Basic Materials

Cosmic Smash Booking is a personal reflective practice. It is not about making “good” drawings and pretty pages. Simpler is better. Start with kids’ art materials, if you have them, to keep it carefree. (Rule #2: have fun!)

With just a few inexpensive materials, you can start to listen to your heart. Or, if you’re a crafter or artist, use the fancy supplies you have on hand. Either way, the goal remains the same: to express what you’re feeling and thinking, and interact with that on the page.

Here’s a checklist to get you started:

• Paper: 2 sheets of paper = one smashbook page
  • or a soft-cover notebook, with stitched pages (not stapled or spiral-bound or hard cover).
  • composition books or Moleskine XL are great.
  • Blank or lined.

• Glue. A glue stick is perfect.

• Scissors.

• Pen or pencil.

• Colours. Something like:
  • Origami paper
  • Gift wrap
  • Wax crayons
  • Gel crayons
  • Kids’ watercolours
  • Tempera or acrylic paints
  • Markers

• Miscellaneous pictures / text (random is good)
  • Junk mail
  • Any kind of magazines
  • Old books or letters
  • Old atlas or dictionary
  • Photos or mementos
  • Raid the recycling bin.

• Optional:
  • Acrylic medium (matte or gloss)
  • White gesso
  • Black gesso

With these supplies, a brush and water, and a few paper towels, you’re ready to write, glue, colour, erase (gesso is good for this), and experiment!

Your inner wisdom is waiting to appear. Let the happy accidents begin! (I’m excited!)

download your cheatsheet and get started now!