Creative Journal with Me

Journaling has always gifted me with such a sacred space to be able to reflect, process, and move through emotions. It wasn’t until near the end of 2022 that I began incorporating my love for collage into the mix of it. However, once I combined these two creative processes together, I found myself rushing to open up my journal more than I ever had before. It’s quickly become a cherished part of my morning routine when drinking my first, then second cup of coffee, giving me the perfect opportunity to take a mental note of where I stand before beginning my day.

I start nearly all of my entries by first picking out my subject matter, then choosing any materials that I’m especially excited to incorporate that day. I found today’s subject from a celestial collage book I bought long ago, and grabbed a sheet of gauze paper to use because I loved the idea of adding texture to the base layer of my entry.

Once I’ve figured out my starting point, my brain usually begins to think about colors. I’ll ask myself if I want to keep on the current trend of what’s already been presented (purples, blues, off-whites), then start piecing together embellishments based off my decisions there. For today, I decided to stick within the original color palette.

I was excited to gather what would be used as small detailing for this entry. Pieced together by scraps and being particularly eager to use my celestial washi tape, I found I had more than enough to fill a page.

Before gluing anything down, I take the time to play around with layering, giving special attention to how I’d authentically like to build off of or around something that could potentially be placed below/above something else. This can take a bit of time, but I’ve found that mapping it out like this typically gives me a stronger sense of security when I move forward with my Mod Podge.

Eventually, when I feel confident and settled on everything’s final placement, it’s time to get gluing! I start with my base layer, then work upwards according to how I previously had it mapped. It helps to take a picture similar to the one above before getting started, as it’s really easy to forget what layer certain pieces need to go (especially the more materials you’re working with).

Finally, I decided to write out some lyrics from Clairo’s song, Blouse, because after all, it is my personal journal. Plus, since I used recycled sheet music as one of my scrap layers, I deemed it a nice touch.

And that brings us to the finish line! Normally, I’ll take another few minutes to add some strokes of a marker/paintbrush or throw on some glitter if I feel like my entry seems dull at this stage or potentially lacking. That’ll happen on occasion, but as long as I feel I’ve conveyed the bulk of my feelings when I get to the end, I’m pretty happy with my end result!