Are you still looking for things to journal about? Look no further than making a list! A "Top 10" list of "favorites" or "worsts" offers you 10 days or more worth of journaling. Here are 30 lists to get you started!
What are your Top 10 favorite:
- Flowers or plants
- Foods or restaurants
- Songs or musicians
- Cities you find appealing
- Color combinations
- People you know
- Things that ever happened to you
- Places you would like to visit
- Possessions
- People you would like to meet
- Books that you've read
- Artists that inspire you
- Gifts you've received
- Movies that you've seen
- Things that changed your life
- Things on your "bucket list"
- Ways to connect with your God
- Sports related memories/activities
- Fantasies
- Poems or poets
- Family stories
- Pieces of clothing you own
- Things to do on a rainy day
- Things that make you smile
- Ways to spend an afternoon
- Moments with a spouse or significan other
- Quotes
- Qualities in the opposite sex
- Childhood memories
- Occupations you would try
MANDALAS
What is a mandala? At it's very basic level, a mandala is a circle filled with pattern and used as an aid in meditaion. In several religions, it represents the universe, wholeness and life itself. Click here to read more about them.
You can incorporate a mandala into a journal spread quite easily by tracing a cd, saucer or other round object directly onto the page. You can also create your mandala on a separate sheet of paper and then cut and paste it into your spread.
A mandala is quite useful when mulling over a problem or when you've had an excessively stressfull day. After you've traced your circle, find the center. (This is really easy to do with a cd - you already have a hole in the center. ) After you've found the center, divide your circle into 4 equal sections. From this point, begin incorporating your design. I have read that mandalas should be worked from the outside in when meditating on a problem. By the time you reach the center, a solution is found. I haven't put that to the test, but I have a feeling that just might work! Take a look at this gallery for inspiration.
SONG LYRICS And TITLES
Music has always been a great source of inspiration to me and it's an integral part of my artwork whether it's an accompanyment to my painting process or as a more direct inspiration to me as I gather ideas for the next journal page or canvas. Lyrics and song titles find their way into my journal pages frequently. Sometimes the images come first and the lyrics or titles come to mind. Other times, I hear the lyrics or titles and they relate to what I'm journaling. When you're journaling, you can write the phrase once as a thought along with your image. Another way I've used them is as part of the background. Choose a slightly darker shade than your background and write the phrase repeatedly to add texture. Either way, I've found music, titles, and lyrics to be a great source of inspiration in my art and my life! Here are a few of my favorites to get you started:
Scars are souveniers you never lose..... Goo Goo Dolls
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.......Aretha
Somewhere Over the Rainbow....... Judy Garland
Even when it's approaching torture I've got my routine...Aimee Mann
There's always tomorrow......Gloria Estefan
I'm BAAAAACCKKKK in the saddle again.......Steve Tyler & Aerosmith
It's a good day for the blues......Storyville
Time takes time to pass....David Bowie
I need a change from this road I'm on..........Thomas Reed Smith
It's a mask that I wear leaving you hypnotized......Drunk Dude 69
You've got another thing comin'! ...... Judas Priest
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.......Louis Armstrong
NURTURE YOUR INNER CHILD
How can you expect to be creative when you're trying to be "a grown up" all the time? Seriously! Connect with that little kid inside of you and go have some fun! You've forgotten how? I'm a master.....here's some help little weedhopper!
GO TO THE DOLLAR STORE - Buy a box of crayons and a coloring book and USE it! While you're there, buy yourself a snack that you ate as a child. How about some of those neopolitan wafer cookies or a box of animal crackers? Candy more your thing? How about some "Good & Plenty" or "Bit-O-Honey"? See what you can find!
PLAY IN THE WATER - "Are you SERIOUS?", you ask. Why, yes I am! Water has mystical, magical properties -but enough of the grown up stuff already! Take a bath instead of a shower and sneak in some plastic containers and empty water bottles. Let your imagination run wild. Too much of a leap? Spend a full 5 minutes washing your hands and really stay in the moment. No making plans or thinking about what you'll do next. Work the soap into as much lather as you can. What colors do you see in the soap bubbles? Close your eyes and enjoy the feel of the water running down your hands.
PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE DIRT - rub it between your fingers and thumb. Let it run through your fingers like a sieve. Smell it. Mix in a little water and make a mud pie - if you dare....
BLOW SOME BUBBLES IN YOUR MILK - this may well be my favorite. Pour a half glass of milk and insert straw. Blow into straw repeatedly until bubbles flow over the top. Stop laughing so you don't choke, and enjoy a few Oreos with the milk!
HANG BACKWARDS OFF YOUR BED OR SOFA and look at your room upside down. Nothing like a new perspective on life to get the creativity flowing! Find other places in your house where you aren't prone to linger. Sit at the top of the stairs. Stare out a window you normally just walk past
CALL YOUR BEST FRIEND and get them in on the act too! Go out for ice cream. Take a walk together. Toss water balloons at each other or have a pillow fight. Just hang out and share your hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Giggle about the boys. Enjoy just being with each other.
DANCE LIKE NO ONE'S WATCHING
LISTEN TO LOUD MUSIC
WATCH THE CLOUDS FLOAT BY
BE SILLY!
