inspiration

I definitely am not a great photographer. But I do try to be mindful to take pictures of the things around me...cell phones sure make that easier...I feel like taking the time to slow down and stop to snap the shot is kind of like capturing a moment...being fully present and somehow it is an expression of gratitude for what I have right now...what is right in front of me...appreciating this now...as I "pay attention" my senses wake up and I enjoy things I might have rushed passed...things like color, texture, shape, beauty...inspiration is everywhere...

 

Take the time to look for it...find it...enjoy it...

rehearse and believe

Playing with washi tape...

 

I created a flap-hinged with washi tape on both sides of the cardstock-



 

 

 

I love everything about art journaling...obviously!!! :)...the fun of it as well as the significance it can have-when I need/choose.  This page is an example of needing to focus, remember and rehearse truth...practicing mindfulness on the page...it's a good thing.  :)

 

thinking...

...in color...creating artful reminders...

 

you never know when you might need that visual "prompt"... 



just a few minutes

It has been very fun going through old journals and past artwork in order to put together the classes for Creekside Studio...it makes me want to MAKE MORE ART!  Imagine that!  :) Here is my last (completed) art journal page...

This page was inspired by my morning devotion...done in 10 minute increments over about 5 days...I tell you that to encourage you to make time for some artistic endeavor everyday...whatever creative outlet you love...even just a few minutes each day adds up...not only is the art-break refreshing, but this kept me mindful...WONDERS too numerous to count...

Go ahead...take just a few minutes today to make a little art.  Enjoy!

hope!

Here we are...into the full swing of things this holiday season...I do kinda feel like I am moving slow motion in a fast-spinning world.  The "slow" is by choice...and maybe not slow, but slower as (and it almost feels like a stubborn digging my heels in posture)I am enjoying the days...each day with a mind set on what this season is REALLY about...keeping my eyes open for the SIGNIFICANCE of the imagery, songs, celebrations of this season...these HOLY-days...that's what I want to SEE...the days holy...the holy in the days...
As I approached my first December journal page, this is what was on my mind...memories of childhood Christmases and I have always loved the anticipation of Christmas as much as the day itself.  And as I thought about that, I thought about Israel's anticipation (throughout history)of their Messiah, Heaven's aanticipation of God's Son taking on flesh...the waiting...the HOPE!
So, I chose an old Christmas picture of my sister and I (a long, long time ago!)...and put it on a fold-out over this stamped winter scene...then added journaling...

 

Wishing you HOPE and HOLY in your days!  :)

November

When I was thinking about November's journal, I knew that I wanted the focus to be "giving thanks"...for the obvious reason of Thanksgiving this month, but also to keep me mindful to appreciate and enjoy the moments-big and small-of my days...so here is the beginning...
I cut a manila file folder into the basic tag shape, and then put the letters on each...

 ...together the pages spell out...

...and then doodled..."zentangled"...

I'm working on a THANKS acronym...as I ponder thankfulness.  :)

Till next time.

it all adds up

So all of the bits and pieces of August...all that I journaled...are here...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 August went so fast and it seemed that I just didn't get to spend much time journaling...BUT ten minutes here and there REALLY DO add up...and it is so fun to see all the bits come together...I will still add some of the photos that I took but that is about it...

...next...   :)

loving the ordinary

I found this quote and as it mulled around in my mind, and affected my perspective, I decided it needed to grace a journal page... :)

The ordinary definitely takes up most of my day...and in effort toward mindfulness and gratitude, this is a good reminder...

I hope your ordinary day is marvelous!  :)

instead of a post-it note

So...as I am getting better, but STILL not feeling great...I needed a reminder.  A reminder that each day is a gift.  So intead of slapping a post-it note on the fridge to "cheer up"  :)  I slapped this journal "page" together.  It was simple, but very meditative to take the time to cut out the little flowers and the party hat...and then mindfully focus on the CELEBRATE acrostic as I printed it on the tag...

For me, the CHOOSING is key!

And the "work" of creating this page, the processing, and the page itself resulted in a visual picture, both in my journal and in my memory, of this reminder.

Go ahead...CHOOSE to CELEBRATE this day!  :)

what we see...

...or don't.

