Humble Beginnings...

 

Bits and pieces is all it takes to make one of these Tiny Sacred Art Journals as part of artist Colleen Attara's online class. Colleen encourages students to see items that may usually be tossed out in new ways. This journal, which measures just 3" square, is made using a vintage photo matt I had in my paper stash. There are also pieces of old wallpaper, rusted papers, thread nests, and lace trim. A little on the trashy side. And yet here it all is in a fun little journal to hold in your hand. The cover photo is a sweet vintage photo of a crafting friend's family members. What kid didn't want to have a photo taken on a pony?

And inside, there's a photo of her grandmother tucked behind a stitched fold out. I was very taken by this photo- it is so artistic.

Some pretty thread ends all wound up embellishing a page.

And the same friend gave me this vintage button card which I tarted up to put in the book. I think the whole journal will be a gift to her. She's always generous in sharing things like this. But the book is about her family (not this little girl, though-she's a Tim Holtz paper doll.) So, I'll present it back to her. This is the second Tiny Sacred Art Journal I made in Colleen's class.

The first journal began its life as a long, narrow clothing hangtag. After following Colleen's instructions, I was able to peel the tag into layers which became the pages of the book. 

Inside is some hand stitching and a machine stitched paper web.

Colleen invited students to send one of their Tiny Sacred journals to her to be included in her exhibition this month at ArtWRKD Studio in Newtown, Pennsylvania. The title of the display is "Exploration of Art Journaling: Lost in the Found". That about sums up the nature of these little journals. And this is one of the 80+ student journals that will be exhibited, along with works by Colleen. So what was once trash, now has a life and is on the road in its own journey!