It's Time to Love Myself

Love Myself
Originally uploaded by JournalArtista

 

I'm thinking that it's no secret that I struggle with self esteem... I mean, who doesn't right? I have spent so many years not living up to my potential, being happy (or pretending to be happy) with mediocrity. I am not sure why I've always been this way, where this fear of succeeding started from. I sometimes wonder if it's merely a matter of being lazy, but that would be the easy answer, one that doesn't require any soul searching.

Soul searching, that is what my journaling lately has been about. I'm using this tool to throw myself "out there", the uglies and all.
It's time to finally love myself and LIVE my dreams.

Much Love!

Finding my Own style

Finding my Own style
Originally uploaded by JournalArtista
Good (snowy) Evening!

This page is again from my BPJ (Black Page Journal). It's my cover/first page. As I've mentioned before, I'm trying to find my own style. Yes, I've been hugely inspired by so many artists such as:

Mystele
Tracy Bautista
Dina Wakely
and of course, Teesha Moore

That being said, I still want my journals and pages to be a reflection of me. After typing that I'm starting to think that's a bit silly... of course all my work is a reflection of me. Anyway, I think you know what I mean. ;o)

This journey is so exciting for me. I feel like I have grown and, most importantly, have started healing. I can't wait to see what the future brings, and for me that's a step in the right direction.

Much Love!

Art is Love

Art is Love
Originally uploaded by JournalArtista

For the first time in awhile I decided to play with watercolours. These particular ones have shimmer, but my camera didn't pick it up unfortunately. I've been added to this page since last week, finally finishing up tonight.
The journaling is about trying to take time every day for art, even if it's just a little bit of "couch" art. No, I didn't come up with that term, but I cannot remember where I first heard it.
I'm struggling with the lettering for "art", I'm tempted to cover it up somehow and use a different kind of lettering... but for now I will just have to sit with it. :o)
Much Love!

I'm In The Danger Zone

Danger Zone
Originally uploaded by JournalArtista
Oh baby is it ever snowing outside! As I've mentioned, it's been quite the green winter here in Toronto. I would classify today as our first "official" snowfall. Again, I'm not complaining. ;o)

I came home today and went right to my art room. So many crazies in my head I just had to get them out! I finished this page that I've been working on here and there for about a week now. So much going on here... acrylics, tape, stamps, scrapbook paper, ephemera, lots of ink... the usual good "old" scrap supplies.

This is Journal #4 (the black page one) and I am trying to keep it to a certain style. I enjoy many "styles", and remain true to what I'm feeling at the time, which is another reason why I have two journals on the go right now.

Check out my Flickr to see close ups (and my journals sorted by #), but be warned, the words may be a little ugly, I tend not to sensor. ;o)

Much Love!

A busy, yet uneventful weekend

I feel like the weekend went by way too fast.  I spent a lot of time in my art room, yet I feel like I didn't accomplish much.  I think I need a week off.  Work has been stressful, and it doesn't look like it's letting up any time soon.  I keep having to remind myself that I chose this job, I'm good at it, and in the end my integrity will prevail.

Anyway, here are a few completed pages:

Due to the stress mentioned above, I've been trying to work it out through journaling.  It's helping, yet I still feel like I'm in a fog.  I found myself sitting at my desk just staring at my pages, unable to get out what was clouding my head.  Not good because then I started doubting what I was doing, doubting the process that has kept me sane thus far.

Tomorrow starts another week.  I must look to it with positivity.  I will be travelling for work again the week after, St. Louis this time, just for a few days.  They have a Dick Blick there, too bad I'm broke.  hehe

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

Much Love!

Love Mood- WIP complete

Love Mood- WIP complete
Originally uploaded by JournalArtista
I decided to document my process of layering from start to finish.

Step 1:

A coat of green and pink paint scraped on with a credit card.  I added some masking tape on the right side.

Step 2:

Added some old scrapbook paper, a sticker stamp and a bit of gesso.

Step 3:

Some random stamping, a few old stickers and some metallic watercolour paints, although they are hard to see.

Step 4:

I added Liquid Acrylic here, wiped some off with a baby wipe.  I find that this is the awkward stage for me, where I think "Uh oh, I really messed it up, this is not where I wanted to go."  BUT, I proceed.  When I sit down to create a page I very rarely have a design in mind, I just let it out.  Sometimes this is very hard because the inner critic comes-a-screaming.  Keep pushing through this if it happens to you!

Step 5:

I added some of the same pink paint through a stencil.  I also added some black texture stamping and sponged on a bit of the green paint as well to soften the bold blue.

Step 6:

I was really happy with where this was going at this point.  I painted the bumpy black border, added more masking tape (both black and regular) and a scrap of scrapbook paper.  I added a bit more green paint on top of these to make them blend in.

