The Big White Page: A Visual Journal

My Remains of the Day Journal is Done

2011-05-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

My remains of the day journal cover

2011-04-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well, I dusted the cobwebs off my very neglected sewing machine. Step 1 complete. The only problem was that I totally forgot how to use it. It took me an hour to figure out how to wind a bobbin, as my machine is a bit different than most others. In the end, I realized that my frustration was due to using the wrong bobbin, as opposed to the ones that go with the machine. As the sewing machine was a donation from my Mom, who got a new machine, it came with a bunch of random parts, bobbins, and no manual. Who knew it would be so difficult to find a manual online. I thought I had hit the jackpot when I came across the model on the Singer website, only to find it was the right model, but the downloadable manual did not match the machine. Frustration aside, I used Easter Monday to get my cover done.

On Saturday, I took a fieldtrip out to Vancouver to find fabric. I came across the most amazing little sewing store called Spool of Thread. This was a random find, as it was right next door to RubyDog Art Store, which is chalked full of great ephemera. Just bins and buckets of old papers, clip art, and odds and ends. Great for a journal. Click on the links to access their websites. If you live in Vancouver (the Canadian one), or you are coming for a visit, check these stores out. Both stores also offer some great workshops. Now that I have dusted off the machine, I am tempted to take one of their classes. They look fabulous. Spool of Thread has the best fabric. It is bright, funky, and varies between modern and retro. It is all very cool. I had a very different plan in mind, but ended up with the brightly colourful fabric above. Totally not what I was going for, but it makes a good summer travel journal for my trip to Europe. Following the videos that Mary Ann Moss provided as part of her online class, it was really fairly simple. If I am saying it is simple, you know it must have been. A couple of hours later, I had myself a cover. By that evening, I had a cover and the first 15 pages of my journal. If you could see my apartment right now, every inch of the table is covered in paper, sewing supplies, and scraps. It is motivation to complete the journal just to resume some normalcy in the state of my home. Here is what my cover looks like, although the colours are quite different in the photo than in reality.

If you have not had a chance to check on Mary Ann Moss's online class, take a look at her website. http://dispatchfromla.typepad.com/dispatch_from_la/rotdoci.html
You can also checked out her intro video. Enjoy! If you decide to join me, let me know how your journal is going. I would love to see it.

Remains of the Day Journal

2011-04-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

Well, you know how the world of blogs goes, you read one, which leads to another, which leads to another. Blogs are a wealth of great information and resources. I can't remember exactly how I came upon this online class, but I found it in a blog somewhere. I was intrigued by the notion of creating a Remains of the Day Journal, or a "shabby" journal. I travel a fair bit, and I am always in pursuit of the perfect travel journal. My travel journals tend to be loaded with a bit of writing, but more than anything, they include sketches, postcards, play tickets, train and airplane stubs etc... In the past, I have handled this by taping the items in or just stuffing them somewhere in the back. If I use a moleskin, I stuff everything in that clever folder provided. Something never seemed right about the way my travel journals have turned out. With that said, the Remains of the Day journal seemed to fit my needs better than anything else I have come across. It is full of the great paper and ephemera that I already have stacked on my desk, it includes wonderful pockets and folders to hold my travel treasures, and each page is unique and different. It was hard for me to make the choice to take an online class, because I have not done that before, but when I came across this month's issue of Sommerset Memories, and one of the big articles was on Remains of the Day Journals, I took that as some sort of sign and, as such, I registered. I have bought my fabric, which was a process in itself. Making a decisive decision was not easy when fabric stores are lined wall to wall with the most amazing fabrics. I also picked up some great ephemera, which was so much fun. I will post pictures as I create. In the meantime, here are Remains of the Day Journals from Pam Garrison and Mary Ann Moss, the instructor of the class. Just click on the pictures to go straight to their blog posts.

I suddenly love opening my mail box

2011-04-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

There is never anything good in my mailbox. Each day it is full of flyers, take-out menus, and bills. However, the last week has seen me rushing home to see what piece of creativity will arrive on my doorstep next. Ihanna's postcard swap has exceeded my expectations. So far I have received 3 out of the 10 postcards that should be arriving... that means 7 more surprises await. Here are pictures of my two latest cards.

My first card is from Michelle. I love the use of text as the background and the cherry blossoms were so timely. Not only are they blooming everywhere on the west coast, but I just posted a picture of the blossoms in my last entry.

The other postcard was sent by Mindy. It is amazing. Her use of collage elements and fabric is stunning. I can't imagine the work that went into each detail. My picture does not do it justice. It is sparkly and glittery and delicious. I encourage you to take a look at Mindy's flickr page. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunnyland_girl/ I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.

