Loosening Up with Journaling by 5's...

Hey there friends!  Happy April!  How goes it in your neck of the woods?  As we speak I am watching the most beautiful lavender mourning dove perched on the edge of the birdbath in our yard. He is holding on for dear life, cuz it's incredibly windy here today.  So windy in fact, that I had to go out and fetch our gutters that blew right off the house!  But the sun is shining and it's warm so I am happy!

Anyhoo, I have something fun to share with you today - I recently discovered a new thing called "Journaling by 5s;" a system created by Shannon Green, with the idea of making art journaling more casual, fun and quick.  It's like a game, where you race against the clock, and end up with 20 finished art journal pages when you are done!

I decided to give it a try, and want to share my results so far with you!

To get the whole scoop, visit Shannon's blog, or youtube channel; but here's the general guidelines:

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Journaling by 5’s

5-10-15-20

5 sessions--all in one day or just one a week...your choice.
10 prompts--2 per session, feel free to make substitutions.
15 minutes per session--that gives you 45 seconds per page so don't mess around!
20 pages--just one side of a sheet of paper, not both sides.

These are the recommended prompts for each session. You may make substitutions to fit what you have on hand:

Session 1-Background: Paint, Ink
Session 2-Texture: Collage, Recycle
Session 3-Pattern: Stamps, Stencils
Session 4-Focal Point: Words, Images
Session 5-Details: Pen, Pencil

So far I have done sessions one and two.

THE SETUP:
I decided to use this journal, which I created years ago, and never did anything with...

 It's a 5"x8" altered book, and I thought the title "play" fit just perfect, right?

It also had just the right number of pages.  Here they are, all laid out on my work table, along with a few bottles of paint, two brushes, a credit card and my water container.  Most of the pages are from the actual book, but there is also one scrapbook page, and one orange envelope in the mix.  A few pages already had a swipe of paint on them, but I plan to add more...

SESSION ONE - PAINT:
I set the timer to 15 minutes and began. Here's what I ended up with at the end of the 15 minute session.  It was fun!  and not hard at all to get all 20 pages done within the time limit...

SESSION TWO - COLLAGE:
I knew this one would be more difficult.  I set this session up at my computer desk...

I grabbed a bunch of papers from my "paper bits" box, and made one pile of neutral colored scraps to the right of my work area...

put my stack of pages in the middle...

and a pile of colored scraps to the left...

set the timer on my ipad to 15 minutes, and began...

when the timer went off this is what my work area looked like.  The small stack in the upper right corner are pages that I never got to.  LOL. 

Here is the unfinished pile up close.  There are seven pages left.  I will have to make up for their lack of collage in the later steps...

Here's how they all look after session two was complete...

I actually took the time to cut a heart on the first one.  What was I thinking?

I think I also spent too much time worrying about which colors would look best on the page.  HA. Live and learn!  :)


But I must say I had tons of fun, and I'm really happy with how they turned out...

even if the last seven are sans collage...

I can't thank Shannon enough for coming up with this idea!  The first two steps have been sooo much fun!  I will be doing the next three steps soon, and I will keep you updated!

Wanna try it?  Here's the link to Shannon's blog and youtube channel again.  Let me know what you think!  I hope you have fun!

Thanks so much for visiting! 

Declutter Project Finished...

Hey everyone!  How's it going?  I'm excited because I get to share the results of my declutter project with you!  As I mentioned in this post, my declutter project was this antique desk in my studio. 

I LOVE this desk. It belonged to my Grandparents on my mom's side; and I have many great memories of it in their house.  Here is the before of how it looked on the inside...

First thing I did was empty the whole thing out, and give it a good cleaning and shining. I even got out the q-tips to get in all the carved nooks and crannies. Then I removed the door and put it away for safekeeping...

and here is the after...

 I even managed to put some stuff up on the wall to complete the look!

I filled the cubbies with bits and bobs that I use in my collage work.  Tags, labels, postcards, bakers twine, etc...

Thank you so much to Teresa Robinson of the Right Brain Planner, for issuing this challenge!  It got me going on a project I've been putting off for too long!  I am so happy to have my beloved desk all cleaned up! 

How about you?  Do you have any declutter projects going?

Updates in my planner journal and more...

Hey friends!  How goes it?  I've been having a blast with my No Excuses pages for March so far.  The color of the month is purple, and I've completely fallen in love with it!  Purple is not a color I've used all that much in the past.  I'm more of a pink, orange, turquoise and lime green girl; so it's been refreshing to explore a new palette.

