Art Journalling

I've been drooling over images of art journals on the internet for ages. I had a dabble back in February here, but I just didn't get into it, I felt I need to know why I was doing.
Recently I discovered Michelle at 'Lost Coast Post' doing a "scraps" journal, and I finally felt I had permission to just play.
Some time ago ago a friend gave me a huge (32inches x 23inches when open) blank sketchbook with several pages torn out. I set to, daubing, and doodling and gluing. All my life I've been a compulsive collector and cutter-outer of images and paper ephemera in general, so it was easy to rummage through my stash and have fun. I've also long admired the work of Caatje who writes an everyday journal in her art journal, so I've added spaces to write. I dream of this writing being deep and profound, but at the moment it's just, well, stuff.
Here are some of the pages in various stages. (click on image to see it larger)

First two pages pretty well finished

A butterfly themed page in progress

Page one close up

Page two with a bit of space to fill

Page three finished

Two more pages in progress
(that's a tree from 'pixie lane' on the right)

Another two pages in progress

I started at the front of the book but I'm decorating the pages fairly randomly. I try and get the pages at the front finished, so that the writing is chronological. It's really just a highly decorated diary/journal whatever you want to call it.
Filled with new enthusiasm I've also got a couple of smaller books on the go. One is just collage and colour, the other is a book of lists. This was also inspired by Michelle's book of lists at "Lost Coast Post"
When I ran the paper play workshops I felt liberated because I had broken away from only doing book making workshops. I'd love to teach art journalling workshops one day, but need to feel comfortable doing it myself for a while.
Not a whimsical dreamy female face in sight.