What I love so much about this postcard swap is the opportunity to see what other creative people out there are doing. It is inspiring and fills my head with ideas. I am still trying to figure out how Mindy created her flowers. Maybe she will let me in on her secret. Thank you Mindy and Michelle for brightening my day.

Spring has sprung

2011-04-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

Signs of spring are everywhere. Flowers are beginning to bloom, blossoms weigh heavy on branches, birds are beginning to return, and life seems full of possibility. Spring is a rainy season here on the "wet," oh I mean "west," coast. It is easy to get discouraged with the rain and grey weather at this time of year I often yearn for the sunnier days of summer when I can bust out the flip flops and retire the rain gear and warm sweaters. With that said, I know that with all this rain comes new life. This page was an inspiration that rose from the most recent Art Journaling magazine. In the magazine, one of the contributors (who I would tell you about had I not lent out my copy of the magazine) created this adorable little nest out of scraps of paper. I loved this idea and it seemed to fit so nicely into a page on spring. Beside adding collage elements, some from Teesha Moore, I tried to jot down words or phrases that represented this season. In the nest are three small eggs that each hold a new possibility for the coming year. So far, at least two have already manifested themselves as I am in the process of planning my summer travel to Europe, and I accepted a new "challenge" in my job that should prove rewarding. Take a moment to get outside and experience spring. I know that depending on where you live, spring is going to look quite different. Enjoy what this season offers and open yourself up to the possibility of growth and new opportunities. What are your "3 eggs" or wishes for yourself this coming year. Take a moment to dream big. Dreams realized manifest themselves in many wonderful ways.

Happy Spring

My First Postcard

2011-04-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

My first postcard arrived from Andria in Pennsylvania. What a great surprise it was to open my mailbox and find it sitting there. I love the bright colours and the small bird in the corner. Birds often find a place in my own journals, perhaps because they represent the carefree, happy side of life. I also love the quote, "No sound is dissonant which tells of life." Perhaps that is what journaling is all about, giving voice to the stories of your life, those lived and those yet to live. Thank you for the inspiration Andria. If you want to check out her great blog go to http://www.andria-drawingnear.blogspot.com/

The Finished Product

2011-04-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my cards. I found it challenging to produce 10 tiny pieces of artwork but it was well worth the challenge. It will seem strange sending them off and out into the world but rewarding to receive 10 cards back. Producing these postcards, and receiving one already, reminded me of how wonderful it was, and sometimes still is, to receive something beautiful in the mail. In the current day of email, facebook, and texting, communication is at our fingertips. They only time I am blessed by a letter or postcard is at Christmas or if friends or family journey somewhere far and postcard worthy. Participating in this challenge has inspired me to do this more often for friends and family. What we send out into the world comes back to us and perhaps if I send out something beautiful it will come back to me in some form or another. If you are just dropping by my blog, and did not have a chance to sign up for the postcard challenge, I challenge you to create a beautiful postcard of your own and send it to someone you care about. Brighten their mailbox and, in turn, brighten their day.

The Post Card Swap: The Process

2011-04-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

When I heard about the postcard swap posted on the ihanna blog I was eager to try it out. It sounded fantastic. You create 10 small postcards and send them off to 10 strangers in 10 parts of the world. In turn, you were receive 10 postcards. It was a fun process and one I would certainly do again. The biggest challenge was coming up with ideas for the postcards that worked and that I liked at the end of it all. There is one thing about slapping paper and paint in my journal, it is quite another to send them off to someone you have never met in the hopes that they will like it. I didn't intend to have a theme of any sort, but in the end, I guess I kind of did. My postcards tended to be uniform in terms of their colour scheme and they all included a favourite quote. I had a hard time deciding what medium I would use, but in the end, I decided to work with mixed medium, one of my favourites. It gives you a chance to play around, use great paper, and splash on paint and colour.

I started out by double siding some cardstock in the hopes that it was strong enough to handle world travel. I then scrounged and scavenged through my piles of scrap paper, clippings etc... to find images that seemed to work with my theme of "creativity." After that, it was all about trying to place it in a way I felt worked. Once my cards had sufficient scrap added, I got to work with the paint, spray, water colour crayons, and glitter. My favourite journaling supplies are my box of cheap dollar store paints, my tattered angel spray mist, my caran d'ache watercolour crayons (they are the best!), and some cheap dollar store glitter glue. I then sealed each piece with modge podge in the hopes that it would stick together. In the end, I had 10 postcards I am reasonably happy with and am ready to stamp, address, and send off. My hope is that they will be well received. They were certainly made with love and some were hard to part with. Enjoy!

The Kindness of Strangers...

