So why not put on a pot of tea and spend some time snipping
images and words together? I find the process of hunting and
gathering images and words to be a relaxing adventure in and
of itself.
2) Spread your materials out on a table. If you can leave
your tools and supplies out all day or even over the course of
a weekend or school vacation period, this is convenient. Find
an out of the way spot, like a craft table or a dining room table
where you can leave works in progress undisturbed. You can
always quickly clear the table and put your materials back in
storage boxes, as needed. Once your supplies are all spread out,
getting drawn into your journaling process will happen natu-
rally, even if only for a few minutes on an otherwise busy day.
3) In creating my journals, I do about four or five spreads
of large images first. I try to match or contrast colors and create
arrangements that are pleasing to my eye. I do not worry about
what others might think because my journal is for personal grat-
ification, although I do share the results with family members.
Then I pull out a baggie of small images and spread them out
on the table to see if I want to add any to my pages. When I’m
done, I gather those up and put them away. Finally, I pull out
my baggie of words and quotes and spread them out on the table
so I can select and glue words to go with spreads in ways that
surprise and delight me.
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Visual Journaling Tips
Keep it loose. All of these ideas are suggestions. Don’t
create too many rules around joy journaling. Give your child
tips, instead of instructions, and then lead by your example.
Don’t be surprised if your child teaches you a few things along
the way.
Lose track of time. Don’t worry about how long any
of the process takes because the point is to enjoy yourself, not
stick to a deadline. If you must keep track of time, set a timer in
another room, so you can immerse yourselves in the process as
much as possible.
Welcome heart-to-heart talks. You may start off
working quietly side by side but end up having an impromptu deep
conversation. Know when to keep working versus when to put
down your scissors and gluestick and listen with your full attention.
Take snack breaks. You may wish to put out a plate of
non-sticky snacks to sustain you going as you collage. Making
a pot of tea or keeping cocoa warm on the stove can add to the
relaxed vibe of creating side by side.
Allow intimacy. One of the things we are losing in
our whiz-bang-vibrate electronic world is quality time spent
relaxing together. Joy journaling is calming and centering
for anyone involved, which leads effortlessly to parent-child
bonding. So put away devices and turn off background noise
and simply enjoy each other’s company in the creative quiet.
Author, journalist and writing coach Christina Katz loves noth-
ing better than spending time in the creative quiet, whether
alone or with her daughter. She always emerges from joy journ-
aling refreshed and inspired.
March 2019 WNY Family 7