The Journalista Shares

Still visual journaling--or trying to every day. This stuff is like my very own version of crack--I've got 2 pages left in this one. If you're trying to start, I'll share with you some journal ideas (and how they look in my little book.)

 

1.) Doodle over a black and white photo. Color parts of it in.

(You can find this exact photo right here.)

I used a favorite quote by Nelson Mandela..It begins, "Your playing small does not serve the world."

 

2.) Make a 2 page vertical spread. Another B&W and a Martha Beck-ism we've talked about before.

 

3.) Try some calligraphy.

I've been obssessed with learning it. I love this page too for another reason. I made a run to Office Max and found oodles of paper to use in my journaling. This paper is a page from a kids "learn to write" notebook. I brought my stash to the checkout and the clerk asked me, "Are you an art teacher?" No, just a paper hoarder.

 

4.) Draw what you ate today. Try replicating the font from the packaging.

 

5.) Journal one of your own life Aha moments.

I use this mantra to make decisions all the time.

 

6.) Draw what you wore today. This is a standard for me. I love to create outfits and then document how they make me feel, where I got the pieces and why I chose them. 

 

7.) Use those paper bits you've been hoarding. I ordered free samples from here just because they were pretty and used them to create a spread.

 

And just because I can't stop practicing, here's another quote from my stash:

 

If you've been the statue for awhile, break out your supplies and start drawing. You'll feel better in 2 minutes.

 

Art Journalista Full Tilt Boogie-ing

I believe I have found my happy place--full of scrappy paper, markers, and books. I believe I am thoroughly and untterly addicted to creating and filling Art Journals. It's like the messy hair version of scrapbooking (of which I've never been a fan).

Obsessed with  doodling, drawing, thinking, and creating, I have found my place. If you need an island of creative peace..I'll share a few "boats" to get you there.

Art Journalista E-Workshop: The bottom journal is this photo is made from this class. Using an old magazine, and bound with just glue this journal's pages are BIG. A challenge for me sometimes to work in, but a great size when inspiration hits.

Like this page founded on the outfit of the day. A full size doodle fits perfectly.

Found & Bound E-Workshop: This was the very first class I ever took. (By my talented girl again.) This journal uses a composition notebook and the binding is sewn. I really like the size of this one. I've almost filled it--a few pages from here:



(BTW, have you heard of the Fire Starter Sessions? A great book if you're struggling in limbo of your career life. I'm still there, but this book is full of good words. See photo on the right--inspired by this book.)

Full-Tilt Boogie: This has been the best workshop. She teaches a ton of different types. The two other journals in the above photo are from this class (and that's only one sewn binding she teaches.) If you are a paper hoarder, these are great to use up that stash. (I love the way Maryanne teaches--no measuring..my kinda girl.) At first, after I made her journals, I was disappointed that she didn't teach specific pages. But then, I found that doing it my way was wayyy liberating. (I'll share some pages from my first Full-Tilt journal another day.) There is something very therapeutic about just gluing bits and pieces. The pages create themselves--it's amazing really.

And here's an every Thursday page tutorial if you need some inspiration:  Every Day is a Holiday.

More later, after I unstick myself from this keyboard. (My fingers are so full of glue and paint right now.)

Do your art. Now.



"The Space Between Us"

"The Space Between Us" by Thrity Umrigar.

I am silently drawn to books written about Indian culture. (Like Mumbai, India Indian culture.)

I'm fascinated by the descriptions of things I've never eaten or places I've never been. Indian authors (or the 2 I have read thus far- "A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry was another) have this uncanny ability to transport their readers into the streets of their stories.

I can actually taste the dust in the "jhodpadpattis", smell the urine running through the streets, and feel the greasy heat. Hell, they even trust their readers to define their Indian words. A jjhodpadpatti is a slum, I think.

I recently finished Thrity's book and true to form, she wrote and I got to travel with her.

I read Bhima's story but above all, the "About the Author" pages is what I really want to share...

I might not know what a Parsi is vs. a Hindu, but I do know that Thrity the author is a smart woman.

Excerpts from her "Words to the Wise to the Would-Be Writer":

#1 : "Remember, it is possible to have a perfectly happy and balanced life without ever writing a book. You can take up less dangerous pursuits such as snowboarding, or skydiving, instead. In other words, give yourself permission not to write."

2: " If you are a true writer, you will find what I said laughable. Because for you, writing is a way of surviving in the world, the medium through which you make sense of your life."

