tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1074253371506635472024-03-13T11:20:44.036-03:00RUMBLESTRIPStaying off the rumblestrip...that's what it's all about, right? This is where I come to record what feeds my creative soul and calms my "monkey mind": art journaling, mixed media, jewellery making, upcycling, yoga, meditation, reiki, and anything else that simplifies my life and/or is happy making. Daily life and current ruminations find their way here as well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-80438511204330766572015-02-18T11:52:00.000-04:002016-01-08T12:34:49.322-04:00Princess PeaThis is Princess Pea. She's done with pencil and chalk pastels. I did her lips and eyes with Gelly Roll Glaze pens. I like her but I haven't learned to get the pencil shading looking the way it should.<br />
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I'm slowly starting to understand that as long as what I'm doing makes me happy and brings me many moments of delight and joy, then it truly doesn't matter what other people think of it. I'm not referring to people who art journal, because I know you/they get what it's all about and enjoy checking out other people's work, for reference and ideas, as well as comparison (though we should NEVER compare).<br />
If you've ever shown your art journaling/sketches, etc to family/friends who don't "get" what you're doing....well, all I can say is it's pretty disheartening. The last time I showed some of my art to a family member, the response was "Is this what you spend your time doing?" That was it....no comment on the subject. BUT...the joy of creating is not something I'm about to give up. <br />
From now on, anything I create, I'll keep in my tribe... people who love art journaling and all that goes with it. I'll keep posting it here on my blog....no one sees it anyway, and anyone who does would probably be an art journaler. Luckily my sister "gets" it, and she's also my best friend, so we have the pleasure of sharing our learning experiences with each other and online. Thank God for all the art journaling groups on Facebook and all the wonderful artists online who teach us!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-76311631043218367762015-02-06T15:31:00.001-04:002015-02-06T15:33:13.186-04:00February is Jumpstart Art Month<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Well, it seems like February has a perk this year. Usually it's just the harshest winter month, but this year along with the storms and the deep freeze, it seems to have jumpstarted my butt into my studio to do what I love instead of just thinking about it.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I can't say that I've been prolific in my production of art, but I can say that no day goes by without at least a sketch or a tangle, or putting together a handmade journal. I'm back at my table doing some of the classes that I've been downloading and saving for a "rainy day" for the past 2+ years. It seems snowy days work just fine, too.</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I started with Tamara Laporte's Bookworm Girl, which I've loved since I first laid eyes on her. I tackled her with great enthusiasm and am actually happy with the results. She turned out better than I expected and gave me the confidence to keep on truckin'. Here she is from beginning to end:</span><br />
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I've done a bunch of sketches as well, and am currently working on "Summer Girls", another of Tam's classes. I'll post her when I finish, hopefully on Monday.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-31662304438952301592014-02-23T23:45:00.002-04:002016-01-08T11:25:53.202-04:00"You Need No More Than 33 Items In Your Closet"....<br />
...and those 33 items include clothes, coats, boots, shoes, purses, accessories, sunglasses and any jewellery you don't wear every single day. Luckily, the 33!items don't include underwear or exercise clothes.<br />
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I read this article (see blog post title) today in "O" Magazine. Although it nearly caused me an anxiety attack, I immediately set to work in my bedroom. But first I skipped over to author Courtney Carver's <a href="http://theproject333.com/" target="_blank">Project 333 website</a>. I also check out her website, <a href="http://bemorewithless.com/" target="_blank">Be More With Less,</a> which is filled with great information on simplifying our lives. In addition, her home site, <a href="http://courtneycarver.com/" target="_blank">Courtney Carver.com</a> is another good source of information. I'm working my way through the archives at Be More With Less right now. There's a lot of really good stuff in there that's motivating me to make some positive changes in my world.<br />
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I was like a whirling dervish in my bedroom this afternoon. After two hours I had eight (8) clear blue recycle bags (the big ones) to donate and two green ones for the garbage bin. I swear I could have given a nice scarf or wrap to everyone on my street! I haven't narrowed things down to 33 yet (not even close), but it's a huge start. And I didn't just do my closet - I did my dresser and my jewellery box as well! Phase II will get me closer to the 33 things. Hopefully I'll get to Phase II sooner rather than later.<br />
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Next stop - linen/medicine/toiletries/ tools closet (over-stuffed shelf for each). Scary thought.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-77634131612487481342014-02-18T10:44:00.001-04:002014-02-18T10:44:40.482-04:00Crazy Hair Ladies<a href="http://effywild.com/book-of-days-2014-january-6-march-24/" target="_blank">Book of Days</a> has two awesome spreads posted for us to tackle, but my sister and I haven't been able to synchronize our schedules this past week, so it'll be a while before we can get together and do the next one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.willowing.org/life-book-2014/" target="_blank">Life Book</a> has a new lesson out this week that looks like fun, too, by <a href="http://www.alenahennessy.com/" target="_blank">Alena Hennessy</a>. I'm not familiar with her, but will check out the link myself. <br />
