I'm back

Well, I am back from the beach. I have to say that I really did not want to leave. It was so quiet and peaceful and I was just starting to relax. Five days would be perfect. Three just leaves me wanting more and seven would feel a little long. Anyhoo, it was a nice time away and productive too. I got some pages done in my journal and some crochet projects finished.

I don't know about you but I seem to wear pants and dresses that don't have pockets to carry my cell phone around in. And, I can pretty much gaurantee that if I go downstairs for anything my phone will ring. If I do take my phone then I set it down and leave it somewhere and am hunting through the house trying to find where I set it down. So, I designed some little purses to carry my cell phone around in. I got a little carried away because it was so fun so I think I will put some of them in my Etsy store. I am keeping the black/white/gray one for myself though. I am just loving how these have turned out.

They have really long handles so you can wear them cross ways on your body so they don't slip off your shoulder. Now I am hands free.

I was surfing the net and found a site recommended by a friend. I love this blog by Mandy Steward called Messycanvas. I wrote down a quote by her on this journal page because I could relate so much to what she was talking about in her blog post. I am finding that the more I look at other artists' work the more uncreative I become. The inner critic goes wild telling me how they are so much better than me and what was I thinking when I thought I could be an artist anyway. It really gets bad sometimes and I have to pray hard to silence the voices in my head. I am truly a tortured artist at times. That's when I know it is time to scale back and just create. I have seriously thought of completely shutting down all my on-line stuff but I don't think that is the answer either. Just do the best I can creatively and be OK with that. That's my goal.

I've also been hanging out with this cutie pie. Last night we took our first mom & tot tumbling class. Or, in my case, Mimi and tot class. I had to do all the stuff with him and boy was I tuckered out when we were done. The gymnastic center was jammed packed with kids everywhere and so I think he was a bit overwhelmed but we had a good time anyway. It is a 4 week trial so we will see how it goes. Gives me a chance to get some exercise too.

February journal cover

As you all know I have this new system of creating my journal. I have a signature for each month and sew it into a big journal as I go. No system is perfect and this month I ran into a snag that I had to solve.

January was a slow month for creating and so when I got to the middle of my signature I took out a couple of pages and was able to end the month with just the right amount. Then, February came along and I thought I would do the same amount of pages in this signature. Problem was, I got creative after the middle of the month and needed more pages. I came to the end of my signature a whole week early. Either I was going to have to not do any journal pages for a whole week or solve the problem. Below is my solution because not journaling for an entire week was just not going to happen.

The polka dot paper was the original cover and I decided to keep that. I had used a Martha Stuart edge punch on it to make the scalloped edge. The flap on the left front is canvas paper that I painted on and is larger than my signature paper. I let about 1 1/2" show on the front and wrapped it around to the back. Because it is bigger than the back of my signature I was able to fold it in a couple of times making 2 1/2 pages more to create on.

Then on the front I tried a technique of sewing buttons onto the edge with colored wire. I got that idea from Ingrid Dijkers. I saw the idea quite a while ago and wanted to try it and I like the way it turned out. I'm going to share it with my art journal group next month because it is really fun to do. If you decide you want to try it, I would suggest that you cover the edge of the paper with packing tape to make the paper stronger. The first hole I started with I pulled the wire right through it.

I just realized that this is #46 on my list of things to do before I'm 50, YEH! One more to cross off the list.


This is a journal page made from all the snippets of things I collected in one day. I wrote a little something about each one. It was a pretty good day as you can see. I rate it a 10! For those wondering the gold paper is from a Harry & David truffle, much too scrumptious for my own good. On the edge I sewed buttons and beads with embroidery floss. I think I am going to have to get a button collection going.This is a page in progress. It is one of the added pages in the back of my journal and is done on canvas paper. I will work on it later. That is it for now.

Christmas tree memories

I was thinking that this month I would do a few pages in my journal devoted to memories of Christmas growing up. This page is about the tree we had. I think it is important to write down stories and memories, especially the good times.

My grandmother was a story teller and boy did she have a lot of stories to tell. We video taped her right before she died telling some of those stories. I can't even imagine how many memories were lost by not writing them down. She was an artist too and if there had been such a thing as art journaling then I'm sure she would have been amazing at it.

I am finding these days that I just can't remember things very well. It has nothing to do with age, just too much to remember in everyday life that crowds out the important stuff. They say when you get really old all you remember is stuff from your growing up years so maybe it will all come back to me. In the meantime I will write a memory down as it comes and see how many I get. These pages in my journal will have less to do with art and more about the journaling.

