When I took Soul Restoration in January, the only homework I didn’t do was to make truth cards. I made one and then somehow just couldn’t get myself to do any more. I kept cutting the truths that spoke to me and keeping them but never did anything with them. Last week, when David said how much he loved my ATC holder with his little photos and art, I just realized I could use my second ATC holder to store my truth cards and this way all of us could use them and look at them when we wanted. We could also easily take them off and keep some with us.
I have a very long list of art journaling ideas I store on a pinterest board. So I decided to combine the two and create ATC versions of the pieces that inspire me so I could use it as an exercise to try different methods and mediums and create some art while making some wonderful cards.
I will share those with you in the next few weeks as I complete them. Four at a time. Almost all of them are replicas of the inspiring originals and I make sure to link to my pinterest entry (which links to the original source as much as I could track it. I wanted to link to pinterest so you could see not only the original source but also whose board i found it on because for me that’s a great way to find other boards to follow on pinterest.)
Here’s the first card [inspiration]
and second card: [inspiration]
and third: [inspiration]
and here’s the fourth: [inspiration]
For now, the backs are just blank, I think once I spray these pieces thoroughly, I might paint the backs with gesso so they are white but i won’t do back to back art. If you have other suggestions for the backs, I am open to them.
And there you go. Wonderful way to use up some of my inspirations and do my homework before the part two of Soul Restoration starts.
Last night we had guests over and we ended up staying up until midnight which is many hours past my bedtime. Which meant I woke up totally worn out but I was amazed to see that I recovered pretty quickly and my day ended up being productive and pleasant. I even managed to catch Nathaniel making funny faces.
And then David encouraged Nathaniel to sit on him and enjoyed every moment of it.
So did Nathaniel of course.
He just sat on him and played as if it was nothing.
Love my boys so much.
I’ve been scrapping again. Putting together layouts for CHA summer already. I’ve made two in the last 24 hours and hope to possibly make one more tonight. I tend to get burned out if I make more than one a day so I might just rest and then make more tomorrow. Trying to make sure I can pace myself because there are quite a few more I will have to do between now and July. Slow and steady wins the race.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for a little scrappy time today.
2. I am grateful for a nice night of good conversation last night.
3. I am grateful for my routine. It works so well for me and keeps me going from task to task so I don’t sit idly which I would otherwise do.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that we had P.E. at school. {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that I watched TV.
3. I am grateful that I traded some of my silly bands for new ones at school.
This weeklong page was not inspired by anyone. Just something I sat and did. I liked the last sepia page so I drew the angel is sepia and just left it so. I hadn’t planned on coloring her but I never know what direction these pages take until I start playing during the week.
Here it is empty:
This is the week I was so obsessed with angels. She started it:
Little by little, this page completely morphed.
here’s the left page:
And the right side:
And here’s the filled page:
I just loved how organically this one changed. Little bit at a time. Color here and there. And while there are bits I don’t adore, I love the page.
Weekly Art Journal is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here. And you can find out more about the weeklong daily journaling here.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Aksel and Jeff!!!!!! I love you so so much. I cannot believe they are twelve already!
Quiet day filled with work today. I have a pretty tight but flowing routine going these days and I really love it. There’s a small noise at the back of my mind that tells me that I must be weird to enjoy routine so much but I am really enjoying it so I try to tell it to stay quiet.
When David came home today we sat outside for a bit while I read to David and then they played by themselves.
Nathaniel even gave me a smile.
Here he is asking me if he can eat the Play Doh. And David’s making his spider run up the umbrella.
We have a guest coming for dinner tonight so I have to rush through a few of my daily todo list items. I am going to cut it short. I hope you are all doing well. It’s been quiet here lately but I am still here and hoping you are, too.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful for happy mail. Some wonderful scrappy stuff came today.
2. I am grateful that Christy Tomlinson’s new class started today. Nothing like art videos to make me happy.
3. I am grateful for summer. I love walking around and soaking up the sunrays. Always puts me in a good mood.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that we are reading a new book at school. It’s called The Stories Julian tells. {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that I will play on the computer.