2011-03-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

On my most recent trip to Paris, I managed to wander into the most amazing bookstore. It is not any great secret really, as it is one of the most famous bookstores in Paris. Shakespeare and Company has been around for years and is geared towards the "English" speaking reader. I had read about it and had planned to make my way there on prior trips but never quite got there. When I finally did, I was not disappointed. My family and friends know that a bookstore and I are never a good thing. Well, its a good thing for me but perhaps not so good for the people I am with. It is easy for me to get lost in a bookstore and this one was no different. The only thing that finally lured me out was my sister whining, an hour later, about wanting to see something other than the inside of the Shakespeare & Company bookstore.

Despite roaming through aisles and aisles of amazing books, the interior of the store was so fantastic. Each corner was another hidden treasure. There were wonderful surprises in every inch of the store, like a tiny writing room and even a bed to take a nap perhaps. Old armchairs lined the hallways, should you decide to just pull up a chair and read a while, and the walls were covered in murals and quotes. The photo I put into my journal has become one of my favorites.

Often times we are taught to fear strangers, to see each as some sort of personal threat. What a sad state of affairs we have found ourselves in when our first thought, upon meeting someone on the street, is whether they are going to bring us harm. This doesn't mean I don't trust my instincts. I think when we take a moment to listen to what our heart is telling us, we are able to see people for who and what they are. With that said, I am constantly surprised at the kindness of strangers. In fact, the greatest moments of kindness have often come from people I don't know. This summer, lost in a London tube station, I was blessed with the kindness of a well-dressed stranger who, while racing to work, took a moment to ask if I was lost. As I was, he got me to where I needed to go and then sent me on my way. There were also the two lovely men who carried my very large and very heavy suitcase up a very steep flight of stairs when they saw me struggling. These are only two small examples of the many I could have written about. They may not have been big, and they certainly didn't change the world, but they are just two small examples of what has renewed my faith in strangers.

I encourage you to think about a time that a stranger was really an angel in disguise for you. What did they do and how did it make you feel? Journal about it. Give thanks. Maybe even write a letter of gratitude. When you are done, try to pass it on. Kindness is catchy and it makes you feel as good to dish it out as it does to receive it.

Mandala

2011-03-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun creating this mandala because it allowed me to just be free to splash on whatever colour suited my fancy. The idea for this exercise came from "Artists Journals & Sketchbooks" by Lynne Perrella. An artist featured in her book, Juliana Coles, talkes about the idea of creating mandalas. While she states that the dictionary defines mandala as "a symbol representing the effort to reunify the self," Juliana sees mandalas as a chance to unveil emotions through color. In creating this mandala, I used my Caran D'Ache watercolour crayons and splashed on whatever colour I felt. I kept adding layers of colour until I felt like my mandala was done. After that, I added some glitter and then took a moment to think about why I was drawn to each colour. I started in the center with the heart and worked my way out. The brighter colours tended to represent the lightness and joy inside me, while the darker colours represented the quiet, more reflective side. At the end of this activity, I was able to sit back and really see the many layers of me.

I encourage you to try this very activity. Grab your favourite medium of choice and let yourself be free. Splash on colour, smear on glitter, pull out anything that inspires you and slap it on the page then sit back and look at what you have created. What does it all mean to you? What do the colours represent? What emotions do they bring forth? What does your mandala say about you?

Wandering...

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Some of the best days are the ones spent wandering. Anatole France said, "Wandering reestablishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe." Perhaps that is what I love so much about traveling. You can spend days simply wandering from one shop, coffee bar, or street to the next, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. Living in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, I don't have to travel far to just wander. For me, the best wandering moments take place at the beach. Walking along the shoreline is a feast for the senses and I am never sure what treasures I am going to come across. Just taking some time to roam refuels me. It gives me a chance to be by myself, to reflect, and to breathe deeply. Wandering is also the one thing I don't think I do enough of.
This week, try to take a moment to wander. It doesn't need to be anywhere special, even your neighbourhood will do. As you wander, notice the small things, the way the light streams through the trees, the new spring flowers, the sound of the birds, even the smell coming from your local coffee shop. Take it all in and then let it inspire you.

Postcard Swap

2011-03-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

Today, I signed up to participate in ihanna's postcard swap. I love the idea of both making and receiving something creative. If you are interested, check it out by clicking here. Perhaps, I may just receive a postcard from you?

Tomorrow is...

2011-03-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

There is so much creativity out there if you dare to look. There is something to be said for having your own style and flare and for just unleashing your own kind of creativity on a big white page. There is also something to be said for looking at how the masters do it. There are so many amazing people who have managed to make creative journaling their life's passion and work. I love nothing more than to sit down on a Sunday morning with a cup of coffee and a stack of magazines. Some of my favourites are those published by Stampington & Company. They are full of rich ideas and techniques from some of the best in the field. One of my favourite journal artists is Dina Wakley. You can check out her blog at http://dinastamps.typepad.com/. What I love about her work is the bold colours, the layers of spray and paint, and constant originality of her work.