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In the meantime, I was salivating over Natasha May's online workshop "Crazy Hair Ladies", and remembered that I did a spread a while back with my own crazy hair lady in it. I think she might have been for a swap group I did at the Glitterhood last year. I'm not sure.<br />
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I like her - and I hope at some point I'll get a chance to do Natasha's workshop. It would be a blast!<br />
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The sources for learning amazing mixed media art and art journaling online are endless and exciting beyond words. There's something for everyone, no matter what your ability or experience and, trust me, if you have, or think you have, no ability at all, you'll surprise yourself in no time - seriously! I'm not kidding. A lot of my stuff is still pretty sad looking to me, but some of it surprises the hell out of me. As I've said many times, I couldn't draw a decent stick figure or a proper happy face when I started this, so I've come a long way. And even if I hadn't, I'm having so much fun, and it makes me so happy, that I'd do it anyway.<br />
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Just pick something and try it....you'll see!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-79191158210936382702014-02-17T12:27:00.002-04:002016-01-08T12:26:22.038-04:00Why Rumblestrip?<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Rumble strip</b> - noun - a set of grooves along the edge of a highway or across a road that cause noise and shaking when they are driven over and that are used to warn drivers that they need to slow down or are too close to the edge of the road</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In case anyone should find my blog and wonder why I named it Rumblestrip, the definition above may help. I read an article by Martha Beck a while back, in "O" magazine, where she referred to hitting a rough patch in life as a rumble strip, and it struck a chord with me that has remained since. I've hit the rumble strip more times than I can count. The important thing is to get back on the road and not end up in the ditch...or worse. Hence the name of my blog. For me it's a perfect fit.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-23854140920745262512014-02-11T12:49:00.003-04:002016-01-08T12:16:25.015-04:00Today's Rumblings and the Latest Book of Days Spread/sI'm actually getting my "studio" to come together....it's just a little room at the back of my house, but it's my space and I've missed it. Condensing two spaces into one has been challenging, but I'm slowly getting there. Here's a photo of my little art journaling workspace....it'll be undergoing changes in the next few weeks, but this is it for now.<br />
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<a href="http://effywild.com/book-of-days-2014-january-6-march-24/" target="_blank">Book of Days</a><br />
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My sister and I have been doing our best to keep up with <a href="http://effywild.com/book-of-days-2014-january-6-march-24/" target="_blank">Book of Days</a>, but it's challenging because we're 525 miles apart and doing it together over Facetime. She works full time nights, so we are limited as to when we can work together on our spreads. We are, however, managing to keep up fairly well, and it's SO much fun being able to do this with her.<br />
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<b>Week One </b>was our word for the year, which I posted previously.<br />
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<b>Week Two </b>included a simile with reference to winter. I like the way the spread turned out, but as much as I like the colours, they certainly don't bring winter to mind. I am happy with my progress, though, which is good because I'm usually never happy with anything I do. However, I'm coming to terms with the fact that I can't expect to get good at anything without constant practice. Since I don't get constant practice I have to settle for gradual progress. So - I'm ok with that now. Here it is.<br />
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<b>Week Three</b> was Titled "What Lies Beneath," which I really enjoyed because it involved a tree. A lot of introspection came with this one, as is the intent with all of <a href="http://www.effywild.com/" target="_blank">Effy's</a> lessons. I thought about all the times I didn't think I could cope with something happening in my life, but yet I've always seemed to find the strength to get through whatever comes my way. <br />
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That was probably my favourite so far. It bugs me a bit that in the photos it's hard to see all the different layers to the spreads, but I can see them in my journal, so that will have to do.<br />
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<b>Week Four </b>was called Be In It....it and asked why we don't treat ourselves as well as we treat others. I did my spread with the definition of radical self care. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, and it involved the first "selfie" I've ever used in my art journal, but I liked the concept, as it made me think about taking care of myself, which I rarely do. I finally have time for myself, but am still not doing anything to heal and renew from the past few years of so much stress and heartache. Time is helping, but I need to do a lot more inner work, and a hell of a lot more "outer" work. These years have taken an awful toll on my body and it'll take a lot to heal it and get it into a healthier state. In the meantime, this is the spread - not my favourite by any stretch, but it'll have to do for now.<br />
