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www.FredParent.NET 9 A THREE-STEP JOURNALING PROCESS 1. Invest a little time into cutting up old magazines in advance. You will need cut-out images and words to get started composing spreads in your joy journal. So why not put on a pot of tea and spend some time snipping images and words together? I find the process of hunting and gathering images and words to be a relaxing adventure in and of itself. 2. Spread your materials out on a table. If you can leave your tools and supplies out all day or even over the course of a weekend or school vacation period, this is convenient. Find an out of the way spot, like a craft table or a dining room table where you can leave works in progress undisturbed. You can always quickly clear the table and put your materials back in storage boxes, as needed. Once your supplies are all spread out, getting drawn into your journaling process will happen naturally, even if only a few minutes on an otherwise busy day. 3. In creating my journals, I do about four or five spreads of large images first. I try to match or contrast colors and create arrangements that are pleasing to my eye. I do not worry about what others might think because my journal is for personal gratification, although I do share the results with family members. Then I pull out a baggie of small images and spread them out on the table to see if I want to add any to my pages. When I'm done, I gather those up and put them away. Finally, I pull out my baggie of words and quotes and spread them out on the table so I can select and glue words to go with spreads in ways that surprise and delight me. VISUAL JOURNALING TIPS Keep it loose. All of these ideas are suggestions. Don't create too many rules around joy journaling. Give your child tips (instead of instructions) and then lead by your example. Don't be surprised if your child teaches you a few things along the way. Lose track of time. Don't worry about how long any of the process takes because the point is to enjoy yourself, not keep a deadine. If you must keep track of time, set a timer in another room so you can immerse yourselves in the process as much as possible. Welcome heart-to-heart talks. You may start off working quietly side-by- side but end up having an impromptu deep conversation. Know when to keep working versus when to put down your scissors and gluestick and listen with your full attention. Take snack breaks. You may wish to put out a plate of non-sticky snacks to sustain you going as you collage. Making a glass of cold lemonade can add to the relaxed vibe of creating side-by-side. Allow intimacy. One of the things we are losing in our whiz-bang-vibrate electronic world is quality time spent relaxing together. Joy journaling is calming and centering for anyone involved, which leads effortlessly to parent-child bonding. So put away devices and turn off background noise and simply enjoy each other's company in the creative quiet. Joy journaling is not only for girls.