I wasn’t feeling very peaceful today when I accidentally sprayed Formula 409 in the pages of my little journal. I began sketching a blue crane and added lot’s of watercolor which often causes the paper to buckle. Because the paper in my journal is very thin and wrinkles easily I keep a little sprayer filled with water in my kit. To flatten pages I spray the back of the page lightly, close the book and wait for it to dry.
Immediately after spraying the cleaner on my beloved journal I realized my little painting was ruined and possibly the entire journal which is more than two thirds full. The colors and lines dissolved and new blotches were made on the pristine sketch and the smell was awful. I sprayed, blotted and sprayed again trying to remove as much of the the soapy chemical as possible and closed the book hoping for the best.
After a few hours and some time to calm down, I felt brave enough to open the little book and to my surprise it was not completely ruined! The blue crane sketch needed to be reworked with watercolor and ink and some white watercolor helped to soften the ugly blotches on the white paper. I actually kind of like the way the sketch turned out with all of it’s imperfections.
The lesson for me today is not to become too attached to my journal or to anything else for that matter. Everything in life is precious, fragile and doesn’t last forever so it is important to enjoy the moment. It also reminds me to be more mindful of the process and not to keep bottles of cleaning chemicals close to my art supplies.