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<b>Week Five</b> was "What Feeds Your Soul," which I did last Friday. The background is entirely a paper towel I'd used to blot up paint from the page. It looked better than the page, so I put it down with gel medium and went from there. Even with a coat of gel on the top, it wasn't easy to work on, but considering that, it turned out ok. I keep reminding myself that a year and a half ago I couldn't draw a decent stick figure. That keeps me from being too hard on myself and expecting perfection when there's no such thing, and when I'm still a beginner. <br />
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A couple of weeks ago I finished a spread that was a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. I'd have never dreamed I would do something like that, but I read an article containing some of her diary entries and was blown away by her awareness. She wrote well and was very introspective in a lot of ways, which was surprising to me. I felt sad after I read the article....sad that she died, for whatever reason, and didn't get to meet her potential and find what she needed to feed her soul.<br />
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Well, now that I'm just about caught up on Book of Days, hopefully I can post more regular, perhaps shorter, missives on what's happening here on the Rumblestrip.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-60069782704846737112014-01-31T13:40:00.002-04:002016-01-08T11:59:45.589-04:00ADHD, Keeping Up A Blog, and More Moonshine Boot Camp SketchesKeeping current with a blog takes discipline and work, although it doesn't really feel like work when I'm doing it. My ADHD mind, however, likes to jump from thought to thought, idea to idea, task to task - oh look, there's a squirrel! - and distraction to distraction like a monkey swings through branches in a jungle. That makes it even more important to keep a blog, so that I can record what's going on in my head before I "see another squirrel."<br />
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Art journaling is such a blessing to me because it allows me to indulge so many ideas, thoughts and interests at the same time and in the same place. It's a godsend for me! YAY whoever invented art journaling! The variety is endless, as are my thoughts.<br />
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I have more sketches and I must say I'm getting quite a kick out of them. Since they aren't supposed to look like actual people, it's fun watching who emerges each time I put the pencil to the page, and to see how/if I'm progressing in my ability to actually create these faces. Some of them make me want to hide my head, they're so bad, some of them make me laugh, and some of them surprise me. This is a never-ending source of amusement because while I'm learning I am not yet able to plan how a face is going to look. I'm not even sure if that ever happens. I just follow the instructions as I remember them and see who shows up.<br />
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When I first started practicing these faces - back when I signed up for Tamara Laporte's <a href="http://www.willowing.org/2010/05/21/fabulous-faces-course-information/" target="_blank">Fabulous Faces</a> course - and again when I started <a href="http://effywild.com/moonshine-2014/" target="_blank">Moonshine Boot Camp,</a> I had mixed feelings about drawing all these sketches in a book and still having to create faces in my art journals. I was afraid of messing up my art journal pages if I didn't like the face I made. But eventually, I was thrilled to realize that the ones I like, I can actually photocopy or scan, print them out and paste them onto a background in my art journal. Then I can paint and embellish them to my heart's content.....how cool is that!? Now I'm doing even more faces (see below). Nothing jaw-droppingly awesome, by any stretch, but as I've said before, before I took these courses,I couldn't draw a happy face or stick figure without messing it up.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day! <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-44976596966645540022014-01-15T12:20:00.003-04:002014-01-15T12:20:25.930-04:00Moonshine Boot Camp - Sketching PracticeHi, all. I know the previous entry shows it was posted today, but it was actually done a few days ago. I just forgot to hit "Publish"....my bad. Sorry about that.<br />
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The Week 2 Book of Days lesson is out, but I saw that there was a portrait on it, so I've decided to do some sketching practice before tackling this one. Both <a href="http://effywild.com/book-of-days-boot-camp/" target="_blank">Book of Days Boot Camp</a> and <a href="http://effywild.com/moonshine-2014/" target="_blank">Moonshine</a> have face-drawing lessons to help us learn to draw stylized (not the same as sketching a real person) portraits for our purposes as art journalers and/or mixed media artists. Tamara Laporte of <a href="http://willowing.ning.com/" target="_blank">Willowing (.ning)</a> also offers an awesome class called <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1557399057"></span>Fabulous Faces<span id="goog_1557399058"></span></a>, which is very helpful and fun.<br />
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So, I've done three sketches so far, which I'm posting here to record my progress. Keep in mind that before I started art journaling with Effy and eventually took Fabulous Faces with Tam, I couldn't draw a 'happy face' properly (you know, the little yellow, moon-faced guy, now of Emoticon fame), so these aren't perfect, but they sure are better than what I started with. I love them.<br />
