Fight your way through....

I have enrolled in  Sketching Now, an online sketching class lasting for 12 weeks, 

run by the hugely talented Liz Steel.

http://www.sketchingnow.com

I feel I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I have been visiting other members blogs and am a little intimidated by the standard of work.

I know, I shouldn't compare, but.....

the struggle continues........

Library Thing

I have just discovered and hooked up with Library Thing.

What is LibraryThing?

LibraryThing is a cataloging and social networking site for book lovers.

LibraryThing helps you create a library-quality catalog of books: books you own, books you've read, books you'd like to read, books you've lent out ... whatever grouping you'd like.

Since everyone catalogs online, they also catalog together. You can contribute tags, ratings and reviews for a book, and Common Knowledge (facts about a book or author, like character names and awards), as well as participate in member forums or join the Early Reviewers program. Everyone gets the benefit of everyone else's work. LibraryThing connects people based on the books they share.

https://www.librarything.com/home

I have added a couple of books that I am currently reading to the widget thingy on the side and have added one I would like to read at a later date. 

Fabulous!

Now I can make a list of favourites and those I wish to read....no fuss!

Perfectionism and Procrastination

I am the above. 

Totally. 

I put off doing things, especially arty stuff, because I am afraid I will not succeed. Better not to try and run the risk of failing right?

 Wrong.

I found this today on a blog by Erin Leigh.

Worth reading. Thanks Erin.

artbyerinleigh.blogspot.com

 

 

Now I'm going to answer some questions:

How does your faith impact your creativity?

In every way possible. I think, no mater what your beliefs are, creating something from nothing is inherently spiritual.
So, whether I'm painting a mural, making a wreath, creating a page in my art journal, ormaking a little banner, it's a spiritual process.

Creating, for me, always comes back to the Parable of the Talents. 
A man hands out talents (gifts) for his servants to invest and use and multiply.
The faithful servants who invest their talents come back with double what they started with.
Listen to what the man says to them:

"Well done, good and faithful servant;
you were faithful over a few things,
I will make you ruler over many things.
Enter into the joy of your lord."

Matthew 25:21

Wha??????? Seriously?
All I have to do is use what I have already been given.
It hasn't been given to me to deny or hoard or bury.
It's been given to me to give away. And then guess what,
I get more. Double.

The last part always gets me, though.
The last guy says,

 "I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours."
Matthew 25:25

Fear. It seeps in to every single area of life,
often disguised as being distracted, or too busy, or not wanting to be prideful.
I was afraid, so I hid it. I did nothing with it. I just let it sit there.

And the man's reaction?

"You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents."
Matthew 25:26

Wow. That's a little harsh, Lord, don't you think?
That's how serious our Lord is about us using the gifts He's given to us.
It's a command. It's not an if you feel like it, Erin.
No, it's Him entrusting little ole me with this precious, valuable gift.
To use, invest, develop, and give away.
Wow. That's crazy.

That's a really long answer.
I can't help it. I just got excited.

Handmade Journals

Since posting my Advent Journals on the blog, there has been a bit of interest regarding other journals I have made, so here they are.

If I remember correctly the first journal I made was when I enrolled in  Remains of the Day, which was  junk journal class in 2010 with the Fabulous Mary Ann Moss

http://dispatchfromla.typepad.com

From then on I was hooked and have made heaps of journals since.

I taught myself how to sew Coptic stitch to pretty up the spine, a tutorial from Sea Lemon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue52htX3j0k

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A few journals on my bookshelf

some have exposed spines, some covered, to hide mistakes!

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One of the  first journals I made. This was from the class Full Tilt Boogie
made whilst taking Mary Ann Moss's class 2011

http://www.dispatchfromla.com/dispatch_from_la/online-classes.html



Inside spread of Full Tilt Boogie

I used an old book for the cover, scrapbook papers, vintage papers, whatever I could get my hands on.
I also filled it with bits and pieces that my oldest daughter had sent to me over the years, chocolate wrappers, paper wrappers from soap, perfume sample cards, still smelling faintly of Chanel No 5.....delicious!

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I repurposed pages from a children's book from the op shop, thrift store.
I do not sell any books as I do use pages from old books etc, however I do give them away from time to time !

old maps, magazine photos and a birthday card my brother made for me.
I LOVE Eloise !!

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covered this one in fabric

I started using this as a journal for my recovery from breast cancer and used it to record how I was coping with meds etc.

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One of my favourite books.

Used the front page from an old book and scrapbook papers.

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Trying out new ways to make covers. I used book board and covered with old maps and glued a postcard on the front, distressed and sealed it.
Coptic Binding on this one.

An old collage I have repurposed and pages from a children's reader.

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Another repurposed book cover.

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Not so keen on this cover which is fabric.

The inside has art work from a class I took with Patti von Dorin
http://ramblingrose.typepad.com

 Pushing the Envelope.

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Another op shop find for the cover.

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I was given a box of Penguin Books postcards, great for adding to a cover.

Another art piece from Pushing the Envelope

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The Cover on this one is a collage piece I made ages ago

This page has papers from an
old ledger I bought on  etsy. Dated 1930's, full of goodness!

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Some more art

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Pages from an old calendar for the cover of this one.

Vintage wallpaper, old book pages and a packing tape transfer of me as a baby.

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More original art

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First attempts at Coptic Binding.

I love the effect, but waxed linen thread is not available in Australia, so I am selective as to which journal deserves it!

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An old calendar for the cover. This one is quite large, 9"x11"
Coptic Binding

Blank pages for art journaling

Back cover

Spine.....delicious, even if I say so myself!

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This year I started the Documented Life Project by Art to the 5th
http://www.arttothe5th.com

A year long program of recording your days, planning and art journaling.

The over is an old calendar, maps and collage.

 

Inside cover

As the year progressed, the book was getting fatter, so I took it apart, added spacers on the spine and bound it again

The cover is a copy of a vintage magazine.

Inside cover

One of the pages recording a week and a journal prompt.

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A blank journal for Sketchbookery, another class by Mary Ann Moss

Vintage annual for the cover altered in photoshop to add title and date.

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A fancy smancy binding taught by Mary Ann in Sketchbookery.

Blank for sketching.

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Yet another blank journal. Again, a vintage annual cover altered.

Yummy spine.

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Another blank journal, altered Vintage cover.

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Journal of blank pages for a class I took with Bernice Hopper

http://newlycreative.blogspot.com.au

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Stack of Journals that have been used to record the last three years of cancer treatment, management and just trying to cope.

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Cover for next years Documented Life Project

Inside cover

First page layout.

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Latest cover. No pages as yet.

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Coptic Goodness.

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That's it ! Thanks for looking.