Step 7:

Blurry picture, I know.  I apologize.  Anyway, to complete this page I added some collage elements, foam stamps for my title and a bit of pink glaze pen.  I journaled with my good old blue Bic pen.

Thanks for looking!  My hope is to show you that you can push through the "uglies", the awkward stage.  Something beautiful will be waiting for you on the other side.

Much LOVE!

Unknown

Unknown
Originally uploaded by JournalArtista

I'm still enjoying the prompts at A Year in the Life of an Art Journal. This is for the prompt "unknown". Lots going on here including many "old" scrapbook supplies.

I'm spending most of my weekend in my (messy) art room. There is paint on my fingers as I type this... I hope you are out there joining me. More to come later!

Much Love!

Scrapbook + Art Journaling = Mini Book Love

I've been inspired recently to work in my 31 Mini again.  I completed these 3 spreads last weekend and it felt so good! 

I feel that they are a combination of art journaling and scrapbooking and I love the result.  I am still mixing my old supplies with the new, which is freeing for me.  I now need to buy a new cartridge for my printer before I can finish any more pages, hopefully I will be able to get out this weekend. 

I've gotten a few comments on my new black page journal.  I was tyring to take a picture of what it looks like and got this:

Ah yes, Baby Love's this journal too.  Well, not so much the journal, just the cord that wraps it up.  Here is what the inside looks like:

On the left you can somewhat see the handmade paper, and on the right is the slightly waxed tissue paper that is between every page.  It has been interesting so far working these tissue paper pages into my work.  I will show some results soon.

Much Love!

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal

I've taken the prompt plunge by dedicating some time to the wonderful prompts at A year in the life of an Art Journal  I have now created two pages from the first two prompts.

Hope:

This also happens to be the first page in my new spiral bound journal.  Surprisingly, I'm liking this format so far.

What:

This is the first page in my second new journal.  Yes, you read that right.  I couldn't decide on which journal to use for #4, so I have journals four and five going at the same time.  As I work on multiple pages at the same time, it seems to be working out for me so far.  The black handmade paper in this journal isn't working that well for me however.  Even though I coated the page with a thick layer of gesso, everything seems to be sinking into the paper.  Ah well, adds to the experience I guess.  :)

Lots of other things going on in my art room, including this new page:

I had fun using my new stencil and scrapbook papers.  I have also completed a few pages in my 31 Mini Book.  I plan to post about it in the next few days, but you can have a sneak peak over on my Flickr page.

I hope you join me over on A Year in the Life of an Art Journal, I can't wait to see what you create!

Much Love!

Journalcat

Journalcat
Originally uploaded by CaptElaine
So true!
(and very cute to boot!)

It must be Valentine's Day

I have two cats, Baby and Annie.  They don't exactly get along... let's just say they tolerate each other.  I captured these pics of them today, love is definately in the air!  They NEVER sleep with each other!

Happy Valentine's Day from Baby and Annie!

I went a *little* crazy

Happy Valentine's Day!


I went a little crazy last night at the big M store.  I typically like to shop at a scrap or art store, but living in the suburbs hasn't left me with much choice.  Here are the goodies I bought myself for V-Day.  :)

This doesn't include new magazines, a few paint brushes and some white charcoal pencils and blending stubs.  Simon bought me a beautiful card, some chocolates and a bottle of wine.  I am convinced thouh that the bottle of wine was really for his benefit.  ;)

I feel completely inspired and am planning on spending most of the day in my art room, after a few assingments I must complete for work. (blah)

Much Love!

Looking for a new journal

Hi all!  I am hoping everyone is keeping warm, it's been a strange winter here in Toronto.  No snow, not that I'm complaining.
I've been journaling like crazy recently, mostly on weekends while the Man is working.  Here are a few examples (as always, all my work is uploaded on Flickr if you would like to see more):

This last page was a prompt from BlissfullyArtJournaling, a wonderful Yahoogroup.  I left out the journaling, as it was a prompt about profanity.  I have quite a pottymouth from working in a factory for the past 11 years, so I decided to save you all from the abuse, hehe.

I have officially given up on this Moleskine journal.  It's literally falling apart.  I know, I know, Moleskines are wonderful... but not so much for my style of art journaling.  Yes, the paper holds up to the abuse, but unfortuenately for me, the binding doesn't.  That being said, if you have the same problem and want to fix it, check out this AMAZING idea:  Elizabeth Golden- Journal Surgery.  I'm in awe!

Unfotunately, I just don't have the patience, so I will be starting a new journal of a different style.  I am leaning towards a spiral bound book.  I'm still new to journaling and am still trying to find the "perfect" journal for me.  I would love to hear/see what you all are using!

Thanks so much to all of you that have left me comments, I am truly touched. 

Much love!