Other page's in progress

I am on a roll with the blog posting. :)

Wanted to share some other works in progress and maybe later I will post some completed. Maybe tomorrow. Just have to see how the afternoon goes. Again first pic sideways. UGH! These are not done. I have first layers of acrylics down on each. Then I will cut them out or add a journal page around them. Not sure. But many layers of shading to go.

Some backgrounds that I have started and are not done. Yeah like post people, I have many pages and projects going at one time. Not a fan of waiting for paint to dry. LOL

 The top background page has a small face that I didn't go over. It was a doodle but I have an idea so she may stay.

Now some random unfinished journal pages.

 I sometimes do backgrounds first and other times I will start drawing and then build the page. It just depends. I'll post other backgrounds later. Really having fun with backgrounds lately.

Tomorrow I will post the progress or finished pages.

I have dinner in the oven, coffee going, some evening chores done. So I am going to do some more art.

There are so many products I want, I have a huge wish list on dickblick.com. LOL I am just anxious to keep trying new products!!

There are so many wonderful artists out there. Scrapbooking artists, journal artists, painters, writers, on and on. I think I will start listing some of my favorite Blogger sites tomorrow. :)

Blessings
just, me

The Journey

It's Tuesday, and I missed posting yesterday! But to make up for it I will have 2 posts today. :) I am serious about posting everyday! Really :)

I am really liking this new commitment. To blog and journal and share it all everyday. Well maybe not ALL I do creative wise, but you know what I mean. I thought it would feel heavy or start to feel like an obligation or work. Instead it is very freeing. 

Like in a previous post from a few months back, I talked about the fear of sharing any of my art that really matters to me. Like some how if I only posted the things that I did on the run or well BBQ on the patio that I was some how protecting myself. I wouldn't care what others thought. Or said. Not that many leave comments :) But I do get the occasional email.

Now that I have started this new journey in full force and committed I am feeling a new freedom! Just what I was looking for. I want, no I need to just move ahead. I share my thoughts here mainly to clear my heart and mind. To just "talk". To post whatever I have been doing on that day. It maybe scrapbooking, drawing, poetry, cooking, art journal pages, acrylics, pastels, pencil, colored pencil....

I mentioned, Its the journey not the destination in a couple of posts. At the beginning of the year this thought kept coming back to me. I took it to prayer and know that it is a lesson that I am to learn. The living in the moment. The digging in each moment no matter what I may be doing. 

I was cleaning the cat box, sorry if this is yucky to hear! No worries, no details on kitty box will be provided! LOL But anyway, well I was doing this I chose to let gratitude flow through me. It was a choice I said out loud! I simply said.....I am glad that I am able to do this. Simple, but in that moment the words were released from my mouth, things changed. In ME!! I felt a river of joy. It is so hard to put into words, but I felt tension release my body!

I allowed myself to think on this and pray about this as I continued through my daily chores. I realized in a new way just how stressful dread and dislike is.

We fill our hearts and heads with dread and think about how much we dislike something and with each passing second our bodies are responding to the negativity and tension is created. It leads to feeling stressed!! In turn it leads to negative thoughts and moods and words. THEN.....it blocks our creativity!!

I am not a positive thinking person, I am a person of prayer and faith. But I believe these principals work no matter the faith/belief system you believe in.

I have found that my routine daily chores are just not as bothersome. 

I am one of these people that believe in work before pleasure. Always have been that way. I am also pretty discipled. Very strict about responsibility. Bible reading and journaling about what I read first always. Then I need to do all chores, take care of our furr and feathered babies, plan dinner and then head to the office to do any of my work for the business. Then I shower and dress, including make up and earrings ect. I really feel that if you treat yourself like a valuable women you will act valued and feel valued. Maybe this isn't what works for you. We are all different, the point is find the routine that works for you and stick to it. Your important and the beginning of the day really does set the tone for your day and attitude.

