AEDM & NaNoWriMo Day 16

Today's creation for AEDM is: 

More journal pages in my horrid journal

 Day 15's final word count for NaNoWriMo was: 1, hahahaha yep i managed to write the whole chapter number before I got distracted lol which incidentally coincides with this weeks WOYWW pictures:

Yep, I've been painting cereal boxes again! And am going to bind them into a journal today, hopefully by tomorrow I'll have another journal making video tutorial for you - but editing takes a lot of time so might be the day after (unless today I only write one word again today). So my total for is still: 16,251 (no I didn't add the one lol)

Thank you to all my friends who gave me such good advice on my post yesterday - I really appreciate it, I don't usually post about feelings so I'm really grateful for all of your lovely words. Much love Jennibellie x

AEDM & NaNoWriMo Day 15 - A Personal Post for Me Today: My Inner Voice

Today's creation for AEDM is:

First journal this month I have made for my Etsy shop, created from recycled goodies.

The basis is three office dividers that I salvaged from going to the landfill at my old 'world be damned' workplace.

Then covered in found paper scraps, stitched and covered in gems, broken jewellery and vintage ephemera decoration:

I've been pretty neglectful of bookbinding one journal, after another, after another, to refresh stock in my shop the past couple of months, but creativity has taken me in another direction; and I think it's always important to listen to that inner voice.

For this reason I have till now tried to avoid taking online art classes. I have only ever taken one class with one person, and then never finished it because I worry that I will not channel my own work, but the work of the artist who taught the class. However there are two classes I wish to take next year, and literally feel broken down the middle trying to decide what to do - one side is screaming "do not miss such great opportunities", the other is saying that "if you do the classes you will get caught up going down the creative path they have carved out for you, and fail to see your own (and what if that path had your masterpiece on it in your own, uniquely found style?)".

Finding my creativity has never been an issue for me, I have never misplaced a muse, so it is just technical skill I need (and feel I don't always have) to be able meet the muse and produce something great. Lets just say I feel like I have ideas/imagination at 100%, but can never produce GREAT work because my skills are at 20% and it leaves me frustrated, feeling like I have not expressed myself to my fullest potential.

This is my art journal page today and this is the most personal I have ever gotten in a post but perhaps all artists feel something like this at some point do they? From what I read they do. And I guess art, like life, is a learning process, which means I'll only be at my fullest potential on the day I die - for that will be the day I have learnt most. Sorry if this sounds terribly morbid or like I am ranting, this is the first time my inner voice has failed to give me an answer so I am trying to do it through a blog post. Shall I take these classes or not?........Still silence. I guess I shall just have to see on the day.

Day 14's final word count for NaNoWriMo was: 1,033

Totalling: 16,251, by today I should be on 25,000 as this is the halfway point. I cannot see my writing nearly 9,000 words today alone, but hopefully if I am feeling better today I plan on making a decent dent in that figure. Fingers crossed.

Jennibellie x

AEDM & NaNoWriMo Day 14

Today's creation for AEDM is yesterdays cereal box journal turned into a handbag:

By adding an old belt, some dog collar grips and parts of a broken necklace. The dog collar grips connect the two key chain rings on the front and back covers of the journal, making it balanced as well as removable.

I'm going to call it a "clutch" when the long handle is detached lol

I also added some charms (as I never can resist).

And second is a bracelet I made after visiting my friend Sarahs blog over at Saturday Sequins, who yesterday gave some great links to artists blogs (thanks again for my shout out :) ). After having a gander I came across Crafting Rebellion, who was making some awesome half stretch/half chain bracelets. I haven't made any jewellery the whole of this year, but was inspired so went rummaging for some bits to make this:

I didn't follow exactly her instructions as I added some those loop things that you see and made it more of a centre piece for the butterfly, but I got all my materials by recycling old pieces (except for some of the chain & two headpins) so worked with what was available and I liked best. While wearing it the length of the dangle reminds me of some bracelets I used to wear a lot as a teen - those ones that drape down to lead into a ring on the middle finger.

Day 13's final word count for NaNoWriMo was: (only) 1,004, but as it was achieved at 3am this morning & considering I'm not v.well at the mo I'm actually quite pleased with that.

Totalling: 15,218, soon as I feel better I'm kicking that novels ass!