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<span id="goog_1995557630"></span><span id="goog_1995557631"></span>I'm pretty happy with them, all in all, because I know if I keep practicing they'll get better, and the more of them I do, the more I'll have to use in future art journal spreads. It's nice to know they can be used that way.<br />
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Thanks for dropping by. ()Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-39669098930497609212014-01-15T10:47:00.001-04:002014-01-15T10:57:14.941-04:00My Word for the Year - Book of Days - Week 1My word for 2014 is "space." I need space - space to grow, space to move, space in my home, my head and my heart for the things most sacred to me. I'll carry my word with me throughout the year and make the space I require for growth and freedom to do what I love....and to learn more about what I do love - what makes me happy....what fills my heart and soul with joy. For me, learning requires space.<br />
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My first <a href="http://effywild.com/book-of-days-2014-january-6-march-24/" target="_blank">Book of Days</a> spread of the year is nothing like I pictured, but I like it a lot. It's a bit of a mixture of Effy's first BOD lesson and the first<a href="http://effywild.com/category/wildly-inspired-video/" target="_blank"> Wildly Inspired</a> video that she's recorded. I loved them both and my spread incorporated parts of both of them as well as my word. I'm happy with it, considering I've not been able to do much in the way of art journaling, except in my head, since October.<br />
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Now I'm working on a spread for WildlyInspired Wednesday, but I'm stuck on it right now. It's something that my muse seems to be playing with, because I understand what the intent is, but have no clue how it got where it is or where it's going. I'll just have to go with it and see what happens.<br />
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One of the coolest things about BOD this year is that my sister and I, 600 miles apart, can do it together, thanks to Facetime on our iPads. I got an iPad Air for Xmas from MH, and he now has my original iPad (which he also gave me) that has no camera. My sister and I are having a blast working out all the things we need to art journal together online. <br />
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Comments and/or questions are welcome. I'll attempt to respond as quickly as possible. I'll be back sooon.<br />
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<img src="webkit-fake-url://518CCCF6-949B-4C06-B99C-4DAC854DBB68/imagejpeg" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-50289631976427849062014-01-08T13:37:00.000-04:002014-01-08T13:37:06.822-04:00Winter Sunshine, My Bed and Good ReadsThe morning sun is streaming into my bedroom and I'm settled on the down duvet on my beautiful, big king-size bed, with my iPad, my journal, my pen/pencil case, The Complete Artist's Way, and the book I'm currently reading, "The Untethered Soul" by Michael A. Singer. I know a book is special to me if, when I'm reading it, I feel like it was written with me in mind. I feel that way with this one, but also vividly realize how it applies to everyone. Zoom in on the back cover and get an idea of what it's all about. If you should read it, or have already read it, please share your thoughts with me.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-77953059495261086022014-01-07T00:34:00.001-04:002014-01-07T00:45:02.315-04:00Happy New Year 2014! Am I Enough?<br />
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It's been months since I last posted, and here we are in a brand new year. How do I sum up 2013? Much of it was difficult & frustrating, but at the same time, I learned a lot, made some wonderful new friends, had some memorable times, and discovered that sometimes when life seems overwhelming, support comes from the most unexpected places and helps me overcome the guilt I feel for not <i>being</i> "enough," or not <i>doing</i> "enough." It's not always successful, but it sure has made a huge difference in my life after the past couple of years.<br />
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Practically at every turn as I venture into the world of art journaling, I see the phrase "I am enough," which tells me I'm not alone in my feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness. To see it in so many places, by so many women, feels comforting but at the same time disturbing that so many of us seem to have had these feelings bred into us. Why? Why do so many of us grow up feeling like we aren't good enough? Why do we constantly have to be reminded or told that we are? I guess we all have our own stories of how it came to be, and we have our own methods of dealing with it. <br />
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My way of dealing with these feelings is to dig deep, to excavate my soul, find the things that made me this way and then learn to overcome them to the best of my ability. I don't do these things all the time, but I choose NOT to leave the feelings to fester; otherwise it'll just infect my whole being and I'll be left empty at the core. I don't like feeling empty. It's a lonely feeling. <br />
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Art journaling and similar activities help get the questions answered and fill the void. It's also a lot of fun. Who doesn't like fun? The sisterhood is a big part of it. The feeling of being a part of something and knowing that other women, and even some men "get" the things you're working on, with no pressure, no expectations, no judging of what you share - just encouragement and support. This inspires motivation & inspiration, massive reduction in fear of failure, freedom to create your butt off, and most of all it goes a long way to making me believe...really believe....that I AM enough.<br />
