just because...

A little gesso, a few pieces of tissue, a spritze of acrylic paint, a stamp turned into a stencil, a rough attempt to sketch that stamp big...just because...  :)

Just because I LOVE "playing" in my art journal!  And why not?!? 

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!   

the fun bits

So after cleaning my desk a few days ago, I showed you the leftover bits that I decided to use in a fun little challenge for myself...this is what those bits looked like...

BEFORE...



and now,
AFTER...

This was a super fun exercise in just using a few, very random things...and just piecing them together into a little collage...I will probably "tip" it into my art journal with washi tape...hmmm...maybe it will serve as a reminder to clean my desk BEFORE it gets so bad...

maybe...

the stuff on my desk

Oh brother!  I don't know about you, but I think the stuff on my desk multiplies and plays all night while I'm not looking...It gets soooo messy, so very fast...yikes!  In fact, it was so bad this morning that I couldn't do anything before I cleaned...I almost took a picture of it...but realized it was embarrassing...

So I tidied up...and among (a lot of ) other things this is what I found...

I filed everything else away in its proper place...BUT I decided that the challenge is to use these fun bits and pieces to create something...so take a good look...it doesn't look like much, but it will be fun to see what I can make of it...

Stay tuned (the cleaning took so long...ugh...so there was no time to "play" today)...till next time!  :)

word of the year

Every year I choose a WotY...a Word of the Year...I choose this word very carefully, prayerfully, based on "where I'm at" and/or where I need to be.  :)  Seriously, the processing that occurs always amazes me throughout the year as I focus on this word and live with intentionality around that word...
If you saw my last blog post you probably got a clue as to what "the word" is this year...hint:  it showed up more than once in the project that I was blogging about  :) ...

Yes, the Word of the Year for 2015 is "wonder."  I chose wonder out of a list of several possibilities, because the focus of wonder is good and bright...I don't want to look at what's not right, what is lacking, or even what I need to improve on...I really want my focus this year to be positive:  I am on the look out for  God surprises...what HE is doing...it is NOT about me...I just need to be mindful to pay attention to Him!  Woohoo!

So the above picture is a close up of the journal cover I made...throughout the year I will incorporate this word over and over in my art and on my journal pages as a reminder to myself to be on the look-out...to pay attention...and I will also record some of the wonders that I encounter, that He shows me.  Below is a simple little doodle that I did when I only had a few minutes, but needed to focus my over-active brain...

If you have never chosen a word to focus on throughout the year, I encourage you to try it this year...it has truly been a significant exercise for me...meaningful AND exciting in so many ways.  By faith, choose a word...engage that word...and then let me know what amazing things happen in you, your life as a result. I can't wait to hear from you!

Here's to a wonder.full. 2015!

happy new year!!!

Woohoo!  2015 is here and in full swing!

Not much art happened over the past two weeks...and although I missed it, it was just too full...which is such a blessing, so no complaints here.  :)  Nevertheless, I was SO ready to get back to my desk and START the ART!  Here is a peek at my first project of the year...

I started with a composition book from the dollar store...I love the size of these for my quiet time notes...added scrapbooking paper from my "stash", plus washi tape, Tim Holtz stickers, a bingo marker, and a beautifully folded dictionary page (thanks Amanda!).

 

Can you see the edges are inked?  I'm not sure why but adding color to the edges of my journal pages almost makes me feel giddy!  :)

 

Open it up and this is what the inside cover and first page look like...

 

 

And finally, this is the back inside cover...(is that what it is called?)...anyway, you gotta have a pocket, right?!? 

 



 

There you have it!  The first journal ready to go!  And so it begins...

Happy, happy!!!

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".  :)