Uh Oh...

I'm not disappointed in my smash book at all...I'm pretty proud of how it's progressing. However, I'm thinking it might be a bit too small for what I want it to do. I'm not talking about not enough pages...there's more than enough pages to do what I want, but the size of the pages is what's too small. 

Ok, yeah, I've been searching around the internet getting more inspired. I love the practical magic book of shadows...FAR more than the Charmed book. The PM (Owens) book looks so much more like a legit book a Witch would use, as opposed to the Charmed book, which looks like just a bunch of random incantations, amid art work.

I want a book like the Owens book, and I think the only way to accomplish that would be to have a bigger book with larger pages. I would by all means make it in the same way I'm making my smaller notebook, but on a larger scale.

I think I'll keep making my small notebook Smash book of shadows...that'll make it portable...but I think when I get some more money (ugh, it's always about money) I'll buy myself a larger sketchbook or something along those lines and start again.

I'm kind of running out of ideas though. I might save the "Amas Veritas" website, because it has screenshots of the Owens book, and I might be able to be inspired further. Maybe it'll help me with my block.

Creating a Page

I'm going to create my own style of page to add to my smash book. It'll be a background page. I've seen this almost-exact design somewhere, but for the life of me, I cannot find it. It happens every time I want to find something...you know, to give credit for where I get my inspiration, so if anyone see's something that looks similar to what I'm about to show, PLEASE let me know! :)
(Eta: I found it here : http://faula.tumblr.com/post/5159122373

Now, My book is your typical notebook, so the pages are half the size of typical 8.5 x 11 paper. What I did to make a background page was to:

1) Open Word document. Adjusted the page by changing it to a landscape mode and book fold. Also changed margins to "0.5" all around
2) Open Google Chrome (or whatever other search engine you use)
3) Searched "Pagan Scriptures" (because I'm too lazy to find my portable drive and copy it from there lol)
4) Copied a few chapters and pasted to my Word document.
5) Changed the font to a slanted handwriting style ("beautiful ES" font)
6) Went back to Google Chrome and searched "Goddess Symbol" in Images
7) Copied desired "Goddess Symbol" and pasted it to my Word document
8) Formatted picture by changing the Layout to "Behind Text" and "Center"; Changed picture to "Washout".

This is what I have so far:

I then saved the program to my desktop so that I can print it out later. 

My plan now is to experiment by creating an aged look...not by using the coffee/tea method (because I find it doesn't create the effect I want), but by watering down some brown paint, and allowing the page to dry, before I print. I'm hoping it will work. Be sure to check for updates.
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UPDATE
I tried to update yesterday, but for some reason my iPad wouldn't let me, so I'm doing this now.

I forgot to give a shoutout to "Mandi See" of the YouTube channel "TheShoeWhisperer", who in one of her BoS making videos, showed how she colored her pages, and she painted as well, hence where I got my inspiration. I like to show my appreciation to my inspirations, so this is one of them.
Her "How to make pages" vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1jOxCrX1tw


I'm done with numerous pages in my "Smash" Book of Shadows, but I'm really, REALLY proud of three of them.

The first page I'm proud of is my page on Runes. I used a purple background, printed off the title "Runes" on to some card, and colored the letters with brown marker-pen, Then I made a pocket. I was going to make flaps, in which I wrote the information, but determined it would have taken up, like, four pages in my book, and I really didn't want that. So I made a pocket with some scrapbook paper, and I'm really proud of it. The "flaps" (I had pre-made), I'm going to stick into the pocket so I can randomly choose a rune, complete with information on it. Brilliant!

The second and third pages are on my numbers. I painted some paper yesterday (it didn't quite turn out the way I wanted, but it's a work in progress), and glued it to the front and back sides of my book page, and applied information on numbers, from 1-9, 13, 15, 21 and 28. I love how they look, and I'm so proud of myself for them. I really hope I can continue with this creative streak. I still have to apply the information on the runes, but I'll do that later.

I also have a page on Stones I have to do next...not sure how I'm going to do that yet.

Smash Book of Shadows: Part 1

I'm ready to start my Smash Book of Shadows. Yesterday I went on an adventure two towns away to find supplies for my project, and was impressed with the haul I found. I love dollar stores!!!

(I'll post picture here when I can)

All the items I got altogether cost me no more than $14. I got three 12' x 12' scrapbook page packets containing 6 pages, four 6' x 6' scrapbook paper blocks, 1 hardcover spiral notebook and 11 paint strip samples (I snagged from Walmart lol).

I plan on making my book about as basic as I can. It's going to be a work book, and will have only 3 sections: Correspondence, Spells, and Rituals

I got the idea of using paint strip samples from Pinterest. In fact I got this whole idea from there (and some minor google searching).

I'll make updates as my book progresses.

MC/WUP Crossover Post: SMASH BOOKING!!!

***This post will be posted both here and on my other blog: Ma'iingan's Crafts***

OMG I've never heard of this. Smash Booking. Kind of like deconstructed scrap-booking. I think this is almost the same kind of design and set up many Pagans use to construct their books of shadows...by randomly placing items and photos and discussing the subject of each page.

I think this is an absolutely great idea, not only for (un) scrap bookers, but for Pagans as well who just don't know how to create a book of shadows that doesn't look like a boring manual (like mine end up looking).

I'm going experiment and try to participate in a month challenge and create a smash book (once I gather some items). I'll certainly be sure to keep people up to date on them.

Know that, like scrap booking, you can "Smash" book on just about anything from vacations, to events like birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, or even just day-to-day activities. I hope this can be inspirational to all.
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Ok, I've found a 30 day challenge I'm going to do. All the topics seem to resonate with me well, so I'll do them. If all goes well with this challenge, I'll figure out how I'll do a Book of Shadows in this same format. I'm not going to do it yet, I'll wait until the first of April...just seems to make sense that way.

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Ok...I've changed my mind (something I tend to do a lot of). Now, considering I've found maybe four "challenges" and other "inspirational" ideas...I'm just going to do a completely random smash book, using these "challenge" suggestions. I might do one page a day, OR I might do two or three should inspiration strike. Look, I've already started, hee hee hee:

Now, I literally just started, and this was the first page I did. I made another one, about me...but I'm gonna keep that one private. I also added my own little embellishment that says "SMASH" to the right side of this list. I think this might be fun. But I need more stuff. Boo-urns to not having money.

Ma’iingan