Should I adopt another new year?

I might just need a summer new year. As I journaled and mediated and worshiped and prayed this weekend I realize that I currently celebrate three new starts during the year.

 

There’s January when the calendar year changes. There’s Easter when I celebrate the renewal of life with the resurrection, and there is September, which I’ve written about before—the back to school new year (something about those school supplies gives me a call to set goals, organize and start projects).

 

Chart from David Allen's GTD web site

For my spring new year I have been studying and practicing the methods David Allen promotes in his book, “Getting Things Done.” One of the most appealing aspects of his system is to release the lists that are spinning in your head and get more done by trusting your list.

 

I’m a big fan of emptying my head. That is one of the reasons I am devoted to journaling and journaling in the 80% written format. It empties my head. Now I’ve found a method that promotes me emptying my head. Is this the answer to my unquiet mind?

One of my recent journal pages- I write
more than I create designs. Artful lettering
and written work with ink/paint background.

So far, it’s working when I work it. My lists feel too long and jumbled. I want to go back and review how he explains making choices based on my priorities. He uses the analogy of a plane on the runway and increasing miles above the ground to explain this theory.

I have not been playing in my studio nearly as much as I desire. It’s a state of chaos in there which may be my biggest deterrent and not this new system.

 

Today I am home unexpectedly. I am going to empty my wandering brain and clear my inbox. Wishing you a joyful and abundant Spring.

 

Art Journal and Doodle Inspiration

Journal doodles are popping up on every page lately. At first I was working on doodle dollies and then I moved on to bunnies (from Noni Art) and bugs and flowers like this bee on a purple bloom.

I’ve been asked often where I get the inspiration for doodle shapes. Most of the Noni art is just Zen. I look at the painted area like I’d look at clouds to find shapes. On fancy artist days, I think of myself as a sculptor looking at stone before chipping out the statue.

Doodling on blank paper or newsprint is a bit more defined. I look online for inspiration, I practice, and I make it my own. I’ve traced photos in my journal to turn them into doodles, I’ve doodled photos, and I’ve looked at my rubber stamps for inspiration.

Some of the Zen-tangle things I worked on a while back are coming into play as well. I don’t concentrate on filling each space as much as I start with a few lines and work out. Next I “find” shapes in the doodles much like the Noni art process.

See http://www.artfultourist.blogspot.com/2013/04/noni-art-what-you-get-when.html for background on the Noni Art.

Bloom Child Noni Art

My Noni art is appearing everywhere. Here’s an ATC sized piece that rests happily in my art journal.

 

 

See http://www.artfultourist.blogspot.com/2013/04/noni-art-what-you-get-when.html for background on the Noni Art.

Long time no see journal pages

Used upcycled chip board for front and back covers.

I was asked the other day if I was still art journaling.  The art journal has become so much a part of me that I have neglected to mention it on the blog for some time now. So, here’s where I am this year:

·         I made my own spiral bound journal with the Zutter™

·         I adore using this journal with all the cool insert pages I put inside

·         I average 45 minutes daily writing, working, playing in my journal

·         I’m still more of a writer than an full page artwork kind of journal keeper

·         I have been experimenting more with original drawings and different mediums like Pan Pastels™

My only full page entry so far this year--
she is Naomi Jean.

Here are some recent pages from my “of course I’m still journaling” Journal.  Stay mighty-- arm yourselves with pens my fearless ones!

This is the bossy sitcom lady listing my pointless
complaints about the world, for example,
 knowing the difference between a butter knife
 and a table knife.

                                                                                                 

Yes--there is still time to register for the FREE wreath class in West Palm Beach.

If you're happy and you know it

I just watched this by referral from my long-time Internet friend and inspiration Asling D'art. If you don't have time for all 12 minutes (which I heartily recommend because he's fun, knowledgeable and entertaining) then fast forward to about the 11 minute mark. There you will see the formula for happy living which includes gratitude lists and journaling.

"New" Video Up -- 5 EZ techniques for Altered Book Art Journals

As previously mentioned, I am not going to miss time in my studio to put my studio projects online. Making movies and taking great photos is a wonderful art form but it is not the one I choose first. Consequently, I end up finding videos I made months ago and realizing I never posted them. Here's one on art journal techniques from last spring.

2012 Art and other Journals Update

I used my altered book art journal every day last year with the exception of about 6 days. I am so happy about that and I really FEEL so good when I create in my journal every day. I used a new book every quarter and still have to do a review of Journal 4 from 2011 for posting.

