Guess what I bought this weekend? The latest issue of Art Journaling magazine. I love this magazine. Not only is it filled with articles that inspire me to try new things, but it’s just such eye candy. The only bad thing I can say is that it’s only published twice a year.

Anyway, I know I’ve talked about art journaling quite a bit but I don’t typically share a lot of my adventures and that’s simply because well, it’s hard. You really put yourself out there when you do that. I’m trying to feel more confident and just find what works for me and well I guess I get to take you on my journey so I hope you won’t mind.

This spread is a result wanting to explore the word “attention”. What it means to “be present” for me. I used a bit of gesso (I found out I don’t think I like gesso very much), some metallic ink, acrylics, and scraps from an old book. Actually, I can’t remember if I had shown this picture before but it wasn’t complete and now it is.

This other spread came about after thinking about “homelessness.” Sadly, I see a lot of homeless people whenever I’m driving around town. I’ve seen signs asking for money, hope and work. I used acrylics, oil crayons and a surprise mistake was the blurred edges I got when I swiped a damp brush on the page. I like how the lines and words “softened” a bit more. To me they became weathered which is actually how most of the signs I see look like after the people spend countless hours in the sun or rain waiting for some help. I still need to add a bit more writing in this one but it’s close to being finished.

In case you are wondering what sort of journal I’m working on, it’s a Moleskine. I would like to use one of the journals I’ve made but most of my journals don’t have very thick paper and as I want to explore different mediums (gesso, for example) I knew I needed paper that could tolerate that, so the Moleskine it is for now.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these and I’ll try to share more of my artsy adventures. Now, I want to get back to my magazine. I know some of you have said you are interested in Art Journaling, how are your adventures going?

My latest books all happen to be challenge reads so I’ve got a bit of everything going on.

First, I’ve been enjoying Women With Big Eyes by Angeles Mastretta. It was a bit strange at first to get used to this story because it really does seem like a series of short stories all connected with a theme of women telling their side of the story. Once I got used to the style I’ve enjoyed stepping into the world of these women. I feel like I know some of them. This is for the Mexico 2010 challenge.

My other read takes me across the world to Paris, France where I’m following the footsteps of Private Investigator, Aimee Leduc in Murder in the Marais. I stop in the cafes and can almost taste the croissants but my attention is on the horrible murder Aimee is trying to solve. This is for the Paris in July experience.

Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon reading the graphic memoir, The Impostor’s Daughter by Laurie Sandell. What an interesting life she’s had. I still find it hard to believe that she was able to write about her family and can still have a relationship with them. Lots of ups and downs but it looks like they were able to get past the lies and hurts. Anyway, this one is for my Graphic Novels challenge.

Finally, I’m reading Alone With You by Marisa Silver. I’ve only read a couple of the short stories in this collection and I can’t seem to find a thread that connects all of these and that’s usually when I have a bit of a harder time with short stories. Anyway, I’ll keep going and we’ll see what happens in the end. This counts for my Short Story challenge.

So those are my current reads. I’m already taking peeks at my shelves to see which book to add in next. How about you, have you read some of these? What did you think?