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SO....here I am, at the beginning of a new year, ready to get on with it. There's a lot I'll be involved in, and a lot to share. ..starting with my next post.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by. There'll be photos next time!<br />
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Deb <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-86531428725044895972013-08-10T23:55:00.000-03:002013-11-11T13:46:04.471-04:00Dylusions & Camera Issues 10/30I missed a day in the blogalong...crap. What a drag! But it couldn't be helped. I was busy yesterday and didn't get a chance to post. NO....that's not correct - it's an excuse I could have done it earlier in the day but I didn't, and then I got busy in the evening and didn't get a chance. So MY bad. There. I'm responsible for my actions, and I didn't do my blog post. Now I'll work on getting them done earlier.<br />
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My camera battery is dead so I can't take photos of the fun I had trying out my Dylusions sprays. And I can't show you my latest doodle either. The problem is that I can't find the battery charger, and it's my only camera. It's a dilemma. Hopefully I can find it before tomorrow's post.<br />
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Night all!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-33416181357865959072013-08-08T23:07:00.000-03:002013-08-08T23:07:14.324-03:00Mission Accomplished - 8/30I got my art/playroom cleaned up! I was up till 4:30 this morning with a sick dog, so took advantage of times when she was outside to get things in order. And today I sat down and did a page in my art journal. I used markers and watercolor pencils (Derwent Inktense) and pens, and I doodled. That's all! I didn't even try out my Dylusions (maybe tomorrow)! I got so caught up with just creating something that I just went with it and this is what came out.....I don't know why - it just did. But I love that it's so colourful! I don't know where it came from because it's so far from what I intended to do, but I love it anyway because it wasn't forced - it just happened. Not from a course or program I'm involved in, just sheer, go-with-it fun.<br />
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It was a really rainy day today, and I took advantage of it this morning. I love the rain, and I took my camera, my journal and my current book, <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/journal-fodder-365-daily-doses/9781440318405-item.html?ikwid=Journal+Fodder+365&ikwsec=Books&gcs_requestid=0CLDzjeif77gCFRPd5wodcj0AAA" target="_blank"><b>Journal Fodder 365</b></a>, which I'm really enjoying, and went out on the verandah to enjoy the sights and sounds. I stayed there for two hours, did my morning pages, read another chapter in the book and took a couple of photos, which are below. It was wonderful. In spite of being dead tired, I managed to get myself present and enjoy the moment, which is a nice change for me lately. <br />
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Hope you all had a good day as well. Sweet dreams!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-39681406324040474542013-08-07T23:44:00.000-03:002013-08-07T23:44:14.998-03:00Cleanup Day Tomorrow! 7/30My studio/art room/playroom - is 50 shades of messed up. I can hardly get in the door. When I came here, I turned my aunt's den (not really, just a tiny room off the living room that everyone called "the den") into my own workspace. I gradually transferred most of my art supplies here from home, and have accumulated many more since last October. It's been a month since I last went on a cleaning spree in there, and I've used it as a dumping ground for my stuff. .I have to put some order back in there if I'm ever going to get back to art journaling.<br />
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No more photos until I've got a brand new art journal spread (or at least a page) to post. I've been itching to try out my Dylusion sprays, so tomorrow's the day. I'll be back tomorrow night to post the results.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-38828108198519631062013-08-06T23:41:00.000-03:002013-08-06T23:41:49.044-03:00Blog Along With Effy - Day 6 - I'm Suffering from Dylusions!!!I'm beside myself with glee! I received a package today from <a href="http://www.artistcellar.com/" target="_blank"><b>Artist Cellar</b></a> containing.....wait for it......my LONG awaited Dylusions sprays!!!! I'm so stoked to get using them after watching Effy all this time, that I just want to spray anything in sight to try them out....but I can't. <br />
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This day has been crazy mad. Dog had two appointments four hours apart, and I had a list a mile long of errands to run and things to get in between appointments. Then I had a festival dinner to go to with my BFF. It was a great dinner, but we waaay overate.. <br />
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Now I'm home and doing my blog post, and I've watched my aunt's tv shows with her, and I'm dying to get at a project, but alas, it'll have to wait till tomorrow. I'm so tired, I've got to go to bed so I'll be present and coherent when I break into those sprays in the morning.<br />
