Season of Happy

I haven't had that much time to art journal over the past few weeks, but I did get a chance to put together a small mini-album for this season of Get Messy: Season of Happy.

My art-journaling looks a lot like my scrapbooking, and sometimes there really isn't a defining characteristic that makes it an 'art-journal' or a 'scrapbook'. Both types of projects use the same types of materials -- paper, stickers, tape, some photos, some handwriting, some mixed-media stuff.

If there were a point on which the scale would tip in one way or another, I think it would be via the method of storytelling. My scrapbook projects tend to be have more linear storytelling and be grounded in the tangible stuff of life -- who/what/where/when.

My art journaling projects tend to be much more meta. I use art journaling to explore ideas when I don't really have the right words to talk about them. I gravitate towards the art journaling side of creating when I just feel like creating without feeling like I need to remain authentic to the story at hand.

For this album, I trimmed down a few sheets of patterned paper to craft myself a small book. I used washi tape to bind the seams. I filled the album with a few things that make me happy right now, used supplies that make me feel happy right now, and journaled about a few things that make me happy right now.

I love putting together little books like this one, and documenting feelings and stories in a non-linear fashion. I just started on a new one last night for March and I'm excited to work on it over the weekend.