Friday, January 28, 2022

More From My California Journal

 Hi everyone.  It's almost the weekend. We've had a couple of chilly days and very cold nights, and I am ready for some warmer weather where I don't need to huddle by the woodstove. Maybe next week, if you can believe the long range forecast; they don't ever seem to know.  As I write this Thursday to post on Friday morning, it looks like we could  will have a big snowstorm coming out way for Saturday. When I looked this morning (Friday), it looks like we could get more than they said last night. My town is right on the line between 6-12 inches and 12-20 inches (15-30  and 30-50 cm). I've even heard the word blizzard mentioned, but I think that is more right at the coast.

The good news is I am getting my hair cut today. I was supposed to go a few weeks ago but my hairdresser came down with covid. Now she is better and can squeeze me in. Some months my hair grows fast and some not so fast, but of course, this month it's growing like it's just been fertilized, so I'll be happy to get it chopped.

I'm back today to share a few more pages from my California journal.  Although I can't say my pages cover  every trip detail, I am going along in  relative chronological order of our trip. My book is getting quite thick, and I can image how much it will be bulging by the time I finish it.

Today I'll start at he Channel Islands. This was actually just past the halfway point of our trip. (Photos are here if you are interested: Channel Islands blog post from November.)


You might remember the pelican photos I shared (post is here:Pelicans). I had never seen so many pelicans together in one spot. The day after our boat trip out to Santa Cruz island, we went to National Park store (mainly because we didn't have time on our travel day to stop there). I like to support our parks. I saw this pelican sticker and thought it was perfect for a journal page. I added the circles just to give the page a bit more interest.

I also picked up this postcard in the next photo.  This was the boat we traveled on and where we docked at Scorpion Harbor out on the island. I never had a chance to take a photo of the actual boat docked because it literally came in for a few minutes and then left, and it was the only boat for the day, so there was no time to snap a photo from down on the beach. 


A highlight of the trip (in fact one of the nature highlights of my life) was seeing the super pod of dolphins on the way back to shore. In my journal I tried my hand at drawing dolphins. I used a bit of paint, Stabilo and wax pencils as well as Gelato crayons.  We saw the super pod near sunset, when we had some very colorful skies and when Santa Cruz Island was a still just visible on the horizon. (Photos are here in case you are interested: Dolphins.)


And here's a couple more pages using bits and pieces as well as some very old items from my stash about our day at this National Park island.





We stayed at a hotel right on the harbor when we visited Ventura.  It was close to the boat out to the Channel Islands, and we had an early start on the day we traveled to Santa Cruz. It was also  nice after a day with a lot of walking as well the voyage out and back (to the island)  not to have a long drive at the end of the day. We did have to pay to park (crazy), but since the hotel was relatively empty our room got upgraded for free, and that helped with sting of paid parking. 

My husband managed to lose the first parking pass, so putting this one in the journal registers a memory.



I also decorated the little paper folder they give you with the room keys. Inside I added some details about the hotel and trip.


You might also remember the trip to see the Monarch butterfly wintering in Pismo Beach (post is here Butterflies).  The big butterfly sticker is one I bought that supported the park where the butterflies wintered. I also used lots of small butterfly stickers I had in my stash to finish off the page.


And lastly a fun page to wrap up this post.  It was good to use some stickers I've had for years. 


As there are lots of faces in this post, I am linking up to the "Let's Face It Challenge" at Art Journal Journey. This challenge runs through  Monday.

Thanks for reading through my post. Hope you have a wonderful Friday and start to your weekend also.



 

17 comments:

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Fun journal pages. Right now I'm "California dreaming" (or Florida, etc.) My forecast got worse overnight. It's potluck for how much snow we'll get here. :-(

R's Rue said...

Stay warm my friend. A perfect weekend to create more art.

Divers and Sundry said...

I use scissors and bought some electric clippers, but I don't hafta look like anything ;)

This is such a great way to memorialize a trip!

DVArtist said...

Wow Erika this is fabulous. I love the way you put this all together. A keep sake for sure. I have kept my hair cut short for 20 plus years and 4 months ago decided to grow it out. So far so good. LOL Have a great day.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

A nice way to look back on warmer days, Erika, especially since we too are under a snow watch here in Nashua, NH. We've pretty much "escaped" any really big snowfalls so far this winter, but this one could be the BIG one. Enjoyed seeing more of your CA journaling.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

You have so many ways to memorialize your trip, Erika, and I am sure the mere act of creating the journal helps to install it on your brain with a little more permanence. And you can always go back and refresh your recollections if you need to. The dolphins would have been a great highlight for me too. Nature is wonderful at delivering surprises. I hope the next surprise is not a metre of snow! Stay warm, stay safe, drink coffee. Hugs from Ontario, David.

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

So let me try again, Blogger and my internet have not been friends this evening. It's a lovely way to document good times in your handmade journal, you'll have quite a collection of happy memories and i'm sure you will continue to add more when something triggers another event. Love how you added the dolphins, now seeing them in their natural habitat really is something special.
I hope the weather is kind and it does not stop you being able to get your hair cut, that's something i'm glad I do not have to deal with having long hair it's just a snip of my fringe/bangs and split ends four times a year, saves me a small fortune hee hee..
Sorry I have not been around this past month but it's lovely to come visit this evening. Big Hugs Tracey xx

Pooja Mahimkar said...

These pictures are such an inspiration

Valerie-Jael said...

That really was a wonderful trip, and I'm sure you'll have fond memories of it for many years. Love how you made the album. The pod of dolphins really was a super bonus. Have a great weekend, take care, hugs, Valerie

Lowcarb team member said...

Happy haircut, I had mine cut this week too :)

All the best Jan

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I tried to leave you a comment last night but blogger was being a bear. I had just left one to you not long before that, so I'm not sure why blogger turned on me so viciously all of a sudden.

I'm really loving this journal. It's like reliving it all over again. I especially like how you drew the pod of dolphins. That was brilliant. I enjoyed reading about the Channel Islands Natl Park, too. This is a really lovely and fun look back at this leg of your trip. So glad you shared it with us, and also was inspired by the faces you shared. Thanks for another great entry at AJJ, dear.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Forgot to mention. I'm going for a haircut today (Sunday). Hope yours went well.

Meggymay said...

You are creating an awesome memory journal from your trip. When I read Channel Islands I some how took myself to our Channel Islands of Jersey, Guernsey etc closer to France but still UK.
Stay safe.
Yvonne xx

Jeanie said...

I hope you aren't too snowed in. Even 12 inches sounds like a blizzard to me! We're due for snow next week -- but nothing like what is sweeping the east.

Love this journal and the idea and work behind it. It's terrific, Erika!

Neet said...

This will be so good for you to look back on. I wish I had done the same with the bits and pieces I brought back from my various travels. Intention never got fulfilled.
I remember seeing a few pelicans in San Fran and I was thrilled but to see as many as you did must have been a real treat.
Similarly the dolphins. Like so many people I love them and to see them like that must be wonderful. I've only seen them in a park.
Looks as if your trip to the Park was a good one - so exciting.
Hugs, Neet xx

nwilliams6 said...

What a fun book, Erika, and a great idea to memoralize your fab trip. Loved each page you shared. Hugz

craftytrog said...

Your pages all look great Erika!
Lucky you getting a haircut. I still haven't braved the hairdressers, hoping Hubby will chop off my long locks again soon.
Hugs.
Alison