I'm a VERY happy sponge

This is a picture that only someone passionate about Book and Altered Arts can really understand. This is a trunk full (actually only about 1/2 of it, as I unloaded 1/2 before thinking to take a photo) of old blue prints, old documents and ledgers. What amazes me is how clean it all is, no mildew or musty odors that so often come along with old paper. Are you not just hyperventilating along with me? Today is our big trash day in town. Last night on my way to the library I caught sight of a pile of this rolled up paper, I stopped and grabbed many rolls...made my daughter help me. I thought she would absolutely die of embarrassment. Then, last night I looked at what I actually had and was amazed at the technical drawings and layouts. I knew I needed more. So, At the advise of my sister I ran out this morning and loaded up my trunk. Just in the nick of time too, as the trash men were also equally impressed and were loading up their vehicle as well. But I got my 2nd trunk full and I am a VERY happy sponge!

Left overs Journal Spreads #6, #7 and #8

Still working on my "Left Overs Journal". Looks like I have to expand upon it as it is just about full and I still have a pile of left overs. It's really nice to refer to these everyday journals again at a later time. They are really just relentless rambling about everyday going ons, yet they still contain useful information and ideas that are good to refer back to at a later date. There is a method to my madness. I am back to trying to photograph my vessels. My frustration level has just about hit rock bottom. I bought my nifty lighting studio, messed around forever with different camera settings and I still end up with less than adequate photos. I really despise photography and wish I could afford a photographer to take the multitude of photos that I need. For years this has been such a problem. I can not take a decent photo to save my life.

A Tree with a heart

Driving home from the park today where we spent the morning walking I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this tree. Someone had cleverly painted the heart area red, I didn't photoshop it. My daughter said it's been there for years. Today is the first time I have seen it, I just had to take a picture.

Exquisite Corpse Journal - Spread #5

I am amazed at how much stuff I have pulled out and the amount of left over "stuff" I have as this Exquisite Corpse Project draws to a close. I am determined to use up all the scraps and leftovers from the project in this journal. I am hoping (and I think I will) have left over page parts after constructing 13 books that I can also incorporate into this journal. Even if it is just a few pages, it will make this journal so much more interactive. I am just waiting on the last sets of pages from one of the members of the group and then I can start assembling the actual Exquisite Corpse Project together. I hope it comes today, I just can't wait to start putting it all together!

New idea for Vessels...again

I have been working very hard on new designs for my wearable collage Vessels for quite some time now. They are slowly evolving into what I imagined them to be in the first place. I find this very exciting. Looking at these tiny antique dolls, I am thinking how wonderful it would be to make something on this line out of clay (but even smaller) to incorporate into the Vessel pieces. I could make beads that would be used on the chain that they Vessels hang from or with a great deal of modification I could make doll part Vessels. Just looking at these tiny dolls give me so many ideas! Now, making the original clay pieces, molds, pouring parts, firing (and filling a kiln that takes FOREVER) and THEN making the actual Vessels will be months and months down the road. Why is it that I continue to get myself involved with work that is so amazingly time intensive?! But then again, I suppose my passion for visual journaling, with immediate results, rather balances that out.

Spread #4

"Leftover Object Journal"

So much for my new "Found Object Journal"...another time for that one. Instead I have found that as this Exquisite Corpse Project draws to a close I have made one too many covers. I also have a lot of left over "stuff" that is far too good to throw in the trash can. I can take all this "stuff" and make a wonderful everyday journal out of it. If there are extra completed pages (which there will be, as I have made too many and I believe a few other people have too) left over from the project I can also incorporate them into the journal as well and make it quite interactive. So, I guess instead of the "Found Object Journal" I had planned, this is a "Leftover Object Journal" ..... probably a better idea anyways.

I mean, seriously!

So, I want to start a new personal everyday visual journal similar to the Flotsam Journal I made awhile back. I would like to use Found Objects that I happen across on my daily walks. This is proving to be a real challenge living in an area of meticulously manicured lawns. I have come to the conclusion that my finds for today are a true indication that I really don't belong here. I mean, seriously! ... what am supposed to do with this stuff?!