#7: "Saying that you don't have time to write is an excuse. The fact is nobody has time to write, other than the miniscule number of writers who make their living from writing full-time. Most writers make the time to write. Their lives are no easier or less busy than anyone else's. They too have dentists appointments and kids who need trips to the emergency room and pets who puke in the kitchen and gardens that have to be watered and weeded. The difference between writers and non-writers is just that writers write. Non-writers talk about wanting to write."

I really want to have lunch with this woman.

Tuesday...

Been feeling a titch overwhelmed so I thought I would share one of my "inspiration" blogroll finds...

I thought this was fantastic..found here.

The Alice Tag Swap

After artist class and Teresa, I found myself wanting to do create more. I ran across this blogger who was hosting a tag swap----create 6 tags inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Now, I am a swap virgin, but we all have to do something once, right? I can't wait to see the little book I receive in the mail with other artists goodies.

Here are mine-

I'm a serious quote girl so I couldn't resist this dialogue from the book. It was the foundation for the rest of the tag.

Please keep in mind, I had to hand draw the "legs" because google just didn't give me much to use. I cut out 12 legs from my template and then 12 pairs of tiny black shoes. I feel carpal tunnel setting in.

And it just wouldn't be complete without a rhinestone would it? If Alice had rhinestones she probably could have used them to her advantage with the Queen.

I also am not a fan of making duplicates (hate to be a factory) so the first three were trials until I finally settled on something. I love the silk ribbon with her crepe paper shirt.


Now, I must get back to the Market and do some real work....open again in just 6 days.

Progress and a Peek...

While my sign is being approved and made, I needed to hang something up so my artist friends who visit know where I am. (Too bad it was 9:30 at night when I tried to snap this shot.)


The Market is a place of "craftivity" and inspiration and well...a handmade sign just seemed to serve these two purposes. Something a little more "professional" will soon grace the front of the building. For now, it keeps me grounded in what I'm trying to achieve.



The ceiling is now finished (except for the real lights that need to get hung) but it feels much less like an office and more like my imagination. A bit cavelike but hopefully the real lights and the chandeliers will brighten the place up. Thankfully, the people who have entered thus far can see the potential.



I promised you a little peek, just a little one. I'm still drooling over these baubles. Seriously, I want every single one.

Handmade anything is special to me because of the stories behind them. We all had a reason, some spark of imagination, some creative urge that made it out of us. These items come from somewhere deep, somewhere a factory just can't replicate.

This artist, the jewelry designer from above, gets it. Not only some fabulous pieces, but a story too. See that little gold disc in the center of the photo, it's inscribed with a latin phrase...yes, well if you didn't want it before, you'll want it now.

Her description:
"Qu’hier Que Demain

In the early 20th century, the phrase “more than yesterday but less than tomorrow” from Rosemonde Étienette Gérard’s (1871–1953) poem "L'éternelle chanson" ("The Eternal Song") became a popular expression of growing love.
"I love you more and more each day, today more than yesterday but less than tomorrow. "

This bguides graced my inbox this morning:

“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside themselves was superior to circumstance.”

Bruce Barton (1886–1967) American advertising executive, U.S. congressman

Tell a story, let it out, and be brave.

A Mind Maker Upper Needs to Make up Her Mind

Been busy thinking, wishing, hoping, dreaming and have decided that I'm tired of it. Planning is good, yes, but waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect conditions, the perfect time...frankly we could wait a lifetime and never have it perfect.

Went to a funeral last week (ugh, I know) but during the priest's homily he said 6 simple words in his Jamaican/South African/South American accent that resonated somewhere deep,

"You're life is only so long."

Profound no, but often the only way I get something is to have it smack me square in the forehead. That phrase stung a bit.

I think sometimes it's just about getting on with it..and listening to the universe the right way.
(Ahem, Mrs. Possibility.)

Cleaning behind the TV cabinet the other day, and I found this little book I had purchased at Barnes and Noble a year or so ago called "Reach for the Stars". I had forgotten about it so I thumbed through it again. It contains little inspirational quotes......

Loved this one for more than the obvious reasons..Also this piece of art from another one of my favorite artists, Denise Carbonell.

"An entrepreneur is someone willing to go out on a limb, having it cut off behind her, and discovering she had wings all the time."

-Leigh Thomas

After experiencing the limb extraction, I think it's high time to see if these babies can fly.

Damn, I'm tired...

The Frozen Tundra Holiday Boutique is tomorrow and I am t-t-tired of the factory work. Once again, as is my creative process, I rushed around all day and forgot to stop and take pictures (other than these) of the goods.


