One Little Word

If you haven't heard of the movement called One Little Word, let me introduce you.

It started with Ali Edwards. Basically, it's a year long project where you pick one word you'd like to focus on for the year. Through her workshop, you are given prompts to explore your word. I did it previously here.

This year I chose the word aware, because I would like to be more focused on my family and the things that matter. Last time I created a journal to log my explorations. So I decided, why not another journal?

For this project, I was inspired by my new workout clothes I got for Christmas (seen below).

My hope was to use the sticky backed canvases from my stash of supplies for the covers. So I started to paint them and then this happened above.

So I attached them to cardboard pieces from scrapbook orders I saved, then painted them.

I just peeled a little off at a time and attached them.

Worked much better. I started with a base of light/bright orange. Let it dry about 10 minutes then started adding layers of darker orange.

Then I added some stenciling in a light blue.

For the darker blue I reversed the stencil.

And then I got impatient, and added the bottom stencil layer before the brushes were dry (I kept washing and drying my brushes). So this happened. EEK!

So I added a family photo and frame over it.

It's far from perfect, but it's my new journal and it's ready for me to explore the word "Aware".

Being Who I Am in the New Year

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind for me. We've had my in-laws in town from NY and of course it was Christmas vacation which is always super busy. 

During the midst of all this busyness, I tweaked my back and have been trying to get my back healthy. Unfortunately, I've had to take it easy, which meant putting off any organizational projects, crafting projects or Etsy store projects.

Because this injury happened around the beginning of the new year, it made me feel behind. 

Last year at this time I was starting all of these cool journaling projects like......

.....One Little Word....

Last year, in January, I picked a word to focus on along with a bunch of other bloggers (part of the One Little Word movement). Mine was present as in being present. I even signed up for the Ali Edwards class on-line. She sent us prompts each month with suggestions for ways to live/examine your word. I think I made it to March and then got bored/busy. But I made this fun book to chronicle my journey. The book was fun to make, but keeping up with it was a burden. Some journey, huh?

Here's where that journey began and soon ended.

....Project 52....

Last year I also made this fun scrapbook called 52 weeks and the idea was that I'd put a picture a week into it, to look back on the year. unfortunately, I at one point was 15 weeks behind. Right now, I'm at week 40....almost done even though the new year has begun. But I did have fun making the book.

Here's my Project 52.

......Gratitude Journal.....

And then there's my favorite project, my gratitude journal to keep track of a thing a day that I'm thankful for. Nice idea but I just got distracted and fell off the wagon about Feb.

Here's where I made my Gratitude Journal.

As I was sitting here on my couch with my ice pack, nursing my sore back, seing all of these other bloggers doing these really awesome, fun beginning of the new year projects, I began to realize, why do I need to beat myself up over this. Why don't I just embrace my personality, my style, and what I LIKE to do. I love making journals and mini-books. But I don't like a strict timeline. 

I think the bottom line for me this year is to not start any new long-term projects that I have to keep up with over an extended length of time. Maybe just a simple journal that I can create and add pics, journal entries, and odds and ends that doesn't have a specific time line. That could be mixed media. Otherwise, I fall off the wagon and end up feeling guilty.

I will go ahead and try to finish my 52 weeks book and Gratitude Journal, but the Gratitude Journal might be over many years instead of just one. The 52 Weeks is actually pretty easy to fix. I just need to go back through my photos and pick them out. The book is already made, it just needs to filled.

So for me, this year is just to be who I am. To do things because I want to, not because everyone else is. And really just to take better care of myself (like eating healthier and my back care). That way, I can be a better mom, wife, teacher and artist.

One Little Word.....A Little Behind

I'm a little behind on my One Little Word project. The prompt for March was to go back to January and to evaluate how you're doing on what you wanted to get out of this whole process. Well, my word was Present, as in being present, in the moment, aware. And I can tell you right now that I really haven't made progress on that. I have moments where I'm present and "in the moment". But I'm still doing too much multi-tasking.The March prompt wants you to evaluate your progress and then make a plan to help move your progress along.

My plan.....when I get home. Leave the TV turned off. Do not turn on my laptop. Leave my phone alone. 

Play a game with Sophia (High-Ho-Cheerio is her current fave). Or go outside and play on her scooter. Or maybe involve her in  the dinner process. 

So involve her in the dinner process I did....we made pizza.

And she LOVED it.

 Quality time with my daughter = priceless.

One Little Word.....February Prompt

The February Prompt for One Little Word (my journey began here) was to try to capture your word with a camera. It could be literal or figurative. So here's what I came up with for my word, Present.

Being present in the car with Sophia, on the way home from school.....

Being present with Sophia at a restaurant.....

More car time with Sophia.......

Being present on the car ride into work in the morning....

Home time with one crazy little girl.....

