Oscraps

This week, Cheryl introduced our challenge as such: Our word prompt for September is Focus. What a great word – I’ve been an avid photographer for so many years and I remember when we had to focus our cameras – it wasn’t automatic. That was back in the Dark Ages before digital – and what a joy when we turned that ring, and the subject came into focus.

Here is Cheryl’s page, and her description. It really shows that Art Journaling can be very personal and healing:

I departed, somewhat, from doing my “Grief Journaling” but this week, my muse took me back a bit. So, you’ll have to humor me again this week, as I got a tad emotional. You could look at it as a kind of “acceptance”. I’m starting, after seven months, to accept the fact that Chuck isn’t coming back, at least not physically. This week,I found myself saying goodbye to him. I was running along the beach trying to keep him from leaving, but in my heart, I knew he was gone. Here’s my layout and I shed a few tears when I was creating it, so I hope it doesn’t make you all too sad. I was led to use the word focus as in “Focus on moving forward”.

Here is the first layout that has been posted. It really shows how when you open up, your pages can really speak to others and let us get to know each other in our emotional sharing!

Tracy shares:  had no idea what I wanted to do. I looked at last week and thought maybe I would keep it similar. Then it flowed. I used Believe in Miracles again and Nocturnal Creatures Alpha. Different genetic disease, same attitude, keep smiling. God is good and knew I needed to be able to fight for my kids.

We have had quite a few new people join us, and it’s been a few months for some. I have a challenge for you: Go back to your first AJ page, and compare it to your most recent AJ page. Ask yourself: Have you grown? Do you like the journey so far? Then take a look at the AJ Gallery at Oscraps – what techniques or members might you want to scraplift and learn how to do?

Here’s my first and most recent page:

First one at Oscraps when I started the AJ Challenges. I had done some at another site, but this was the first AJ Challenge we started in Feb of 2023:

Palvinka Designs | Always Laugh
Palvinka Designs | When Winter Comes
Palvinka Designs | Beautiful Autumn
Palvinka Designs | Quiet Moments
Palvinka Designs | Book of Memories
Palvinka Designs | The Smell of the Forest

Xuxper Designs | Colorful Delicacies

This is my most recent page.

Lynn Anzelc | A Scrap of Autumn
Lynn Anzelc | Life Line Grief
NLD | Time Captured
Rachel Jefferies | Little Things Misc Mixed Media Bits
Anna Aspnes | Artsy Cameras 3
Anna Aspnes | Snapshot 1
Carol Wright Designs | Healing Power
Mixed Media by Erin | Okeeffe
Mediterranka Designs | Take Me Home 
Vicki Robinson | Scrap Now 09 Template

I have gotten a lot better at blending, and I’m not afraid to use scribly or dark artsy things. I also have made pages that didn’t have personal pictures. I always felt like scrapping was for memories, and so I always tried to AJ with personal pictures. Now I’m enjoying using sketchy and drawn people.

My goals? To learn how to do more photo treatments.

I am going to post a thread in the AJ section, and I hope you join me in focusing on looking back and then looking forward!!