I've got 25 bucks and a cracker

While I went to University, I worked in a scrapbooking shop. One of the teachers who took classes there would find paper that she liked and then dress her children in coordinating clothing so that she could make the perfect page.

Given that scrapbooking has always been (to me at least) about recording memories and things like this, fabricating said memories seems incredibly dishonest and altogether fake. My siblings and I look through our scrapbooks and laugh about moments and remember the times associated with the photos.
Not : "Oh yeah, remember that time mum dressed us in green and red and took Christmas photos of us in January cos she got that nice paper from the shop? Good times!"

After finding out that keeping journals full of art and things was actually a 'craft' (its called an 'Art Journal' ... w/e) I decided to look for some of the things that I had put together throughout my life and I found this.
I made it towards the end of my time in Taiwan doing missionary work for my church and didn't have time to write or draw much, but as you can see there were some moments that captured me enough to make it into the book. They're real, just so you know.

Honest.

I didn't have lots of nice paper, or expensive paints or inks, just a desire to express something that at the time was important to me.
Honesty is the best policy. In every aspect of life, even art journals. 



I've got 25 dollars and a cracker, do you think it's enough, to get us there?

Artomology = love of the little things.

Today I went with mum to the Craft and Sewing fair - thingo - at Rosehill.

It was the usual fare, with the rain thankfully cutting back the crowds of pushy craft women who barge me with their handmade quilted/embroidered/crocheted bags to get through.
I find it difficult to make peace with the fact that I like a lot of the same things as those women.

Anyway, amidst all the crafting madness I found Jane Davenport.

For years I have been art journalling, and not known that it actually had a name. Kind of funny how that kind of thing happens. I just say that I keep ... books. Lots and lots of books with drawings and magazine cuttings, and personal experiences and quotes and photos and all that good stuff that commemorates the nice and sometimes not so nice things in life.

Jane is a pro at it. She has a wicked store in Byron's Bay which sells a heap of good stuff for people who are keen on getting into creating their own art journals. She teaches classes too, and if you think you can't draw - THINK AGAIN. Because you can. Jane says so. I do too.  She has videos on YouTube that you can check out too.

Artomology is her word, and she uses it to sum up her style, her love of the little things that sometimes get passed by (especially ladybugs)

I think that art journals are fabulous ways to express your creativity in a way that is as private or public as you are comfortable. I never liked showing people my sketch books when I was younger because I put so much of myself into them it was like exposing myself.

I'm inspired now though, expect to see more art from me SOON.
(I'll be expecting it too so hopefully between the two of us expectation will force some action. hah)