Hello Sunshine~

Hi and hello friends! I have been in such a funk lately. Not much creating going on and really just no creative energy. I was a dead battery. Maybe it's the kid's going back to school, or that Summer is over and I can feel Fall beckoning to me (it's my season) but yesterday I had the best creative energy. Unfortunately, I didn't have a lot of time. 

I figured it might be best to start with a little creative exercise, stretch those creative muscles and such, so I headed for my trusty art journal. You can never go wrong in your art journal. I can not express the wonderful feeling of having my hands in paint, for me it is like mana! From that exercise Hello Sunshine was born and I am in love! There isn't anything terribly technical going on here just simplicity and sometimes that is best. I hope you enjoy the finished product as much as I do. I can not wait to get back in the studio and paint some more. I think it's going to be a wonderful art season. Have a beautiful weekend!

xoxo,

Hypersensitive~

So, I was talking to myself the other day. You know to clear out the cobwebs, that's normal, right? It seems like lately that I can only find my creative flow at Target. I'm not sure what my creativity is doing at Target, perhaps enjoying an end of summer shopping spree but none the less there is was lounging between the poly blend and easy care sheets. Words and ideas starting whizzing around my mind like a ball in a squash court. I really should have written them down because by the time I got home my brain went back to the creativity of paper or plastic. Alas, all I have to show for my epiphany is a humble art journal page but at least it is something.

I despise my own hypersensitiveness, which requires so much reassurance. It is certainly abnormal to crave so much to be loved and understood. ~Anais Nin

Oh, the brilliance of Anias Nin! She so appeals to my broody, melancholy soul. We have all of the usual players on this page, paint, Sharpie oil marker, ink, pen, stamps, stencils & washi tape. That is it in a nut shell. Just some play time and I think we can agree that we all could use a little more of that. ;) Anyway, I have to wrangle my four children into some sort of presentable state before I dash to my paying gig. Have a beautiful weekend my lovelies!

xoxo,

Piece of My Heart~

Happy Monday friends! We had a fabulous weekend celebrating my son's birthday. I even managed to get in a little creative time. SCORE!

I just had to share this darling little patch of mushrooms that greeted me this morning. I half expect to see a little fairy dancing amongst the stems. :)

Getting down to the art. I created two, yes TWO pages on Saturday (queue happy dance)!

I will always have this piece of my heart that smiles whenever I think of you.

This is a really simple page. Sometimes you just need to slap down some color, add a little texture and write what is in your heart. Don't overcomplicate the process. Brilliant!

I will stand in the storm and not be blown away.

This piece has taken so many different forms before it arrived at a place where I really felt like it was complete. Seriously, layers and layers and that's the way that I like it! HA! :) I have been wrestling with my art lately. Should I continue to pursue this dream or is it time to figure something else out? Could I actually walk away from my paintbrushes? Beating my head against the wall asking myself "What is the point?". I guess for me I just need to take a deep breath and realize that art makes me happy and I could never really give it up. However, I don't know that I could make a living at it. Reality can be a real bummer! :)  Thanks so much for stopping by.

xoxo~

Home Is Where Your Journey Begins~

Good morning! It's almost the weekend and I have a jam packed Friday ahead of me. So this will be a super short post. I just wanted to share my latest Art Journal creations. I've had a little extra time to create this week and it sure has been a treat. I hope you enjoy them!

Home Is Where Your Journey Begins

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.~ C.S. Lewis 

All of the usual suspects are in play with these pages. Lots of paint and getting inky and such. My favorite! Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful weekend!
xoxo~

The Ties That Bind~

Hey there and happy Monday. Today is one of those really perfect crispy, bright, clear fall days. I just love it! When I step outside the air is cool and slightly smokey. It's invigorating. It puts me in the mood for steaming mugs of tea and playing with paint and paper. I have a few new art journal pages to share. Enjoy!