A few months back, I picked up some Tattered Angel spray in the hopes of trying out some of her techniques. It is not quite like the spray brand she uses, which appears to only be available in the UK, but it does the trick. This journal page started with the simple clipping in the corner that said, "Tomorrow is..." There is a lot that can be done with a quote as broad as that. I started by cutting out a few star templates and then I had fun layering and splattering paint. I added some glitter and gave some thought as to what my tomorrow would look like. In the end, I decided that tomorrow is really whatever I want to make of it. It is full of possibility, it is full of the unknown, and it is full of adventure. It makes me look forward to what is to come. What does your tomorrow look like? Is it full of adventure, travel, new career opportunities, or new relationships. What is possible for your tomorrow?

My goal for the month is to...

2011-03-06T22:15:00.000-08:00

Openings

2011-03-06T19:10:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning, for some time, to post some pictures from the great art journaling workshop I took with Linda Muttitt. Each workshop has a different theme and the theme of this particular workshop was openings. As per usual, it was a fantastic day. How much better can a day get than spending 6 hours with like-minded people creating art and being creative.
Under the umbrella of "openings," we completed a number of pages that explored the openess we wanted to welcome into our lives, the things that were holding us back, and the possibilities that were out there but not yet explored.

One of my favourite activities was the "spilling open" page. While we journaled, we were given a number of strips of coloured paper. As thoughts, ideas, or words floated into our minds, we quiety recorded them and kept on working. At the end of an hour, we were left with dozens of small pieces that contained our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Gluing them on the page, it was easy to see patterns emerge, ideas form, and thoughts spill out. I was able to see the things that I value and hold important and the ideas and thoughts I hold dear. Since then, I have tried this exercise again and again. It gives me a sense of where my head is at and reminds me what is important. I encourage you to try this activity as well. At the end of the day, we created a "breathing page." Where, as Sabrina Ward Harrison stated, you could "breathe yourself as you are." The page was not filled with a whole lot of text. It had a few words on it and a whole lot of white. "Breathing Space!"

We ended the day by giving a little something of ourselves to someone in the group. Linda had this fantastic idea to create paper boxes that we would decorate, fill with an inspiring quote, and give to someone randomly drawn from a hat. The boxes were beautiful and were a nice way to end the day. Giving is really just as good as receiving and I enjoyed making my beautiful box as much as I enjoyed finding the treasure of wisdom and words in the box I recieved. I encourage you to reflect on the areas in your life you wish you were open to. Look at what they are and what is holding you back. Imagine what life could be if you would only open yourself fully to the possibility that is your life.

Welcome October...

2010-10-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

I love October. Fall is in the air, the city is masked in red, orange, and yellow, and the weather is crisp and cool. I also love October because it is filled with some of the best "special days." There is Halloween, Thanksgiving (in Canada that is), and my birthday. I couldn't wait to get my October art calendar going. Here it is. These calendars are a work in progress, but I ended up being pretty happy with this page. I like the hints of autumn and Halloween and the page is smeared in shades of orange, one of my favourite colours. Hopefully, you will consider making your own art calendar to record the highlights of your month. If not, I encourage you to pull out all your paints, in every fall colour you have, some great clip art, and maybe even some glitter, and get to work. What does your October page look like. What is so important it simply must find itself on that big white page.

Goodbye to September

2010-10-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

In the summer, I came across a great blog. http://www.thekathrynwheel.blogspot.com/ I loved her idea of a creative journaling calendar. What a great way to remember the month in a simple and easy way. In the past, I have found I have gotten bogged down with trying to record the day to day events in a journal. In reality, it is not that difficult to just share the highlights of the day. For my calendar, I have tried to record the one thing in my day that stood out or that I was particularly grateful for. Reminding myself that there is something each day that makes me thankful also reminds me of how blessed I am. I finally finished my September journal and quickly got started on my October page. I encourage you to give this a try for a month. If you need some great ideas, check out the kathryn wheel blog and click on her flickr page. It is a wealth of inspiration and is full of creative art calendar pages from a variety of creative artists, all with their own styles. If you don't want to commit to an art calendar, I encourage you to take a moment to just reflect on the great things that September brought you. Perhaps it was the first signs of fall, time spent with family, or moments of quiet reflection.