The last week has been so cold here that I just can't get warm. It finally warmed up today and feel like I can actually function. BRR! The only problem is that now we get the rain forever and ever and ever. We would have snow if the two would meet in the middle. I guess I will keep hoping for another week.

Getting Caught Up

I worked on the last few pages in my November journal and sewed it into the big journal. I actually got quite a bit done yesterday, which was exciting and fun too.

I am finding more and more that I am OK with leaving a page unfinished for later. Some days are more creative than others and I come back and add little something here and there until it is finished. I just need to finish it up before I move onto a new month because once it is sewn into my big journal it is harder to work in.

I drew this page in pencil of some of the main characters in the New Moon movie. I think I will leave it as a sketch. That's OK too. I don't have to color every page. Hmm, I may change my mind on that too. I am tempted to get those yellow eyes colored in. If you saw the movie you know what I am talking about. I hate those decisions that just sit there and irritate me. Probably means I won't be able to let it go until it is finished, which means color.

Well, the journal is getting fuller and fuller. What a thrill it is to hold it in my hand and let it fall open to page after page of color and memories, feelings and lessons learned all there on the page. I think I should have made the spine a smidgen bigger so the December signature would fit a bit better. I'll worry about that in a month. If I need to I will tie it all up with a big ribbon. We'll see.Here is my December signature. Pristine and waiting for creativity to burst forth on the pages.

OK, I have waited since the first Cricut came out for it to be affordable. Of course I was a scrapbooker way back then but there are many other uses for this wonderful die cut machine. I am making Christmas tags right now. I have also cut out letters to use in my journal. Isn't it pretty and it is so easy to use too. It is addicting though. When I first sat down to figure it out, a couple of hours just flew by without me even knowing. I was just cutting and pasting away. The Xyron Create a Sticker maker works really well with this machine.

Lastly, I just had to show you the cutest picture I snapped yesterday. I sure do love this little guy so much. He is quite the ham. We are all very excited because up till now he has not allowed anything to be put on his head and just recently he has started putting his uncle's hat on his head. Little boys and baseball hats just go together.

A really bad no good day!

I pulled a muscle in my back on Thursday and so I haven't been able to do much. I think it would have gone away in a couple of days but I made the mistake of going out for a quick errand and then doing a load of laundry. Now my back is so bad I found it hard to breathe. Today, I think I will just lay around and watch movies and read. I have already missed out on some really fun stuff because I couldn't move and so I want to get better so I can get back to life. I decided, while I was doing this page that I really don't like Copic markers very much. They bleed through my pages unless I have a lot of acrylic on the page. I didn't with this one and it messed up the page below. My Pitt brush tip pens are much better.

Thursday, before the back problems started I went to meet some friends at Starbucks but no one came. I had woke with a really bad headache and really wanted to stay home myself but faithful is my middle name and so I went anyway. I worked in my journal for about an 1 1/2 hours , drank some coffee and then went home. It turned out to be one of those days you wished that you had stayed in bed and pulled the covers over your head. As I was trying to get in my front door, and carrying too many bags of heavy stuff, that I tweaked my back. Only after the fact, did I think it would be a good idea to make a second trip. Now I am suffering the consequences of my foolish decision. UGH!

I was playing round with my watercolors the other day. I kinda like the effect. It is like looking at clouds and seeing shapes. I see a whole landscape behind the girl and so I decided to leave it plain. The quote is from a TV show I was watching and when I heard it I grabbed my journal and wrote it down. It says, "I am kind of nostalgic for when things weren't quite so interesting."

This was another page where I was playing around with watercolors. The concentrated watercolors that I have can get very intense and I love it. I always thought watercolors where only pastel.
The Christmas peak the other day is getting out of control. I find myself thinking and looking forward to the holidays with much anticipation. I am even listening to Christmas music already. YIKES!

Journal pages

Here is one of the last pages in my Summer journal. It is kind of sad to set it aside. As much as I like starting a new journal it as sad to put away one that I have spent hours in.

I am working in a new journal with Stonehenge paper. I love this paper. It is thick and takes all kinds of abuse. I am doing one journal for each month and then binding all twelve of them together for a comprehensive journal of the year. I didn't think of this plan until this summer so I will be short a few months this year but I am all ready for 2010.

These last two pages are from Kelly Kilmer's A Prompt a day workshop. I have been working with watercolor so much lately that it was fun to play with acrylics today.

