This 150 year old Grantee ledger was destined to become an art journal the moment I saw it. This is a one of a kind journal and it called for something special.
After getting the journal home, a little research enlightened me as to to what it was originally used for. It was for recording the receiver of property, the grantee. That was the spark that led to the theme for this journal, feelings.
I am the grantee of my feelings, and this journal is going to be all about representing, processing and honoring those. All of them. The good, the bad, the comfortable and the uncomfortable with a page for each feeling.
The first is daring…and feel free to laugh along at how I wasn’t daring at all doing this and how it actually did honor the feeling in the end.
See how I gave myself permission to play in such an old and large journal in this post.
The first thing was to get the word on the page using my Jumbo Vintage Typewriter Alphabet stencil. That bit of red peeking out is washi tape used to line up the letters so that they were perfectly level. No very daring at all.
I rarely ever do this, so why was I so cautious on a page all about daring? The pressure of the first full page in a journal.
This is a large journal, over 2 feet wide when open. To get the stenciled women running in rainbow colors across such a large area was a snap. By putting the hand of the stencil on the hand of the painted one, it kept the chain going as far across the page as needed.
I didn’t line them up with washi tape…I was getting over that first page pressure.
Why these lines of women hand in hand? Because women supporting each other is what makes it possible for those risk taking, daring moments.
By loosely sketching around every woman with a fountain pen, each became one of a kind. Just like real women.
What feeling will be going next into the journal? I’ll have another video soon with that play so get signed up for my newsletter so you won’t miss it!
For those who are concerned, as I go, I am taking complete photos of the pages so that none of the historical information is lost.
Here are the supplies I used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and it helps keep the free tutorials coming! 
I like that we can still see the old journal pages. I’m using an old book right now and hate the idea of totally covering everything up. I think it loses the point of using something old. AND I really like your theme!