Daily Journaling Week 9

I'm following the prompts of the original Documented Life 2014. Week 9 : collage something you recycled. This part was easy - did you see my haul of recycled magazines from the book sale last week?

Additionally, on the blog for Life Documented 2017 HERE we had a fun demo of adding a clear tip-in with a window. Obviously I needed to add a flap again to my spread - I flipped through one of my magazines from Jan/Feb (just happens to be that one in the photo top left!) and after finding a suitably summery picture, glued it to my flap, and punched a circle window in it. 

I attached it on the inside with plain masking tape since I will go over that, and then edged the collaged image with pretty tape on both sides. I decided to start the inside spread with a pretty sunshiney base to reflect the wonderful weather we've been having this past week or so - Summer love at last. I don't believe it's the first day of Autumn - hopefully we won't feel that for another few weeks - I'm guessing {hoping} that we'll be able to wait until at least the equinox March 20 before we begin a change of season.

I had several choices for my clear element : pretty plastic wrap (recycled), a scrap piece of printed vellum, and a transparency previously stamped with staz-on ink

I decided this would go over the window of the tip-in (flap) - here's the patterned plastic I chose lifted out of the way

Then I had way too much fun adding some other elements from my recycled magazine and altering some for my purposes :-)

Here you can see the finished flap folded closed to reveal the plastic and flower beneath

And here open

Happily - this was one of the places I added an extra couple of pages secured with a silver hair band - happily because I was able to slot in the card I was given for speaking at our club night

Here's the entire spread with card and extra flap

There's a lot going on in this spread and it was really fun to incorporate all the prompt elements. Only a bit more journaling for me to add to finish the week as we begin March. Looking forward to seeing what I can create this coming month. You can see all my posts about this project HERE and my Flickr album HERE

SHINE : Share

Last night I shone - in the sense of the word of my year Shine : 
S stands for SHARE 
Engage meaningfully with others
Develop relationships
Teach more mixed media classes
Shine so others believe they can too

I spoke at our club night to over 100 members about my mixed media work since 2010. Not only did I share some of my favourite projects

Read more about my banner HERE and this Indian-inspired wall-hanging HERE

 I also talked about how I fit art into my day - and how giving myself time for creativity is a big part of my self-care practice. I challenged them to think about the choices they make in their day, and whether they could find time to create more art. 

I have had lots of very positive feedback about my talk - very happy to say many were inspired and it sounds like I will have more opportunities to teach locally as a result of this ♥ And I received a lovely mixed media card made by our club president (Chrissy Sheed) - you know that's going to be showing up in one of my art journals very soon :-)

I've decided to finish this post with my words and slides from the last part of my talk about finding time and making creativity a priority for your well-being : 
I’m often asked how I create as much as I do – at the end of the day I think there are a few simple things that are the secret of my success and you could do them too. I do have a studio where I can leave things set up – that is awesome – if you can’t manage a room, try and manage a corner of a room – a table – a tray…

1. I make sure ART (quilting, art journaling, card making, whatever) is given priority in my day – I think about when I’m going to have time to art, and sometimes other things (housework) don’t happen! I HAVE to create – it’s part of my self-care and makes me a nicer person to live with!

2. Get off screens. I don’t watch much TV and I try and minimize my time looking at FB and blogs. I have a Pinterest account but I barely use it. Set a timer – do your online jobs or have a limited time to search for inspiration  – get off when the timer tells you to and make your own art instead of looking at someone elses!

3. Micro-movements – create daily, but you don’t have to create all day (although if you can manage it sometimes that’s bliss!) This idea comes from SARK and is explained in my original blogpost about finding time to create HERE. Micro-movements is about utilizing 5 minutes where you can. So at night – choose your project - next day gather your fabrics/art supplies - thread up your machine when you get home/lay down a first layer of paint - drop the kids at practice, get home – sew a seam/add another layer of paint or collage – Put the potatoes on to boil, and then go sew another seam/add another layer. Of course – I have to use the timer to make sure the potatoes don’t boil dry as well! 
That's how every art journal page happens - a bit at a time. Set a manageable goal every day. I decided I would sew one of those triangle spiked borders a day – that meant in 7 days I almost had 2 blocks made! And that inspired me to make more…That’s how I got my Wild Women quilt done. Even if you only find 5 minutes in a day = over half an hour in a week. And often we can find 2 or 3 segments of 5 minutes. Another effect is that if I don’t really feel motivated I can trick myself into thinking I’ll only do 5 minutes and then I’m hooked….

