Alone Time Spread

I'm art journaling in several different albums, so that I can work away in one while gessoing a page in another and waiting for paint to dry in yet a third. Also I'm using different formats to see what suits me best. One of the things I'm trying out for the first time is working in an old book and altering it. The person I have to thank for finally getting me started is, of course, Lenna Andrews and it was her lessons in the 4Artists4Ways class that gave me the final push to do it for myself rather than endlessly reading about it in various magazines and books! That's another thing I have to thank Lenna for. My life would look quite different artwise if we hadn't "met" online all those years ago.

In fact, so keen am I to make up for lost time as regard to art journaling that I have to remind myself occasionally that I'm a quilter and should spend some time at least making quilts. I'm rediscovering all my old art supplies that have been lingering in the cupboard and of course, also indulging in some new ones that weren't on the market when I first started, such as Inktense Colour Blocks (as opposed to pencils) and Portfolio water soluble wax pastels , not to mention the exciting mica sprays which have been put to good use on this spread, combined with masks.

I journaled this page while John was away last week and I had a lot of alone time to cope with or enjoy (secretly I did indeed do that, although it's great to have him back!!). For a week I didn't have to talk, or eat meals at regular times, nor did I leave the house apart from the dog walks. I wish I could say I didn't spend any money but alas, I'm an Amazon junkie! The only person I had any social contact with was our postie! You can read my thoughts on this alone time on the page. I know the "Alone is not deformed" text is a bit forced but the Deformed word came from the book I'm altering and I wanted to use it. Not a word you ever hear used nowadays but the book I'm altering (The Squire's Daughter and Other Tales) was published in 1895. Language and how we talk about people has most definitely changed a lot since then!

You can see the first pages I altered in this book here. And I should also mention that the building transparency is from Altered Pages. The lovely lady originates from a vintage postcard.