Exciting News! Printable Art Journals!

I have exciting news to share!  For the past several months I've been hard at work developing something I'm really passionate about!  What began as a school project in graphic design has birthed itself into something that's hard to call "work" even though I spend almost every spare moment creating it.

Last winter I had a school project that was supposed to consist of graphics that played with both positive and negative space, that could be printed out, either as a brochure, booklet, pamphlet, etc.  For my project I chose to make a journal that had black graphics and was designed to be printed on colored paper or cardstock…the color of the paper actually became part of the design itself.  It was a lot of work, required a lot of do-overs, and required much moral support from my bud, Brianne, and my husband Chris.  More than once I wondered if I had reached too far into the clouds and had grandiose dreams…but…I finished it!  AND I was driven to do more with it.

Thus, my Journal Joy Printable Art Journals were born!  I have literally created 100s of pages, and have begun listing them in my Etsy shop.  These journal pages serve as "art starts" for those who might love art journaling but don't have the time, don't know how, or for those who have a difficult time just beginning.  They can also be used as scrapbook paper and stationery.  They are 8.5 x 11", and can be printed on paper or cardstock.  They can be bound into a journal or just punched for a three-ring binder.  They're pretty…colorful…soft…bold…and always shabby!  So far the printable art journals are available as 36 page or 12 page sets.  And right now I'm also including a free sheet of labels with each set.

This is one of my previews:

EXCITING NEWS!

BUT the really exciting news I have is that I have my first design team member!  My friend Sandra Collins!  I first got to know Sandra through the Soar class that is currently in session on my Ning group, Just Be Yourself.  What I LOVE about Sandra is that she is SO authentic in her journal pages!  She has created some amazing pages, but it's not just that…she has a way of tugging at my heart when I read her pages…so, when I started posting my printable art journals last week, and she began commenting on them, I KNEW in my heart that I had to ask her if she'd be on my design team.  And, thankfully, she said yes!  BUT, when she submitted the first page that she completed (I think the very next day), I was totally and completely blown away!  Without her even knowing, she had completed a page, using one of my printable art journals, in my favorite colors, AND the subject matter grabbed me…you see…my husband and I had just celebrated our anniversary…we've been together for 30 years…more than half my life…we've been through a lot together…both good and bad…it's not always been easy but we still love each other very much and we are growing older together!  He's my best friend.

Here is Sandra's page:

For her page, Sandra used:

Here are the materials she used:
Set 1 page 26 for the background paper
Nancy Rowe Janityz – photo mask & brushes
Doris Castle – wordart
Chopin Script journaling
Cathe Holden – Vintage Ephemera
Jessica Sprague – bird sticker

And here's where you can find Sandra:
Blog:  http://2dynamo.blogspot.ca/
Facebook Page: Sandra Schoenherr Collins
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dynamo76/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14687955@N00/

If you have a moment, please stop by her blog and let her know what you think of the page she designed…personally, it took my breath away…it is so beautiful!  Thank you Sandra!  You did an amazing piece!

Stay tuned for more "stuff" this week…oh…duh…my Etsy shop is Praierie Papier Cottage here.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by!

Hugs and Toodles!