ALL THINGS PASS ....

This page began when I read an online thread about dribbling with ink - which made me want to have a go, and as you can see that's what I did.  Sadly I am rather put off doing it again by the fact that I then upended half a bottle of ink all over the desk.  This rather put me off ink and I haven't used any since ... well I haven't got that much left!

Anyway, this is a Distress Ink background with the black ink dribbled onto it.  The next part was the big writing in the middle - which tells you everything you need to know about my frame of mind at the time.  I was (am) struggling with something I can't change, so needed to do some work on shifting my mental attitude - and isn't art journalling just fantastic for that?  I've worked so many things out this way .....

The "spatters" are actually a stamp, as is the picture and the number at the top.  After I'd done all the writing above, it was just down to doodling and drawing (my favourite part) until I felt the page was "finished".

Orange feels to me like a strong, positive colour - just right for the message I was trying to give myself.  It did work, and this is one of those pages I go back to sometimes to remind myself to look at life from the half-full rather than half-empty perspective.  The other thing that helps lift my mood when I get a bit down is smiling - yes really!  I heard that it triggers good hormones, something to do with the autonomic nervous system?  Anyway, it also works and I recommend it .... but not when anyone is looking or they will wonder what you've been up to!!

WISE? Not me ....

This page came directly out of one of the readings at church - which was that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"  That really got me thinking!

You know the one about "older and wiser", well I got to wondering if I am - wise that is, and I guess you can see how my mind meandered on from that.

I'd made this background I wasn't very pleased with - as you know I try to experiment outside my comfort zone - and this is Distress inks, and I've stamped the curly pattern around the edges.  I never seem to get very intense colour with distress ink - possibly because the repeat movements to build up layer upon layer are difficult for me and make my arm hurt!  I've got these sponge dabbers I rather like, but wasn't too keen on the result when I dabbed the orangey bits on.  Never mind, it seemed right to use it anyway. 

I actually drew the owl on a separate piece of paper and then stuck him onto the page, but the branch was drawn directly on.  My owl is version 3 or 4 (I wouldn't like to show you 1 and 2) and he looks a bit bad-tempered if you ask me! 

And this is how it looked when I'd finished doodling and drawing on it.  It still isn't a page I'm madly enthusiastic about (which is why I haven't blogged it before now) but I do like and want to remember the sentiment, because it still speaks strongly to me.  I'm old and wise enough to know that I've learned the most through making mistakes and blunders, even if the memory of them still has the power to make me cringe ....

PS Anyone want to buy my collection of (unloved) Distress Inks????

GRUMPY ...

Do you ever get into one of those moods where you are just thoroughly out of sorts with yourself, and kind of itchy scratchy cranky?  What our parents used to call "got out of bed the wrong side"?  I hope you do and that it isn't just me!  Anyway, it was one of those days, so when I found this picture in a magazine it really spoke to the way I was feeling ... and before you know it a journal page was the result.

I really didn't know what I was planning to do, I just stuck the picture down and then rubbed crayon (Caran d'Ache) all over the page.

And it really came alive when I brushed water onto the crayon and the colour lifted off the page.  Then, without knowing what I was going to put, I picked up a pen and wrote this!  I made myself laugh just looking at it, so was already talking myself out of my grumps.

And it just went from there.  My beloved had been in and out of my Studio - he could tell all wasn't well with me, but I didn't want to have to explain, I just wanted to get my head down and get on with it.  In a way the page is my explanation.

So I took the opportunity to get some stuff off my chest, and most definitely felt the better for it.  Some days thats what you need, right?  Plus it was an opportunity to laugh at myself for being cranky!

This page still makes me laugh when I look at it, so I can't stay grumpy for long when I read it.  Perhaps everyone should have a page in their journal which can do this - just to talk themselves out of the glums ....?