3. I am grateful that I got a prize from the prize box at school (the spider the above photo).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mom!!!!!! I love you so so much.
Today was a wonderful, quiet day. I woke up and exercised first thing so that we could take our family photos. The kids didn’t really seem to want to look at the camera, though.
Nathaniel pretty much held the remote nonstop again and he wouldn’t look at the camera while he clicked, of course.
so we just gave up and did tickle time.
then Jake and David went out to Maker Faire and I sat with Nathaniel for a little while, then started to do art. He napped and then when he was up, he sat next to me and did some art of his own.
We did a ton of art and then sketched and journaled. Then David and Daddy came back and he had also gotten a haircut.
we took our walk, read our book, and he wrote his journal. Then it was Family Night so we played Blokus. Now they are in bed and I have a very long list of blog posts to organize. But I feel full. I have done a ton of art and it made me happy. If I can get these posts done and a few more small items, I will feel great about my weekend productivity. And I got a lot of rest, too so I am not complaining.
Next week is likely going to be back to a ton of scrapping. I printed my photos and have my stories ready. Cannot wait to play with some beautiful product.
I hope your weekend was wonderful, too. Here’s to a great week.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I did so so so much art. It filled me up.
2. I am grateful for my husband who took David and had a wonderful father-son day which also meant that I could have a wonderfully quiet day of my own.
3. I am grateful for my mom. I love her so so much.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I went to maker faire. {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that we played Blokus.
3. I am grateful that I got to have chocolate ice cream at the fair.
David says:
I gave this story five stars because I liked how Katie found out that Selena was actually nice to animals and they became friends at the end and I like how the boys who cheated got caught and had to clean up dog poop (which was funny!).
I also really liked the bug facts, especially the one about how fast dragon flies can fly. But I didn’t like that the boys cheated because they knew they would get in trouble if they got caught and they were being lazy.
My favorite of the science projects was the volcano that exploded because I like that it had lava inside which exploded. I also liked the lightning bug because I thought it was cool that they thought to use a flashlight to make it light up. I also thought the solar system was cool cause they used different fruits for each planet.
Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.
After exercise this morning, it was time for family photos. I snapped this one as I was setting up. My three boys!!
Nathaniel was in a super happy mood and made us all laugh.
and would not let go of the remote.
so we just did a lot of tickle time.
i think tickle-time is becoming my favorite.
since David didn’t get to have the remote, he snapped some when we were done.
then he played Wii and I attempted to put Nathaniel down several times. The Wii makes his eyes bloodshot and watery (cause he doesn’t blink enough) so I make him rest them regularly.
but of course he’s faking it. he always fakes it.
I finally give up on Nathaniel and he immediately asks to sit on the chair.
He is so cute!
And gives me a special smile.
Then David’s back to playing.
And Nathaniel makes a little nest right by his brother (and with his choo choo of course!)
I had a quiet day. Cleaning, reading, and sketching. I hope to do some art journaling tonight and it will be the best day.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I cleaned up my space. Always feel better when it’s clear.
2. I am grateful for all the fresh fruit and groceries in the fridge.
3. I am grateful for a calm day.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I played Lego Clone Wars. {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that we finished our book.
3. I am grateful that we start a new book tomorrow.
I love how my little boy plays while I work. He creates games, makes sounds, just amuses himself. And then comes to give me a hug.
Just seeing his face makes me happy.
so does this one. I love his weird smile.
though being boys means getting a lot more of these.
and these.
but then sometimes I get these. I love the gratitude journals!!!
We went out to dinner tonight and then did some grocery shopping. When we came home Daddy and David went bike riding and I snapped some photos. Well, tried to.
I cannot tell you what it means to me to see my son riding his bike by himself like that!! Not learning to ride a bike has been one of my few regrets and I have been constantly worried that David would be like that, too. But here we are!! He’s already riding. I am so so so proud of my boy.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that Jake taught David to ride the bike and so grateful David stuck with it.
