Doodling Cards

This week I have been painting, learning new techniques and creating art.  By Friday I was totally spent.  I had enjoyed my burst of creativity, but now I was empty.  I cleaned up the art table and put everything away.  I rested a bit and even took a brief nap.  When I got up I decided to try and find something to make.  Nothing called to me though.  I gathered all of  my neon craft supply stash that I could find and put it all together.  Still nothing.  I started putting everything away again and saved my colored cards.  I then saw I had a new brush tip black marker.  Hum...  This could be something.  I started doodling and look what came up.  I started making these inspiration cards and doodles, found my metallic markers and 'Boom'!  Back in the creativity vortex.   These cards make me so happy.  It's so empowering to be inspired by yourself.

Stamping

My hands have been hurting from all of the knitting, crocheting and iPad movements.  I wanted to express my creativity and decided to unpack my stamps and paints.  It's a great way to create your own artisan journal paper to use in scrapbooking or collage or vision journal.  Plus it's very relaxing and fun.

Mom and Me Time

There are many roles that I have taken on in this lifetime, daughter, sister, student, entrepreneur, artist, wife and mother.  The one role that I feel is truly my life purpose is that of a mother.  I have been a single mother for the past fifteen years.  There are a lot of challenges involved, lack of sleep, lack of help, lack of energy, lack of time, lack of support you can go on and on and on with the lack song.  There is one thing that you have an abundance of and that is Love!  Love from your children and Love for your children.  There are many times that I wanted peace and quiet to be left alone.  But, the kids continue to push the boundaries and insist that their presence be known. Finally,  I stop whatever I thought was important and cave into the hugs and kisses and the 'I love you mommy's'.  They make the 'lack song' go away and my heart sings a new song of 'Love and Joy.'

For most of my life I have been using journaling and intuitive collage to express myself.  Here is a collage that I made that represents 'motherhood' to me.

For throwback Thursday here is a picture taken during my first year of single motherhood about 15 years ago.  P.S.  my two youngest children were born around valentines day.  How about that for Love!

New Edition

I began designing and developing this Journaling workshop in 2005.  This was the second edition of my "Weave Your Dreams Workshop".  I launched it in 2008 and have facilitated workshops and have personally used this journal since then.  It is now torn and tattered from traveling and lots of use.  My life circumstances have drastically changed since 2005.  I think it's time this year to began work on a new edition with a 2015 launch.  Wow, ten years have flown by!  I'll revise, revamp, renew and rejoice with this new 'Dream Journal.'  I can't wait to see where my past experiences (the good, the bad and the ugly) will take me in this new phase of journaling.

Creating a Visual Collage

I use intuitive visual collage journaling to assist me in manifesting what I want to create in my life.  For this month I am focusing on wellness.  This has been a lifelong challenge for me since I have been hospitalized many times since the age of 3.  During my art therapy training I learned that creating collage art helps to take your ideas and visions out of your head and your body.  This then creates a visual picture for your brain to focus on, which then allows your subconscious to participate in the manifestation of your ideas and desires.

Planning new workshops.

Today, I've been preparing and planning new workshops for this year using mandala art and zen tangle.