Have you ever heard of "junicorn"? Maybe not - I hadn't until maybe a year ago, or two. It's a fusion of the month June and the word unicorn. It means that you dedicate the month of June to creating something to do with a unicorn each day - I know it mostly from art journaling circles on facebook, instagram and youtube.
I've been trying to find out how long that has existed already but didn't get very far. My husband, who knows how to do this sort of thing, found out that the term junicorn was first googled in 2005 or so and that most of the searches were conducted from the Czech Republic, apparently. But the sources aren't specific about what these searches were initially about at all...
The hashtag #junicorn was first used on instagram in 2016 but the whole thing as a movement didn't take off until 2018 - that's all we could find out. If you happen to know more about how this came to be, please let me know - I'm quite interested!
I mean, there is also Mermay - mermaids being the general topic in May, Stamptember - stamps being the art supply used throughout September and Inktober - October being dedicated to the use of ink. My daughter actually lamented the fact that there is no month dedicated to cats or kittens. I've pondered about it all day and couldn't think of anything while it took my husband about 15 seconds to come up with O-cat-ober - hahaha! Maybe I'll turn that into the next "thing"...
Anyway, back to junicorn:
This is my first piece for Junicorn 2021. I actually surprised myself with wanting to participate because these monthly challenges aren't something I usually enjoy. I tend to get stressed about them really quickly, feeling like I must create something, no matter what! And when I miss a day I feel bad and the whole thing turnes into a chore rather than something that is fun and that I enjoy doing.
That's why I've decided to keep this really simple and not to get too ambitious. I've not fixed on a new journal to use only for this - I'll work either directly in my personal journal or on single pieces of whatever surface takes my fancy and stick/tip them into the journal.
For this first one I used a piece of clear packaging plastic and permanent markers. I traced a horse from one of my toddler's picture books (which is in a rather cool, slightly abstract, retro style) and turned it into a unicorn. I did the black lines on one side and coloured it in from the other side, as permanent marker inks tend to push each other out of the way which makes it hard to colour without distorting the outlines.
I used a torn notebook die on the right edge and clear sticky tape to attach it to the left edge of that undersized page you see it on. I could flip it out of the way and still write or draw on the page if I wanted to.
It doesn't show in the picture, but the gem stone on the tip of the horn is actually purple and it glows and shines in the dark... ;)
See you tomorrow!
Lots of love! And unicorns... xxx