Happy two weeks in exactly to all those doing any November challenges, hugs Jennibellie x

AEDM & NaNoWriMo Day 13

Today's creation for AEDM is:

Made from cereal boxes, one of my favourite materials - it's free, it helps the planet and there's a million and seven things you can do with it (I'm currently working on the million and eighth!). This was a folder type book, like an accordion wallet to keep in my bag & store all those little bits of paper you scribble on and a little notebook. That's why it has chains of the side/fastening on the top to keep them all tucked in safely and a pen loop on the top so everything would be in one place when I wanted to jot down something.

It worked ok, however I didn't like it very much so I pulled it apart and made it into (my usual preference) an art journal:

 

But it won't just be an art journal, I plan on turning it into a handbag too - yep a handbag lol. Well those chains are already there so all I need is a longer one to connect them and I'll have a portable art journal with built in pen to take with me & doodle on the go - or perhaps just to take to my outdoor studio where I have supplies ready and no one but the birds & squirrels can see me sporting my new look haha

Whatever I do with it I'll post an updated pic tomorrow along with whatever else I go and make. Also linking to Sunday Sketches, where if you haven't joined before come over as they're a lovely bunch of artists that gather and share :)

Day 12's final word count for NaNoWriMo was: none. I had an evening off last night for me and mum to watch Castle as both of us felt rotten. Although like usual when we watch our programmes we stayed up till 2am to finish them - not sure that ever helps us get better any lol but it's just too tempting to hit the play button again, and again...and again. So total is still: 14,214

Happy (what's left of) Sunday :) hugs, Jennibellie

AEDM & NaNoWriMo Day 12

Today's creation for AEDM is:

Shock Horror, more beads 

I've been going bead-making crazy, and as they've multiplied they've had to leave the box I had turfed some sequins out of yesterday and move into this bigger box, which today I've turfed some gems out of. Some of these beads are over 2 inchs long! When the glaze arrives I'm going to be glazing for days by the looks of it.

So I also made this:

It is a bespoke glazing unit complete with drying rack (or a lump of clay with holes in it!). My little polystyrene heart I have been using just isn't big enough to fit a lot of beads on at a time. I can't wait for it to dry so I can paint it!

Day 11's final word count for NaNoWriMo was: 1,653

Totalling: 14,214, I'm still below the target line but you know I'm not too stressed about it now, I've gotten into the flow of writing daily (and blogging daily too) which for me is quite a big feat.

I can't believe it's nearly the end of week 2 of these challenges, what the frigs going on? Thanks for visiting, hugs Jennibellie x

AEDM & NaNoWriMo Day 11

Today's creation for AEDM is:

I seem to be doing my best this month to get my horrid journal completed.

Day 10's final word count for NaNoWriMo was: 1,386
Totalling: 12,561
Not the great surge of words I wanted yesterday but I got a little sidetracked and then last night and today all I seem to be interested in is making paper beads:

Not that I mind, I kicked my sequins out of this box today and now have a whole new heaps of beads that I didn't have yesterday:

Now I've just got to wait for a new bottle of glaze to arrive so I can bling them all up with glitter, gems and studs.

I find it so relaxing making these out of my scraps and watching all shapes and sizes appear, think I'm going to go make some more. 

Thanks for visiting, much love Jennibellie xx

AEDM & NaNoWriMo Day 10

Today's creation for AEDM is:

A video I made yesterday (I know, cheating a little, but today I really want to work on getting my NaNoWriMo word count up - now I no longer feel like is someone sucker punching me, repeatedly!) It is a video on some journals I made with the tutorial I did on how to make 100% recycled journals. I've shown these three journals before on my blog but not youtube so I uploaded for my subscribers on there to see, and hell it does take some (very little) editing skill, so I say it's creative enough for AEDM lol. I also did start making a few journals, so I have technically had my daily diet, but they're just a pile of mess at the moment so no point showing you them yet :)

Day 9's final word count for NaNoWriMo was: 1,769

Totalling: 11,175, still off target but I've broke double figures so right now I'm happy.

Happy Thursday Everyone, Jennibellie :) xxx

AEDM & NaNoWriMo Day 9

Today's creations for AEDM are:

Day 8's final word count for NaNoWriMo is: zero, migraines and white screens don't mix well unfortunately. These I did late last night after my medication began to kick in a little but this is it for a post today I'm afraid. Much love, J x