Hope you had a great day! Night all!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OMG! My workspace is a mess, and you can't see the worst of it! Gotta get it ready to work with those sprays</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doodling in my Morning Pages....</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-34295284143111087622013-08-05T22:51:00.002-03:002013-08-05T22:51:31.964-03:00Blog Along With Effy - Day 5 - Spirituality, Lumberjacks, Coffee Cups & DoodlesI just read Effy's blog post for today on spirituality. I think along the same lines as she does about the divine, with a small deviation here and there, mostly because I probably haven't explored as many things as deeply as she has. She always delights and amazes me, and shows me that there's someone else out there who believes there's more than one way to get where you're going.....in other words, no matter what you believe or what religion or pagan ritual you follow, ultimately we all came from and end up in the same place....all paths lead to the divine. Everything is made of energy and energy cannot be destroyed. Energy = spirit. End of story, as I see it.<br />
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We are well into International Festival Week here. Today my BFF and I spent the afternoon at a lumberjack competition and barbeque. I've never attended it before but it was a lot of fun watching both women and men whacking away at big hunks of wood with axes and chainsaws. It's amazing how far people come for these competitions. But the forestry business is big here in New Brunswick, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. <br />
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When I was doing my morning pages today, I snapped a photo of view I have from my usual spot to write when I first get up and I also snapped my coffee cup so you all can see the sweet pansies that adorn it. It's my favourite one here.<br />
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I'm still doodlling like crazy every time I get a spare minute and can't be in my studio/playroom, but I haven't taken any pics lately...Sleep tight everyone! .<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from morning pages</td></tr>
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I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-71075970989635804982013-08-04T23:38:00.000-03:002013-08-04T23:38:13.839-03:00Blog Along with Effy - Day 4 - This Time I'm Armed with My LaptopNot a lot to show you, but let's see:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My clematis at home this summer when it was in bloom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Recent Doodle in My Beginner's Journal</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I washed the quilts we got at an auction a couple weeks ago.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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It's been a quiet day today. Worked on my Morning Pages today....and trying to get caught up on all my Effy downloads. Really want to get back to BOD and Moonshine and get started on Excavating, but I seem to get interrupted every time I start something (whine, whine). So I'm stuck with doodling and journaling when I can't get time in my 'playroom' (not to be confused with Julian Grey's playroom). Fortunately I love doodling, and I'm working on a Mandala..TBA.<br />
Night all!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-37291095257788977562013-08-03T23:55:00.003-03:002013-08-03T23:55:59.351-03:00It's Almost Midnight - Blog Along With Effy Day 3!Having been away for a day and a half I've been scrambling to do a post each day. I need to get them done earlier in the day when I'm coherent and able to put a sentence together properly. And I STILL need to get some photos accessible from my iPad. In the meantime, below is my favourite sunflower photo, which I took last summer out in front of my aunt's house. I love it.<br />
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I'll get back to art journaling posts tomorrow. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-13460949837197817822013-08-02T23:06:00.001-03:002013-08-02T23:07:39.596-03:00..And Back Again..Blog Along With Effy - Day 2It was a nice visit home with T last night. We had a good morning this morning as well. My son, my grandsons and my grand-dog were in town and came to visit. If I hadn't been home, I would have missed them. It was a joy to see them all for a couple of hours. They live about 4 hours away and I don't see them very often, as much as I'd like to.<br />
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I got back to my aunt' s at around 5 pm, in time to get supper. My BFF helped me, and said that she is up for the respite caregiver's job. They got on well last night and she feels comfortble doing it three nights a month for now. Wuhoo!<br />
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I got four new books in the mail from Chapters while I was gone: <a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/journal-fodder-365-daily-doses/9781440318405-item.html?ikwid=JOURNAL+FODDER+365&ikwsec=Books&gcs_requestid=0CKD4_a6P4LgCFQfj5wodeiAAAA" target="_blank">Journal Fodder 365 - Daily Doses of Inspiration for the Art Addict</a> by Eric Scott & David Modler; Zenspirations - Dangle Designs by Joanne Fink; Zentangle 2 by Suzanne McNeill and Zentangle 7 by Suzanne McNeill. I was so excited to get them, I couldn't wait to look them over. They all look great, particularly the <b><a href="http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/journal-fodder-365-daily-doses/9781440318405-item.html?ikwid=JOURNAL+FODDER+365&ikwsec=Books&gcs_requestid=0CKD4_a6P4LgCFQfj5wodeiAAAA" target="_blank">Journal Fodder</a></b> book. I've been skimming through it this evening, and there are tons of journaling prompts and suggestions for both writing and art. I think I'm going to love it!<br />
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Gotta start putting photos in iCloud or somewhere out there so I can add them to my posts from my iPad. Using it for posts is much more convenient.<br />
