/nattyboho .

This particular dress has been sold.  But Nattyboho was so generous to allow me to use her photo.

Which is almost as wonderful as being able to wear the dress. 

 Above ~ the covers opened out showing the binding.

 And the complete book page by page

 including six blank pages.  That's a blank paper page on the right. 

Ready to add additional thoughts to or whatever.

 I must say I have gotten over my, shall I say phobia, of loose threads.

Loose threads were always a big no no when I was taught to sew.

Not any more.  I've been allowing more and more frayed and loose

threads in all my journals.  But this one is over the top with them.

And I am loving it.  Although I must admit I still trimmed the thread after sewing

with the machine.  Oh well.  Maybe next time I can leave them long too. 

It's size it really fun to hold.

{the pages}...

In no particular order.

I've used a bit of the erosion bundle fabric on the edge.

 I think these little wires make for some

really cool hair

I really like these little wires.  I could have used them on every page.

 The cover

 and the back of the book.

I'm almost ready to finishing binding the journal.   I just want to add a few blank

pages for personal journaling and a few surprise pages.  All in all I think there should be about 19 pages including the front and back covers.

{in the studio}...

I've been  inspired.  So into the studio I went to begin

a small art journal.  More on the inspiration with the completed journal.

For now a sneak peek and a look into

my creative process.

This is where I am at now.

 The book is only 6" x 3.5"

and 10 pages in length ~ counting the covers.

The layers are building and the pages are nearing their final appearance.

I still want to make a few more edits and additions before assembling the book.

But hope to have it completed soon.

The following 3 photos show the earlier beginnings.

 It can be really hard for me to cover up the lower layers as

I tend to like a simple look.

 But all the layers add a greater mysterious beauty that draws you

even deeper into the pages, so cover them up I do.  Perhaps that's why I

photograph them now so I can enjoy them too.

Except for the inspiration photo I am using only what I have on hand.

And because of  it's small size I can use up lots of remnants.

Can you see my little helpers paw?

{5 + 1 Art Journals Complete}...

The 5th blank Art Journal is finished.  And 1 completed Sheer Fabric Art Journal.

I will be taking the Sheer Art Journal to the Tis Gallery today. For the

The others will be for the month of May Show at Tis.

 This is the 5th journal.  It is a fabric printed copy of an original painting.

I still need to add the pages for journaling.

 the inside front cover is a napkin which I have use gel medium

to adhere to fabric.  I also plan to scan the napkin and print on fabric

for other projects.  But it came out very nice like this.

 

Below is the inside back cover with a nuno felted pocket

And the outside back cover.

I am really becoming comfortable with loose threads.

Although I still seal the raw edge to prevent too much ravelling