Yikes! It's getting harder and harder to go to work these days, when all I want to do is stay home plant myself in the garden or play with paints and paper here in my "studio," aka the dining room which is completely taken over when the girls aren't here by paper and brushes and scissors and glue - no place to eat at this table!

I've finished collaging the first signature of my first modern age art journal. I've had art journals for years, the kind that's basically a sketchbook and art students fill them up regularly, and TONS of personal writing journals, but this is my first "put it together intentionally to make an artsy book that I might write in" journal. I'm basically following Teesha Moore's method, except that instead of stitching in the pages and then doing the art, I'm doing the art first and then I'll stitch them in. I'm enjoying the randomness that comes of it. As I make them, each two page spread is somewhat related, but when I bind the pages they won't be next to their siblings any more.

I was worried about being too influenced by all the gorgeous stuff I've been seeing on people's blogs and websites - I need my art to express me. So I'm happy to report that these little collages do look like a continuation/evolution of my stuff from the past. (You can sort of get a sense of that if you look closely at the table and chairs I painted in the first photo.)

The weekend was so busy, me running here and there and everywhere that I didn't get to devote myself to scanning the finished pages and such, BUT Saturday was great - Emily told me last minute about an info meeting for parents for the Savannah College of Art and Design - she really wants to go there and I was very impressed with their presentation. I think Em (my MEGA talented daughter) would benefit from the professionalism of their program. I'm excited for her possibilities! (And somewhat jealous!) Hard to think of her trotting off to college in a year and half...

Ok, maybe I'll get some more pages painted tonight.