Art Journaling

I found this little snippet on the right in a magazine and found the thought very interesting...

"Happiness consists in finding out precisely what the "one thing necessary" may be in our lives, and in gladly relinquishing all the rest. For then, by a divine paradox, we find that everything else is given us together with the one thing we needed."

Thomas Merton

spring sketching

The first tulip blooming on the patio, trees in bloom and tiny wildflowers at the park...

This is a drawing with a layout that has more writing than drawings that I like to do for something  different every once in awhile.

The second tulip to bloom and a couple of birds that I've seen this spring around the patio, that I think I identified correctly (drawn from photos not real life because they don't stay around long enough)

I would say that spring is probably my favorite time for sketching. I love seeing new flowers and birds.

Art Journal Pages

Make time for Art...

Roses make me happy...

Things I want to do this spring

I like to make a list each season of fun things I want to do, with a few pretty pictures added in.

1. plant a patio garden
2. read biographies, memoirs and books on well-being
3. sketch spring flowers
4. make little flower arrangements
5. put together journal on self-care ideas
6. do a spring cleaning and get organized
7. identify and sketch 5 birds
8. press pansies and wildflowers
9. cook something using asparagus
10. go to Winghaven to see the birds and bluebells...

What do you like to do during the spring season, any special rituals or activities?

little tea party drawings

another page of little drawings...

I switched  to a smaller notebook with white paper for my little drawings which for now I think I like better.

more drawings of teacups and sweets which are my favorite things to draw right now and I love the idea of a garden tea party...

Guest post:tips for inspiration boards

Today I have a very special guest post...Michelle Pino from Skana a beautiful spa in upstate New York would like to share her tips on creating inspiration boards for projects and ideas.

How to Create and Use an Inspiration Board

An inspiration board provides creative inspiration for a multitude of projects. At the beginning of a creative project, many people create this helpful collage from found photos, designs and bric-a-brac to find emerging themes and focus creative energy. Here are some simple steps for creating:

1.         Search and capture images, either digitally or from magazines. Digitally you can grab images from snapshots you capture on your cell phone or online from inspiring blogs. In addition to specialized blogs, Pinterest and Wiki Commons offer great inspiration.
2.         Make a list of what you need. Whether you are redecorating, planning an event or giving your wardrobe a makeover, it’s time to set aside those photos and figure out what you need and what you already have.
3.         Go back to your resources for more photos. This time your search will be a little more focused as you have determined what you need for the project. Now you can fill out your photo collection.
4.         Find an anchor. Look through your collection and note recurring themes. Is there something that ties the entire collection together? A theme might be a texture, a color or color value, a shape or an idea such as inspiration from movies or a particular era from which you have collected items. Choose an image that best represents your theme, and use it as your central image.
5.         Begin making connections. Sort through your photos, and pick the ones you like best. Determine how they fit with your anchor. Take time to order your collage. Let it evolve organically.
6.         Sit with your board. After everything is tacked into place, spend some time with your creation. Does it feel finished? Place it somewhere that you can look at it frequently, but don’t touch it for a full week.
7.         Make any changes you wish after spending time with your board. Remove things that annoy you. Add things from your collection to finish the board. Sit with the board again. When it feels complete, your board will bring focus as you plan your project.

Many projects will benefit from an inspiration board. Use one to plan a wedding or create a new look for your home. You can even use an inspiration board to help you plan and update your wardrobe. In fact, you can draw focus and inspiration for any creative project with a visual aspect by utilizing this handy tool.

This spring I’m really looking to give my patio and landscape some extra attention, unlike past years.  I’d like to utilize my patio as my getaway, and space to relax.  To me that means lots of flowers and comfy lounging.  There is some great landscaping near where I work.  The Central New York wedding venue hosts several outdoor wedding ceremonies because of the gorgeous work they do.  Sprawling Tulips make for a beautiful landscape.  They are usually the first sign that the spring season has arrived.  Since spring flowers like tulips, have already been planted in the ground, local nurseries usually sell tulips in pots.  This time of year you can also find Easter Lilies and Hydrangeas.  Hydrangeas are very popular in landscape and even in wedding decorations. I used the picture of the potted hydrangeas as my source of inspiration.  Annuals usually aren’t planted until later in May.  Potted flowers are a great way to decorate your outdoor space.  Not only do they give off a nice aroma, but also they can add color to your space.  Lastly, I’ll need a comfy spot to read my books like a nice lounge chair or hammock.

photo credit: Turning Stone Landscape | DIY planters | Hammock | Hydrangeas

This is my board that I put together in a notebook. I've always gathered pretty images into notebooks but had never thought of using one for a specific project. So I was very excited about this idea and put together my ideas for a patio garden.

Thank you Michelle for sharing your ideas with us!

sketchbook

Some recent sketchbook pages...This first one was started in January but then I didn't finish it until March. It's a drawing of the book "The country diary of an Edwardian Lady" by Edith Holden.

This is a sketch of a few of my favorite Spring things: Pansies, the Tulip bulbs starting to come up, and chocolate egg candies by Cadbury. 

and this one is a sketch of a book that was recommended by a blog reader who sent me a really nice email. It's The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton and I can't wait to start reading it, it sounds really good.   The other page is a drawing of some paper pinwheels that I made for Spring decorations.

I hope everyone is starting to see and the feel the first signs of Spring!

little drawings

I used to like to do little miniature drawings but I haven't done it for awhile. So I had this nice leather journal that I haven't ever found a use for and I decided to fill it with little drawings from books, magazines, and my imagination. I found that I really like to draw food and teacups... 

Art Journaling

I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post, I definitely didn't mean for this much time to go by . I'd really like to try posting more often and to get more organized about it.

