Altered Book Art Journal

I am fascinated by art journaling and can spend many happy hours surfing the internet looking at pages and journals or reading all those magazines.  I have taken several online classes from some of my favorite art journalers - Teesha Moore and Jane Davenport, Kelly Kilmer, Mary Ann Moss.

I did 21 Secrets last year and may do that again - I'd also love to give Lifebook a try. So many classes!  But money doesn't grow on trees and when I discovered that, lo and behold, there was a local art journaling group/class right here in my small town, (who woulda thunk it??!!) I decided that would be the best place to spend my dollars. Take a class, support a local business and meet real people in my area that love artsy stuff as much as I do.  Win-win!

Last week was my first class and we are making altered books as art journals.  I have NEVER done this before but so far I am liking it.  I have been tearing out pages and gluing pages together getting the book ready.  Here is the first spread.

We started with gesso, then finger painted with acrylics.  Then I doodled the flowers using black and white paint pens.  Later, at home I added the stamps and writing and some extra work with markers.
So far, so good!

Have you ever worked in an altered book?

Linking up with Paint Party Friday and Art Journal Everyday