For Fun and Stress Release: Create Mini-Doodle Books!

Front Cover of Kathryn's Mini-Doodle Book

Art is a great way to release stress, have fun, feel creative, and access insights and messages from your inner self!  

You also have something tangible to reflect upon, look back at, and share with others!

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So here is an easy project that you may become addicted to creating...a mini-doodle book.  You don't need to be an artist to create one and it's an easy project for all ages.  

You can do this project alone or with others.  You could even trade the mini-doodle book back and forth to see what evolves from more than one person working on the same book.

Supplies:

• A black fine point and a black ultra fine point Sharpie permanent pens.
  
• A pair of scissors.  
• Coloring tools such as crayons, colored pencils and pens, and markers.  
• Other items you may want to use include magazines, glue sticks, and even stickers and glitter.  

Steps:

1) Take a piece of paper--you can work with any size.  I have used 8.5 inches x 11 inches as well as larger pieces. A 12 inches x 18 inches works very well and is what I used for the example I'm including here.

2) Draw lines over the page with a fine point Sharpie pen.  

Here's an example of what your page could look like:

Lines Drawn on Paper to be Used for a Mini-Doodle Book

3) There are a variety of ways to make mini-doodle books.

I'm including here a quick and easy way to make an 8-page mini book by just folding a single piece of paper and making one cut.

Click here for a short YouTube video on how to do this or click on the below image.

4) Choose which page you want to be the first page or "cover" of your mini-book.  

5) Use your chosen supplies to decorate your mini doodle book.  

As you flip through the pages, you may find that your lines look like an animal or a person's face or an object like a lamp.   

You may want to include words, phrases, or even write a short story. 

You can also keep everything abstract and create your book as a meditation on color, line, and/or shape.

Also sign and date your mini doodle book--it's always interesting to go back and see what you've created at different points of your life.

Looking for an example? Here's my mini-doodle book you can flip through.  It's titled, Teddy's DreamTime Adventure.

I'd love to see what you create!  

And a special thank you to Wendy Wahman for providing the idea of starting off with creating lines across the page before folding the paper to create the mini-doodle book!   The book I include here I made at her "Insight Book" workshop.

Also, YouTube has a variety of videos on making mini-books, including a circle flip up book and a Roald Dahl mini book! 

So go make your mini-doodle book now and have fun!  

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Author and artist, Kathryn V. White's most recent book, Rumble Tumble Joy: A Journey for Healing, Inspiration, and Wholeness, is a finalist in the 2014 Wishing Shelf Book Awards.  Find out more at: www.kathrynVwhite.com