Create (Mama): An Art Journal

While I don't want to give up on big projects altogether, it's definitely nice to sit down and be able to create a simple project all-at-once. This is only one of the reasons that I Love this project. Another reason is you can use any papers you already have, and a variety of papers at that. And not just paper either... but I'll talk more about that in a second. They're also easy enough to create with kids, which I plan on doing soon. In the meantime, here's a peek into mine.

To begin this project, you'll need sturdy paper for your cover and three binder rings. I picked up these rings at an office supply store, but you can also buy them- as well as everything else in the world- via Amazon, here. My cover is one of Isia's rain art pieces, I love the sturdiness of the heavy watercolor paper.

If you tend to collect paper (ahem), this is a great time to pull from that collection. I didn't dig too deep into my collection yet, just including some standard drawing paper and leftover school paper scraps for now. I have some antique and decorative papers that I hope to include soon. 

You can also include cards and photos, and pretty much anything else. Here's a sweet card I received from my Mom, for those just-need-a-hug days. It was an especially nice reminder this past week, as I played nurse to a whole family with the flu. In the midst of it, I took a few quiet moments to stop and reflect:

Because that small act enables me to be a bigger, more patient version of myself for the ones I love best. Which is why I love journals, they remind me to make room for creativity and jot down notes along the way. I look forward to sharing bits of these notes with you in the weeks to come. In the meantime, have fun making one of your own! 

*I am an Amazon Affiliate, but I only share products we enjoy or that I think are helpful for you. Thanks!