Friday, October 9, 2009

Moleskine Madness

I have way too many Moleskine Journals.

I first started using Moleskine at work as a notebook but soon purchased more.

Last year I thought I would start a "green journal". The idea was to do a whole journal with green as the dominant color. That became boring real fast. The following layout from this journal is six pages cut, painted and laminated. I couldn't figure out how to photograph it. If I do I will post it later.


At that time, I took up knitting again. The journal on the left is for the year of 2008 and one the right 2009.

I glue in the pattern, a photo of the completed project, the ballband and I piece of the yarn used to keep a record of the project.

I learned how to make socks last year and couldn't stop making them.

This August I began a small moleskine book. The intent was to create a small art journal I could paste and paint in. The first step was to gesso one side of the paper and leave the other available to paste paper and photos. I had an old bottle of gesso I wanted to use up. It was so old that it had become kind of lumpy. I worked with it awhile before I realized I could add water to smooth out the consistency. I had used this brand of gesso in the past to prime wood pieces to take the paint better.

After I gessoed the whole journal and started painting I noticed the pages were very glossy. Then that little light bulb went off. I read the bottle and it was glossy gesso. I had just thought that it was the moleskine was smooth and the gesso reacted to it. But it is really glossy. I like to use water soluble oil pastels blended with baby wipes. Only on this surface the pastels comes right off if you are heavy handed with the blending. I solved that issue by using a lighter touch with the baby wipes and coating it with a light lay of clear gesso (which gives it "tooth").

The first three completed pages:

Acrylic paint, scrapbook paper, scrap from another project, water soluble oil pastels, clip art colored with color pencils, PITT pen.

Acrylic paint, scrapbook paper, stamps, sticker, bubble wrap and ink jet copy.

Scrapbook paper, water soluble oil pastels, clip art colored with color pencils, PITT Pen.

10 comments:

Kelly said...

Wow, what really beautiful pages! That is amazing what you did with the first six pages, it looks great!

A tired retired recluse @ Swallowcliffs.blogspot.com/ said...

Great journal pages!

Timaree said...

You are busy! I like to knit socks too. I've done fine till the last two pairs when for some reason my gauge changed on the second sock. I fixed them by making a third and whichever one it matched became the pair! Maybe I shouldn't knit while watching the news. I am making my sister a pair right now. These socks feel so good on my feet during the winter.

Love all the color and texture of your journals.

Shirley said...

I love all journals, sketchbooks, altered books, so it is a pleasure to see what you are doing and to learn about your experimentation. Please keep sharing all of these great pages with us.

Anonymous said...

These are beautiful!! And I love the book that records your fiber projects! I also do that, but never thought to make it as creative as you do!!! Inspiring!

Unknown said...

Beautiful, rich colors!

Alex said...

your pages are awesome!!! I am trying to give a bit of 'life' to my moleskine and apparently I haven't been doing enough in the 'coloring' department. I travel light so I use the basic of the basics, graphite. But someday I'll add more 'color' into it. Your post has been inspirational ;)

Marilyn Harris Mills aka Maer said...

These are amazing pages....well done.

Laura Kay said...

I really like the "laura" spread. I want to get back to knitting. I'm going to start with hats for my grandsons. I like that you used a wide variety of yarns

donna said...

I really enjoyed seeing your journal pages, thanks for sharing.