onto the page

I L-O-V-E art journaling for so many reasons...but you know that already don't you...I love it just for the joy of creating, but there are times when I am working through "something" and the processing is screaming to be expressed on the pages of my art journal...this is what happened with this page.  As I was "struggling," a picture of a cherry pie came to mind...hmmm...and so I hunted through magazines till I found just the right picture...and I propose that even that "hunting" helped with the processing...anyway, here is the process as it developed on the pages...

First, I "spilled" what needed to come out all around the edges, creating a border...

Then, since it wasn't "pretty,"  I covered over parts of the journaling with dictionary text and strips of a magazine page...

Then came the "antidote"...one of my favorite Scripture verses, written big and loose, some of the letters ending with an upward swoosh and some with a long finish line...

Next, I added some swipes of gesso over some of the journaling and the collage elements, plus some texture paste through a stencil, to unify the different elements... 

  

Since I knew I was using a cherry pie I decided to sketch some cherries over the verse and watercolor them with Tombow markers and a waterbrush...kinda scarey, but so much fun once I just committed, and did it...I had fun with the doodled leaves too!   :)  I also added a bit of shading around the sketches with a Distress marker (Antique Linen) and waterbrush...

Finally, I outlined the pie with a Fudeball pen-all squiggly-plus a Stabilo pencil and the same Distress marker and then blended with a waterbrush...

That's it!  I had worked it all out right there in my journal...it is hugely significant to me and the page will serve as a reminder and encouragement to me to engage and be faithful to the process. Once again, our art journals serve us well!  :)  Hi Ho Cherry-O!!! 

tis the season...

Yep!  Tis the season of red and pink hearts, and doilies, and all things L-O-V-E...it is all good...

...and it is always a good time to WRITE...to journal...in my humble opinion. (wink)
 But seriously...  :)

Have a LOVEly day!

national handwriting day

In conjunction with John Hancock's birthday, today is National Handwriting Day...I love it!  An excuse (as if I need one...wink!) to sit down and write something out by hand...anything:  a letter, your to-do list, a journal entry...hint, hint :). 

Speaking of which, a recent study found "that keeping a diary brings unexpected joy in life's everyday musings." ...hmmm...sounds good to me!

Here is a journal page I did where I wrote on the page as usual top to bottom, then turned the book horizontally and wrote across the other way...I love the criss-cross effect visually...very da Vinci...and practically speaking, I spilled all that was in my heart at that moment onto the page...very therapeutic.

So I encourage you...it is just right to just WRITE.  :) 
...and enjoy the process!   

book report

If only...

If only I had been allowed to do book reports like this as a kid in school!  :)

So...our Women's Bible Study just finished a short 3 week study on the "book" of Habakkuk...It was a wonderful study:  relevant, deep, applicable.  I loved it...and I haven't been quite ready to "be done" with Habakkuk so I decided to do my own review during my quiet time...which led to jotting down highlights...which led to these blocks all lettered out...  :)  Since I penciled it all first and then inked it (with my favorite pen...the Sharpie PEN)...I got to REALLY "handle" these highlights...so, not only was it a fun review but interacting with the Word helped reinforce it too...very fun!
...hmmm...I'm thinking color might be fun now...  :)

What do you think?  Give it a try with the next book you read...the who, what, where, when, why and how just might be alot more fun penned with a little playful "flair".  :)

winding down

...the month, I mean, is winding down...already...whew!  I've only been journaling in fragments...or so it seems...But all those bits add up...last night I discovered that I had finished my family camp "page"...This is based on something that I saw on Teresa McFayden's blog...I just LOVE it since I enjoy doodling letters and words more than images...super simple and the concept can be applied to lots of things...

I used WATERPROOF black ink and a calligraphy pen to ink the boxes and journal in the "memories"...It is a fun challenge to use the dipping pens and ink...definitely slows you down...I find it very relaxing and meditative...plus, I just love using as many "fonts" as I can think of...

...Then with Marvy brush markers and a water-brush,  I watercolored each box and added extra embellishments (white polka dots, sparkly gel-pen highlights, blue ink in SHOW) when the paint was dry...

 

 There you have it! My notes and memories from Family Camp...journaling in the box...:)

Go ahead...get out some scratch paper-so there is no pressure...its only paper!-and give it a try..Play a little!

look...

That about says it all.  Check out Ex. 3:1-6, 11-15.
(This page was inspired by Joanne Sharpe's LetterLove 201 online class.)

o.k.

It has been "interesting" around here...well, actually...hard.  I have been "in process"...

This verse was the beginning of my "vision" coming into focus...

As I always do when I want to process and record what is going on, I opened my journal and began...

I chose pictures that represented what was on my mind...a storm and this girl in her CUTE pink rainboots.  I cut the storm picture in two, and glued it and the girl to two of the three panels of this journal page...

 Then I added a bit of this Smash tape (to cover the text on my girl...and "ground" her).  I was a little disappointed with how much of her boots were covered though..oh well...

Next I punched a circle and folded it into a megaphone...she needed to proclaim "God is good ALL the time!" even (maybe especially!) in the middle of the storm.

 

 

All that was left to do was to "write it out"...so..ok...While I certainly don't understand it all, I am accepting...instead of agonizing, resisting, fighting these things that are "adverse" in my life right now...I am CHOOSING to give thanks for each worry, each heartache, each struggle...and as I did this, I DID find something to be thankful for in each...Amazing!  AND even though (there are still tears at times) and the hurts and worries didn't change, didn't go away, my perspective did...hmmm...my "SEEing" was altered!  Crazy!

God IS good ALL the time! and

ALL the time God is good!