Bali Journal 2015 Front cover (and back). Water soluble crayon and ink
I have to returned to Bali for another quick vacation, this time with my sister, Lynette. We have had a tough few months as my niece has been very ill. she is much better now, so we have scampered away from the end of a long cold Melbourne winter to sunny and warm Bali. We can going to spa, dine and make pretty things. For me of course this means more art, and a new journal of course. I spent the week before we left making it.
Original Journal I made my journal from
Making the front cover, while having breakfast
This time I have re purposed a couple of purchased journals. I took them apart as they were only stapled together, recovered the old cover and sewed them together with Coptic stitch. Still a bit of work, but so much fun and a great way to get in the mood for my holiday. I dug out my Balinese patterns and used them to design the cover and front page.
Spine of journal showing coptic stiching
Inside front cover. Water soluble crayon and sliver ink
Front Page water colour pencils and ink
I am a little behind on the posting, but I will catch you up with the first few days in the next post. I have had technical difficulties with the iPad and guess who forgot to bring the charger for her lap top. I think this will be the third that I have bought because I have forgotten to bring it. Never mind I have to have the computer with me for work so perhaps they will pay me for this one.
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Karen Bailey Studio 
I was just thinking about you yesterday hoping you were having the most relaxing and beautiful Bali vacation. I look forward to hearing and seeing more.
I love your journal, its stunning and vibrant.
Thank you. I am starting to wind down now. Much more to come.
I can’t tell you how many converters, car usb cig lighter thingys, and chargers we have due to forgetting when we travel…..
Your journal looks wonderful and I can’t wait to see what’s inside….. 😉
Thanks Rebecca it is nice to know I am not the only one.
Great looking journal am excited to see how it fills out and develops.
The journal is going well. As soon as I have a new power cord I will post again
Oh karen, what a great idea to take apart a commercial stapled journal and sew it back together with a new cover and endpapers. Wonderful, and I love the design you put on the cover. Did you spray the cover and endpapers with a fixative after making the art, or did you urethane over them for protection? It’s lovely your niece is on-the-mend, and you can relax and enjpy life again.
Judy
Thanks Judy, I am so pleased you liked the journal revamp. I put a coat of UV protection gloss on the outside of the journal for maximum protection and I wasn’t sure how light fast the crayons were. It is quite plastic feeling now, but will withstand all the wear and tear. Inside covers were coated with matt medium, not so plastic and you can work over it. Karen
Beautiful Karen, I’ll look forward to what will be on the pages in the art journal.
Thanks Sharon, I am doing well so far and keeping up with the drawing, I am aiming for a double page a day. This is my third travel journal and I think I am getting the hang of it. Karen
Lovely journal, I hope you have fun using it!
I think I have as much fun making the journals as using them.
I just want to say you are amazing. Hope you niece is still doing well. You colors and patterns are stunning. Question…did you varnish the pages you did using water soluble crayon? Again…love your way of doing things
❤😊🌴
Thank you so much. I used the water soluble crayon for the covers and I sealed them with UV protection gloss varnish from Golden, I wasn’t sure how lightfast the crayon was. It came out quite plastic, but I am happy for the covers to be that way as they will resist spills better. Some of the drawings inside have matt medium over them to seal them. I am also going to spray fix some. It will be a bit of an experiment.
I love the idea of page of patterns. I meant to do the pattern of our painted carved door at Cendana, but somehow I never got round to it. My books are Coptic also and the not ones will have silk covers from scarves I bought in Ubud market
I really enjoy making the sketch books, I bought some Baltic material to use on my next one. Patterns are one of my favourite things, I find really relaxing to draw, like meditation.