Journal beginnings

 I am preparing to spend two weeks in a very favorite place; Kona, Hawaii.  I like to take a handmade journal with me to record highlights of each day.  This year I started with wallpaper sample packs from Bradbury & Bradbury for my pages.  This is just starting to come together so none of the pages are complete.  Yet it's been so long since I posted I wanted to put something up for my visitors. 

 I decided to use cereal box board for my front and back cover base.  This color scheme from a couple of the wallpaper sample packs isn't traditional for a tropical vacation, right?  I've found that for me the basic journal needs to be constructed of appealing papers and elements to encourage me to pick it up daily.  And right now these colors are just what I want to look at. 

Love these colors and designs.  Bradbury & Bradbury specialize in reproductions of period wallpaper from the early 1900's.

 I'm having fun with bits and bobs of die cut and embossed elements from my growing supply of dies. I did stenciling, spraying and inking on white watercolor paper to use for journaling pages (not shown).  Meh.  I do not get the technique of stenciling with sprays; I have better results with using an ink blending tool and Distress Inks.  Still it was good experience and I will insert the pages after I stamp images and froo-froo them. 

 I'm also making a journal for my 17 year old niece who will be joining us for a week during her school break.  I can't go wrong with Graphic 45's Tropical Travelogue collection. 

Her pages will be simple with room for notes.  I don't know if she will use it, but maybe she will enjoy just looking at the pretty papers, like I do.