New way of journaling

I am trying out this new way of journaling. I just sketch out highlights of my day and write about it. I am finding it stretches me a bit more and then later I look back and can see what my day was like. I really think I am going to like this a lot. This is in preparation for my experiment that I am going to start in September where I am going to combine my datebook with my journal. I think I have an idea of how I am going to do it but will have to think it through to make sure it will work. Finding the right journal and datebook is kind of like finding the right purse. I am always on the hunt for the prefect one. I saw the movie Julie & Julia. Oh my goodness, I loved it! Meryl Streep is amazing. It took place in Paris and New York. That sold me from the first moment. I could so relate to how Julia loved Paris and I wished that I was as fearless as she was. As soon as I left the theater, I wanted to go right back in and see it again. I also loved the Julie character because of how she was lost and then found herself through blogging. She said that she was drowning and Julia reached out and pulled her right out of the ocean. And to top it off, they both have the most supportive and sweet husbands. The whole film was just wonderful.

The last two days I have been in a funk. I think it is because the stretch of beautiful weather we have been having came to an end. I am glad for the rain because my plants and lawn really needed a drink but the gray skies give me a headache. Anyway, today when my morning got changed by the rain, I dressed myself up in my new boots and the amazing Ann Taylor skirt I found at the Goodwill and headed over to my nieces store to buy art supplies. She was having a great sale and we talked about travel and Paris and Ireland and all the fun places we should go to next. Then when I got home the books I ordered had come in the mail. It turned out to be a very nice day after all.

An August Monday

Mondays are usually days of low energy for me. The introvert in me is worn out from a weekend of being around a lot of people and trying to meet their needs in many ways. Mondays roll around and I am so thankful for the quiet and the mundane chores of laundry, dishes and catching up on emails and computer stuff. If I'm lucky I will even slip in reading a book too. It looks like today will be one of those days to take deep breaths and soak up the sounds of silence. Ahhh!
I would really like to create a journal page a day but lately it has been one or two a week. These are the two I finished this week. I am starting to transition my pages from just thoughts and ideas and quotes to things about my day. I am about to fill up my journal and start a new one and I have been thinking about combining my datebook with my journal. I'm not too sure exactly what that looks like but I may try it out for the fall and see where it leads. If I hate it then I can do something different and start fresh in January.

On this page I was trying out my panpastels and going off an idea that I saw Milliande do on Youtube. It was a quick way to get color on the page and the panpastels are one of my favs. I love her red hair and curls. OK, I guess I had better get going on those mundane chores I talked about.

Summer is fading

I can't believe that August is already here. I don't know that I have accomplished any of the things that I should but I have slowed down and relaxed into the days. I have tried to enjoy each day for what it was and not have huge expectations. We have had some huge transitions this summer and so I have just stayed home, been there for my family and tried to keep the peace whenever possible. Chaos tends to reign so keeping peace is a full time job, let me tell you.

Last week was so hot around here that keeping cool was the order of the day. I did get a couple of pages done in my summer journal. The top page was from things that came in the mail like catalogs and a note from a dear friend.

This page came from my daily reading of the bible in Jeremiah 17. I have come to a place in my life where I am past putting on a face for people. You get what you get and it is not always pretty but Jeremiah reminded me that when we are going through tough times it is easier if our roots are planted by a stream and have been allowed to go deep.

I met with a friend that I haven't seen in a long time and she wants to start an art journal. I am so excited for her because I find so many nuggets of truth through the pages of my journals. Letting the pages create themselves and then speak to me of who I am and where I am and where I want to go is priceless. It is a conversation for me not just a place to create pretty pictures. It might have been the gallons of coffee I drank while we talked for hours catching up but I was shaking with excitement when we were done. To find another art journaler on the brink of discovery brings delight to my artistic soul. Welcome to the wonderful world of art journals my dear friend. I look forward to taking this journey with you.

Hot Summer Days

Boy, we have had some hot days this week. I have been keeping close to home and not doing a whole lot. On really hot days I like to sit in front of the fan and read a book. One of my favorite memories as a kid was either laying on the floor in summer reading Nancy Drew mysteries or in winter sitting by the wall heater and reading a book. Maybe that is where my sitting on the floor habit came from. I find myself sitting on the floor quite often for some reason. This week I have done these journal page sitting on the floor of my bedroom watching TV shows I taped. Oops! I just realized looking at this picture that when I made a mistake and blacked out the word, I forgot to go back and write it in in white ink. I think I will do that right now.

Hope you are all enjoying summer and doing the things you like to do with all the people you like to do them with. :)

Seattle weekend

Here are some pictures from our trip to the Seattle area this past weekend.The Seattle skyline taken from Admiral Way lookout.
We were able to tour the Alki Point lighthouse.

While we were gone I worked on more pages in my art journal. I have been having fun using watercolor in this journal.