I'm obsessed lately with all things "grandma-y". These little strawberries (yes, made by me) are so cute. Reminds me of a pin cushion I saw around our house when I was little. I packaged them as ornaments because if you don't buy things that haven't a purpose-then these just don't otherwise make sense. The practical people of this world.....(sigh)


An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have. -Andy Warhol

I whipped up some felt brooches (another grandma thing) too--Damn they were cute, I wish I would've taken a picture. Maybe I'll have some left??

I realized, too, that my carbon footprint has to be atrocious since I'm a sucker for good "packaging." My theory is, "If you're going to create something special, then it should be dressed up."

I'm going to clean up the studio because Hurricane Rebekaha has left a disaster in her wake. Plus, another Market happens again on Saturday. AND the Bella Ezine (a gift from the godess of creativity) posts tomorrow and provided it's everything I expected, I'll not sleep again.

More pics to come...in the meantime, SHOP HANDMADE.

I've decided something: Commercial things really do stink. As soon as it becomes commercial for a mass market it really stinks. Andy Warhol

Silence?

I haven’t had much to say lately nor have I wanted to hear my voice write anything anecdotal.

In the past weeks, I have been receiving 4 caring bridge site updates to my inbox on almost a daily basis. If you are unfamiliar with Caring Bridge, it is an internet outlet for those who are sick and/or hospitalized to keep their friends and families “in the know” and allow you to electronically voice your support, your prayers, your wishes to the patient and their family.

There is Ms. Courage who is battling ovarian cancer, Mr. and Mrs. Together at Last who have a baby awaiting a bone marrow transplant who have several other children at home who have been in the hospital for too long, Mrs. Ray of Happiness who has two small boys and a young husband who has suffered a stroke, and Mrs. Eldest Girl who, too, has cancer everywhere and is doing everything in her power to live.

So, I don’t like out-dated hairstyles, hot dish, or Facebook. So, I can shop. Big freakin’ deal. Doesn’t it all seem so trivial? These people just want a normal life back and here I am—blah, blah, blahing. There is some guilt associated with my ramblings but….


It goes on and that’s just it. It will always be something. Herein, lies my lesson for today. Live your life. One has no idea when the game will change. “Normal” today just might not be “Normal” tomorrow.

What I Know for Sure Today (can you tell who graced my mailbox recently?):
1.) I have a lot to learn.
2.) The phrase “If I knew then, what I do now…” now makes sense.
3.) When it comes to moments in your life, the word random is never involved.
4.) What goes around, comes around.
5.) Attitude really is everything.
6.) You get out of it as much as you put into it.


I also have a few new quotes I “randomly” came across today:

-NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST.

And

-BE NOT AFRAID, YOU WERE BORN FOR THIS.

A Little Courage

Courage has been a reoccuring theme in my life lately. (yes, my own need to change but..) I'm not talking about the, "have the chutzpah to chase your heart's desire" kind of courage but the kind that requires you to take a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other and keep moving. "The sometimes even to live is an act of courage" kind.


A few weeks ago, I was made aware that one of my favorite past co-workers (who is not much older than I) was diagnosed with cancer. Her spirit kicks ass to some of the best and her sense of wit and humor is infectious.

I contacted other co-workers for her address so that I could get something in the mail. Her reply was, "She'd love to hear from you. Just keep it positive." My response, "I know nothing but."

(For the record, I have not ever fought for my life so I'm not sure the kind of courage this requires.)

I only know that I believe I would need to keep my spirit, my mind, and my hand busy provided I was feeling up to it. I put together the little care package above (the card is mine too).

(BTW, she is a crafty soul. If you are thinking, "This chick wants her to fold paper when she's in the middle of killing cancer cells?)

-A feel better "Fortune Cookie"......

-A notebook

-Some paper cranes I folded just for her. (With the instructions on how to do and why, pre cut squares, and instructions to make her visitors help.)

-A mini-dream board for her to see her future...it exists.

I do not have the power to heal. I do not have the power to invoke courage for others. It's in us all-the power is ours.

I am the last person to be preaching on courage. I'm a scaredy cat that wears pants.

Others would disagree. Being an amputee creates this thought from others that you are amazing, that you are an inspiration. None of this is the case-there is no other choice than to continue to get up each morning and live.

This scaredy cat that wears pants needs motivation...I have the above print in my studio.

So paper crane wish #3 goes to Rach for obvious reasons. So that she fights and sees the future with herself in it.

#4,5, and 6 for everyone else who needs the courage-any kind.

Top on my list of favorite movies is "Princess Diaries" in which Amelia's father tells her that,

"Courage is not the absence of fear but the thought that something is more important than fear.

Quote of the Day...

The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you are not going to stay where you are. (Sorry author, I have no idea who you are.)



Naughty Monkey-Perfect brand of shoes to make an exit...or entrance.