michelle ward prompts us this month to handwrite in our journals (“cat got your tongue?”)…
actually the only journal i handwrite in is the one about my health i started last december before i had to go to hospital… i prepared the backgrounds, took some stamps, pictures etc with me and had the luck to be in a single bed room, so i could journal there, too… (well, limited stuff compared with home, but it was ok)
as said, the journal is about my health. i suffer from ulcerative colitis/crohn disease for two decades now and have hard times alternating with better ones. but you can keep it short: the harder times are *d*mn s*h*t* – literally (as the title means, written in german on the cover…)
actually i hesitated to show it on my blog. i kept it private so far (and most of the pages will not be published). but then i thought, as my intro spread says:
… and i decided to show some spreads:
i had my handcarved alpha with me and seems i prefer to sum up the text of a page in one or two words…
~~~~~for hiding details (thoughts that should not be seen at first sight) i made little envelopes. text is at the back of the small cards inside and hides well:
~~~~~here i blurred the text i wanted to keep private…
i love the ttv pictures i´m always hunting for in the internet
~~~~~think positive… sometimes easier said than done; but i try…
the “think pink” stamp is custom made.
~~~~~
~~~~~
johanna – you are so generous to share this part of your life with us. thank you for ‘spilling’ as sabrina ward harrison would say. lovely, truthful pages. in a way, you are hiding your words from those of us who don’t know german
love your “be who you are…” quote, so true. thank you for sharing with the team the many ways to capture thought. i wish you the best with your health. xo
How smart of you to prepare this journal to have with you in the hospital. You can write what you feel, you can complain as much as you need to, and no one will mind. And it gives you a bit of a release, I’d imagine. You’re a clever and talented lady. I hope you’re having some of the better times now.
I followed your link on Michelle Ward’s Crusaders blog. Just wanted to say that I love the title you gave your journal. Absolutely suits it! For some reason, the German fits even better than the English translation. (I’m Dutch and used to take German in school)
Great idea to prepare a journal before going into hospital!
Wow, this is moving and warm. Thanks. Isn’t journaling a wonderful friend? It is a great place to go when we are in our center, or concerned, or scared. You are a brave woman.
Little envelopes! great idea!
Thanks for sharing this. My dad has colitis, but fortunately his is not very severe. It’s great that you had a journal to work in while you were in the hospital. I think it’s beautiful.
beautiful pages, full of colour and meaning. Thanks for sharing
I am so moved you would share this with us. I love your hospital journal and applaud you for doing one. It is an incredible piece of art work. Thank you for sharing, Johana. I have a friend who has crohn’s disease and I am aware of what you go through. Hoping the good times outweigh the bad! Marlynn
Thank you for sharing this private part of your journey. You are inspiring by sharing how you make art while dealing with such a difficult health issue. God bless you.
And… your pages are really cool.
Thank you for sharing, your artwork is beautiful. I wish you all the best.
Jennifer
http://blog.jenniferlorton.com
So many great ways to show your journaling…and thank you so much for sharing this with us. Always remember..one day at a time!
Wonderful inspiring work johanna! What a gift you ahe given to all of us by sharing your story! We all need to really appreciate all that we have and share what we have with those who need a lift up!! The Dr. Seuss quote that you use is one of my absolute favorites!!!! I hope that many bright good days are ahead for you and the bad days are few and far between!!
Hugs!
elizabeth
Your journal pages are so rich in color, very cool! Love what your heart is saying on your journal pages.
I love your Be who you are page!! My daughters boyfriend has Crohns, 2o years old, I agree with Marilyn, I hope the good times outweigh the bad. Sue
This post and sharing of your journal about your health is very timely as I have a friend who suffers from this disease and believe I will forward your post to her.
best wishes to you…
Great pages Johanna, and what a good idea to take supplies to hospital with you. Hugs to you as well, as my husband’s ex boss had Crohns, so I understand a little of what you experience.
Johanna you are so brave to share your journal. What a wonderful way to get though the pain of your disease and take away that hospital boredom! Your pages are gorgeous! I hope your healthy improves!
Your pages are beautiful and very interesting. Thank you for sharing your personal struggles. I’ve recently taken some risks posting a new journal I’ve started called my healing book. I’m finding that as I take risks and share the challenges in my life that others who share the same struggles contact me. I’m discovering that I’m not alone and it is a wonderful thing to be understood.
All the best to you! xoxo
Wow, Johanna, there is a lot of powerful stuff in these pages – from their beginnings as a preparation for entering the hospital to all the healing work you have done throughout them. I always say that my very best (and cheapest
)therapy is my art journal and all the gifts it gives me. I always feel lucky to have that tool available to me, in good times and in bad.
Thank you for sharing all this journal has meant to you with us !
Cheers !
These ae really great spreads! What a great idea to somewhat prepare the pages in advance so that you could work on the journal while in hospital. I know what you mean about hesitating to post sure personal information, but I am so glad you did. This is an important issue effecting your life, why not share it?
Best-
Ingrid
Love your pages. I think that it’s great to take your journal along – and document your daily life, whether it’s a hospital trip or a vacation. I love to take my journal on vacation trips.
große Klasse, Johanna! LG Ulla