Noticing the rain drops on the windshield....

Pulling over on the side of the road in the morning to capture the beautiful sunrise...

Being present with good friends.....

Being present, watching how my little girl plays by herself...

Being present feels good!

One Little Word Journal/Scrapbook- Prompt 2

So Prompt 2 is to create 2 small canvases that name, invite, claim, quote and welcome your word into your life. That last part sounds a little cheesy to me, but I'm gonna give it a try. 

Here's what Ali Edwards January page looks (she's keeping a scrapbook of sorts, from what I've gathered). She did not show her canvases so I'm not sure if I'm doing this right. But she uses these slotted page protectors to slide her journaling etc. into. I've decided I didn't want to do the slotted page protector route. 

And it just so happened that we had a professional development session on creating journals....divine intervention?? I think so. So I decided to use the pages I made in the class as my canvases. They are watercolor papers that have been gessoed. We used acrylic paints and inks to layer onto our pages.

Here's my word (I painted the page cream, let it dry and then stenciled the red pattern on there. The teacher at the workshop had this stencil and it was made of paper. Wondering if she cut it on a Cricut or bought as a scrapbook paper? I'll have to investigate!).

So here's my word....Present.

One Little Word, 2012

Then on this page I defined it. I used a similar layering process except for this page, I didn't gesso the paper. Notice the blurry edges and fuzziness. Looks kinda cool but if you want more precise edges, definitely gesso the paper first.

I used acrylic paint and a journaling stamp to print lines for me to write the definition of my word.

I used stamps and acrylic paint to print my word.

I used a misting bottle (basically a mini squirt bottle) filled with a couple of drops of a liquid acrylic paint and water. I just misted the paint mixture over a stencil, several times, letting it dry in between.

Another word for present...aware.

Then I wrote why I wanted to use the word "present" around the perimeter with a Sharpie. I printed the word aware using my Opposites Attract cartridge.

This page was created using the same stenciling process except the stencil (made of paper) started coming apart and so those are the pieces of purply paper you see. Kinda adds more texture to me. Happy accidents.

I've decided for me, the bird is very symbolic of my word. Birds are so free. As in the Bible verse I quoted previously, they don't worry about anything, they just live (partly because their brains are the size of peas). I cut the bird shape using my Cricut Give a Hoot cartridge. The paper I used for the shape was a black paper with white cursive writing. After gluing it down, I painted a thin layer of acrylic paint on top, so you could still see the words.

I'm going to put my self portrait on this aware page. While I was at it, I made some more pages. I just had so much fun with the layering process. I decided that I'd turn these pages into my journal/scrapbook to document my journey. I'll make more pages as the journey continues.

I glued 2 pages around the sides, leaving the top open (Ali recommends have a scrapbook keepsake pocket, I think she uses pockets from her Project Life series). I decided to make my own pocket. Then I painted both sides using the layering process you've seen.

The pocket I made will be used as the final page of the book. Then I put a thin layer of modge podge on top of all my pages. Punched some holes. Voila! My journal/journey has begun.

The Process

Start by painting a thin coat of gesso on watercolor paper. I used this pad of 30 pieces of  paper. It's 9x 12 sheets, 140 lb. weight (middle grade). 90 lb. paper is thinner, 300 lb. paper is thicker.

Gesso just helps give you a good canvas to work on, kinda like using primer before painting walls or furniture. You don't HAVE to do it. But to me, it's worth the money and time. Gesso is kinda pricey, so use your 40%off coupons. In High School art classes I took, we just painted a layer of white acrylic paint in place of gesso (school budgets).

After the gesso is dry, paint on a coat of any light color.

Let it dry. Then paint a darker/brighter shade of that same color around the edges.

Let it dry a little bit, like maybe a minute. Then mist it with water. Here's that misting bottle I was talking about.

Use a paper towel to blot and blend. Let it dry.

Then I used different materials to add texture.....like bubble wrap.

I also used the paint dabbers that I had at school. You can buy them on line through Nasco or School Specialty. I haven't looked for them at local craft stores.

They basically are pieces of plastic with a handle that's easy for kids (and adults) to grab on to. On the other side, each one has a different texture that you can print. But any found objects will work. just expirement!

After all of that dried, I used stencils and sponged on a very contrasting color that would really "pop".

After that dried, I added a subtle color, that would show up but not "pop" and stenciled a shape on.

By far, the best stenciling sponge for me was the cheap, cosmetic triangular sponges. Those fancy dobbers as seen above, didn't do as well for me. Guess maybe it depends on the person.

Now I'll use these pages to document my journey.

DISCLAIMER:

If you're using acrylics for the first time (or gesso), just be aware that they destroy clothes. If you let the paint dry on your clothes, they're toast. So cover up if you care about your clothes or change to "painting clothes".