365 journal challenge

Hello there, Horace here yet again. Goodness, I'm beginning to think the other bears are taking advantage of this bug and malingering in bed now! Anyway, I'm starting to feel a bit better, so thought I'd make a start on this year's crafting.

I decided to begin with this fabulous challenge A year in journalling. We do love our challenges and this one is great as it lasts all year.

Although journalling every day for a year sounds like a daunting task- thinking of writing something every day fills most people (and bears) with dread - the challenge is doable as the idea is to make one calendar page per month, add small squares for each date that month, then journal a small amount each day. The squares will probably take a sentence or two at most, depending on your paw-writing.

I used a Newton and Windsor A4 spiral bound sketch book, which I dashed to The Range to buy, as I didn't want to fall behind too far in the journalling - I'd only just discovered the challenge or I'd have bought the journal in advance.
For my journal squares, I foraged in our 6x6 patterned paper stash. We have a veritable mountain of this,thanks to various magazine freebies, and never use it, so we may have enough for every month without any repeats.

First I played about with the sizing of my squares, I needed to fit 16 on one page, and 15 on the opposite page. These squares were made using the Sizzix framelits dies, these squares were made with the second smallest die.




To make the background for my page I began by using my distress inks, for the main colour I chose mustard seed. I slowly added colour to build up layers.




I then stamped directly onto a heat resistant mat with Dusty Concord distress ink, spritzed with water...




and dabbed the colour onto my page through a mask (another lovely Christmas present).




To add more interest, I spritzed water through the mask, left for a few moments




then blotted with kitchen roll, to take some of the ink from the page.




Yet another effect was achieved by spraying Dylusions inks, both through a hexagon mask and directly onto my page.




So far so good, but in my opinion, more is more,




so, once I'd adhered my journal squares, I stamped my page title with yet another lovely Christmas present, alphabet stamps.




I added other stamps to the page for more interest, in co ordinating colours.




Here it is, the bears' January journal page, I wanted bright and zingy colours, as December and the start of this year have been a little dismal for the bears. What better way to brighten things up than with a cheery page to look at? Now we can have fun adding our antics each day. I bet the other bears decide they've recovered from their malaise now the hard work is done!




With love from the bears.