Art Journal Pockets

This image is from a book I'm altering, but the technique can be used with any journal. Who doesn't like little secret places and stashes - a treasure chest contained within your pages, at your fingertips whenever your younger you needs to be nurtured (and the older I get, the more I have that need:).
For sturdiness, glue together several pages behind your selected page to fold. Then glue down your page, except for the area to fold. Crease your page into the fold and glue the side and bottom edges, leaving an opening and creating your pocket. 
I used mod podge to glue and added gesso to the top page for more support and prep for the paints and stamps I added. However, I have also used double sided tape and stained the page with stamp ink or a hot tea bag to add color and journaled on top of the pocket. Inside the above pictured pockets, I cut out some cardstock and used those to write on. Like any journal, the possibilities are endless and the result reflects you:)
How are you "being you"?

Feels good to be back
Enjoy. ..and celebrate your journey!

Advent: Day One & Two

Advent, this powerful liturgical season that we are beginning, invites us to pause in silence to understand a presence. It is an invitation to understand that the individual events of the day are hints that God is giving us, signs of the attention he has for each one of us. ~ Pope Benedict VXI

It is my hope this Christmas season to follow more closely the traditions of my faith instead of consumerism. Please don't tell me happy holidays..if you don't celebrate that's okay..but let's no longer minimize and demean the season.  This is the season of celebration of God's gift to us..a season of miracles with messages of love and hope.
How will you take pause, allowing yourself the gift of God's presence instead of the onslaught of cyber sales and inflatable Disney characters?