Wanderer

If you have been a regular visitor since August, you might be thinking that you came to the wrong journal page, but don't go!! It's the right journal, but with a new look.

I have added pictures of some of my earlier journal covers. The first two are made from sketch books, the third one is a typical spiral notebook. Once I discovered the convenience of composition books, I have not strayed from the course.

I made some changes to the appearance of my aol journal. I wanted a different look, a different feel to it.

My paper journals, like the ones in the pictures, change looks every time I start a new one. I use the standard composition book because I write so much and the comp books are less expensive than the fancy cloth-covered journals. The pages are sewn into the cover for durability. The size is just right to fit into a bag, not too small that it prevents comfort when I write while traveling, and not too large that it is conspicuous wherever I go. It's the just-right size for me.

Just before I have written on the last page of a journal, I start looking for another one. Generally, I need only look as far as my bookcase where I keep a supply of them ready to write. I buy them when they go on sale.

When I first open up a new, blank composition book, I immediately start thinking about where I am in my life, in my spiritual walk, in my work... it's all connected. I try to come to an understanding of how I feel, and to capture it all in an image, a word or a phrase... something that sums up what I understand or what I want to know.

When I am successful at this exercise, I often come up with an idea for a cover design that explains the purpose of the new journal. It may be a poem I have cut out, a picture that symbolizes the idea. I use pictures from calendar pages and magazine ads. The cover might become a collage, or I might draw an illustration in permanent marker. If it is fitting, I paint swirls, dots, circles, stars, or other universal symbols in fabric paint, but only if it lends itself to the idea, the design, the overall sense of the look I'm going for. Though the entire process of creating a cover may take a few days or a few hours, the influence such reflecting has on the direction of the journal is apparent.

Sometimes, the cover grows of its own accord, without any conscious planning. Such spirit-led designs provide the insight and impetus I need to begin writing on  unpenned pages. Often I don't understand my choices of words or pictures or drawings placed on the cover until the journal's last page. At some later time, when I look back at the overall writing in the journal and ponder the meaning of the cover's image, I am struck by the truth of its contents and the direction my life has taken, and of how the cover represents a summation of it all. It is as though I already knew where I was going, and I went there.

The fact is, I often sit and ask myself, "Where am I going?" or "Why am I doing this?" and when I'm really brave I'll ask, "Lord, what do you want me to do with this?" I should ask that one more often, though. I don't  because I am so afraid that He will answer me, and I won't like the answer.

I know He works like that. But I'm saving commentary on that concept for another entry.

Each day, when I sit down to write, the first thing I see is the cover of my journal. Often I pause and think about the images or the words I have glued (with rubber cement) to the cover, and this no doubt inspires me as I take up the pen. By the time I write on the last page of a journal (anywhere from two to five months, depending upon how much time I actually was able to sit down and write), I can look back at all the written pages and see that the images and words on the cover acted like a guiding question or thought.

I've been thinking, therefore, how I can carry over this kind of artistic approach to my aol journal page. Certainly, I have available at my fingertips images from literally thousands of sources. I have this weekvisited several journals that are very inspiring. Journalers or bloggers are using symbols and images in their entries to highlight and accentuate their personal interests. Some of the images flash, move across the page, and some play music! Impressive stuff.

I don't know how they do it, if they do it on their own, or someone does it for them. I am new at this sort of thing. I don't want to get into fluffing up the page, but I do want to continue to add something creative, some color, some images, some inspiration to support the words from time to time, whether for fun or for emphasis. Probably, in the beginning, once I learn some trade-secrets, I might go overboard a little as I experiment with the technology of it all. But the goal is to learn more about what I can do, and select from my options.

I discovered today that I could change the colors of the page, so I did. I selected a three column format. I added Favorite Sites to the right. By the way, those Other Journals are not mine. They belong to other J-land journalers that I like to visit. I will keep adding to this list as I find interesting journals. You are welcome to check them out as well.

I still don't know how to add pictures where I want them without using the little picture window provided by aol. I would like to place pictures at the end of an entry, or on this side and then the other, or have several pictures placed throughout, but no can do that here.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I have always wondered what other journalers do, what kind of journals they write in, if they create their own covers... so if you are reading this and you know what I am talking about, take a picture of your journal covers, and leave me a link so I can see them.

And I thought I didn't have anything to write about today!!

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• #1 Comment from fitzzer 
  12/6/05 7:57 AM | Permalink

  Your journals are very nice. What a great idea. I'm still trying to get the hang of adding pictures and stuff too. Lots of talented people out there.