Scrapbook: Wonder Hotel / rejuvenations, inspirations + amusements (2018)

I make scrapbooks and journals for all sorts of reasons, sometimes for my own creations and writing, sometimes for specific project and in this case, for inspiration or dareisay therapy. 

Background: I was having hard go of it in life or whatever and moved into a very small room at a boarding-house-type place. While basic, i quite loved having a place which kept me safe and allowed me rest. Reminded me a sign i saw in Vancouver for the “Wonder Hotel – Rooms for Rent – Clean, Quiet, Free Cable, Fridge, Secure” – all the attributes this Ankangan Guesthouse possessed.

So i rented month-by-month and dubbed my home in honour of the Wonder Hotel, added a sign to the door (along with Telegraph of Welcome) and set about cozifying and decorating. 

Quickly added a typewriter, a printer, and stand up desk and loads of art  and stationery supplies and got to work: writing, compiling, curating, cut and pasting, sortganizing. All of it. 

As for the decorations, printed all manner of things from an “Art and Inspiration” folder and stuck em up everywhere. Typewriters, singers, poets, maps, snippets of poetry, postcards, letters, paintings. photo collages. Whatever.

Sometimes themes emerged as i go down “rabbit holes” – Taisho-era art, punk rockers being friendly, healing women, curious outfits, aviation oddities, menu from the Titanic – overall, there was my “stuff” mixed in with the works of others – historic and contemporary. I guess i was recollecting where i fit in in the greater cultural milieu – patching together confidence and courage. 

I enjoyed the process immensely, and you have noticed, produced meta-documentation of the process.

Important to note that these scraps of inspiration sparked a tumult of creativity from me, mostly “finishing” or remixing works in progress. 

Particularly i worked on combining poems with Lomo snapshots and/or hotel letterhead. Then stamps (postage and inky) and other ephemera. 

When i moved out, i took everything down (with help from lovely children) leaving the walls pock-marked and battered (gave extra money for fresh paint) and moved all the items into a big book. 

Noting that while most was glued into the book in 2018, i added some items on a subsequent reunion with the book in early 2019 – life had changed (for the better) and head was in a different place. Likely not noticeable to you but noting for my personal recollection. 

Of course, i usually prefer making my own scrapjournals however, this oversized drawing book with comb binding has handy and up to the job though it now strains under the weight of the delights within. 

In sharing this here, i should point out two things: 

1. Some/most of these items, i did not create – not my photos/paintings/etc and not possible to find credit and each item. Consider these in the context in which they are presented. A stream of consciousness inspiration therapy book for a battered healing wanderer (note: the book worked!) If your work or face appears, thanks. If this really bums you out – please Get in touch.  All was used with respect and affection. 
2. Some of these items are rather personal and i’d be wiser perhaps not to share but, rather than risk hiding emotions unnecessarily or losing track of who i was at this time, it’s all here. Let’s not let me regret this non-decision, ok?      

One more point, there are many pages to this book so i *should* break this up into a few “volumes” for slightly less unwieldiness – but i didn’t. This is not “best practice, probably not ideal for mobile viewing.

Did you find something you enjoyed? Do you make things like this? Have a question about something you see? Hit me up.