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Looking forward to Effy's Moonshine journal binding video. Sweet dreams!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-27096373244796874812013-08-02T01:11:00.001-03:002013-08-02T01:13:36.236-03:00Blog Along With Effy - Day1 - I'm Home!My home is 90 miles from where I've been staying with my aunt since October when she started on oxygen 24/7 (she has advanced emphysema). I've spent maybe a half dozen nights in total at home since then, and tonight my best friend is test-driving being my respite caregiver to see how it goes. If it goes well, I'll get to come home once a month for three nights, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!<br />
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In the meantime I'm in my own little house with my Sweetie (I'll call him T after this)...sitting in my own living room watching our nice big TV and sleeping in our incredibly comfy bed. Yay! I feel like I won a prize! I have to go back tomorrow, but hopefully can come home again soon.<br />
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This is my second time writing this post, so now it's August 2nd and it doesn't qualify as Day 1. The first one wouldn't publish (there was no Publish button on the screen at the time) and I hoped it would save in Draft somehow, but when I restarted Blogger it was gone and it was after midnight, so I guess I lost out on whatever was the incentive. It's ok, though. I love this 30-day idea - it'll get me in the habit of posting every day. And I love <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1845245828"></span>Effy<span id="goog_1845245829"></span></a>. She inspires me to keep going no matter what, and her art rocks!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">No art journaling, or even doodling tonight. Most of my art supplies are at my aunt's, so I just have my travel kit here (and I already gave all the details in the post I lost so maybe another post, another day I'll do it again). I've been reading Effy's stuff and reading the latest issues of Somerset Studio and Where Women Create magazines and now I'm going to bed (my comfy, cozy, snuggly big bed) and I hope to sleep like a baby. I hope you all had as good a day and will have as good a sleep as I do. Night all!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-47957685050369491192013-07-30T18:05:00.002-03:002013-07-30T19:48:34.264-03:0030 Days of Blogging!OMG! I'm so excited! I haven't been keeping up with my classes at <a href="http://www.effywild.com/" target="_blank">Effy Wild</a> or reading her new Inner Excavation blog lately, so I missed the new happening (see below):<br />
<img alt="150 x 150" class="" data-image-dimensions="150x150" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image="http://static.squarespace.com/static/5193d060e4b0acc777d5e195/t/51ef1a3ce4b0fbbc06293f19/1374624316682/blogalongbutton.jpg" data-src="http://static.squarespace.com/static/5193d060e4b0acc777d5e195/t/51ef1a3ce4b0fbbc06293f19/1374624316682/blogalongbutton.jpg" height="400" src="https://static.squarespace.com/static/5193d060e4b0acc777d5e195/t/51ef1a3ce4b0fbbc06293f19/1374624316682/blogalongbutton.jpg?format=300w" width="400" /><br />
I'm really excited about this, as it will get me established in a habit of updating my blog...Yay! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-79460207996242197932013-03-25T16:05:00.001-03:002016-01-08T12:38:58.433-04:00What or Where is HOME?Home. This is something I've been struggling with for quite a while now, as I've been displaced from my house, (which I think of as "home") for some time now. I spend 99.9% of my time 90 miles (?km) from it, being a caregiver of sorts for my aunt at her house, where I grew up. Looking out for her isn't the problem. I love her and she's been good to me, so I'm ok with it. What's been hard is being away from "home." Home is generally where my "stuff" is, but even though I've moved all my most important stuff here, I've still been having a real struggle. There's something about not being in my own surroundings, doing my own thing, with my own stuff, in my own way, that makes me feel kind of trapped, or claustrophobic, or something - I don't know what. I've thought about selling my house, but my Sweetie Pie (hereafter called SP) of 14 years lives there, too, three or four nights a week when he's working and I don't want to leave him without a place to stay. But I digress.....HOME is the issue. What is it. <br />
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Yesterday I was reading <a href="http://www.effywild.com/" target="_blank">Effy Wild's blog</a>, which I do every day, and it almost always makes me say OMG!! She's 44, been working through some really rough shit for years, and has made progress so impressive that it blows my mind, considering all she's been through. Now she's going through a crisis of the heart, and watching (reading, actually) her deal with it and work through her feelings is inspiring, to say the very least. She's a wonderful artist and writer extraordinaire. Once again I digress. In her blog yesterday, Effy touched on the concept of "home." <br />
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<i>Home is where you are at the moment.....Home is not the relationship or the house I'm living in. Home is right here in my solar plexus. Home is mindfulness. Home is being in it. Home is right here, right now.</i><br />
<i> Effy Wild</i><br />
<i> <a href="http://www.effywild.com/">www.effywild.com</a></i><br />
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That little paragraph jumped right off the screen at me. It was an AHA moment....it's a concept of home that I used to feel back in my twenties (a long time ago, but from the inside looking out, I feel like the same person, except with more experience behind me). <br />
