Way to go

My poor Art Journal. It has not had the attention it deserves lately. I just can't get into Art Journaling mode, or maybe the problem lies with what I think is Art Journaling mode.

Up until now, I do not grab my Art Journal like I used to my written journals. I don't use it as a 'need to get this out of my system' kind of journal. I do the backgrounds, try a technique or some kind of image, write a little here and there, and then that's it. And I tend to think 'Oh yeah, I read this cool book last week so I have to Art Journal about that....' and then when I do, I'm just not feeling it...

The other day, I started to think about what I like. I know what I don't like, that list is easy enough, but what I do like is a lot more difficult to put into words.
Did you ever watch Charmed? Their Book of Shadows is amazing. Same goes for Supernatural when they have a peek into their father's journal. LOVE that journal!(Go here, then click on the journal that's been tossed in the back of the car. You can flick through it.) The other week I watched a documentary with the lovely title The complete history of my sexual failures, about this man who tries to interview all his past girlfriends to see where he messed up. Tries being the keyword here because most woman were not interested at all and truth be told, I could not blame them. But what I did really like about the documentary was the fact that he kept a notebook with ideas, names, the interviews, all kinds of stuff...

I guess what I'm trying to say is that what I like is more journaling-mixed-with-images than images-mixed-with-journaling. And maybe that's where I'm going 'wrong' with my own Art Journals, that's why it doesn't feel so much 'me' right now.

Of course, since I've started my current Art Journal I need to finish it first before I can start a new one (you can take the girl out of Holland but you can't take Holland out of the girl....) but that gives me time to think about where to go from here. Do I buy a new journal (naaahhh...), do I make a new one and if I decide to do that, what kind of materials will I use? I'm leaning towards a mix of papers I can grunge up a bit, or maybe finally cutting up that huge (sturdy)paper bag I've been keeping in my cupboard for months and months 'just in case I need it'.

For now the new way to go is mostly in my head, but when I'm ready, I'll be sure to share the new found Art Journal love.