Inspiration!

Don't mess with Hannah!
She's the Ambassador of Fearlessness.

Ok, so Miss Creative Juicy herself has outed me.
I have fear issues. There.....I said it.
Which is why I've retreated to a friend's lakehouse in the middle of nowhere, not really intending to blog, but now Connie has called me out.

I realized, of course, that fear is an overwhelming problem for me, but when I signed up for 3 online workshops over the last few weeks, it knocked all the wind out of my sails.
The first course did it (sorry Sarah!). I felt sure I could seriously benefit from a course labeled "letting fly--balance for the creative soul"....I think most of us could.I came up head-first against a brick wall when I realized just HOW out of balance my life had become! I couldn't even complete the assignments in any sort of coherent way.

Then there was Connie's workshop Art Journal Love Letters---what an awesome course!
This one I'd meant to get involved with for the longest time!
I was so excited to sign up, but then after watching Connie's videos, suddenly I was locked up with fear. WHY???Here I am....been art journaling for a while....teaching my own workshops.....and I can't do this??

My 13 year old, Hannah has also been art journaling for a while. She was looking over my shoulder at the videos; I didn't realize how much they'd inspired her.
She went straight out and bought herself a journal and supplies, came home and raided my studio....and just dove right in.
Watching her inspired me to actually get started.....seeing her fearlessness, her creativity...how could I not jump in with her?

Look at the mess we made!
Maybelline is terrified that we'll take over her window seat too!

A set of pages I finished

I've also signed up with Carmen Torbus for her Spill It Revisited workshop.
I didn't get any further than downloading the supply list and homework assignments. I realized I wasn't ready to get started....I had to overcome this ridiculous fear first.

So I'm holed-up here, alone with my thoughts and fears, doing my best to face them and make peace with them, looking forward to heading home with a different frame of mind.

And that Hannah.....
The Ambassador of Fearlessness is away at camp this week, and I look forward to "playing" with her when she comes home.
I'm so proud that she's not afraid of her creativity, and I'm hoping that by Connie's sharing her story with the world, others can be inspired to LEAP!

Art Every Day---DAY 5

I'm loving seeing the variety of art from the participants of Art Every Day!
There were 85 participants listed there last night! 85! How exciting to think of all of us, all over the world, creating together!

More journal pages finished, ready to share this morning.
My girls, just like so many girls these days, struggle with self-esteem issues. I added a little "meat" to these skinny-minny silhouettes I used. And I chose the quotes for their journals carefully. I loved this quote from Dr Seuss--
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy (girl) who'll decide where to go."

I'm hoping to work on a long-overdue mural later today, and will post photos of it as I work.
What will you create today?

Art Every Day--- DAY 4

stacks of painted papers await embellishment

a finished spread, featuring Queen Hannah
(idea from last issue of Somerset Digital Studio)

It's still Art Every Day month at www.CreativeEveryDay.com. Or rather, it's Day 4 and I'm
still in!
Still working on journal pages, with a few digital note cards thrown in for good measure.

It is decidedly good to hear from other artists that it's ok...no, not just ok....
It's downright IMPORTANT to play, and to sometimes create really bad stuff!

I'm fairly pleased with the way the journals are coming along, but yeah, every now and again, a page is well.....just crap. :D