This page was done with Teesha Moore in mind. I love her journal pages and would love someday to go to Journalfest or at least take a class from her.

This page was created about our weekend away. I was trying out a new set of travel watercolors. All you need is a micron pen and this set of watercolors and you are good to go on a trip anywhere. Lots and lots of fun. Now I just need to travel a bit more.

More Art Journal pages

I met with a friend last week and we just sat and visited and worked on our individual art projects. I dabbled in my art journal. I didn't feel terribly inspired but I think this little guy is pretty cute. He reminded me to rise above any negativity in my life. Even though I may not be able to soar like an eagle right now I do have tiny wings to lift above the turmoil of life. This page is from the same journal and is a reminder that no matter what the weather is outside I can choose to enjoy whatever I am given. I think I sense a theme here.

This journal page is from the class I am taking from Teresa McFaden. We painted the page and then looked for shapes from the paint strokes. Mine ended up looking like a cake sitting in the summer heat too long and getting a bit droopy. I used watercolors, a bouquet of flowers image that I copied 3 times and cut up, micron pens and a calligraphy pen for the writing.

I have a couple other pages that are in process that I hope to finish this week. I am recovering from the stomach flu and almost all my family has gotten it so we are taking each day at a time. Whew, I'll be glad to be on the other side of this one.

A Journal of Interest

I signed up for Teresa Mcfaden's ezine - A Journal of Interest. Oh my goodness, it is fabulous. I took her class last year and it was great too. I just love her style and she has some great ideas. I made the journal cover out of cardstock and bound the inside pages with ribbon. The pages are made of watercolor paper and hold up nicely to the abuse I am giving them. Quite awhile ago I found watercolor inks for 25 cents a piece and decided to try them out on these pages. I think the color is so wonderful. I only have four colors so I may have to invest in a few more. Between the strapping tape on the binding and edges and the many layers of paper on the inside, this cover is pretty sturdy. The gal on the outside cover is copied from an old vintage postcard I bought in Paris. I think she is lovely.

I spent my 4th of July creating this journal and playing in it. I have been feeling in the dumps about things lately and this just perked me up. I had so much fun working in this journal and I can't wait to see what our next assignment is. I must remember that when I am in a slump that doing something that I love to do and learning something in the process will give me the boost I need. I have one other page in the works so I am off to get it finished up.

Wreck this Journal - 2

This journal is so addicting. You do a page and then you want to do another one and so on and so on. I have to say though that I really hate to trow anything away. OK, this can get to be a problem in other areas of my life but we won't go there :) On the page below I was to cut out strips and make a chain. Of course, I could not throw it away so I stapled it back in on the instruction part of the page. It makes the journal not close so well but that adds to the charm if you can say this journal has charm after spilling, spitting and smearing your food all over it. I love this page with all it's circles. What a mindless, fun exercise to get my creative juices flowing.

I didn't follow the rules too well on this one. I saw the instructions about draw fat and thin lines and away I went. When I was done I noticed it said with a pencil. Oh well, we will just cross that little detail out and make our own rules for this page. he,he!

I don't know how it happened but I actually like the coffee wrings. It reminds me of the coffee I love to drink every morning. Wouldn't it be fun to have a tablecloth with coffee wrings already printed on it so you wouldn't have to worry about spilling your coffee ever?

OK, this page was down right scary. I grabbed a match and thought I would start the flame going and then blow it out. OH NO! That flame was not going to be deterred from my tiny little puff. In fact, it was encouraged to burn faster, YIKES! Good thing I was standing in my bathroom where I was able to throw it in the sink and turn on the water. I suppose I could have stomped out the flame but when you are trying to react quickly you grab the first thing you see. Besides, this isn't the last time this book is going to see a little water. I still have the shower session to go through.

New journal

It has been sparse posting around here lately. I have just not been in the mood to blog. There is just nothing to be done about it. I can't even make myself. Too much going on lately that has all my attention I guess. I did want to pop in and give you a peek at what I have been up to though. I started a journal recently with only had drawn images and journaling and here are few of those pages. Most of them were done with watercolor pencil or water soluble pastels.

This page was done from a quote I read in the book, A Pearl in the Storm by Tori Murden McClure.

This page is still in process and was inspired by a journal prompt I ran across, the truth is...

Conflict at home brought this one to life and that is all I can say about that.



This page chronicled some goals I had on what I want to accomplish this summer. It is actually the first page in my new journal. This process of only drawing and writing has been challenging but really good too at the same time. I think it has made me tap into my inner creative soul more. I'm enjoying it for now anyway. OK, that's all for that journal. I have another journal to talk about but I will do that in another post.