Then once all of the above is done I will head to my studio, art room. Now I have always followed this routine, but since Jan I have had such a better energy and creative flow! Just by learning, and still learning, to value the journey!

Each moment is important. None are less important. They all make up the whole of your life!

I am still learning to choose this each moment. Sometimes it is easier then others and there are times that I fail in a bad way! LOL

But I pick myself up by leaning on God and choose again. It is all part of my journey. Even the falling down times. I am learning and growing. I am having more fun creating then ever before. Some of the art is better and some of it is horrible but I am loving it!!

Plus not as anxious!! Anxiety has all but vanished!

So.....this is something I started today. As you can see it has a long way to go. :) 

Sorry the first pic is side ways. Don't know what happened.

I will be back later for the second post today.

Hope your Tuesday is full of simple joys

Just, Me

Another moment of reflecting

Well ok not off to the best start at consistancy for posting on here. I have been off to a fabulous start at following through with this turning point in my life.

As I posted on my previous post, I know that I am at a special place in my artistic journey. In my life. In knowing myself. In seeing myself and most important in facing my fears.

I know we all have fears. Fear of death or loss. Of being alone or crowded so much that we don't know who we are or even what we like or want. Fear of peer pressure or not being noticed at all. Fear of failure. I could go on but you all know what I am talking about.

One of my biggest fears is being judged. Maybe by words or by lack of words. Also fear of not measuring up.........to my standards. My perfectionist standards.

So one of the first things that I know is being dealt with is letting this all go!! I am feeing a huge sense of freedom. Like a deep exhale. My shoulders relax. I am me. Thats all. Thats good enough.

Your you and thats good enough too. You have your journey, your path. Are you following it? Being true to where you are suppose to be or are you trying to fit into a mold. What you think your suppose to be or what someone has said your suppose to be.

I have never been one to fit in. Now this isn't a pity thing. I have just always been different. Not in the stand out so boldly it draws attention. But in the not like many around me.

I am liking this more and more.

I have realized we are all just a little different and there is a reason we are. To bring our true selves to this world, this life. To make up our place in the "whole".

So as I journey on and get comfortable in this place of fear facing I am finding greater passion filling me. JOY!! yes joy and passion and a bubbling deep in my spirit.

I am creating with new gusto. I am falling in love with the whole process in a way that I hadn't felt before. That fear....those fears had held me back!

So as I continue on and promise once again to post daily!! Yes I said daily......I am asking you to look at your passions. What do you create, what stirs your dreams even awake? Now look at your fears.....what do you fear? Are you trying to fit into a mold? Are you comfortable in your own skin? Ready to put YOU out there? If not, why?......Really think about it. This isn't a one time process I am learning. I am seeing that I will go through this many times. Either to throw off new layered fears or chase off old fears who have found a way to re gain a place in me.

I am so excited about this journey even if this post seems a little hard, dark, sad, down. It isn't its really exciting!!! Its a new moment in my creative process to reach my all. My place to create freely.....to be me. I am me, I am a lady who creates, I am a person who loves, I am an artist!

As each day comes I am so filled with excitment. Like never in my life. I am anticipating where this road is taking me.

So I am going to share a few things in progress. I have not brought anything to completion yet. Many reasons and I will share more on that tomorrow.

So first in process....in progress arting work

This is a sketch that prior to this turning point I would have only found fault with. NOW I embrace all it's imperfections! Yes me!! I can let it be what it is. Let her be who she is. I can now move on to painting her. Maybe transfer her to wood or canvas then paint. Or maybe paint her right where she is......or......

I have many more in process or progress to post. I am glad you came by to read to look. To be part of this journey. To be one of those that I have dared to trust with my art, my fears, my life.

Where are you? What are your fears? Do you fight the urge to be perfect to the point that your not happy with your art, your scrapbook pages, you!?

Well I think your brave and perfect as YOU are.

Thanks so much for reading and leaving comments.

Your friend on this journey

just
melly