Journaling with Kids

2010-09-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

I started creative journaling because I loved the process of combining art and writing all in one. Creative journaling also allows freedom of expression and creativity. Aiming for perfection or the perfect page is not the goal, although this can be hard to remember at times. While the web is full of fantastic creative journaling blogs and sites for adults, I noticed there is a lack of resources suitable for use with children. With that said, if anyone needs creative journaling it is children. As a teacher, I often find that children have a hard time putting down their thoughts and ideas on paper. Faced with a big white page full of lines, some children look dazed and confused, while others just look terrified. As teachers, we try to provide children with prompts, graphic organizers, and scaffolding tips. For some this is helpful, for others it is not. As I have worked more and more with journals, I have found that the best journals are the ones that provide children with meaningful prompts and the chance to express their individuality and creativity. They are also the activities where art is often incorporated. My goal this year to to complete a year-long creative journaling project with my students. Along the way, I imagine I will come up with some jewels that work and some that don't. The goal is to share these activities with others in the hopes that it may inspire other teachers. Feel free to join me at my other blog Creative Journaling in the Classroom. My first official post should be up in the next day or so. I welcome any great suggestions and ideas you may have used.

Gratitude calendar

2010-09-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

I love following the blogs of other creative journalers. The other day, I came across the Kathryn Wheel

blog. On her blog, she has started an Art Calendar Challenge. I love this idea because often I don't have the chance to journal everyday but want some small reminder of the highlights. Completing this activity in my 8.5 x 11" black sketchbook, I literally have enough space for "the highlight" only. Realizing that I will not get much in these little squares, I decided to focus on the one aspect of my day I was grateful for that day. One of the life lessons I teach my students is the power of gratitude. Not only does gratitude change our perspective on the day, but it changes our perspective on life. We are often so quick to look at the negative and yet even the worst day has some shimmer of gold in it. Despite the power of gratitude, I often forget to reflect on what I am grateful for at the end of the day. My art calendar keeps me focused on this goal. This is my first calendar, and ideas are already brewing for October. I hope that you will take a moment to check out Kathryn's blog and her Art Calendar challenge. It is full of inspiration and ideas. If you need a place to start, think about the things you are grateful for. What piece of the day could you have not done without.

"If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is "thank you," that would suffice." ~ Meister Eckhart

It takes all kinds

2010-08-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

The title of this entry was, "It takes all kinds." This page is just part of a larger page. However, to protect the source of inspiration for this journal, I left out the writing. The world is full of different people, and as the page says, "No bird is the same." At times, we come across people in our life who, for various reasons, grate us the wrong way. Perhaps there is something in them that we see in ourselves. Or perhaps, they are just so different from who we are that it is hard to find common ground. Whatever the reason, the world is going to be full of people who we fail to see eye to eye with. This page was a reminder that these people have purpose. Not only do they make the world a more interesting place, but they challenge us. In fact, it is often the people who I find it most difficult to be around that teach me the most. They teach me how to be patient, how to be compassionate, and how to look at the world through the eyes of another. They also give me good insight into myself. I have learned an abundance of information about myself in the way I respond and relate to the people I find most difficult. Birds of a feather may flock together but it's not a very interesting party. Who in your life do you find it hard to understand. What can you learn from this person? What is it that they were put on this earth to teach you?

Travel Totes

2010-06-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

I am getting reading for my trip to Iceland, France, and London. In addition to packing up the usual, I always put together a travel pack of art journaling supplies to take with me. Ensuring that my supplies are kept as minimal as possible, simply due to space issues, I have to be selective. The following supplies represent what I can get by with. The one supply I can not get by without, simply because it is so easy, is the Tombo adhesive tape. It is quick, portable, and works beautifully. The only downfall I find is that I need to pack at least one refill. I also pack my watercolour crayons (my absolute favourite). I can't live without these. Not only are they portable, but they are vibrant and can be used dry or wet. I pop in a small watercolour set, should I decide to paint "plein air". While my travel journal is usually full of ticket stubs and found items, I do like to bring a small envelope of papers, clip art I have found, or embellishments that I have collected that fit with the theme of my travel. For example, I found some fabulous Paris stamps and some vintage inspired London notepaper. The envelope is relatively small, although it looks bigger in the picture. I carry a small travel case that holds my favourite "waterproof" pens, I love the Faber Castell Indian ink pens the best as they don't run when wet. Finally, I pack my moleskin sketchbook. I love this sketchbook because it is small and portable, and the paper is ideal for journaling, collaging, or painting. Plus the story behind the Moleskin is too good to be true, and fits my Paris vacation beautifully. With my journaling supplies packed, I am pretty much ready to go. I look forward to posting a few entries soon.

