THANK YOU ...

I was looking back at my journal pages (coming towards the end of book no.14) and couldn't help noticing that they deal a lot more with the things I struggle with than all the blessings in my life.  So I decided to redress the balance with this page, and made a positive start by painting it pink, which is my happy colour!

I added a pretty lady from my stash of clippings and started to draw and put down collage elements - trying always to resist my tendency to put a simple frame around the page.  Nothing wrong with doing that, but I do like to challenge myself to work in different ways.

While working I was thinking about how small my life has become - not getting out all that much, social life primarily online etc etc, usual self pity party.  Gave myself a good telling off for not appreciating what I do have - it may be a little life but it IS a good one, with friends and family, a whole host of hobbies and interests, and generally so much to be grateful for.

Lots of fun doodling and drawing on this page, as you can see - that's the part I enjoy most, getting in the zone and just playing with paint pens and collage.

Sorry I haven't written much here, but it was our youngest daughter's wedding this past weekend.  It was the most wonderful day in a historic hall in the city of York, but unsurprisingly it was also very very tiring.  Now back at home and planning to rest and recover most of this week .... but (at risk of vanity) I did want to demonstrate that I can clean up well when I have to!

PS if my hair looks a bit odd its because I am wearing a tiny little black hat!
Rosie x

FAVOURITE TIMES ...

 

This page started with me painting the page pink (because its my favourite colour) and then (having no better ideas) I went and rummaged in my collection of cut-out words.  When I found the words "favourite" and "times" I knew where I was going!    It seemed like a good time to count my blessings really - well, when isn't?

And this picture below shows you how I work - having got down the words I wanted and adding some grey shadows, I was pulling out pink scraps of collage, such as flowers etc ... you can see further down which ones made it onto the page.  I have stuff all over the desk when I'm trying things out!

So here is the finished result - I'm sure there are many more blessings I could have recorded, but these were the ones which came readily to mind.

There were lots of empty spaces, but I think the white lines really add something to the background.  Part of the inspiration here was that I'd just received a beautiful bunch of roses from my man, and always feel amazement that after 40+ years together he still brings them!  I'd also just finished a really great book (Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine) which I'd loved.

It makes you realise that its not the great big things that mean the most, but a whole host of little things that light up your everyday life.

Tomorrow my aching legs will be parked in front of the TV as I watch the Royal Wedding coverage.  I'm not much of a royalist, but I do LOVE a good wedding!
Rosie x

LOVE AND LIGHT ...

My apologies that I've let two weeks go by without a post - I've been less than well and haven't worked very much in my journal lately.  

I don't feel that this page is one of my best, but then again I'm often surprised by what I like against what other people prefer, so I offer it simply as the authentic product of where I am in life ....it does the job of saying what I wanted without necessarily being my most creative or original effort.

It began with my digging out my Neocolour II crayons - I have fads on various materials and haven't used these for a while.  I love what happens to them when you add water - sheer alchemy!

I was reflecting on all the death and darkness I've experienced lately, and have been wondering if I could somehow put this to positive use.  Then I realised that I already have - it has made me look again at my life and the people in it, so often taken for granted.  It probably sounds cliched to say that I realise now how very blessed I am ... but that's how it feels.

I got so caught up in trying to capture that thought that I forgot to take any pictures until it reached this stage.  However you can probably guess that to the background above I added the circles, and then the writing, followed by the white doodling.

Like I said, it isn't one of my favourite pages, but I'm struggling with my energy levels at the moment - probably in reaction to all that has been happening.  Yet another reason to think about my many joys and blessings rather than dwell too much on loss ...

But I have made myself one promise - to do my very best to live the life I've been given as fully as is physically and mentally possible.  My friend didn't get to do that, so I feel honour bound to do it for her, for both of us.

So I will be cherishing my friends, my family, and the lovely life I have more than ever, giving thanks for 37 years of friendship, and realising as never before that there really is no time to waste ....

BLESSINGS?

And a very good time to count them I suppose ... particularly when everyone is busy busy with Christmas and holiday stuff? This page began with my watersoluble crayons, and then because for once I knew what I wanted to write about I stencilled the numbers and added some Artchix pictures. As so often with my journal I then wrote the key phrase on the page, and everything flowed from there ....
This time of year always makes me feel all misty and sentimental - I think maybe that happens to a lot of people? The smaller writing was done with a fairly ordinary coloured pen but the deep purple was .... wait for it .... yes you guessed! Promarkers (again). I've got some of those nib attachments that make it possible to do a finer line.
The flowers are Promarkers too - I love how you can get shading by using closely related colours. I had carols going on the CD player and was generally feeling lucky and happy - not to mention the fact that I could smell mince pies cooking next door! Sometimes you need to remember to journal the good stuff and not just the negatives .... even if the latter seem to have the most impact?