2013 Word Prompt Journal Challenge

"Life Mantras"

This challenge is open to members and non-members of Paper Traders.

Hostess: Cathy C.

Kickoff Date: January 15, 2013

All skill levels...even if you are a newbie at journals, please think about entering this challenge and stretching yourself a bit. 

In 2011 ( wow, I can’t believe it was 2 years ago), we had our first Word Prompt Journal Challenge hosted by Connie H.  It was my first foray into art journaling and I loved it.  It really ignited a love for art journals and I have been doing it ever since. 

This year we are going to base our journal on 12 Life Mantras with a  corresponding technique or theme requirement: 

1.Live Simply : Must include some stamping.

2.Follow Your Heart: Easy-peasy, include some hearts. 

3. Live in the Moment : Include some symbols of time. 

4.Choose Love: Use patterned tissue or paper napkins in the design. 

5.Give More : Graffiti style lettering 

6.Do the Right Thing: Use a tag or tags in the design 

7. Be Thankful: Use only 3 colors of your choice 

8.Be Truthful: Make a pocket as part of your design. 

9.Forgive : Include flower images.

10.Be Kind Always : Use paint in your design. 

11.Be a Blessing: Incorporate an image from a magazine 

12.Laugh Everyday : include images of children 

Swap Description: 

First, before our kickoff date, each participant will need to make a 12-16 page journal (including covers) approximately 8x10 inches. We will be decorating only 12 pages using our prompts. You may decorate your covers and extra pages as desired. Please use sturdy paper (water color, Bristol Board) for your pages so they can support the work you will do on them. I used canvas sheets for my last Word Prompt Journal and they worked beautifully. You can buy a ready made journal as well [but bear in mind that you are going to want to paint, glue, and attach things to it so it needs to have paper that is sturdy enough to hold up to all that]. No hard and fast rules here as this is for you and you will not be swapping with anyone. 

You may make your journal however you like but Teesha Moore has an easy to make journal that is done with one large sheet of watercolor paper. She suggests Fabriano Artistico [but any heavy weight watercolor paper will work just fine]. 

Her easy to follow instructions are found on YouTube.
 It is in two parts so be sure to watch both.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z6qmXGRrsE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vvSsJ39bc0&feature=related

For inspiration you may want to watch some more of Teesha's amazing collage journal instructions. She has some good suggestions for penwork there also.
There is a listing of the videos here: 

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=teesha+moore&aq=f

And some basic journaling tips here:

http://www.teeshamoore.com/latest_news.htm

Another YouTube video on making a journal out of manila folders: 

http://youtu.be/w8mi2Wxhee4 - Part 1 

http://youtu.be/4oj_D9pAmB4 -Part 2 

Another good source for journaling techniques and supplies is Julie Fei Fan Balzer’s site: http://balzerdesigns.com/AJED.html 

Every month, on the 15th, I will post the new word prompt Life Mantra  and design requirement and you will  have one month to complete your page for it.  If you are not a PT member please post your image link in the post for each corresponding month. If you are a PT member please post your images within the appropriate PT Challenge album. 

Each month, we will select our Trader Treasure from the entries and your page will be displayed in the sidebar of our blog for the month.

If you complete a journal page for any or all of the challenges you will be entered in a prize drawing for a $15.00 digital gift card from Stampers Best at the end of the year. You will receive one entry/chance for each monthly challenge that you participate in. Your journal page must be uploaded to the PT  group album ( if you are a member) or linked to the appropriate post at this PT blog by the 14th of each month to be considered. The first challenge will open 1/15 and close 2/14. So, if you do all twelve you will get twelve chances to win the gift certificate!!

Please contact us at Paper Traders if you have any questions.