Love~ The Ties That Bind

Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it. ~Bill Cosby

At any given moment you have the POWER to say this is NOT how the story is going to END

I'm working in three different art journals right now. It works for me because I can't stand wasting inspiration while I wait for paint to dry. This way I can work on multiple projects at the same time. It makes me feel like I can maximize my creative time, which let's face it is limited by the whims of my lovely toddler. Did I mention that I am LOVING fluorescent paints right now? Well I am! They give so much instant *POP*! You don't have to use very much either. That's my kind of paint. The art journals are calling my name. Have a brilliant day!

xoxo~

Art Journal Love ~

Hi friends! The kids and I have just finished decorating the house for Halloween/Harvest. I'm thought I'd take a break and enjoy a steaming mug of spiced cider tea. Let me tell you it smells as good as it tastes. Delicious! It's just one of the many things that I adore about this time of year! Since this is an art blog I guess I should probably get on with the art sharing! :)

I'm still on a big art journal kick. I just love that I can easily work on multiple pages at a time. It's such a great feeling when I get in a major art making mood! The one above reads~ 

You'll never get what you truly deserve if you remain attached to what you're suppose to let go of.

Next up we have~
 "Sometimes I feel so dull and uncreative that I am amazed when people tell me different." Sylvia Plath

Do you ever feel that way when creating art? Just completely uncreative. I know I do sometimes. As hard as it can be to share my work it's amazing to see it through other people's eyes. It's a gift really. Well, that's it for now. It's time for a Halloween movie with the kids. I LOVE this time of year!
xoxo,

Same Soul~

Hello, hello, hello! It's finally Friday! My kiddo's head back to school on Monday. They are soaking up every last ounce of Summer vacation, if for no other reason then to keep the boredom at bay. Seriously, Mommy needs them to go back to school! LOL! Mostly, I kid! Yesterday, in between folding load after load of laundry and playing referee I managed a little time in my art journal. Huzzah!    

"He's more myself than I am, Whatever our souls are made of his and mine are the same." Emily Bronte~

Ah, the brilliance of Emily Bronte! I confess that Wuthering Heights tortured me in High School. Perhaps it's time to dig it out of my old trunk and read it again. Back to the art journal page. I am seriously forming an addiction to fluorescent these days. It's a little hard to tell here because the color is slightly off but, trust me it's there. a POP of Pink. I acquired hot pink and hot red acrylic paint from a fabulous little local art store last week, and yesterday I finally received my fluorescent pastels from Gallery. I have been drooling over them for awhile now!

I think that is enough rambling for one day. It's a rainy, windy day today so that means house-bound children. "Calgon, take me away"!
xoxo~

For your listening pleasure~ Jars of Clay NoiseTrade EastSide Manor Mix

Dream~

Hello, hello! I have been waiting to share this new art journal page with you!

Dream~ "If your dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough."

I love this saying and it was so very perfect for this page! I was working on a different page and using this one as a place to add bits of this and that, that I didn't want wasted. Everything came about in a completely organic manner and I absolutely love it! I added cardboard circles for a delightful bit of texture. It makes me ridiculously happy. Who knew that cardboard could make me so happy? ;) Lastly, we have a ton of stamping, paint, washi tape, ink, and doodling. Just a touch of doodling to go with my hand lettering. I am having so much fun being brave and trying my hand (literally) at using my own letters. I kinda love them! 

I have created a new gallery for viewing my art work. It's really awesome to see all of my work laid out in one place. It makes me feel all grown-up or something. Check it out! Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo~

Reflect~

Back to school is just around the corner for us. I had this great plan to spend the next few days deep cleaning the house. I really wanted to start our back to reality, back to the routine, with a super clean space. Unfortunately, I had to go and get sick. Blah! So, instead I am stuck on the couch nibbling saltines. I couldn't possibly let being sick stop me from sharing a little Art Journal love with you!

Reflect~ Perhaps strength doesn't reside in having never been broken, but in the courage required to grow strong in the broken places.

This page was all about "just a little more" and "no, it's not quite there yet'. And then I looked at it and it was done. I love it when that happens. I especially love that I used colors that I rarely use. It looks fresh and free to me. The stars are an old Christmas ornament that has made it's way into my supplies as an awesome stencil. Gotta love found objects! I can't wait to share the page that I created along side this one. Until then I think it's time for a nap. 
xoxo~

You Are Radiant~

Hello, hello! It's been too long since I last posted. I have been creating a ton lately! I am so excited to share this new Art Journal spread with you.

Here's a fun little detail shot. I had a blast hand-drawing the letters. 

The colors are so much brighter then I normally work with but, it was a nice change of pace. I definitely broke out of the creative rut that I had been having.

