My Studio Mess is Legit!

(Aka: My Three Ways of Art Journaling)

My studio table is a hot mess! It’s not just because I have a plethora of wacko supplies–obviously paint, brushes, water — but also Gramma’s antique sewing patterns, string soaking in tea, packing tape and a heavy duty dispenser…

No, my studio mess is mostly because I juggle several journals at once — kind of like how in the business world one might have several clients or projects going on at once. These different journals help keep me fresh while working different skill sets. Totally legit!

I have:

1. (Regular) Art Journals — for creative, exploratory and emotional freedom
2. Way finding Journals –simple; more visual, using things I collect along the way
3.  Gina Rossi Armfield’s No Excuses daily art journal — my daily nudge to do anything

My mom, artist Karel Cline, made this journal for me!

1. My regular Art journals (above) are where I work out; where I get my “Ya-Ya’s” out. I let myself work ugly, pretty, frilly, drippy, dark, detailed, muddy, free. I used to hurry and bang these pages out in 20-30 minutes, now they go on for days!

My latest Wayfinding Journal.

Washi tape, an envelope for secrets, cut-outs from magazines, and postcards in my Wayfinding Journal.

 

2. Wayfinding Journals (above) are my journaling records of how I go along my way… Greeting cards, ticket stubs, quotes, stickers, photographs, magazine cut-outs all go in here. I let them be fun and aesthetically pleasing, kind-of like a funky, creative modern-day scrapbook. I adorn those pages with washi tape, stencils, dots, lines, words.

Way finding Journals are what I teach children (at Makers Mess!) and adults, giving them a safe and super affordable place to play and experiment. (Check out more class info here!) Students use these not only as portable time capsules (i.e., covering the year of 2015 or a special vacation), but also for gifts (birthday, anniversary, graduation, baby).

NO EXCUSES Journal 2016!

 

3. My No Excuses day planner journal (above) helps me remember the who, what, where, and when of the year. Gina Rossi Armfield is genius in her creation of this project! There are no judgements. It doesn’t have to be pretty. It just IS. When I’m really stuck, that’s where I go. Just to get something on the page!

Sometimes all three crash in a hot mess~ sometimes it almost looks civilized. But it is all legit!

What’s Your Word?

Happy 2016!!

I’m setting my intentions for the new year. A couple of years ago, I adopted a word for the year and although sometimes the word morphs half-way through the year, it really seems to work much better for me than writing down resolutions.

Last year’s word ended up being “BRAVE” — it really helped — especially moving cross-country!

This year, it’s all about “SHARE”. Share space, share stories, share light. There is so much happening in the world that hurts my heart — immigration woes, racial, religious, and sexual injustices, ineffectual weapon control, and our country’s serious lack of mental health care. And there are personal aches — witnessing dear friends’ pain and break-ups, hearing about (and knowing my own) financial trials, burrowing new relationship paths and boundaries. Awareness has opened me up — not closed me down — and begged me to listen more, offer more, and share.

In case you need it: (I did.)

(You Have Permission!)

We don’t have to go it alone.

We are all connected.

We all have inherent worth and value.

 

With that in mind, I want to start off the new year by sharing:

• Read: “YOU are a BADASS” by Jen Sincero (huge thanks to Stacy Pickerell DiCristofaro for recommending it!)
• Try: Gina Rossi Armfield’s “No Excuses Art Journaling” year-long journal project!!!!
  

  (My “No Excuses” journal from 2015)

  Really. It is super easy to do. Go at your own pace; it doesn’t take much time. It has helped me just. keep. going. Plus, on her site right now, she’s offering free video classes!

• Listen: to the best creative life permission slip ever: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I don’t care if you’re an artist, a mother, an accountant. DO IT. (Btw, if you are an accountant, know an accountant, or just wanna hear a great story about the sweetestmostloving accountant ever, listen to Rob Bell’s great podcast with Elizabeth Gilbert — it’s #21 on his site.)
• Take: Art Journaling Class for ‘Tweens and Teens!!
  

  (We’ll make and start to fill these!)

  January 24, 12:00 noon at Maker’s Mess in Silverlake, CA. (NOTE: Date was just changed from January 9 to the 24!)

• Shop: “Pay What You Can” for my prints at arts and crafts fairs. I tried offering PWYC last fall on my Etsy site, but the site didn’t support it, so I offered it in person at shows, and that rocked! Thank you!! I vow to continue sharing that pricing in person for 2016! If you see something you want, let me know and let’s make a deal!
• Grateful: As always, I give thanks for you. Yes, you. Loudly and proudly. Your support — in person and on-line — has been incredible to me. I am deeply, humbly grateful. Thank you.

Happy 2016!!