Wreck This Journal: Playing with my Food
I have a terrible secret: I did not take The Jamie Challenge this week. I know, I know! I chickened out. I was a wuss. I didn’t do the page that most scared me, but I know that I have to build up to it. So, I’m announcing it here first (hold me accountable, people):
By this time next week, I will have taken my book out on a walk.
(Shiver).
But this week, I did the fun/easy stuff:
I thought that blank page should be, well, blank, so I made the white lettering black. It didn’t exactly disappear, but it was cool nonetheless. I then ripped, ripped, ripped up my page, trying to rip on the dotted lines but being super easy breezy if I was off (which I was). Ain’t it neat how the rips curled up like that? The next page told me to staple/glue ‘em onto it, but I’m so not listening yet. I like my curly-Qs.
The Scratching was the second most fun of the week. I originally started scratching with a quarter, which gave the paper a cool texture but was not the mess I was hoping for. Thankfully, I found the cheese knife & that was perfect! It was this great combination of scratching & ripping & it was totally theraputic.
But the most fun – the very most fun ever, even more fun than the coffee spilling & page burning – was when I documented my dinner. Holy crapballs was that a big fat gross disgusting mess. I made sweet potato fries one night last week, and I knew I was gonna end up with a Ziploc bag made up of olive oil, cinnamon, paprika, & salt (the recipe’s here – I love shaking the potatos up in the bag & dancing when I do it. Don’t judge). When the fries were cooking, I cut the bag down the middle & smeared the oily mess all over the pages. Then, when I was eating, I used the book as a napkin & wound up with BBQ sauce on one side & the oily mess on the other. But that wasn’t good enough. Oh, no it wasn’t. I had to fingerpaint them together so they could be friends.
Now, when I look at the picture, I’m a bit nauseous. Luke is convinced the book is gonna start to smell & grow mold. But, what can you do? It’s all for the greater good of Messes.
Related posts:
- Wreck This Journal: A Hole Lot of Messes
- Wreck This Journal!
- Wreck This Journal: Breakin’ On Through to the Other (Fun!) Side
Tags: Wreck this Journal
June 19th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Gorgeous, fabulous fun! And so brave to admit to not taking the challenge…wonder how you felt?? (same for me…need a bit of time)
Love the potato bag dance…is that judging? Sounds like a blast!
susan
June 19th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Honestly, I did most of the wrecking last weekend, before I had the chance to watch the video. This week got away from me (& yes, I am procrastinating on walking the book) & so, blech. I also really want to make a video entry & want some time to learn how the heck to do that. I mean, if I’m going to walk a book I’m going to document it right!
It’s not judging as long as you like it
The potato bag dance is really just a lot of butt shaking, to my hubby’s amusement.
June 19th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Wonderful wrecking! Don’t worry, I didn’t do my most scary page yet either (the food page), but I’m starting today so that by this time next week I can report back. I can’t wait to see what you have to say about the walk next week. Happy wrecking!
June 19th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
i’m up for taking our journals out on a playdate!
are you still in nyc?
shall we drag them up the steps to the high line?
June 19th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Ohmygosh, for reals?! That would be so awesome. I’d be way less scared to walk my journal if I’m seen with a super cool artist blogger, & I’ve been wanting to go to the High Line too. I’ll email you now & hopefully our schedules will gel, Magpie!
June 19th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
The food page is scary for you, Sherri? Ain’t it funny to find out what’s the scariest page for each of us? It’s interesting how varied it is – but also interesting that a lot of us started at the same place (coffee, ripping, scratching, etc). It’ll be so cool to see how “the hard stuff” works out & where we each end up!
June 19th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I dribbled ice cream on my food page – what a waste! I’m waiting for a special meal! Ha, can’t quite believe I’ve written that!
June 19th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Oh wow, you really got into this week with the food!!! Good for you:) Keep up the great work!
June 19th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Lisa – Nothing is a waste in WTJ! That ice cream was meant to be dribbled. And maybe topped with a “special meal”
SelfHelpGoddess – Thanks so much! I totally did embrace the food this week. I might not be loving it so much when I have to sleep with the damn thing, though. Ah, well.
