Title: Inspired Action/Action Inspired
Structure: Zig Zag Book
Dimensions:

Video of my process.

Another late night book, but this one was tremendously easy compared to last week's book. I think I finished this one in a little over an hour!!! I know -- why can't they all be that simple? Well, I'm kinda glad they aren't all that simple because then I wouldn't feel challenged and push out of my comfort zone. And, better still, I wouldn't know my just how far my creativity goes in one day :-).

So yes, the zig zag book was easy to make. So easy that you should totally make one!!

The way the pages interlock and expand makes this a book with infinite possibilities when pairing it with text or any other content for that matter.

In this one, I used a piece of art that I started at Chris Zydel's studio earlier in the week. It was just sitting there waiting to become a book, so I heard it's plea and gave in. That's what we must do sometimes when the muse is calling.

The inspiration for this book comes from a reading I was a part of last night. The Hazel Reading Series. I talk about it a little in the video. Check it out and most importantly, check out the other readers -- AMAZING WOMEN!!!

If you're watching the videos, I'm honored! If you're making the books, I'm intrigued, so please share here or on the Giving Hands Creative Community site. 

Title: Couch Meditation
Structure: Single Ring Bound Book
Dimensions:

Video of my process.

There are some books that I realize (in retrospect) should NOT be tackled as a book-in-a-day book. This was one of those.

It's not the structure that's tough - that's easy peasy. It's the content I selected this week. Twenty-six (26) zendoodled alphabets. Yes!!! I know -- I'm a crazy lady sometimes. But it was totally worth it. The title is quite accurate because as I was doodling each letter I was in a "zone." It wasn't until I was done that I realized how late it had gotten and how tired I felt. Regardless of my tired eyes and sleepy body, I love this book. There are so many things I plan to do with it and so may ideas it has sparked in my creative life. For example, my dear friend Shelly has an adorable baby girl -- Ani -- and my first thought was that a digital reproduction of this book on some quality paper would make a fantastic coloring book for her. And of course after that, the possibilities just flooded my right brain. So there will be more to come from this book.

I'm just in love with these doodled letters and so happy I made a book with them!

If you're watching the videos, I'm honored! If you're making the books, I'm intrigued, so please share here or on the Giving Hands Creative Community site. 

Title: Unblocked
Structure: Staggered Accordion
Dimensions: 3 11/16 x 5 1/2

Video of my process. 

Okay!!! Another week down and only 11 more to go. How funny that it feels like I just started this journey last week. I'm excited to be approaching the end of the year. So much has happened in this year and I'm really feeling proud of myself for making it this far and for not missing a week. (Should I knock on wood?)

This 41st book features an original poem that I wrote to mark two firsts in my life. 

1. My first acupuncture session. This was a treat. I really enjoyed the process and the unfamiliar nature of the entire experience. I went to a community acupuncture clinic which meant that Damon and I could be "pinned" at the same time, in the same room, sitting right next to one another. I think that made it so much more relaxing for me. I left there feeling less tense. I don't know if that was because of the acupuncture or because of the nap. It was some of the best sleep I've had in a while. I mean, I felt so relaxed that I don't remember falling asleep, just waking up and feeling totally refreshed, like someone hit a reboot button and unblocked all of my tension. I'll definitely be going back.  

2. The other thing that was a first for me this week was expressive painting. I attended an expressive painting session at Creative Juices Arts with the amazing Chris Zydel. I had so much fun painting whatever came to me and using colorful paints and large pieces of paper to let my muse play. 

I'm so used to working on small papers but after working large in Chris' studio, I may be addicted to 22 x 36 sheets of paper. Let's see where that takes me for 2014!!! But for now, I'm going to keep going back as often as I can and seeing how much I can release. Seeing what else I can "unblock". 

I'm looking forward to what next week brings. Stay tuned! 

If you're watching the videos, I'm honored! If you're making the books, I'm intrigued, so please share here or on the Giving Hands Creative Community site.  

Title: Traveling Art
Structure: Double Signature Art Journal
Dimensions: 6 ½ x 9 ½

Video of my process.

You're probably wondering how many blank art journals one person can have or how many they need. Well, I'm of the camp that says you need as many as you can make :-). So I made another. 

This week's book is a traveling art journal that I created using my smallest Gelli Arts® gel printing plate. I love that thing. You've seen me use it before in books 13 and 30. The more I use it, the more I love it. I'm so sure I need one in every size :-). 


So my traveling art journal is going to go with me as I bop around throughout the state during the end of October, then to Texas in November and Atlanta in December. See, I'm planning ahead for art making while on the road. Stay tuned for a blog post about what's in my traveling art kit. 


This 40th book features a reclaimed cover from a Strathmore Watercolor Pad. I used the last few pages on the pad and figured I needed to do something with the cover, so I used it to make my journal cover. As I placed paint on the gel printing plate, I used the recycled cover like a waste paper and just transferred my extra paint onto it as I went along. 

The inside pages were the most fun, though. I tried to implement my new serendipity journaling method to the painting of the pages and it worked (for the most part). I got some cool layers using just three colors throughout. Finding variations started to prove challenging, but I'm always up for a good challenge. 

I'm looking forward to what next week brings. Stay tuned! 

If you're watching the videos, I'm honored! If you're making the books, I'm intrigued, so please share here or on the Giving Hands Creative Community site.