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.

 

Joie de Vivre..

It's been snowing here in the upper Midwest.

("Go figure."those of you might say who think it's arctic here all the time.")

It's a grey, grey day-good for catching up. If you know me, I'm always trying to beat myself at this little game.

I made the fortunate (yes, fortunate) mistake of bringing Urban Market samples to my day job. Received a few orders so I spent Saturday in my individually owned sweatshop whipping up these beauties. I can't wait to package them up and give them a good home. Someone might actually like their Christmas gifts this year.

I finished these up on Saturday. (Yes, my weekends have been reduced to sewing and playing taxi. What happened?)

So, today. No time like the present to organize the studio. There is nothing like a clean slate to get the juices flowing again. Must get manufacturing for debut #2...

So hung up my tape measures (yes, plural...I bought another since I couldn't find the original.)

Seems that little miss was measuring to confirm her arguments that a trip to Victoria's Secret is an immediate necessity in the very near future.

Needless to say, I found the original buried under a week's worth of dirty laundry. (Again, not a surprise, in this house.)

I realized today that "fabric whore" might be a term I can assimilate to. A little harsh, yes, but I do make "Fruity Bitch" aprons. I believe we've discussed the dichotomy of my personality in previous posts-so I apologize to any new readers.

So, after seeing my little room take shape into something now better described as neat and tidy, I looked to my work table (which as of 3 minutes ago, I could once again see the top). Behold, my inspiration board that I've just recently started to use.

On my weekly "Micheal's" excursion..I picked up the "Twinkle Type" that I've been wanting and the angels of paper sounded their horns of approval. My empty "Inspiration Board" glared at me and subliminally screamed, "Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize!"

Ta-Dah................................................

Joie de vivre-

Joie de vivre (from the French joie, "joy"; de, "of"; vivre, "to live, living"; "the joy of living") is a term sometimes imported into English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life; an exultation of spirit. Joie de vivre, as one scholar has written,
"can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do… And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy of life, a Weltanschauung. Robert's Dictionnaire says joie is sentiment exaltant ressenti par toute la conscience, that is, involves one's whole being."[1]

Ok, so forget the snow-this too shall pass. Muster up all the "joie de vivre" you can find, take a deep breath, and organize your life.