2010-06-27T08:13:00.000-07:00

Last night I managed to overcome an obstacle, however small it might have been. I woke up in the morning with a sense of accomplishment and control over my own life and self. There is something wonderful about achieving that which we initially see as too difficult, that which we first strive to avoid. The future is certainly never sure, but the more obstacles we face, the better prepared we feel to take on the world, one step at a time. I don't know where the image of the ocean came from. Perhaps it was from the book I am currently reading to my class, which is full of pirates and adventures at sea. Regardless, while just a quick little sketch, it is symbolic of how I felt. The sea is a vast and open space with a horizon far beyond our reach. While the horizon is never near, it is the journey that really matters. I am the captain of my own ship... I am the master of my own sea. What about you? How do you represent the adventure in your life? What do your obstacles look like?

2010-06-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

I love this quote by Virginia Woolf. I think that all to often women feel they need to be more than they are. What we fail to realize is that all we need to be is ourselves. It is not about who moves fastest, or who sparkles most in whatever is in style in the moment. Ultimately, the woman who is most stunning in a room is the one who is comfortable in her own stillness and in her own skin. If you had to draw your "real self" what would you look like? If all the exterior sparkle was stripped away, what would be left when you looked in the mirror?

2010-06-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

This is my tribute to art. It is made up of a mixture of collage bits and pieces and photos I have taken along with a variety of fleeting thoughts that just popped into my head. One of the things I love to photograph are paint palettes as they offer up a mixture of colour that happens purely by accident. Art and life should be intertwined as art is everywhere if we stop to take a look. Create your own tribute to art. What does it look like? How do you represent your feelings on the big white page.

Art

2010-06-20T18:30:00.000-07:00

The Pieces of our Life

2010-06-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

I love this quote, largely because it is so true. Having lived in a number of places in my life, both near and far, I have always felt as if I have left a piece of myself behind in each place I have lived. In exchange, I hold a piece of that place in my heart. This summer I will have the opportunity to explore somewhere new, while visiting a couple of places from the past, a couple of places where I left behind a piece of myself and now hope to go back and reclaim it, if only for a week or so. What places are dear to you? Where have you left the little bits of yourself fluttering on fences- like rags and shreds of your very life.

Time

2010-06-16T19:12:00.000-07:00

Time is the quintessential problem. It seems as if there is never enough of it to accomplish everything you would like to accomplish in the day. At times, I wish I had some magic button that would stop time long enough for me to do a few of the things I want to but have convinced myself I cannot fit in. In reality, that button does not exist and time is never really going to slow down. Fitting in the things we want to, as opposed to the things we feel we have to, is a matter of priorities. Why is it that the things we want to do are often last on the list. It is as if by carving out that time we are somehow neglecting our obligations. Carving out time for the things we love is a matter of shifting our mindset and realizing that by fitting in the things we love, we are fulfilling our obligations, at least our obligations to ourselves. While this is good in theory, it means we need to carve out chunks of time to do what we love and that means setting goals we plan to stick to. My goal is to carve out a small chunk of each day to do something for myself, whether it is going for a walk, journaling, taking a few moments to breathe, or just enjoying the quiet with a cup of tea. What is standing in your way of carving out that piece of time for yourself? What goal can you set to make yourself a priority?

It Takes All Kinds

2010-06-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

As hard as it is, I have come to realize that in life it really does take all kinds. This is hard to appreciate when the beliefs and views of others can be so different from your own. Rather than fight against it, I am trying to develop an appreciate for this diversity. After all, however cliche it may be, variety really is the spice of life. Ultimately, these people challenge you and encourage you to think about your own belief systems. Sometimes we also see bits of ourselves in them, and this alone is gift enough. It gives us the insight to reflect and make changes, if that is what we deem should be done. Maya Angelou said, "We should all know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter their colour." Understanding and fully absorbing this concept is my challenge of the day and when a challenge presents itself, what better way to deal with it than to journal it out. Think about those people who challenge you. What do they bring to your life? How would your tapestry be different without them?

A Weekend of Journaling

2010-06-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

A holiday, however short it may be, is the best way to recharge and reenergize. I had that opportunity when my sister, my aunt, and I gathered for a weekend of journaling, rest, and relaxation. With a view as beautiful as this, who wouldn't be inspired. The best part about a weekend away is that it gives you a bit of time to sit down and do the things you love. In my case, I got to journal, be outside in nature, wander around on the beach, and just be in the moment. With the flowers in bloom, the smell of the ocean air, and plenty of space, there was ample opportunity for inspiration. Journaling with a group of fellow creative journalers is another way to get inspired, share ideas, and learn from each other. This weekend we did plenty of sharing. We shared journaling supplies, picked up some new tips, handed out our favourite quotes to serve as inspiration, and shared stories. A short holiday is one of my ways to renenergize but how do you refuel and fill up that tank of creativity that is so easily depleted in the day to day craziness of life? What do you do to carve that space and time for yourself.