June 19th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Way to go, lady!! I love that you even shared the recipe for your dinner.
I’m curious why the taking-the-book-out-for-a-walk scares you. Is it the destruction it may cause, or the highly public nature of it? I was thoroughly embarrassed, and I was walking a place that wasn’t even that populated. But in hindsight, I’m glad I pushed through the embarrassment.
June 19th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
It’s absolutely the embarrassment, Gretchen. It’s tough to find a “private” place in NYC, & walking the journal in my stairwell seems like cheating. I have a date with magpie to do some in tandem wrecking at a park together on Sunday, so hopefully that’s make me feel less like a loony bird.
June 19th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
I’m least excited about the food thing. You and so many others seemed to really enjoy it! Well, I’m so happy for you lol The blank page was genius!
June 20th, 2009 at 2:25 am
I really like your food page and that the two lots of stains had to meet and mingle! If it does grow mould, I am sure you could use some bleach and give it a good scrub!
June 20th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Now that’s a fun meal!
Haha! I don’t think oil or barbecue sauce mold but it makes for great finger painting! 
June 20th, 2009 at 9:28 am
I too am not into the big and scary stuff yet! I have yet to do the coffee stains! Happy wrecking
June 20th, 2009 at 11:26 am
Kristin – Embrace the food! The food is your friend. And…delicious
Rose – Thanks for understanding that the food needed a friend to play with. And thanks, too, for the bleach recommendation – I’ll have to keep my eye on that!
Genie Sea – No mold, ya think? Sweet! And maybe I don’t need to buy those finger paints after all…
Patti – We have a whole ‘nother 5 or 6 weeks to get to the scary stuff. Don’t pressure yourself! Although I am gonna walk my book tomorrow…
June 20th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
I hope to tackle some of those tougher pages this week too! Great wreckage.
June 21st, 2009 at 1:17 am
woo hoo! now that’s progress! happy wrecking!
June 21st, 2009 at 7:57 am
Don’t worry, you’re doning find! It does take a while to get used to the wrecking. But once you go over it, there’s not stopping you. So happy wrecking …. !
June 21st, 2009 at 9:15 am
I totally get the fear–I’ve been doing the “easy” stuff first myself. You’re right–we’ll work up to it…baby steps! In the meantime–FANTASTIC wreckage!! The food one actually scares me–I love the mess you made! So inspiring!
June 21st, 2009 at 11:43 am
I’m so glad you had such fun documenting your dinner – lol! And I have a funny feeling there will be mad giggles involved when you walk that journal! I know you can do it
I noticed that bleach suggestion – and now I have an idea for my blank page! haha.
It’s always fun to visit you.
June 21st, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Laura, Janet, Hybrid J & Karen – Thanks so much for your comments & encouragement! I’m really getting into this book & am learning so much from the wrecking. Can’t wait to see what lessons everyone learns!
Jamie – The journal walking will be ridiculous, but I’m sure the actress within me will make it a good freakin’ time. I saw “Yes Man” last night, & as silly as it was, I think that helped drive home the point that I should be doing more things that make me nervous. Here’s to the spontaneity of it all! Oh, & can’t wait to see your “blank” (white?!) page! Thanks for stopping by – always nice to have you
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I’m trying to get someone else to join me in the book club (locally) so he/she can accompany me on the walk.
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Unfortunately Scarlet, Magpie & I didn’t get to walk this week. We wussed out because of the weather. I still haven’t walked, & am trying to find the “perfect” time to do so. Uh….don’t think there is one. I might wuss out this week, but I’m still learning something. We’ll see where I land…
June 24th, 2009 at 9:07 am
I took my book on a walk. It was a short walk, but it got beaten up just a little. I didn’t want to RUIN it, I just wanted to WRECK it… a little.
This whole book may be an exercise for me in letting go.
Sometimes I do the easy stuff… then I go back over it when I am feeling a bit bolder and do something worse to it.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:42 am
I love the idea of doing, walking away, & then doing some more – “something worse.” This is me = bigger mess = awesome! I haven’t walked my book this week, but thinking of doing it in Niagara Falls with my in-laws this weekend. They’re artsy & would totally love it. My book needs to be there!