My Fabric Art Journal is Home!!!

Well I'm finally home after a long 3 week road trip and can't tell you how nice it is to finally sleep in my own bed. My trip to NC for the 5th Annual COF Quilting Retreat was a blast and I truly enjoyed my visit to Florida with my friends Shey and Carolyn. Visting my parents in VA was sweet especially taking my mother to her birthplace on Mother's Day. I think I'll try and stay home for a bit so I can rest up for my next trip in July to CA to visit my grandbabies.

In late 2009 a group of 4 of my crazy friends got together and formed the "Artsy Farty" group. Journal Project We decided we would make an Art journal using any meduim we wanted to create with and send our journals around to each other - somewhat like a Round Robin. We'd each create a page for each others journal.

While in NC a few weeks ago at the COF Quilting Retreat, all of us met up and exchanged our finished journals - a year and a half in the making! I can't even begin to tell you how excited we all were and how very thrilling it was for me to have such talented ladies work on my journal. Every one did a fabulous job on their pages. Funny thing... before I even read whose page was whose, I knew - just by the artistic expression.

My journal was called "Real Name". I wrote the story of my names and each girl was then to express in their own way the story or meaning of their name(s).

This little story, "Real Name" was written by Brian Andreas of Story People. I remember when I first read it I immediately thought "WOW! he captured just what I was thinking about my Real Name"

I'd like to share with you my journal with pages created by my friends - Jody, Denise, Colleen and Kathi. Thank you ladies - I LOVE it!

This is the front cover of my Journal - My birth name: Nicki Lee Chantiles

Inside cover with my written story:

Each girl was given a piece of double sided peltex 8.5 x 11 and asked to create a front and back page depicting their name(s). This first page was created by Jody using stamps, paper fabric, beads, lace and sequins. You can see that she spelled out her name "JODY"
Jody created a pocket on the backside and inserted her story of her names.

The second page was created by Denise. Denise did a beautiful job of crazy quilting a beautiful frame around her picture - Simply gorgeous!

The backside of Denise' page is a fabulous zipper pocket - just big enough to hold her story. How cool!!

Page 3 was created by Colleen. This Journal project was Colleen's brainy idea and I for one am so very grateful that she put it together. Colleen's fabulous page was hand stitched using various threads, lace, beads and charms.

The backside of Colleen's page was also made into a pocket which holds the story of her names and her picture. I love the handstitched fabric she used and am sure it was something special that she shared with me.
The last entry was that of Kathi. Kathi used tiles to write out her maiden name "Darcy". Kathi framed out the month of March and circled the 18th - Kathy - I promise, I'll never forget your birthday again!

Kathi's back page included a copy of her birth certificate which she downloaded onto fabric - great idea!! Tucked inside a little pocket was her story.

The last page is the inside of my back page... a picture of my eyes looking over everyone. Finally, the back cover of my journal.... me, Barbara Nicki Lee Seavey -

2 years old and now wondering... where did all the years go?

Thank you Jody, Denise, Colleen and Kathi for sharing your personal stories with me. For me to trust you with my story was liberating and a bit of self discovery..... I thank you sharing your creative talents with me and also your friendship - looking forward to ourt next great project together!