I am all about keeping my eyes open this year...SEEing God, His hand in my life...trying to be mindful to NOT miss a single thing that He has for me to see...all that said, lately I have been thinking alot about what we can't see.  Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped and the conviction of things NOT SEEN...hmmm...knowing that there are things going on that we cannot see...and trusting God with that, even resting in that...and so, I choose to hope, choose to trust, choose to rest in Him one day at a time, often minute by minute.

a TO DO list

After my devotion this morning, I knew I needed a TO DO list for the day.  I was feeling a bit "dazed"...bleak, even.  I decided it would be GOOD for me to rehearse what I KNOW, whether "feeling it" or not...so I got paper and began...

...in pencil at first...slowly, meditatively...

 Then, with a black Sharpie pen, I inked it, processing what I had written...

Finally, I colored it with markers, colored pencils, and a gray Conte crayon.

As I worked on this, the tension I was feeling lessened...verses came to mind...truth came back into focus and I wasn't left to my "own" thinking...a little color brightened up this gray Monday just a bit...good, God "therapy."

What's your perscription for a "gloomy" day?

Enjoy.This.Day.

Don't ask me how or why this came up...all I know is I was reading something...I couldn't even tell you what it was now...anyway, it was strange how the punctuation JUMPED off the page and well, screamed at me. :)  We know that the purpose of punctuation is to emphasize, connect, abbreviate, etc...And it seems that we are taking a lot of artistic license with it these days (The title of this post is an example of now-trending punctuation)...All of this was rolling around in my head...and  I thought of punctuating my day...in an effort toward mindfulness, add a "space" here and there...Think about the "dots" or periods that we add to a sentence.  It tells us that one thought is finished and to "pause" before going on to the next.  Hmmm....what if I...do laundry.iron Mark's shirts.make lunch.  You get the idea.  Those dots are not empty but purposeful pauses.
       oooh...how about mindful moments to "LOOK" for God IN THE MIDST of my busy day?!?
                                                          ...to appreciate Him in this day that is a gift
                                                          ...to enjoy the work of His Hands-His creation

    

                                   
                                                        ...to read a Scripture-listen to His voice, His Word

                                  
                                                   ...to breathe deep
                                                   ...to thank Him for His very breath that gives me life

Punctuate!  :)

Enjoy.This.Day.His Gift To You.

Do you have a WOTY?

You know...a WOTY:  a  Word Of The Year.  "SEE" is mine this year. Past years have been:  remember, hope, good, know, joy, celebrate...I take a long time choosing what the word will be...knowing that for the whole year it will be a word to guide my quiet times, help my focus and perspective...that kind of thing...I always ask God to direct me in what HE wants me to "work" with...Afterall, He knows best what it is that I need in this walk of faith with Him...that is really what it is all about...right?!? :)  And once I know what the word will be, it is SO EXCITING how He confirms and incorporates that word (concept, theme) into my life and learning.  YAY Jesus!  So if you "see" :) lots of things here that have to do with sight, seeing, focus, perspective, vision, looking, eyes, watching...that's where I'm coming from...this is the year to SEE God, His Hand...to be mindful to keep my eyes open...to anticipate Him...I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss a single thing that He has for me!   2013-the year to SEE!

Keep Counting

The discipline of gratitude (re-inspired by AnnVoskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts) has been so HUGE...so helpful in my walk of faith as I continue to "train" my thoughts...conform my heart.  Whether I am confused or hurt or busy or just don't know what to think, the act of counting "gifts given" helps set things right...set me right...get my focus back on God-where it needs to be-and pay attention to His Hand in my life, in my every day.  This morning as I was listening to the song "How He Loves Us", the words: "we are His portion. He is our prize, drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes...I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way He loves us. Oh, how He loves us," reminded me that those regrets, confusion, hurts, etc distract me and do take time and energy to "maintain".   The mindfulness to look for God, to anticipate Him in the moments of my day helps me "seek the things which are above...setting my mind on things above" (Col. 3:1-2).  And so, I created this page in my April journal to remind me to keep counting...always giving thanks. (Eph. 5:20)

I filled the page with a list of everything I was thankful for.

 Then I put a gesso wash over that list and inked it with distress inks and a blending tool.

With acrylic paint, a stencil, and sequin waste I added texture, creating another layer.

                                  Finally, I arranged and glued in place the images and words.

"Oh, how He loves us!!!"  Hallelujah!