Finding the Calm

2010-06-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

I attended the most amazing creative journaling workshop hosted by Linda Muttitt. A link to her website is on my favourites. Her journaling workshops never cease to inspire and amaze me. The title of this workshop was "Finding the Calm," which was exactly what I needed based on the craziness that is life at the moment. Our project for the day was to create a series of layered pages that represented waves from the ocean. Living so close to the ocean, I find the words sea and calm as synonymous. Not only did we look at the calm in our lives but we also dove deep into the stresses. With our stresses out on the page, we captured moments of calm, looked at our "way markers," or those things that brought about calm, and acknowledged our life preservers, the people in our circle of friends and family who bring peace and calm into our lives. We shared bits of wisdom with each other, and had fun colouring, gluing sand onto our journal pages, and working with a very cool transparency technique that involved packing tape, a picture, and a tub of water. I will try to share that at another time. I love taking these workshops because you leave renewed and full of creative ideas to work from, and hopefully to share with others. Today I got to dive deep into the calm. What brings you calm, what will you do to preserve the things that bring you peace and satisfaction, who and what will you surround yourself with?

Paris Bound

2010-06-12T20:49:00.000-07:00

With just a couple of weeks left until my Paris trip, I began to pull out my old travel journal. It certainly brought back memories, and I am excited to explore a city I have seen a couple of times and yet feel I have barely cracked the surface of. I have so many amazing memories of Paris. The time spent sketching in a cafe, biking along the Seine, eating black current gelato while listening to amazing outdoor jazz. There is something wonderful about visiting a place you have been before. In part, this is because there is that ounce of familiarity that makes it comfortable. No doubt, I will make a beeline to that same gelato stand in the hopes that I will find that same delicious current gelato. With that said, there is still so much unknown, and so much to explore. There are cafes I long to visit, but could not, streets I have failed to explore, and perhaps one or two bakeries I may have missed. I am looking forward to journaling the next phase of this adventure. Part of going on a trip, for me, is anticipating what I might need to bring, journal wise that is. With life lived out of a suitcase for a month, journal supplies need to be small, compact, and value added. Slowly, I have picked up bits and pieces to collage, serve as a background, and use as inspiration. My favourite find is the sparkly Eiffel tower I picked up at Michaels. I can't wait to use it. Paris awaits me, and I can not wait to see what is in store. If you could revisit one place, where would it be? What hold does that place have on your heart?

re: A Creative Adventure

2010-01-29T20:31:00.000-08:00

In January, Andrea, from http://www.abccreativity.com/ developed an online creative journey called, "Creating Dreams Come True- A Creative Adventure." While I have been participating in the activities posted on her website, I have finally taken a few moments to blog about it. I have completed the first couple of assignments, which I hope to post soon. What I love about this creative adventure is that it gets me thinking about the many blessings I have in my life, as well as the changes and adventures I see for myself in the future. I love to pour over Andrea's email each Sunday, as it offers up another activity to move me closer to what I imagine for myself. While I started this blog a few months ago, my goal is to post more regularly, as a means of documenting this journey. Happy Adventures!

re: Change

2009-11-12T21:53:00.000-08:00

Change is an inevitable part of life, and yet it is something we most often resist. Perhaps it is because change is scary and the unknown is just that, unknown. However, as Price Pritchett said, "Change always comes bearing gifts." When I look back at the greatest moments of change in my life, it is laced with excitement but also with trepidation and fear. Yet inevitably, when I look back, those moments of change filled my life with abundance, and I could not have imagined what life would have been like had I not embraced the change. Inviting change into your life brings forth gifts unimagined. The small spotted eggs I painted in my journal each represent an area of change I would like to see in the future. I invite this change into my life. If this was your page, what three things would you like to change? What new gifts would hatch from the unknown?

2009-10-19T19:40:00.001-07:00

I was at a workshop recently and we were asked to finish the statement, "If you knew me you would know." This required us to look at what lies beneath the surface. Our workshop facilitator used the metaphor of the iceberg. In many ways people are like icebergs. There is that piece that floats above the surface, the part that people see when they meet you. However, it is what lies beneath the surface that matters the most. For some, there is little beneath the surface because life is lived like an open book. For others, what lies beneath the surface can be complex and immense. How would you finish the statement, "If you knew me you would know?" What lies beneath your surface?

Imagine all that is possible for this life...

