"Divine Guidance" Journal - with Rubbermoon stamps!

For some reason I love using RubberMoon stamps for my creative angel work. I like coming up with new ideas for creative spiritual-related projects for myself. And the RubberMoon stamp library has so much imagery that just relates so well to spiritual imagery.

Here is one stamp which especially intrigued me when I first saw it, and knew immediately I had to do something fun with it: "Messages From the Center of the Universe."

I like to keep a journal I call my Signs and Wonders journal to keep track of messages I get from the Universe. Mainly synchronicities.

For this project, I thought I'd do an artsy version of it, and see what it would be like to art journal my messages for a while.

MATERIALS:

• Board book, peeled - or of course use any blank book of your choosing (sketchbook/recycled book). See Tammy's explained technique from her blog post.
• Mod Podge: waterbase sealer, glue & finish (I used this to dress up the cover)
• Metallic gold tissue paper (or other color of your choice)
• Glue stick
• card stock
• Metallic gold craft paint (I used this to dress up the edges of the pages)
• Oil-based metallic paint marker (for accents)
• Gouache paints (for inside pages)
• Watercolor brushes
• "Messages From the Center of the Universe" LARGE RubberMoon art stamp!

STEP ONE:
I was inspired by the "peeled book" technique explained in a recent post by Tammy Vitale. I just had to try it, and after reading her blog post I began peeling books immediately to prepare my blank canvas for this project!


STEP TWO:
I decided for MY book, I wanted to dress it up fancy, so I grabbed some metallic tissue paper, scrunched it up by hand, and Mod Podged it all over the cover of my peeled book (using my bare fingers to paint the glue overtop my crinkled tissue paper). I have since had to press the book to get rid of the slight bowing that happens from this step - so if you don't want to deal with that, I suggest dry pasting collage (glue stick) or just painting a light wash of Gouache paint colors to your liking.

I let this Mod Podge stage dry overnight, to ensure it was dry before working more on it, cutting the stray tissue edging with scissors.


STEP THREE:
Rubbermoon stamp time! Very carefully, I stamped my large "Messages" stamp on a matte piece of card stock to add for the cover:

STEP FOUR:
Cut out the stamp design to make a circle piece for the cover. I used scissors, but feel free to use an Exacto knife if you prefer.


STEP FIVE:
Embellish the design with an oil-based metallic paint marker (gold):

STEP SIX:
Use a glue stick (or scrapbook tape) to adhere the circle shape to your cover.


STEP SEVEN:
IF YOU LIKE... feel free to paint the edges of the pages as well, with metallic craft paint. I just felt like trying this, to fancy-up my book a little more. Yeah, I was getting a little gold-crazy, I guess:

STEP EIGHT:
Yay! Time to have fun with the INSIDE!!
I wanted to see how Gouache paint would work on this highly-absorbent surface. It worked like a charm! I love the textures that come from using this type of paint on this surface. It made a beautiful, colorful base:

STEP NINE:
Add collage, or just keep painting/marking. Markers would dry out fast on this highly absorbent surface, so if you want to try it, use your child's markers, not your expensive ones. A cheap felt tip marker works well, too, for journaling/doodling! A glue stick or double-stick tape would work best on this surface for collage, to keep it dry and manageable.


I thought it would be fun to use my particular journal, here, as a way to keepsake my Angel Cards that I draw for myself occasionally. I like to see patterns of messages that come up over a period of time, and doing this in journal format is a good idea! It's easy to use more of my favorite Rubbermoon stamps for this process as well, as I continue on this "Divine Guidance Journal" journey!

Article By Wendy Fedan

Rubbermoon Story Girl

My Rubbermoon project began with a simple ATC.  Then, a splash of color on my journal.  There the two shall meet.

Stamps used:  Story Girl (kp5059), Unicorn Woman (jc535), and Umbrellas (ge2843)

First, cut a piece of black cardstock to ATC size.  On white, glossy paper, use a variety of Distress Ink colors to stamp Umbrellas as background image.  Set aside.

Next, stamp Unicorn Woman to plain white paper.  Trim off top border and cut out the primary image.  Color with Copic markers.  Add splash of glitter to wings.  Glue to the ATC.  Stamp the text Story Girl.  Directly to the edge of the ATC, add a splash of acrylic paints.  Highlight this with white pen.  Set aside.

Using the same acrylic paint colors, add splash of color to cover of Moleskine journal.  Allow to dry.  Adhere ATC to the front, spray with Krylon to protect new cover.

Goddess Speak

This day that began and ended in sun became a day for Rubbermoon play!  Here's my Goddess arch.  Its February 2nd creation gave me change to ponder the ancient celebration of Imbolc, and enjoy the rays of brilliant winter sun.

Maybe I was a little inspired by the candle I lit in the morning?  But equally inspired by Goddess, an image I add often to envelopes, mail art, letters, etc.  This time, she became the focal point of my arch.  This is the first time I've ever layered an arch in such fashion - off kilter - but it allowed me to add German scrap for trim and various embellishments to the edges.  I also added Inksplat to the background of the top two layers of arch.

As with goddess, I embossed Ma'am in the Moon and the circle around her, also a Rubbermoon image.  Copics were used to color this.

As it begins, so it ends.  Here's the view of the setting sun out my window.  Enjoy!