So today I have some of my latest art journal pages with quotes and words from The Simple Abundance Book, which is such a wonderful book. I love going back to it again and again for inspiration.  

 Art Journaling on my bed which is one of my favorite places to journal.

 This spread is almost finished but I haven't decided what to write on the sticker yet. I'll wait till something strikes me. (the sticker is from a collection by Anahata Katkin's Papaya company and the photo is from Madelyn Mulvaney"s blog)

"The best thing is the feeling you get when you're inspired"

Penelope Dullaghan

Making Journals and Sketching

A few handmade journals using old books (I cut out the old pages and add in either watercolor paper or basic sketchbook paper with a basic binding technique) and cover with paper and images. I became addicted to the process and made quite a few at once. I use them for art journals or for keeping notes.

A couple of more recent sketchbook pages too....

 These are some drawings of a couple more of the covered books: one for memory keeping and the other is a one line a day journal.

new year art journaling

I'm having a hard time starting into the new year, I've  been procrastinating a lot and can't quite seem to organize the thoughts and projects in my head, because I do have a lot of things I want to do.

I have been doing a little bit of art journaling, this page is almost finished, it's some journaling about the word that I chose to focus on for the year, which is calm because lately I've been more impatient and irritated so I knew this was the word for this year, it helps me breathe and focus on the present. Did anyone else pick a word for the year?

Holiday Time

A  Christmas Wreath

Coffee and Fruitcake.

 I love fruitcake, I know most people don't but there is something  very 'christmasy' about for me. There are some really good ones out there. This is a French one from World Market and a German Stollen fruitcake with powdered sugar on top.

Some of the Holiday books I'm reading....

The Quiet Little Woman by Louisa May Alcott

Immoveable feast by John Baxter(a french christmas)

Miss Reads Christmas

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

Let there be peace on earth

Winter-Christmas List

This is a list of things that I want to do this winter. It's a little notebook of lists for each season....

1. Make garlands and decorations
2. Light candles
3. Practice embroidery
4. Have a peppermint shake @ chick-fil-a
5. Make christmas cookies
6. Try December Daily
7. Watch Holiday movies
8. Have lots of hot chocolate and eggnog
9. Read Christmas novels and childhood favorites
10. Drive around and look at Christmas lights

Holiday Smashbook

I ordered the huge pretty pocket SMASH folio awhile back and then I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to use it for.So when the holidays rolled around, I thought it would be perfect for all my christmas inspiration and ideas like crafts, recipes and cookies. The large size seems to work well for this fun and whimsical time of year. So here are a few of the pages...

This is a label for the cover. I traced an Anthropologie card onto scrapbook paper and then used Rub-ons from Kand Company and green gems. I added red polka dot washi tape across the cover to look like it's gift wrapped.

This first spread is for ornament ideas and a little article on 'tree trimming 101'. I have room to add more.

 This spread and pocket are for craft and embroidery ideas and I added some washi tape to the yellow paper to make it look more festive. Some of the paper in the SMASH folio had a holiday feel but others needed more christmas embellishments added.

  This spread and envelope are for holding my favorite christmas cookie recipes.(I love the large envelopes that come in this Smashbook...)I also added adhesive borders to these pages.

This next section is for christmas decorating ideas and wreaths

 I put little pictures in the plastic sleeve that comes attached in the book. It has 9 slots on each side.

This area is for ideas on comfort and relaxation during the holidays.

The last part of the book is for more pretty pictures and an envelope for christmas memories. I added a Merry Christmas rub-on and chipboard pieces to the label already on the envelope.

 For the inside cover I paper-clipped a few recipes for the holidays and I have all of the tabs for each section- crafts, ornaments, cookies, relaxation, decorating, wrapping gifts, and memories.                                                                          

 

on the inside pocket of the back I added in extra things like this article from Victoria about the movie Little Women, one of my favorites during the holidays. Also a little quote I taped in:

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Norman Vincent Peale

 

The list journal project

The List Journal

The recent list in the "The List Journal" project is What I collect for Art Journaling, so this one was really fun to do and I covered the page in all my favorite add-ons and supplies like:

letter stickers and stamps

pens and colored pencils

washi tape

all kinds of paper 

labels, embellishments, and quotes

 This project is so much fun and I look forward to each saturday for the new list prompt.

Art Journaling...

Goodies arrived in the mail

I haven't ever ordered art/craft supplies online before now, and it was so hard waiting for the package to arrive but worth it when it did. I ordered a few things to use in Christmas journals too, I can't wait to begin using it all.....

Lots of flower drawings

This past week I wanted to try and make some of my own little labels and things for journaling like "to do" lists, top 10, inspiration, and more.  Plus small labels where I can add the date or a title. It was a lot of fun, I love drawing flowers on everything.... Mostly roses as you can tell :)

Sketchbook Page

I just started a new sketchbook this weekend and I hope to work in it at least once a week...on this first page I drew a couple of pansies and some groundcover and then used colored pencils to add the color. I switch back and forth between watercolors and colored pencils, and sometimes I think that colored pencils are definately my favorite medium to use.

Making Lists in my Art Journal



List Journal Prompts

 

I found this project a couple of weeks ago on ihanna's blog and now I am trying to catch up on the lists. I thought the journal I have been using right now would be perfect because its small and just right for a list of a few words. It's a journal where I've already done the background collages and as it turns out a lot of them suited the list ideas perfectly like this one on Dream Places to Travel  which already had a picture of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

 

My list of 5: Paris, the Cotswolds in England, Cornwall England, Maine(which is the one place on this list that I've been, but I just love it, so I included it) and Hawaii. 

 

The next prompt is Favorite Fruits  and my list includes:Cherries, Peaches, Raspberries, Canteloupe, and Strawberries