2009-10-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

This page was inspired by a short phrase found in a magazine. It simply said, "Imagine all that is possible for this life." It is a tall order to imagine all that is possible because the possibilities are really endless. So, with that said, instead of focusing on all that is possible, I focused on the type of life I would need to live to fill life with possibility. Living a life filled with possibility requires me to dive in and live out loud. It requires me to be bold, to face life head on, and to be true to myself. These are the daily skills I strive to include in my life but each person's journey is different. What do you do to live a life full of possibility. What would your page look like?

The Power of Small

2009-10-14T21:49:00.000-07:00

Magazines often serve as a source of inspiration. Sometimes it is a particular image, at other times a word or two. This page all began with the quote at the top, "The Power of Small." There is something wonderful about small things, the way they sit in the palm of your hand, or fit inside a pocket. Some of my favourite things in this world are the small treasures I have collected and store in a cherrywood box. They are simple things, a tiny book of poetry, some sea glass, a painted broach, a glass heart, even a casino coin. Each of these items has a story and they whisper their story when I hold them in my hand. What small things do you hold dear, what stories do they whisper to you.

spinning towards control....

2009-10-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the simplest image inspires an idea. I found this picture of a spinning top in a magazine and was drawn to the colours and the metaphor. For me, a spinning top has always symbolized something "spinning out of control". Watching it haphazardly turn and twist about, with no destination in mind, it clearly has no set path in front of it. However, the wonderful thing about visual journaling is that you can make anything your own. On this page, I imaged this same top twisting and turning but still headed towards a final destination. Rather than spinning out of control it had a clear direction in mind. It would surely hit bumps in the road and veer off course every once in a while but it would ultimately make its way to the very place it was meant to be. Imagine you have a chance to control where your top goes. What journey does it take, what does its final destination look like.

Me to We

2009-10-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had the honour to take a small group of children to "Me to We" Day. Created by Free the Children, this day focused on celebrating the power of youth to produce change in the world. We had the chance to hear some amazing speakers such as Jane Goodall, Mia Farrow, and the Dalai Lama. The message that each speaker presented was one of hope and compassion. It reminded me that there are people in this world who have made a real difference and who approach each day with a message of hope. Long after they are gone, that message will still float from the mouths of the many who remember. Each person saw enormous obstacles in front of them and chose to try to overcome them. This day filled me with hope for the future and made me wonder what it is I would change for the better if I only took those first few steps.

It is necessary to help others, not only in our prayers, but in our daily lives. If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is to desist from harming them. --- Dalai Lama

Diving In

2009-09-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

An avid creative journaler once told me that she starts every single journal, of which she now has many, with a first page entitled "Diving In". Her rationale is that creative journaling requires just that. It requires you to take a plunge when you would really rather wade in slowly and cautiously, one toe at a time. She likes to tear her first page around the edges, smear it with rich layers of paint, and then write the words "Diving In," on the front. She has one big rule for herself; the first page must be messy and imperfect so that it sets the stage for what is to come, a whole lot of imperfect pages. My "Diving In" page is a bit different and was inspired by a recent trip to the beach. The ocean near my home is always brimming with life. On my last visit, I spent hours combing the beach and looking deep into tidal pools at what lay just below the surface. It was amazing to see the depths of what lived in those shallow pools, and I wished, at that moment, that I could simply dive in. Later that day, I did just that. It was not in a tidal pool of course, but in the ocean itself. It took a deep breathe and a bit of courage to jump into the Pacific, which is rarely warm in my part of the world. It felt wonderful wading around in the cool water, and it was well worth the plunge. There is something liberating about diving in without any hesitation. My "Diving In" page is full of memories and serves as a reminder of how wonderful it is to take the plunge. What would your page look like?

Welcome

2009-09-27T18:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when you are caught up in the craziness of life, it is hard to remember what "balance" looks like. For each person it is an individual thing. For me, it means taking some time to just be present in the moment. At times, this means standing near the ocean and feeling what it is like to be so small against something so immense. At other times, it means taking a few moments to really breathe, and at other times it means cutting out a small piece of the day to be creative and reflective. Creating a balance in life is something many people struggle with. This year I have been working on my graduate thesis on the topic of mindfulness education. Essentially, this means I am teaching children how to be present in the moment, to breathe deeply, and to appreciate life. The irony is that these are three things I struggle with each day. I cannot imagine teaching students to do something I am not doing myself. So I have set what seems like a big goal for myself, to spend a part of each day with one "big white page" in my visual journal. I don't profess to be an artist or a writer, but if I have learned anything about creating a visual journal it is that imperfection is par for the course. It is my hope that setting aside this tiny slice of the day will allow me to be present, to breathe deeply, and to reflect on this life I call my own. I have not totally decided what this will all look like but I will surely keep you posted as I go along. You are welcome to join the journey.