Here are my first two weekly spreads...

Week One

 and detail shots...

Week Two:

 Detail...

This month, I'm trying a different layout each week, and it's been fun so far.  Right now I'm working on a circle layout, which is a whole new challenge!  I'll share that one with you when the week is done.


In other news, I've joined two new classes this month, and started two new subscriptions!  I just can't stop joining things!  Everything looks so fun - I cant resist!  LOL!  Here's the overview...

Workshops...

Imaginary Creatures with Carla Sonheim.  
Super fun, one week intensive on - you guessed it - drawing imaginary creatures.  :)  The class is over, but I'm not done with the lessons (ha, of course).  Here's one of the pages I completed so far.  These are watercolor blob animals and oh my goodness did I have fun making them...

They were easy and did I mention SO FUN to make?!!  A new type of drawing for me and I am loving it.


Permission to Play with Mindy Lacefield.
This is an 11-month class that started in February, and there are 18 lessons in all.  The concept of this one is to play like a child with your art, and that really appeals to me.  I'm a big fan of Mindy's work, so I'm excited to learn from her.   So far, I've only done the first lesson, but I'm having a lot of fun already.  Here's how it turned out...

The two subscriptions I started this month are The Right Brain Planner, and The Art Journaler.  These are both monthly downloads from Teresa Robinson.  Teresa's style is so cool, and her writing is very thought provoking.  A bonus is that she has a very active and fun facebook community, that I've already been learning a lot from!  There are so many things you can do with the information you get in the subscriptions.  My current plan is to use them in bits and pieces to add depth and interest to my planner journal, and I've already started doing that.  Some people make monthly booklets with them which also sounds fun.   Check it all out here if you are interested!

Alright, I guess I better stop for now.  Thank you so much for visiting my blog today!  I really appreciate you! 

Linking up with "Art Journal Every Day"

Workspace Wednesday - Declutter Time...

When Teresa Robinson, of Stargardener's Right Brain Planner, issued a challenge on facebook, to declutter one thing by this Sunday, I knew just what I wanted to do...

This is one of my prized posessions.  It is an antique secretary desk, that belonged to my Grandma and Grandpa Thompson.  It resides in my studio...

 Inside, it has lots of cute little cubbies.  I have a vision of making it look really cute by stocking it with all kinds of vintage ephemera that I use in my collage work.  I haven't done it yet tho.  This is what it looks like inside right now...

So, this will be my declutter project.  Think I can do it?  I'm excited to try!

How about you?  Do you have a declutter project that needs addressing?  Maybe now's the time???

I will be back with the results when I am done.  Wish me luck, and have a great day!

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March Guest Artist At Scrappin' Sisters...

Hi everyone!  I'm so excited and honored to be interviewed as the March guest artist over at the italian challenge blog called "Scrappin' Sisters."  I'd love it if you come on over and leave me a comment!  That would be so awesome!  Plus, Scrappin' Sisters is a really cool challenge blog, maybe you will want to play along!  Here's a sneak peek of the page I made for their challenge...

 Can you guess what the prompt might be?

Click here to come on over to Scrappin' Sisters and find out!

Life Book 2015 is Fun, Fun, Fun!

I'm so glad I signed up for Life Book again this year!  I've been having a blast with the weekly projects, and actually keeping up!  Here are the latest three pages...

This one was called "Favorite Favorites," with Lynn Whipple. It was so much fun filling up my jar with random favorite stuff...

The next week we learned gold leafing with Mati Rose McDonough, which I had never tried before!  I will be doing more of that cuz it was magical!

I just finished this one last night.  It's called "Layers of your Heart," with Tam LaPorte...

In the background, I wrote the lyrics to an old song I Love by World Party.  It speaks to the theme of gratitude so perfectly, I had to include it!

In the pocket is a little booklet of hearts, that fans out to look like this...

I'll leave you with the video for the World Party song I mentioned.  I hope you enjoy it!


Thanks so much for visiting today!  I hope you have an awesome day!

Finished Alchemy Cards...

Hi friends!  I'm excited to share my finished alchemy cards with you!  As I mentioned in this post, I took an online class from Mindy Tsonas called the Inner Alchemy Circle: Air-Coven, Animal Spirits and Archetypes, where we made a deck of 28 alchemy cards.  I found the class not only super fun but enlightening as well!  Here's how I finished off my deck...