You Are Radiant~ I just love her sweet little face! 

I had so much fun creating these pages. It was all playtime! I used some of my favorite stamps, stencils, and pens and took a few creative risks (for me). Loads of layers until the paper could barely take any more torture products! ;) That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by!
XOXO~

If You Change Nothing~

Happy Monday friends! We are slowly getting into our Monday around here. In fact some of the kiddos are still sleeping. I dare not wake them! Instead I thought I would steal these precious quiet moments to blog a little. We had a fantastic weekend! The best part was last night when we had dinner with my cousins. We rarely have the chance to get together. One of the best parts was watching our kids run around and play together. My cousin Christy and I both have 5 year old girls, they were fast friends! It warms my heart to see this new found connection! I have such great memories of growing up with my cousins. I just wish we didn't live so far from each other. All of this has nothing to do with the page that I am sharing today but, thanks for listening to me go on and on. :)

If you change nothing, nothing will change. That is the sentiment that I have to share for today and it's just so true! I am going through a period of great change and adjustment right now. It's painful and necessary. The truth is we are getting older, each and everyone of us. If you look at the landscape of your life and you don't like what you see, what are you going to do about it? Well you can do nothing and stay unhappy or you can make changes. Every little one counts! This is a reminder to me, to make those changes.
 This art journal page was so much fun to make! It has layers and layers of texture and paint, ink, pen work, tissue tape, stamps, newspaper, it's got shimmery bits, letters, and punctuation with no point! It started to get a bit grungy and I knew it was finished. I have been creating up a storm around here. I can't wait to share more with you later in the week. Until then have a fabulous Monday and thanks for stopping by!
xoxo~

The Heaviness of the World~

Happy Friday Friends! The weekend is almost here! That means two whole days of nothing but family time! I have so been looking forward to it this week! I have a dear cousin and her family coming in from half way across the country for a short visit.. I am planning on soaking up every second of time with them that I can!  

What we have here is a lovely detail shot of my latest Art Journal page. I just love all of the layers, paint, ink, stamps, pen, rub-ons, book paper... I swoon!

I was thinking while I was putting the finishing touches on this page how glad I am that I took the Art Journal plunge. For years I would see these amazing AJ pages in glossy magazines and I told myself that I could never create anything like that, all the while secretly wishing that I could. While I may not have created anything quite as fine as the masterpieces that I loved so much, I have jumped down this artistic rabbit hole and created a person treasure all my own! I am being brave (for me) with my art and my heart. I am trying new things and not really worrying about the outcome. It's liberating and invigorating. I can not recommend it enough! So grab a book, or just some paper and make it messy. You won't regret it! This page reads "Art is you being free from the heaviness of the world".  It is so very true. Art is freedom! I would love to visit your blog and see what you have created. Feel free to leave a link in the comments. Happy Friday! 
xoxo~

Yesterday's Junk~

Hello friends! I can hardly believe that we are down to our last month of Summer break. This has been an interesting season of art for me. It's been all about the art journal. Lately I have been working in short, intense bursts of creativity. I'll work on four or five pages at the same time. This does mean that there are a lot of repeated elements from page to page, yet they all still manage to maintain their individual identity.

What I see emerging is messy and free! Lots and lots of lovely texture. I haven't left my love of painting girls on canvas, this is just what is in me right now! It reads "You can't reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday's junk." Louise Smith. Wise words to remember! So, what are you going to create today? Make it messy! 
xoxo~

Raw, Open, Freedom~

Hello friends! I don't know about you but, art is therapy for me. I can't hide from myself during the creative process. Sometimes I don't even realize that I have something to say. Other times it's the best coping mechanism I have for getting through a rough patch. My journal is a truer reflection of me then looking into a mirror. It's a bit deep for a Monday, I know. Please don't run away! :)

She left her broken heart on the page 

raw

open 

freedom

layers upon layers spilled out into 

beauty

I've been thinking lately about how fleeting life is. Why do we spend so much time building all of these walls around ourselves? What would happen if we dug deep, really deep and put it all out there? Would it really be so bad? If for a change we were honest and instead of saying "I'm fine" when asked we told the truth and said "I'm a bit broken right now". We all have bumps and bruises, why not share them? It's a radical idea, right? Thanks for listening.

xoxo~

 Raw, Open, Freedom~ Art Journal Page on paper with many, many layers.

