The big picture

When life seems too hectic to grab five minutes to think, you need to step back. 

Don't be overwhelmed by the details. 

Look at the bigger picture and get a proper sense of perspective. 

There's more going on than you think.

WOYWW - 4th anniversary

Morning WOYWWers and happy anniversary! (If that's gibberish to you, hop on over to Stamping Ground and join in the fun)

So, on my desk are four pieces of art ready to be mailed off. I know the swap was supposed to be ATCs but I've done postcards. I normally work on A3 pages so small scale is a challenge. I hope I'll be forgiven :)

Anyway, one of these will be going to the designated person on the linky list. The other three are up for grabs. If you want one just let me know in the comments.

I'll be off to visit a few desks from around the world now. Have a great day!

Journal Fodder 365 - prompt #1

Last Wednesday I posted that I had made a new journal covered in red leather with a key fastener to start working through Journal Fodder 365. 

"I am" is the first prompt. Easing me in gently, I feel.

So, I am - in no particular order -

• happily married for 20 years (so far)
• a skill-sharer
• taller in my own head
• brunette with grey - ageing gracefully
• introverted
• quiet
• slowly becoming a godly woman (though not in my own strength)
• learning to dream big
• loved
• a stay-at-home Mum
• growing in peace and joy
• faithful and loyal
• wary of new things - unless they are art materials
• thankful
• caring and sensitive
• wiser than I used to be
• always learning
• happy in my skin

My aim is to do one prompt a week and post on Monday. 

Have a great week and perhaps I'll 'see' you on Wednesday at the 4th WOYWW anniversary art swap.

Strength

The full page

A close-up

Lord, grant me the strength of the plant that pushes up between the paving slabs and blossoms in the most unlikely of places. 

There are times where it feels like there is very little soil to grow in; where it feels like a struggle to push on through. Those are the times where you have to remind yourself of those flowers that come up through cracks in the concrete or between bricks in a wall. 

I want that resilience. 

That determination to blossom no matter what.

But it's not in me.

I need help.

(And yes, I am well aware that I actually wrote 'most unlikeliest'. Duh! An oops moment that I am having to live with...)

WOYWW - new journal

Hi everyone. If you're wondering what WOYWW is all about, visit Stamping Ground and join in the fun.

I recently bought Journal Fodder 365 by Eric Scott and David Modler. It has prompts for a year's worth of exploration of where your inspiration comes from, how you deal with disappointment, what you do to stay connected. I thought with 48 prompts it would be fun to make a journal with 48 double-page spreads to work through the whole thing in one place. It's difficult to see from this photo (bad afternoon light) but the cover is leather and the closure uses an old key. Can't wait to start using it!

Now to visit a few other desks around the world...

Engage life!

Engage life with all that you have and all that you are.
Bring everything to the party
Don't stint
Don't hold back
Take risks
Jump in
Grab life with both hands
Dream the impossible

The world needs you to contribute your unique blend of gifts, skills, and temperament.

That's what I keep reminding myself :)

My head is full

Do you ever reach that point where it seems that your head is full?
There are possibilities in the air, but nothing is yet resolved.
There is uncertainty that means you are easily distracted.
Everything is out of your hands (as if it was ever in them...)
Someone else needs to make a move before you can move forward.

I don't like those times!

But I can rest assured that God has it all in hand. He will move me forward at the right time. In the meantime I just have to keep using my gifts and skills in the place I'm at.

And trust that it will all work out in the end.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead to the dream...

...while living in the now.

How do you stay faithful to where you are while looking over the horizon?

Another experiment

As mentioned a couple of posts ago (here) I have recently purchased Dina Wakley's book Art Journal Freedom. It has made me think about 'white' space and how the journalling is placed on the page. Also the proximity of elements on the page. Not that I necessarily think of these things in a conscious manner, but what is coming out at the moment is using the principles I'm reading about. 

Obviously the space here isn't white, but leaving a large portion of the page as just the background is a bit of a departure for me. So is pink :) So I'm linking this with Art Journal Journey (link in the sidebar) for their May challenge - Challenge Yourself. Hop on over to see all the wonderful ways people have been challenging themselves this month.

Depleted

Depleted.

Exhausted.

In need of a time of dormancy.

Putting down deep roots.

Drawing nourishment.

Taking a breath.

In the style of...

I bought Art Journal Freedom by Dina Wakley on Friday. I'd been trying to reserve it at the library for a while but not getting anywhere. Then it turned up in the book shop we frequent more or less weekly and I was able to look at it. It didn't take long to decide that it would be an invaluable addition to my library. Books are expensive here in Australia, so I like to consider carefully which to buy.

So here is a page inspired by Dina Wakley. So much white space! So not my normal style. But I like it!

The page started with gesso and a scraping of acrylic. Then I sprayed some watercolour ink, dripped some acrylic ink, and drew circles with water-soluble graphite. A bit of stamping, a collaged silhouette, and some journalling along the drips. Done!

I'm looking forward to trying out some more of the exercises in the next few weeks. 

Art Journal Journey - May

The Art Journal Journey challenge for May is - Challenge Yourself.

This page has several challenges for me. Firstly, I have covered up most of the orange/pink background. All that's left is the face and the title lettering. This is something I've seen other people do but not really done myself. I had to not be too attached to the background.

Secondly, I did everything by hand - no stamps, no stencils, no collaged images. Hand-lettering and painting only.

Thirdly, painting, with shadows and all that. Not normally what I would do.

And lastly, a wider palette than I would usually use. I tend to stick to two or three colours at the most on a page.

So, I challenged myself to do things differently, take a chance, push through the fear, and grow!

Hop on over to Art Journal Journey (See the link in the side-bar). I'm even going to link with Paint Party Friday as I have actually painted something :)

WOYWW- letting go

Good morning WOYWWers (and if you don't know what that means, see the button in the bar to link to Stamping Ground where we get together on Wednesdays to peek at desks around the world).

You'll be glad to know that this bear does now have a head. I just couldn't resist the photo when my daughter set it down on my desk while she finished the head.

The other thing on my desk is this journal page which I took WIP photos of as it developed. 

A few bits of collage from various sources. I like using foreign language books as I find that they add great texture without my brain wanting to read them.

Then a layer of gesso and some acrylics applied with a wet-wipe. I had no idea where this page was going at this stage.

 A bit of random shape stamping. The pink was a bit more vibrant than I was happy with. A swish over with a wet-wipe helped a bit.

Some water-soluble oil pastel to deepen the colour in some places and a spray of a reddish-brown watercolour and I felt it was ready for some words.

The page sat for a day while I thought about what needed to be said; what was on my mind? I stencilled a few shapes while I pondered. The words 'let go' were running through my head, so I put them down.

A bit of shadow to give the lettering more depth and the rest of the thought.

And the finished page with ropes to represent the things that are holding me back or holding me in place. The birds are there to remind me that resting awhile is OK, but (most) birds are made to fly, not be tethered to the ground. 

So what's holding you back? Which ropes need to be loosened?