So I’ve decided to start an art journal. I started one in the past, but wasn’t nearly as inspired as I am now. So maybe I’ll actually stick with it. I’ve already completed more pages in the last 24 hours, well, less really, than I did in the whole two weeks I kept one last time. I only actually completed one page last time. So hopefully its actually taken. Or maybe I’m headed towards burnout. This gives me a chance to do myself as a stick figure. I just finished my cover after doing three pages and starting another that I haven’t finished. I imagine I’ll always have several pages in progress that I’ll come back to and finish as I get what I need to finish them. The same way I paint. Or as inspiration hits for them.

So what brought on this fit of creativity? I was looking at bookbinding. Because I wanted to sew my own journal. Keep in mind I don’t even know how to sew. But of course I want to do a coptic stitch binding homemade journal. So there I was on youtube and I found a pretty easy looking video demonstration. Not exactly a strict coptic stitch journal. But a start. And easy for someone who does. not. sew. It was in the easy peasy journal in part one and part two, about seven minutes each. But this girl also had some videos about visual journaling. They got me really going.

Well it was youtube. So it didn’t stop there. Does it ever stop with just a few videos? Is it even possible? Anyway I found a favorite and watched all her videos. And I do mean ALL. There was a time I had to pee through five of them.

Anyway…...
One thing led to another and the next think you know I was on an art bender and didn’t sleep for 23 hours. Dr. will be pissed.  Don’t tell.

So here she is. Suzi Blu. Go watch all of them. She got me over my fear. So so so much fear…. see all that fear? Here’s my fear on paper.

I have struggled with painting myself. Unable to do it so I just didn’t. Until now. I watched how she how she shaded the face so I did that. But also I was inspired to go ahead and be let my me be a little girly. I was not able to do that when I was little even though I wanted to. The only thing I was ever really allowed to have was the canopy bed. I was given that when I was asked what kind of bed I wanted when I was ten. That was a fight to get, I got it. What I didn’t get were the lacy curtains and all the pink that went with it that I really wanted. What I got were army blankets draped down it. Seriously. I was about twelve then. It made a nice cave like enclosure for me. To get to my parents bedroom they had to go through mine. so that gave me privacy and was kinda neat. I’d have rather had a room and had the lacy curtains. When I was in first grade Beth Ann, the girl up the block, had a pink room, with pink everything, and the girly stuff. I wanted that. The canopy bed was as close as I got. So now, with the help of of Suzi Blu I can finally paint me and I put me in a big fluffy skirt and I think Ill do it again and often. I might get more and more girly. I don’t have to have those hard edges from the triangle skirt.

Thank you Suzi


*I have created a new category, Journal pages. Be sure to check them out regularly. I might post up stuff that is not quite done yet as well.

ps… its still raining… turning to snow

Colorful Magic

Front cover of the new Art Journal