With my stepmom passing, the organizing of the funeral and my dad moving in with us, July was a month of grieving, of coming together and of being close for my tribe and myself. It did not prevent me from journaling, quite the contrary, with each spread having so much more to it than what meets the eye.
Week 26: Independence
For this fifth year of alads, I wanted to celebrate all the United States Butterflies who participate in the challenge. Little did I know that the celebration of indepence would take a completely different turn for American women.
If you haven't read or seen the 'Da Vinci code', you might not know what the V and the inverted V on my spread stands for. Watch THIS if you're interested. The plant stands for hope and growing out of this situation and the reconnection between the 2 symbols in a pacific way.
As for my indepence, I feel like it is something that is weaved into my own well being as well as that of my loved ones.
Week 27: pick yours.
I had to skip this week.
Week 28: Ugly spread
What a cathartic release to express what was going on. And having the 'Ugly spread' challenge just than couldn't have come at the better time, as it was taking away whatever pressure might have lingered to create a significant spread.
The gold on the spread was for my Stepmom. She just loved glitter. And once I started applying painty fingerprints, I just wanted to keep going. It felt like something safe and calming to do.
The hard part came when I tried to tie all of the dots together, to make it look like a spread. And as I had no idea how, I just emphasised the scattered look with some doodling. That brought everything together, unexpectedly.
The clock is an old rub on I had laying around, which I distressed by taking a sanding block over it. And looking at it now I realize that the rare color appearing on this spread were my Stepmom favorites as well: pink and Greek blue as she called it.
Week 29: Liberty.
For this spread, I wanted to take the liberty to do whatever came up without any thinking of how or why, not caring about repetition or sense.
My first layer was black paint, applied all over. The second one was black modeling paste over my small Circumambulate stencil. Without leaving it to dry, I sprinkled copper embossing powder on and heat set it. I had no idea how it would react to some Captain Peacock Fresco finish but the surprise was a good one! Luckily...
The stamping was done with Speckled egg Distress Oxide and the circle and splatters with copper Fresco finish.
I really like how the spread is emerging from the black and sewed left side to a patina and circkled right side. From a dark moment in the past, to lighter bubbles in the future.
How do you keep coming back to your journal in tougher times, sweet Butterflies? What does it do for you that you keep on journaling?
If you are scared of starting, what is holding you back?
Whatever the answer for you, join us on the forum to play along in putting down A Layer A Day... in a mindful way.
🦋😘