THE POWER OF JOURNALLING ...

I've now been making art journals (am on my 5th!) since August 2010, and am still constantly amazed by how this process can bring healing and peace, even through some pretty tough times. It seems to me that a purposeful reflection on life's events, or decisions made, in which you try to face clearly and boldly the mistakes you may have made (and I HAVE) has a powerful value in allowing you to move through and beyond the things that hold you back ......

I've been challenging myself lately to try new techniques and styles that don't necessarily come naturally - with occasionally surprising results! I tend to choose one colour and stay with it in toning shades, but I made myself pick several here - look at me combining orange and purple! And it looks nice, another lesson learned. This is all done with my trusty Caran d'Ache crayons, my favourite medium, and I've added a wiggly black line as a frame - I do that a lot, it seems to ground the page somehow?
And then I was cross with myself for one again forgetting that I could add texture, so dug out this mask that I'd never used (because I'm not sure I like it) and gave it a go, in the process managing to add deeper colour.
Another thing I sometimes forget is to use my vast array of stamps (you can never have too many, right?) and I haven't used this typewriter set nearly enough since I bought it. I also used a Paula Best stamp that hasn't had an outing lately (the face) and I can't think why because I LOVE it. You forget you've got them sometimes don't you?

I got so absorbed at that point that I totally failed to take any more stage by stage pictures, but you can see that I had a wonderful time drawing and doodling as well! About half way I realised I was writing in straight lines again, so I added the purple bit and now I love it. I seem to get stuck in a rut sometimes ... but fortunately not this time.
I love adding little doodly bits at the end - I bought a book on Zentangle and it has encouraged me to really explore the patterns and styles of doodling. What I've written here is just SO true for me - I'm a bit of a bore on the subject because it just seems to me a great discovery that could help SO many people, not just me. The best part for me is when someone else latches onto the power of art journalling and tells me how it has transformed their life - that's flippin BRILLIANT!