An ending and a beginning

Today is the last day for the 21 Day Art Journal Challenge. I find that I don't want to quit. and since I am not quite done with the poem I think I will continue for a few more days to finish it out. I love seeing the pages unfold in my art journal. My son asked me if I would sell it when I was done and I had to laugh. But then I got on a website where a person is actually selling her journal pages. I guess it wasn't such a crazy idea after all. But still, I won't be heading down that road. I got the book, "The Creative Call" in the mail yesterday and I am anxious to start. It will be an in depth look at developing as an artist. I will be challenged and I think that is why I challenged myself to the 21 day thing. It got me started in the habit of art journaling daily. I have read the Forward, Preface and Introduction. Here is what stood out to me. Being creative is not just something that God is giving to me but something He is using through me. Janice says, "Our gifts are not from God to us, but from God through us to the world." When we don't use them we feel a void and our life lacks fullness. There is something deep down inside needing to get out. But, instead of hoping that finding ourselves will result in practicing our art again, we need to realize that only through losing ourselves and becoming reliant on God can we discover how to use those gifts the way He wants us to use them. The book is set up to read a chapter a week with 5 daily exercises to do if you want to go through the process of discovering the artist within. I have not looked ahead. I want to be surprised and experience it as it comes. I am tempted to jump right into chapter one but I am waiting. I want to take my time and absorb it all. So I will sit and ponder and wait until next week to dive into chapter one. I once again am challenging anyone who may be tempted to join me. We can take this journey together. How sweet that would be to have fellow travel companions who are growing and developing along side me. Oh, the anticipation is almost unbearable. I must go finish my last day of the art journal challenge and distract myself with what I love.

The pens are here!

Yeah, not only did the pens arrive but I am feeling better also. I did my whole journal page yesterday in my new poster paint pens and woodless colored pencils. I will post it later today. I was working on it late last night and was too tired to post when I finished. Now all I am waiting for is my Creative Call book to come in the mail. How long can it take to ship from California? I am not a patient person when it comes to waiting for things bought and shipped. They seem to take forever. I'm like a little kid waiting at the window for the postman to arrive. I remember the first time I ordered something in the mail. I must have been six years old. It was one of those promotional items where you save the labels on a certain product and send them in for a free item. That is when it truly was free. My mom had helped me save labels off the green bean cans and we had sent for a free Jolly Green Giant stuffed doll. I can still remember what it looked like but boy did it seem like it took forever to come. I think it was 6-8 weeks and in a kids life that is like a year. Come to think of it, in my adult life that seems like a year. Like I said, I'm not the most patient person with things being mailed to me.

I Love Painting

I love painting. I have been thinking about this for awhile. What medium do I want to focus on. You can't get good if you do it all. All the great artists worked primarily in one medium. I think I like painting with acrylics the best. I'm not very good but when I am done I feel like I have accomplished the most. I like the feel of the page when it has acrylic paint on it. It bends and falls into your hand almost like fabric. Thick but flexible. My second choice would be using my watercolor crayons. The page doesn't feel as good but I like the look. There is just something about holding the paint brush, making brush strokes on the page, twirling the brush around in the water and wiping it on the rag. It is beautiful. Paint in pens, paint in daubers and any other way of putting paint on a page just appeals to me. When I sit in my art room and decide what I want to put on the page I look at the stacks of paper I own and yet it is the paint drawer that I pull out. I have to say that I am a very messy painter though. I seem to be wearing paint on my arms many days lately and I don't even mind much. A sure sign that I do indeed love painting.

I only have one week left on the 21 day art journal challenge. I'm not sure I will want to stop. There is a part of me that needs to create everyday. Only time will tell.

Life is messy

As I was doing my art journal page today I realized something. My life is really messy right now. The background on the page (day-14) is very messy looking and everything else on the page was put there to try and make it look less messy and to give some order to it but no matter how many things you put on the page the background just peeks through and shows that in the shadows mess is happening. I think it is very applicable that the page is about courage and most of it is red. Courage is going to the uncomfortable place to arrive at a place where we are stronger and wiser. Blood, sweat and tears are shed there. I love the flower growing out of a bed of nails. Sometimes we don't choose the circumstances we find ourselves in but we can still bloom there. Love is also red and is needed in the mess of life. Love for ourselves, love for others who may be bringing pain and love accepted from the Lord so that we are able to love ourselves and others. I'm learning how to embrace life, messiness and all, and keep moving ahead learning what I need to as I go and blooming inspite of it all. Something to rethink about anyway.

The Creative Call

I belong to a journaling group and they have decided to go through a book this summer called, The Creative Call by Janice Elsheimer. You can find the link below. It has eight chapters so we will be able to go through it this summer. I am throwing it out there to anyone who wants to get the book and go through it with me too. We could post once a week what the main thing was we got out of that chapter. I have never read the book before but lots of people have recommended it to me so I have high hopes. I won't start the first chapter until mid-late June so you have time to get the book. I have it ordered and am waiting for it to come in the mail. I want so much to start a journaling small group but I'm waiting for another gal who had the idea before me. If she doesn't do, it I think I will. I just think it would be amazing to meet once a week and share the art and what we have been learning through journaling. I feel like I have gotten my teeth into something and I can't let it go. We shall see where that leads. But for now I will be going through this book with my on-line group and hopefully a few of you.
. http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Call-Artists-Response-Writers/dp/0877881383/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211656053&sr=8-1

Sicko

I have been low on energy all week. I knew something was up but I pushed ahead ignoring the signs just hoping they would go away. Yesterday there was no more ignoring it. I woke tired and could never get going. Then by the afternoon I had a sore throat and stiff neck and was in bed. I had to cancel all appointments for today and will stay in bed. I have things I need to do but I just lay here thinking, in just a moment I will get up, in just another moment I will get up, maybe in an hour I will be able to get up. It is just not going to happen. Typing feels like work. How can this be happening to me. At least I don't have major stuff this weekend. We are taking the boys to see Indiana Jones and there is a picnic at church. I think I should be able to handle those two things. For now, I'm going back to bed or should I say, I'm laying back down because I'm already in bed typing on my laptop. Good night......

Pen update

OK, Dick Blick has been very helpful and is sending the rest of my pens. I think they should charter a plane and send them post haste. Until they arrive I will get by with the six I have. I just have to say. I shop regularly at an absolutely adorable shop in Portland, Oregon called paperdoll. I buy all my art supplies there and they don't short change me on anything. I don't have to wait until the Fed Ex guy knocks on my door and they have the best of the best. It is not a big store but if you have a chance to go there you should check them out. I would have bought my pens there but they don't carry them yet. www.paperdoll-co.com but they do have some other markers that are similar. Every time I go there I find some new thing I need. Just today I bought an angel wing stamp and the most beautiful Lumiere metallic acrylic paint. I think I will try and use it in today's journal page. I better get started so off I go.