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After reading the blog and ruminating on that quote, I thought again - Where is home? And Effy's right - it's right here, right now. But then I also got to thinking.....home is where I live right here and right now....where I really live. Now in actuality, if we are "spiritual beings having a human experience," which I absolutely believe is the case, then the place where I live, the place I inhabit, is my body. It's where my spirit, my soul, the very essence of who I am, resides. So physically speaking, I essentially carry my house around with me, like a turtle or a snail (not really the same thing but you know what I mean).<br />
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When you get right down to the nitty gritty, I am ALWAYS HOME. My home is my essence, and my essence (or "witness") lives right here in this body. That's kind of a nice feeling. No matter where I go, I'm home. Thanks, Effy.<br />
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<i><br /></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-22404460657915812642013-02-13T23:58:00.002-04:002016-01-08T12:49:40.759-04:00Fabulous Faces - Assignment # 1I finished my first assignment and I'm so happy with it! I think it's way better than the previous one that I did while watching the class video. Here it is...<br />
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More and more I'm realizing that if you want to learn how to do something, especially something like this....you have to practice, practice, practice....and then practice some more, until you get it. And then you have to keep practicing to develop your own style. I have a long way to go, but I'm totally into it now. The key will be finding enough time to practice and to do more classes while I'm still journaling. Rumble on.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-8470500034220622832013-02-09T11:48:00.005-04:002013-06-07T08:13:26.651-03:00Art Journaling - My New Passion<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the past eight months my interest in art journaling has blossomed into a passion which I believe I was led to in order to help me through a very difficult time. I started journaling back in March. I had kept a journal off an on throughout my life but always ended up ripping out the pages and destroying them for fear of someone reading them. I no longer have that fear. The need to express myself has exceeded the fear. Along the the line I also started doodling in my journal, which led me to Zentangle, which was, and still is, a fascinating and very satisfying way to decorate my journal entries. From there I discovered art journaling, and have become hooked on the concept because it allows me to excavate my heart, mind and soul, combining many of my interests - journaling, doodling, painting, Zentangle, collage, photography, meditation and yoga. </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, I said meditation and yoga.</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Believe it or not, art journaling can help clear and calm the mind, which makes it a form of meditation and, combined with intention and the breath, it is also yoga (not quite that simple, but it will do). Pretty cool, huh? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> OK....I'm not going to get all serious here. I just want to say that this blog will primarily cover what I'm currently involved in, and right now that's art journaling and all it entails. So if anyone's out there, I'll be posting at least weekly, and hopefully more often once things get going. In the meantime, I'll be posting photos of what I've been doing and learning more about blogging as well. Here I'll start by posting photos of doodles and tangles - the first things I tried...and I loved it. It's just so meditative and unrestrictive...and there are so many places you can go online to learn how to do them. It doesn't take long at all! Just Google "doodling" or "Zentangle" and a whole new world will open up.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I stuck a bunch of happy face stickers on this page and doodled around them - and Voila - a Happy Garden!</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107425337150663547.post-38671650925807606902013-02-01T11:52:00.001-04:002013-06-07T08:10:20.389-03:00Excavation - Tool or Distraction?Twenty years ago or so, Sarah Ban Breathnach (not sure of spelling) wrote "Simple Abundance" and a couple of other books to assist us in excavating our authentic selves. Before that, and ever since, with the help of Oprah and countless others, we've been working away at finding our true selves, following our "bliss," looking for happiness, and creating joy in our lives. I'm no exception. I've been digging around inside myself for a long time now, trying to figure out what makes me "tick" and what I really, really, really am inside. I'm still digging.....and I'll probably be digging for the rest of my life.<br />
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The thing is, sometimes I think we dig too hard. At least I think <b>I've</b> been digging too hard. So hard, in fact, that maybe I'm missing the point. But what <b>is</b> the point? Am I digging just to learn more about myself, or just to learn, period. Am I really trying to make my life better? I guess I must be, but it occurred to me this morning that I get so busy "excavating" that a lot of times I'm missing out on life itself! That's kind of defeating the purpose, isn't it? Excavating my soul is supposed to improve my life, isn't it? Or is it just distracting me from it? I don't know, but I'll keep working on it. In the meantime, here's my photo for today for Project Life 365. I call it Bloom Where You're Planted (which in this case is on my aunt's dining room table).<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0