We Are The Desirable People

We are the desirable people

The dreamers and fighters of things unseen

The believers of the world

and the lovers who love hard

and don't give up

The workers of jobs we hate

while we strive everyday to make or break

To stand still is to die

We've got the wanderlust 

the feet that need to go

and be about the world

to feel and hurt but to grow

We are the inspired

The fly-ers

The hopeful,

The beautiful,

The makers and the buyers

We are the artists, the musicians, 

the creators, the singers and writers

We work hard for but a taste of what we crave

These dreams are costly and they take more from us 

than we can give

Our world loves us yet we don't belong

We are the undercurrent 

Appreciated but not valued

Loved but not needed

We carve our own place

We push through our own way

We are the desirable people

Yet we cannot live

Altered Books

So I've found a new obsession! When a friend of mine showed me some of her sketchbooks made from old discarded library books, I was instantly hooked! She had paintings and drawings and color. In a book!

I went straight to Goodwill and bought some books to try on my own.

It's super easy and I love that there are no rules, so its hard to feel like you messed up a page (although if you truly disliked it, taking an exacto knife to cut it out is super easy). Plus I bought 5 books for $1 (sale at Goodwill oh yes!) so I definitely consider them cheap sketchbooks. I'm also finding that these books are a great small exercise in getting some creative juices flowing. No pressure. No fear of the ole blank canvas. 

This particular sketchbook I've begun using for sermon notes. Yep I lug the book, the pencils,  the pens, watercolor pencils and pastels to church (yeah I'm that person who takes up two chairs with my junk). I listen, I write, and I sketch. As a highly visual person this helps me remember what was taught Sunday to Sunday while also letting me be as creative as I want. Yes, in church. Long ago I realized that God and art definitely go hand-in-hand. Letting one inspire the other has always been good for me. 

Right now we are in the books of Acts

Vintage sewing pattern tissue paper, scrapbook paper, a receipt for some earrings Justin bought me, even letting the book page show through

 

When I start a new page I usually focus on color. I glue at least three pages together to make them sturdy enough to hold paint and whatever else I stick on the pages.

I prepare the background ahead of time at home in the studio, so that all I have to do is take the notes come Sunday. My backgrounds consist of paper I like, gessoed pages, paint, and sometimes I even modge podge regular drawing paper to just cover the words and give me a blank page to write and draw on. My favorite backgrounds are monoprints of abstract color.

(an example of a mono printed background, great for texture!)

This one has sandpaper, mono printed paper, and drawing paper.

I begin during the service and then finish when I get home in my studio (mostly acrylic paint because that would get messy to take with me).

Pictures, newspaper, scrapbooking paper, even tea tags!

Altered books are more about putting together what you like and find inspiring. There's no wrong way to do them just put whatever you want in them and have fun!

To see some more art journals/altered books go to: 

http://anahataart.com/#/gallery/1/20 and check her work out! It's amazing!