4.   Find a project that makes you want to show up – do something you love – not because you should. Choose a project by writing down your options on pieces of paper and draw one out of the bowl – if you are disappointed with what comes out, you know what you were hoping for – do that! Get organised in the evening so you know what you’re going to do the next day.

Don’t be scared about creating – try a new project. If you try mixed media, nothing is un-usable – layer layer layer – think about your mixed media language and you will start to create pieces that look like you – you will develop your own style over time (colours you use over and over, symbols – mine include hearts/butterflies – my mixed media language includes using found text/stitch/ stencils)
5. I know I am VERY lucky in my situation - I am supported by my husband and boys to be able to take classes and spend time in my studio, and I have some disposable time in my days. But we all have choices about how we spend our time. I could have a perfect weed-free garden and a spotless house...but I don't choose that. I want to challenge you to think : What choices are you willing to make so you can create more art? 

One Little Word 2017 : February Practice

I'm taking Ali Edwards' One Little Word OLW workshop again this year. The monthly prompts encourage you to connect with your word throughout the year and I'm excited to see what happens with SHINE in 2017. February is a "daily practice" prompt - we did this last year and it's a great idea inspired by Elise Blaha Cripe. 

I read Gretchen Rubin's book last year and had several light-bulb moments. Her book supports the premise that "We manage what we monitor" : Self-measurement brings self-awareness, and self-awareness strengthens our self-control. 

Although I'm "better than before" I read this book, I know I need to work on this and I re-read some sections before I started February's prompt. I'm an abstainer, so I need to have tough limits, and this tick list daily will help. In her book (p. 143) she says "the less we indulge in something, the less we want it. Cravings are more provoked by possibility than by denial. Changing a habit may be simple, but it's not easy, and the more tools used, the better". I found her Habits Manifesto really helpful - find all her Habits downloads HERE.

While SHINE is a word that for me mostly means "more of", my wording for my daily practice in February was "Cut down on sugar and increase "green" foods. Say no to takeaways". My daily practice ties in with these parts of my word : 
HEALTHY
Good eating + Gym habit = Energised
Be mindful
INNER WORK
Self-care 

NOTICE 
Reflect on daily activities and make improvements (good habits = easier to shine without effort) 
In a lovely synergy - our focus for Book of Days this month has been Self Love. Taking care of yourself first means you can then take proper care of others. 
Last year I wrote "I am finding it motivating, encouraging, and helpful to be concentrating on just one practice for the month" and the same is true now. Although it seems like I'm trying to do 3 things, they're all connected and I wanted to be specific rather than just saying "eat more healthily". This year I'm also enjoying being able to explore more about this prompt in my Inner Work Journal. I started by spraying through a stencil for a slightly glittery background

Last month, printing the digital cards onto old calendar pages worked so well I did that again

I want to have a habit of saying no to sweet treats (biscuits, cakes, lollies, desserts, and {sigh} white chocolate) and takeaway foods and keeping an eye on packaged foods so I'll buy the product with less added sugar. I'll focus on eating fresh and green as much as possible. Every time I was successful, I was able to add a star to my chart.

Almost through the month and I'm well on the way with this -  I am so much more aware of what I am reaching for, and the aim is progress not perfection - I'm definitely doing that :-) Also as a nice bonus it is helping my energy so supporting my gym habit and I am going more regularly, and also drinking more water - all winning ♥

I decided to add some extra words to my page through a stencil - and after I did that I realised they read well together as "you can choose yes" 

Here's my complete spread within my Inner Work journal.

Of course this kind of practice of working on changing one habit could happen every month...let me know if it works for you. See all my posts about OLW 2017 HERE, and my Flickr album which includes any art featuring my word as well as the class prompts HERE.