A Book Club Like No Other

(Mess  by, Keri Smith)

Lisa Wright has started a (fantastic, unbelievably amazing) book club!

(My book from the side)

Before you read any further, I feel it is my responsibility to issue the following WARNING:

This post contains graphic images of a very messy book and  may not be suitable for the faint of heart (or for book lovers who couldn't possibly dream of "cracking a spine").

(my own personal intro)

Inside my head there lives a tyrant who believes that perfection is the only way.  My tyrant is aggressive and loud and loves to tell me that I am not good enough and that I would be foolish to share my imperfect creations with the world.

I have struggled for many years to get out from under the overbearing bully... through this book, I hope to overthrow the oppressive dictator that has reigned supreme for so many years.

(Even as I write this intro, the tyrant says, "Why bother?  You're a hopeless case.")

I sure hope not!

I started out by opening to a random page and doodling with a ballpoint pen...  My "inner tyrant/perfectionist" showed up right on schedule with a rant about how I couldn't possibly show this to anyone because it was "bad".

Well, I ignored my oppressor and shared it with the members of my very adventurous and creative book club.  I received lots of support and at the suggestion of our fearless leader, Lisa, I got down and dirty...

(this pic was taken after the mud dried)

By heading for the nearest mud puddle!

It started raining the morning after Lisa suggested I stomp on my book in muddy shoes.  So, I jumped out of bed, threw a coat on over my nightgown, put on some boots, and headed outside... Between the bed-head and the bare legs, I was totally rockin' the "crazy flasher" look (my title as the "neighborhood eccentric" is definitely sealed)!

Normally, a snowstorm at the end of April would cause me great distress, but when I heard one was headed our way I saw it as a chance to experiment...

I colored a very quick beach scene with watercolor crayons and pencils, and set it outside as the snow started to fall.

Not much happened to the pages I colored.  After the snow melted I discovered that I was simply left with a very wet book... Oh, and the cover fell off.

I did manage to take advantage of it's soggy state by working on an exercise that required wet pages.

But, since it was completely soaked and I couldn't wait for it to dry, I did what any sensible completely cracked person would do...

I threw it in the dryer!

(45 minutes, medium heat)

After it was dry, I revisited my beach pages and drew on them with my toes (using a Pitt pen).

Ever since I put my book in the dryer it keeps opening to this page... I guess that's what's next!

One of my book club friends said that "it's like therapy", and it really is!  If you're interested in making a mess and exorcising some demons, it's not too late to join the fun!