2. I am grateful for a tasty dinner with my family and the beautiful sunshine we had during dinner.
3. I am grateful for a completely free weekend. No obligations, no assignments, nothing at all due just yet. I have wonderful opportunities coming up and lots of happy mail I expect over the next few weeks. I am so grateful for that, too.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I watched Magic schoolbus today. {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that we went out to dinner.
3. I am grateful that I rode my bike by myself.
There’s something magical about watching my kids hug.
it fills my heart with overwhelming gratitude.
and happiness.
makes me feel blessed in my core.
I love my little boys and I know that there will be days of bickering and fighting so I am trying to enjoy the hugs more right now.
so when they whine.
and give me the stink eye.
I remember that they are magnificent.
and I give thanks. I think the key to life is living with gratitude, every moment. I have been paying a lot of attention to my life and feeling thankful for it. And I am thankful to scrapbooking for giving me another way to remember. And photos. And for art. Because it makes me so happy. And isn’t that the purpose of life after all?
Happy Thursday!
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that Jake worked from home today so I could juggle my appointments and meetings more easily. I am so so grateful.
2. I am grateful for a nutritionist appointment which will hopefully help me get more organized about food.
3. I am grateful for journaling. It’s helping me sort out my head a lot lately and I am thankful I do it regularly now.
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I am going to a pizza party tonight. {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that I got to play on the computer.
3. I am grateful that the bus driver had a bandaid (his finger bled during the bus ride. just a little bleeding.).
Here are the sketches from this week. Still experimenting and trying a wide variety.
On Wendesday, I made my own version of this tree.
then colored it.
that one took forever!
On Thursday, I had little time and wanted to do a quick one so I picked this girl.
and colored it.
on Friday, I tried to sketch from a photograph, so I went for a lizard.
on Saturday I made my version of these sketched houses:
And then I did this bird.
Sunday, I made this awesome tree and bird, though mine is “cleaner”.
Monday, I did this girl. I don’t like how it turned out but I sketched and that’s what matters:
later that day, I did another girl.
and Tuesday I made this face:
And here we are. six weeks and counting.
Some days I get excellent quality photos. Some days I get great stories. And other days, I get neither. That’s life and life with kids and life with little kids. But I still try.
and capture a little.
however imperfect.
Because time will pass and this funny, cute smile and those shining eyes will change. They will evolve into something new, different and wonderful in its own way. But it won’t be this. This moment will pass. These faces will change. The habits, quirks, smiles will change. And I am so thankful to capture them the way they are on this very day.
However imperfect.
Also a good reminder that life is imperfect. Which is great cause it would be so much work to keep everything perfect all the time. Talk about a moving target that’s completely unreachable.
Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I did a little art just for me.
2. I am grateful that I had a nice walk and a wonderful chat with David about apologizing and forgiving others and forgiving oneself, too.
3. I am grateful for my mom and my dad who are always so kind and generous to me, in every way. thank you!!
Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I will spend some time with Daddy tonight before bed. {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that we learned a German song in music class.
3. I am grateful that I played soccer and baseball with daddy in the backyard.
Catalyst One Hundred and Thirty-One is: Describe (or show) yourself at this point in your life.
Journaling Reads:
It might not be sexy but what I feel more than anything at this moment is so very content. I feel like I am full of peace and joy but I also feel calm. I feel my career, my family, my art, and life in general are exactly where I wish them to be at this moment. And I do not take that for granted for a second. I work out daily. I spend time with my kids. I do all my work and fulfill my obligations. But I also know I am so lucky. And things will change. Tougher times will come. So I celebrate this moment of contentment.
Details:
|
projects for twenty twenty-six
projects for twenty twenty-five
projects for twenty twenty-four
projects for twenty twenty-three
projects for twenty twenty-two
projects for twenty twenty-one
projects for twenty nineteen
projects for twenty eighteen
projects from twenty seventeen
monthly projects from previous years
some of my previous projects
|
