Sunday, January 25, 2009

The reluctant journaler

I don't journal. There it is. I said it. 

A book artist who doesn't journal? How can a bookmaker not spend hours filling beautiful books with deep thoughts flowing from her pen? I suppose it's like a musician who doesn't listen to her own music or a painter who owns none of her own work. 

One reason I don't is because I think I don't have time. I would love to make artist journals but they are so labor intensive that I prefer to spend my time on other things. I drool over the stacks of books some book artists own and I admire the work it takes and the insight that journaling brings. But even a simple journal would work just as well, you may say. Well then you don't know me very well. I have a huge all-or-nothing aspect of my personality that finds it hard to do anything just a little bit. 

Also all the books I make end up in the hands of family and friends and an occasional customer. There isn't much left for me, but I don't think that's too unusual. It is hard for me to keep a book when I know it will have such a happy life in someone else's hands.

Another reason is because I am a perfectionist. I would spend waaaay too much time getting the pages just right and defeat the purpose of the journal. One book that may help me overcome this perfectionist tendency is Chrysti's latest giveaway.

See her post for all the details and you can enter to win one for yourself. Would a bookmaker encourage such wanton destruction? Absolutely. Anything that will get someone to pick up a book is a good thing.