Tuesday Tips and Techniques: Stamp Your Feet!

That's right!  "If you're happy and you know it, stamp your feet!"  But not in the way that the song intended.  I want you to go outside, put craft or acrylic paint on the bottom of your feet (or foot) and stamp it into your journal.  I don't think I've used this as a Tuesday Tip and Technique, but even if I have it's well worth repeating!

I guarantee you that you're going to have a blast doing this!  It feels so naughty to purposefully paint part of your body.  Do it outside near the hose where you can rinse, and you won't have any of those adult worries about getting paint all over the house!

Once your footprint dries, do some journaling around it.  Here are some prompts to think about as you contemplate your journaling:

1. Where have your feet taken you?
2. Where would you like your feet to take you?
3. Does a song/poem/movie come to mind that makes you think of feet?
4. Who's path do you think you would like to travel for a day?
5. What are you thinking as you look at the shape and size of your foot?

I hope you give this a try.  I'm going to be doing it again because I had so much fun with this one when I did it last year.  I hope you're having a creative week, and I know you're happy - so go ahead and STAMP YOUR FEET!

CELEBRATE * LOVE * CREATE

Monday's Musings

As predicted, I feel mostly "normal" today, and at long last, I pulled out my journal.  I didn't do any creating in it yet as I had some icky tasks to complete (such as grocery shopping - ICK!), but looking back over my last completed pages was fun.

I had forgotten about this totem that appeared in one of my intuitive sessions.  I have to say I'm pleased with the finished product and think I may purposely create some more.

Meanwhile, I'm walking around with a perpetual smile on my face.  My girlfriend, Kathy, surprised me with these adorable little bugs from The Dollar Store.  They're solar powered and the leaves bounce up and down as the bugs gently sway back and forth.  Every time I look at them it makes me chuckle.  They've found a home near my piano so I can see them while I practice.

I hope you found something to put a smile on your face as we begin a new week.  Now I'm off to MAKE SOME ART!!!  See tomorrow with another Tuesday Tip & Technique.

CELEBRATE * LOVE * CREATE

Weekend Journal

HEALING

That is the word that best describes my past week.  My spider bite is mending well and my leg is back to 98% of normal.  My cold/virus/whatever is finally subsiding and losing it's powerful grip on my energy.  I'm looking forward to a new week with renewed creativity.

This past week has been a rough one for me.  I spent hours sitting in the sun, watching the birds, thinking of the projects I had no energy to attempt doing.  I fought  battled the force of guilt that kept popping up telling me what I could or should be doing when what I obviously needed to do was just take it easy and allow myself to heal.

"Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts."  - Alan Cohen

In the midst of my misery, a package arrived.  Keith spotted it on the front stairs when he arrived home from work.  Neither of us had any idea what it could be as Keith went back to the front of the house to retrieve the mysterious package.  "It looks like you got something from your friend, Barb", Keith stated as he returned with the package.  

I was so excited!  Barb and I had spoken by phone several weeks earlier and during the conversation, Barb asked if I would be willing to except one of her Soul Dolls.  She said she would surprise me with one sometime and I never thought of it again.

(Barb and I have become friends through the Internet and our mutual love of art.  We've never met in person but hopefully will soon.   I was also honored and privileged to review her book, Normal Doesn't Live Here Anymore.  It's must reading for those of us facing aging parents and who may one day find ourselves in the situation of being a caregiver.  I highly recommend this book!)

When I opened the box, I immediately felt how much love was packed into it.  The handmade, hand-written card and the carefully packaged postcard and ATC greeted me before I met my new Soul Doll.

What struck me immediately was the bird theme.  Birds have been popping up in my work recently and have a very spiritual connotation to me.

As I carefully unwrapped my doll, I literally gasped when I pulled her from her protective cocoon.  I could feel how much love she had been created with, and I could sense immediately that she was an intuitive creation.  My horrible photography just doesn't convey how special she is or just how much of herself Barb put into her creation.  

Barb's attention to every little detail is stunning.  From the felted body, to the beaded bird fetishes, to the tiny necklace, to the detail on the back (complete with envelope that contains a small gift and treasured note), to the bird charms, Barb included so much on this beautiful creation.

Since I'm so far behind on my blog reading, unknown to me, Barb blogged about my doll before she sent her to me!  You can read all that Barb had to say HERE.  My doll also has two sisters.  You can see and read about them HERE and HERE.  All of these "sisters" are spectacular, but how Barb knew to send me the exquisite bird themed doll is uncanny.  Barb, like your friendship, I am grateful and will treasure you both forever.

And as we enter a new week, I'll continue my WIP.  (Can you see the bird on the left of the face?)  

And yet another bird appears in this WIP.  Do you see it?

I hope you're enjoying the weekend, and I hope you're finding ways to express your own unique and creative nature.

CELEBRATE * LOVE * CREATE

Tuesday Tips and Techniques: Put It on Paper

So I know you're thinking to yourself, "Put it on Paper?  What kind of tip is that?"  Well, I GOTCHA!  "Put It on Paper" is the name of a new art journaling Magazine and it's hot off the press!

THE COVER OF "PUT IT ON PAPER"

This first volume is jam-packed full of lots of journaling tips and techniques, including an interview with art journaler, Ted Micu.  There are articles by Eveline Hessels, and Jasmine Aresco, featured in this issue, as well as an article by "yours truly"!  I'm really honored and excited to be a part of the exciting first issue of this  quarterly magazine!

THE FIRST PAGES OF MY ARTICLE IN "PUT IT ON PAPER"

Leslie Herger, of Comfortable Shoes Studio, is the publisher of this new magazine.  She is also the creator and administrative host for the Art Journaling.Ning site.  If you've been following my blog for over a year, you may remember her name from the "21 Secrets" art journaling workshop.  Either way, take a trip to her sites- you won't be disappointed.

Well, enough of my babbling.  I most definitely am feeling better as evidenced by droning on and on!  I hope you enjoy visiting the links, and oh, yah - here's a link to preview the 52 page magazine.  You can have a downloadable file in the next 10 minutes, or you can also order a hard copy.  If you you do order a copy of the magazine or decide to join Artjournaling.ning, let me know.  I would love to hear from you!

PREVIEW OR PURCHASE THE MAGAZINE HERE

CELEBRATE * LOVE * CREATE

Monday's Musings

BACK AMONG THE LIVING

Yes......I awakened Friday morning with an extremely sore throat and absolutely no ambition.  And it all just went downhill from there.

So today, I am finally making my way back among the living after a heavily medicated and sleepy weekend.  Did I miss anything good?  I'm still in some kind of fog.  You know how severe head colds get you!  Watering eyes, no focus.......blah, blah, blah.

On the upside, I am feeling much, much better, and I'm looking forward to posting you a really great tip filled with wonderful techniques in tomorrow's "Tuesday Tips and Techniques".  Stay tuned.....

CELEBRATE * LOVE * CREATE