Here is the finished deck.  Mine actually has 29 cards, because I added in a raven card (since the raven is my spirit guide).  In the middle of the circle is a box I've had for many years, which is the perfect size for the cards!  Yeayyy!

The images on the cards were all found either in magazines or on the web.  

(The cards are for my personal use only.)

 I created the backs for the cards with painted blank newsprint (packing paper), one of my favorite raven stamps, and a simple typed label.  I also laminated them with my hubby's laminating machine, so I can use them without worrying about wrecking them.

See how nicely they fit into the box?  

Today, I'm excited because registration is open for Mindy's next circle gathering!  This time we will be focusing on the element of Water.  I'm looking forward to exploring new ways of designing another deck of cards to add to my collection.  I'm thinking maybe collage this time?!  Want to join in? Click here for more info.

Thanks so much for visiting today!  I appreciate you!

Finishing up February's planner pages...

Hello there friends out in the blogosphere! 

It's a beautiful sunny day here in Minnesota.  There's snow on the ground, but you can see little patches of grass here and there, and the temperature is in the 20's.  For us, that is warm.   How are things in your neck of the woods?

I am excited to share the rest of my planner journal pages for February! It's been so much fun focusing on the color pink!

Here's the monthly view...

Note: The bottom left hand corner (#23) is a new Krishna stamp designed by Jessica Sporn.  Check it out here!


and here are the daily squares for last week - four women, a wolf and a greyhound...

 I challenged myself to do a drawing a day in the squares.  It was fun!  Each of the drawings was inspired by a photo I found on pinterest.  Two of the squares came from No Excuses "Sprout" challenges...

 This one was a "wolf" challenge...

and this challenge was called "Pathways..."

The end of February also brought the journal to it's last page.  I started a new journal for March, and this month, the No Excuses color is Purple!  I will share some of those pages soon!

I hope you are having a superb Saturday!  Thanks so much for visiting!  I appreciate you so much!

Planner Journal Update...

Just a quick share of my planner/journal pages for last week...

On the left is the valentine I got from Michael; and on the right is a little note he left me on a napkin one morning, tucked into a "Smashbook" brand ziplock bag.

Here's how the left side looks with the flap open...

and the right side with the flap open.  The drawing is done with pitt pen, and most of the color is done with tombow marker...

I'm learning to use a parallel pen in my Artfully Inspired Life class...

Oh my goodness - these pens are the coolest things ever!  They are calligraphy pens that work with ink cartridges, and come in different nib widths.  The ink flows so nicely, and I love the fact that it's water soluble, which allows you to add some bleeding around the lines.  So fun!

American Songwriter's Lyric of the Week was a fave of mine, so I printed out the article and tucked it into an envelope...

Some journaling pages.  On the right is the result of one of those online quizzes that are always roaming around on facebook.  This one was "what color fairy are you?"  I liked that I ended up being a fairy with a crow, so I added it onto the page as a flap...

Here's the back side of the flap, where I added another flap...

and here's the extra flap opened...

Tonight I'm working on finishing up my February pages in this journal, so I will be ready to start March on Sunday!

I hope you are having a fabulous Friday my friends!  Thanks so much for visiting!

Documented Life Project - Words With Friends...

Hi friends!  Just a quick share for you today.  I'm way behind on the Documented Life Project; but I finished a page for the January 24th prompt.  Here's what the challenge was...

January Theme
The Blank Page and How to Face It!
January 24
Art Challenge:  Writing
Journal Prompt:  Words with Friends

Here's how mine turned out...

I started out by filling both pages with writing about what I feel is necessary in a friendship, what has and hasn't worked in the past, etc.  I didn't think I'd have much to say, but the words flowed freely once I got started.  :)

After that I just started playing with colors and shapes until an idea presented itself.  I've been doing that more and more lately, and finding that it's a good way to stave off fear of the blank page.  Anyhoo, after I figured out I wanted a big heart, I drew it with a stabilo all pencil, and then covered everything else with a light coat of gesso.  The wings were painted on top, and the pink shading is done with my ever-loving Tombow Markers.  Those things are soooooo useful.

The last thing was adding the quote with a permapaque marker.

So much fun!!!

Are you doing the documented life project this year?  It's still free!  If you want to find out more about it, click here.

Thanks so much for visiting today!  I wish you a fabulous Friday!