Today: Get Messy Thursdays | Words, Week 2

September was one of those months where I wrote 45 posts in my head… but apparently that’s where 41 of them stayed.  In my head.  

Here’s to a fresh month, a fresh start, and a fresh opportunity to have the best of intentions, only to get distracted by things like doctor’s appointments and laundry.  

Although… if I’m being honest (something I try to be), I’ve done more imaginary loads of laundry than actual loads of laundry lately.  Whatever, man.

Last week I shared a quick (and likely boring) peek at the altered book I started for the Get Messy Art Journal program’s new season, the Season of Words.  I’m completely enamored with the mostly messy gold leaf, and am really happy with the plain cover (for now).  I scrapped my original plan to bind my new pages ahead of time, and have decided instead to wait until the end of the season.  I’m excited to have a little flexibility with regard to what paper and surfaces I use each week.

Here’s what I came up with for today’s Get Messy Thursdays.

Get Messy Thursdays | Words, Week 2

Materials used:  [Inside cover/Author’s bio] A magazine clipping that I’ve had tucked in an art/inspiration folder since my senior year of college (Why? Lord only knows.), gold decoupage accent from Martha Stewart (which is to say, from her line of craft products… this was not a personal gift from my Queen… but I can pretend), black Sakura Pigma Brush Pen (size MB), matte gel medium; [First page/Dedication] Old Combray page with a velum overlay, white gesso, Windsor + Newton gouache and watercolor (gold and Ivory Black).

I loved this week’s prompts and the opportunity to set up our art journals like “real” books, including an author’s bio and dedication.  I’m toying with making a little Table of Contents, too.  This season feels surprisingly personal for me, to the point that I feel sort of weird sharing some of this.  I kept the bio short and concise, though.  I am a regular person.  This should compel precisely no one to delve any further into this piece of crap book.

I put the dedication first, but when it comes time to bind this thing, I’ll put a blank page before it.  Old (and irrational) habits die hard, but I have to keep the first page of any sketchbook or notebook blank.  In fact… I need to go tuck a blank page in there now.  It’s bugging me.  Speaking of things that are bugging me, I like the cover… but I kind of hate the dedication.  Perhaps that will get reworked.  After I (finally) fold the laundry.

I’ve been pinning all kinds of hand-cut paper lately, and decided to break out the exact-o knife for a quick cut-out quote page, backed with some Proust covered in Opera Rose (doesn’t matter if it’s watercolor or acrylic… when it comes to this color, I am obsessed).  “One wave at a time” is sort of a hippy-dippy mantra of mine, and a reminder to wait until the present crisis (or um… regular moment) has passed before worrying about the next one.  You know the ocean is my True North (side bar: I didn’t realize the baby’s actual name was North West until last week… so there’s that), so thinking about waves always calms my frayed nerves.  At least a little.

Materials used: [Left side] Sakura Micron pen (black, size 01), Windsor + Newton Professional Watercolor Tubes (Opera Rose, Yellow Ochre, Permanent Sap Green mixed with Green Gold), Sakura Pigma Brush Pen (black, size MB), Sakura Koi Brush Pen (pale blue shade from the 24 pen set); [Right side] Watercolor paper, exact-o knife, a trusty ripped out page from Combray, Windsor + Newton Galeria Acrylic paint (Opera Rose).

I love that quote from Hafez, and it seemed appropriate for the Season of Words.  The hand-lettering was inspired by Karen‘s tutorial on the Get Messy blog.  I’ve been on a real florals kick lately, and while that flower has nothing to do with the quote… it looks pretty.  And that’s got to count for something.  I think.  

Speaking of florals, I thought I’d share one of my favorite sketchbook pages from the week.  Unless I am too tired to function (which happens quite a bit… this time around the third trimester is no joke), I try to draw or paint even a little something each night after Grace has gone to bed.  It’s become a really good unwinding ritual for me.  

Watching Jeopardy! usually does the trick too… except that this week’s returning champ gives me anxiety.  I’m still recovering from him yelling, “BOOM!” after last night’s Daily Double.  

On that note… toodles, friends.

Also On Tap for Today: 

• 12 Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Sip All Fall via The Kitchn
• Enjoying a break in the rain (and our new stroller) with a long walk
• Periscope for Beginners via Blog Clarity

What’s your go-to wind down ritual?