Flotsam Journal-

http://ingriddijkers.com/galleryaltbookspage11.html

A simplistic stencil for the Exquisite Corpse

This is my third page for the Exquisite Corpse project that we are working on. This project is slowly drawing to a close and several of us seem to still be interested in exploring this concept further. So, It looks like there will be a second book made after this one is completed.

Crusade #19 for the GPP Street Team involves making a stencil or a mask this month. For this page I used a very simplistic mask of an arch just cut from paper. It was layed on my page and paint was sponged on and beyond the edge of the mask to achieve this effect. I have also used this mask on the front cover of the book. I think this shows that even the simplest of designs can be very effective.

A few Charms

I haven't done a charm swap in ages, so I thought this would be fun. The heart is made of clay and is smaller than those candy conversation hearts. Probably the smallest thing I have ever made in clay. They were fired and given a stone finish, all a little different. The other charm is a glass car fuse that I took apart and put in a bit of vintage old German bible text. I then gave it a gunmetal finish so that it wasn't so new and shiny looking. I actually had more fun making up the little cards to mount them on than the charms themselves! That was a nice brief break, but now back to "The Exquisite Corpse Project" and designing new Vessel collages. I have so many new designs in the works... can't wait to share them.

Skull and Crossbones Carved Stamp

This Exquisite Corpse Project is well underway. I am really enjoying it and am looking forward to receiving the entries from other participants in the group. We are "decorating" the backs of the pages and including contact information. I thought a carved stamp of a Skull and Crossbones would be a nice addition for the backs of mine. It's nice how the white ink prints up a rather ghostly looking image on the black card stock. I am enjoying this project so much (as are several other players) that we are thinking of continuing after this book is completed. The possibilities are just endless and need to be explored well beyond just this one book.

Exquisite Corpse Project

This group is now closed. This Exquisite Corpse Project is underway at this time with 11 participants.

Exquisite Corpse Project

I am finally getting around to organizing a Round Robin I have been wanting to do FOREVER. I just kept waiting for things to slow down so that I would have some extra time. I have come to realize that will never happen. So, I have decided to do it now. I'm thinking 10-12 players. I might still have a few available spots for anyone that is seriously interested, does quality work, can follow guidelines and strict mailing dates. There is a short deadline and all the details haven't been worked out yet. Email me for details to this point if you REALLY want to get involved.

A million parts

I fired the kiln yesterday with at least a million pieces ... at least it seemed so. it took me forever to pour and finish all the pieces. There are 5 1/2 shelves full of (mostly double stacked) parts for vessels. Toward the end I ended up pouring a few fairies and woodsprites to help fill up the kiln.

I finished off one of the house shaped vessels. This is just a prototype. Have to experiment a bit till I find something I am really satisfied with, but I think this is a very nice start. Have to admit I am rather pleased with my faux heart shaped rocks. Now I am wishing that I had made more of them. I really don't plan of firing for awhile now. I believe I have enough fired pieces to carry me through for the Renaissance Festival this season. I did some serious making and firing of figures awhile back, including Elfins, fairies and wood sprites. And now with all these new vessels I am sure I have enough to keep me busy for a very long time. I am looking forward to working with all the new parts. I have many new shaped to experiment with that will really be a lot of fun. The quote inside the house shaped vessel reads "A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and then returns home to find it. -George Moore- ". The house shape is 5/8" X 1 1/2".

And the last of the journal pages for awhile

This will probably be the last journal pages I will be able to make for awhile. I will be getting back to making the clay parts for my vessels pieces. I still have a lot of work to do on them until they are ready to make finished pieces from. I have a few more ideas and will be starting on the original clay pieces for those tomorrow, then molds will be made and parts cast from those. It is a very long, time consuming process at this stage, howver I see an end in sight and am really look forward to working with all the new pieces.