Try, try again~

Hello, hello! Creative playtime is definitely taking a backseat to all that the Summer has to offer. No worries! We are going with the flow around here. I am still immersed in the giant stack of art books I checked out from the library recently. They are filled with so much juicy inspiration! I have been taking new adventurous (for me) risks in my Art Journal. I created this page a few days ago in a flash of inspiration. When it was finished I hated the result. It was just terrible! I set it aside and just let it go. The next day I pulled out the same page and decided to keep at it!

I was determined to get my page to a place that I at least didn't hate. I mean, I really couldn't ruin it! LOL! I started smudging paint here and there with my fingers (my favorite paintbrush). I stamped a little and painted over it. I was building up some lovely layers. This is what I ended up with. I could have continued painting but, I was happy with what I had. It's not a masterpiece but, it is a finished page in my art journal and a reminder to try, try again until I am happy with the results. 

xoxo~

Just Go For It~

Summer is in full swing around here. The kids have adjusted to staying up later and sleeping in. We have an entire day stretched before us with no commitments. So many options on how to fill it. I know I definitely need some creative time in there somewhere. 

Last week I managed a little time to get create in my art journal. I was watching a Inspiration Wednesday from Donna Downey. I loved what she was creating so much that I grabbed my art journal and created along with her. If you have never watched her Inspiration Wednesday videos I really recommend them. I love how she just goes for it!

My page is less elaborate then hers but, I wasn't trying to recreate it as much as being inspired by the color and base technique. I love that it's got all of the amazing texture and text (I swoon). I love the color combination. It feels clean and yet complex. It is by far my favorite page in my art journal right now! Have you been loving a piece of art, product or technique that you have seen? Grab your art journal and just for it! You never know how it will turn out until you try. Happy Monday!
xoxo~

                                                      

Art Journal Love~

I have been in a wee bit of a creative rut the past few weeks. It's so frustrating to want to create but to feel completely creatively blocked! I decided that the best thing to do would be to turn to my Art Journal. A little creative play was just want I needed to overcome my lack of creative inspiration.

I thought that a bit of doodling would be fun. I am not the best doodle artist in the world but, it was fun (when my pen would cooperate). I also thought it was a neat way to celebrate my new nephew! This is great for creating while enjoying a program in the evening or watching a sporting event. Gotta keep those hands busy.

This page didn't exactly go as planned. I wanted to play with my watercolors but, once I started using them I realized that they really were not good. I picked up a new set of basic Crayola watercolors like I use to have back in elementary school and the difference was amazing! I can't wait to play around with them more. 

Lastly, I have had this box of what I thought were oil pastels and upon further inspection they are actually super waxy crayons. Lily (two) decided that it would be fun to color with Mommy, so this is our first collaborative piece. :) It's no masterpiece but, the process reminded me of how much I love to just color. No pressure, just pure joy! I fully recommend it! 
I am off to run some errands. First the library and then to stock up for our Fourth of July festivities! The kids are so excited! Have a fun and fabulous day!
xoxo~

Free Spirit~

I have been in a huge art journal mood this week. It's largely due to this and this. How could I not be inspired? I adore the freedom of the art journal, there are no wrong answers and I can't mess anything up! It's creative playtime at it's absolute best. If you have never tried it, I highly recommend it! I generally don't choose to share my journal pages.

My art journal right now is a moleskin paper covered notebook. The pages are thin and definitely not meant for the wet medium that I slap down at any given moment. I am doubling up the pages and generously using gesso. So far I haven't had any bleeding from one page to the next. However some of the pages are terribly crinkled. I would hate this if it wasn't just for playtime. I am embracing that and enjoying the added texture! What we have here is messy, smeary fun! Experimenting with doodling, stamping in layers, rub-ons, coffee filters and more. Plus, it was so liberating to make. Like a giant breath of fresh air. So what are you waiting for? Go have some messy fun today!
xoxo~

Bigger than your fear~

Sometimes I just need to art journal! 

This is the first page in my new Moleskin notebook that I picked up at Barnes and Noble this weekend. The pages are kind of thin so I gessoed two together for added stability. As always, thanks for stopping by!
xoxo~