Oddly enough, although I prepped an altered book for 2012, I decided to step away from the altered books and use a blank page journal. I thought I'd try it for a quarter and now I'm not sure if I can even last a month with it. I still experience that blank page anxiety and I tend to use the journal in my study not my studio so the entries are not as fun to view.

I created a total of 3 scrapbook pages in 2011 and I thought perhaps the art journaling alleviated my desire for scrapping. The experiment in a "plain" book was a test to see if I would scrapbook more without an art journal. So far, I have made 3 scrapbook pages in January 2012...but the verdict is still out. I will find some balance between the two creative outlets very soon.

Here are a few photos of the "plain page" book I'm using this month. It is a journal I bought years ago in Fort Lauderdale and liked so much I didn't want to use it. All journal keepers have had that experience at one time or another, right?

This one has a cool feature call a Zen board in the back. You wet a brush with water and paint on the board. Within 5 minutes the painting disappears and you can do another one. That part is quite fascinating, but may not be enough for my every day use.

Cover of first journal for 2012 before alterations

Painting before a written entry

Same painting as it fades

I decorated the front with my "one little word" OTL and call to action.

12 Excuses I made not to post on my blog Sunday



1. The only things I can think to write about world events today and 10 years ago Sunday sound trite and polly-anna-ish to me right now. See what I mean? I’m using self-created words which really annoy me. Stamp by Dream Impressions, part of a collage I made in 2002.








2. Because when I keep thinking I'll find a bigger audience
 for Paper Temptress projects and I can't post them here first.
.Sticky Note pads decorated with Paper Tempress Card Stock

 




3. I haven’t created the web page I have planned to feature the in-depth review of this technique yet. These are Journals I made with my Zutter--they are a series called "Time to Journal" and are made from blank time cards.

 

4. There are so many things to post and I don’t want to take away

from them by just squeezing them in quickly.New set of ATC from one sheet

 for a video I'm planning.


…




5. Because it’s a good time to just pet my dog(s). Our Daisy is always ready for a cuddle



6. Becasue I just woke up or I want to lay down.
Drexel, Lord of Nap, joins me in sleeping and
waking up twice a day. It's called Chronic Fatigue.



7. Because I can't always remember if I posted something earlier and I don't want to go back and check. Club Scrap pear stamp on tag in two color sets.



9. Because I thought I looked
skinner than this.



10. Because I feel compelled to explain things in detail
 that really just need to be shown. Sign on my doctor's desk.




8. Because looking through my foldiers

is so distracting. I keep finding photos

I wanted to use weeks ago like this live

lizard hood ornament as I drive down

Belvedere.







11. Because the photo would be so much better if I had time to crop it, enhance it, and add digital elelments.

These are some button rings I tried immediately after stubling onto a You Tube Video
 



Anna Claire Schloesser, born 8.28.11 to Sir Henry's daughter Molly and her husband Ryan.



It's Been Baby Grand Week Around Here--

which brings me to # 12:

 

When I look at what's really important to me all the other photos just dim in comparison.

 



Owen Marshall Haddad, born 9.1.11 to my
 God-daughter Brittany and her husband John.





Hailee Renee Chattin--two years old in July 2011. This picture of my first born grand baby reminds me of the stamp image face in the first photo.





As always, click to enlarge any photo....

Blessings of joy and peace





Artful Tourist Tenants of Creativity



Background from Designer Digitals, image from Deviant Scrap.

 By releasing the cumbersome burden of my old web site I am inspired to create new projects and pages. Today I took an extra hour of my Thursday morning scheduled renewal time (yes, I schedule renewal) to create imagery for my Tenants of Creativity. These nine tenants represent my personal philosophy of creativity. I made an art journal page in May that I've wanted to express digitally for weeks. I'm so refreshed by this process.




The art journal spread that inspired the Tenants of Creativity


Explore your own tenants of creativity the next time you visit your studio space or consider an Artful Tourist workshop to guide you in this process.

Look for individual tenants of creativity to be posted on the Artful Tourist Facebook page in the coming days. You are welcome to tag them or print them for your personal use and inspiration.

Now What's in my journal?

The first artful visual journal of 2011 is complete. I bid it a fond farewell in this video and also post my update for the Art Journal Every Day group on Julie Balzer's blog.

I had to make three version of this video because the first two were really too long to be considered a quick peek inside. I'm going to use some things from the longer one on my web site so it is also posted to You Tube. You can scan the bar at the bottom of the blog post to check out the long version. My advice--skip the long one and go journal--grin.

Art Journal Every Day with Julie Balzer