Make a Creative Mojo Box

Hello Gorgeous!

I have a little video for you today, it's about making yourself some beautiful creative energy that is personal to you for your studio space, most specifically for your immediate work space - your desk.

It's purpose is to fuel you, to support you, to encourage you and to assist you in anyway that you need so you may need to take a little time thinking about what means, and what would be most useful for you to put in your mojo box. There is no point just sticking a bunch of things in a box, for it to have energy you need to have a connection with the elements of the box and have an understanding of why X will help you deal with negative chatter of the inner critic, why Y will remind you to fill your project with love, why Z is encouraging more freedom in your creation etc etc. It's a project that may seem a little coo-coo or woo-woo, until you try it, and you realise it will make you listen to what you need to make your creativity flow more easily & address stumbling blocks or barriers you may not have realised were even there before. 

So, what do you need in your mojo box?

If you want to join me in turning your Inner Critic into your Creative Coach in my 21 Secrets Lesson then you can find all the details here: 21 Secrets Spring 2015

Have fun making your box, 

much love

PS have you heard it's my birthday and you're invited?

FREE EVENT!!

(you don't even have to bring cake!)

Click the image for details

Acrylic Storage Solutions

Hi Happy Friday!

This week for my ramble I thought I'd share my acrylic storage solutions after this picture of my paint wall -

got lots of interest when I posted it on my Facebook page

So I've done a little vloggy to show you all my acrylic storage including my faaaaaaaaavourite ever drawer - 

which I organise so neatly with...

you guessed it, recycled boxes!

I won't fool you though, I'm sharing a ramble focused on supply goodies rather than projects goodies because I'm planning on posting some of new goodies this weekend (so watch this space journal workshoppers ;) !) in the meantime here's my acrylic storage vlog:

Much love & happy arty weekend

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Anja Voigt

Hello beautiful creative, 

Welcome to today's Tell All Tuesday Artist Interview 

I hope you find this super inspiring & have an awesomely artistic Tuesday to boot =)

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
I am a mixed media artist and art journaler, living in Germany, Berlin. I learned to be a pattern- designer as a profession. My passion is painting and drawing, but I also like to write, so art journaling was an easy step for me. I struggled a long time to follow the path of an artist, because I made a lot of compromises on my way. I thought I need to help people, heal people, which is awesome, too, I guess. So I studied art therapy, but didn't finish that. I also learned how to educate children, but after while I felt that making art or being an artist is the essence of what I really want to do, although all of these things had to do with being creative and such. I never wanted to admit to myself to be that selfish, lol, because I had very altered expectations of myself. I always felt this unrest. I find myself still in a process of unveiling who I really am, inspite of all the expectations from others, my parents etc. etc.and being ok with what is showing of my real personality. I love to learn new things, because I can get easily bored. I do not like to make an identical reproduction of my work, for example. It always needs to be a bit random.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
I think the biggest challenge would be to create something totally abstract. A picture without any visual motive, like a figure or something. I sometimes find that motives in my art are just like alibis to put color into a certain corner of the Picture. I didn't overcome that, yet. Another challenge is my pickyness. I sometimes see little flaws everywhere on my art and keep on working and working. I overcome it with a gut feeling that I should stop now and leave the rest to the observer and mostly it makes me stop.

What do you find easiest / hardest in your art?
It is easy for me to make my stuff look good and to be quick, which I learned as a pattern designer, but that does not always support my artful expression. You know... art does not have to do with beauty all the time. To me the beauty in art is the true and honest authentic expression, that has nothing to do with the used materials,  the quality of materials or the skill of the artist. That is why we find a painting of a child so beautiful, because of its simple, honest and unpersuasive expression.
Art can be also destructive or just an impression that you cannot push away, that is stuck in your memory and works from there.

Do you think you have achieved a uniquely recognisable style as an artist, or do you find it a struggle to find your own style?
I find myself at a point, where I have arrived at a certain style I think, but it is still like a fragile little plant that needs to be supported. I found that hard, but the solution to achieve your own style is just to keep on creating, every day a little. Don't back down! You Need to Keep it up! One stroke a day!

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?

Right now most of my stuff gets posted on facebook under my name Anja Voigt. All the other stuff, like society 6 and such is in the making. I have a youtube channel called reginaangel. I just started to paint bigger canvases with what I created in my art journals.

Thanks for sharing Anja I really enjoyed your art & insight. 'One stroke a day!' is ringing soooooooooooooooooo true with me right now! That is a path I've been on for a few months and shared a little on here in 'My Daily Journaling Practice' blogpost. I feel it's soooooooo important to do, even when we aren't in the mood and no masterpiece is coming to just do that one brush stroke! Thanks so much for your interview Anja, wishing you all the best with your creative endeavors.

Email me or click the link to find all the details here =)

Much love

Jennibellie

...on Altered Books

So my ramble this week is on, altered books...because that is what I've been up to and where my head is currently at.

Saying I have thousands of suitable vintage and antique books to alter is probably no exaggeration & it's always something that appeals to me, however when I come to create I'm usually drawn to a journal I have handmade. Not so much at the moment though, at the moment I am just thinking books, books, books.

It's not like I need to start a new journal, I have plenty going but the muse is calling and she usually gets her way (plus I do have a fairly good idea of a particular use I have for the journals I'm making so she has swayed my logic brain somewhat to her thinking too - which makes a change). 

Here is a lil video showing how I am prepping two altered books for my next art journals:

...and I did make something in it, 

I started this lil page...

using the same techniques shared in my recent pastels and charcoal video tutorial here, but this time I favoured the charcoals.

That's it for today my sweets, I am super busy making my 21 Secrets Lesson *awesome*, I have to keep this ramble short and sweet. If you wanna come join in the 21 Secrets LOVE click the link to take a goosey gander at what's on offer:

Much love

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Mel “Bunny” Sparkles

Hello!

Hope you've had a fabulous start to February?

I have, what with 48 new gel pens on sale, snowstorms, the awesomeness that was February's Monthly Challenge and now I have TAT! What more could an arty girl ask for??

I hope you enjoy this inspiring interview

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
My name is Mel “Bunny” Sparkles. I have always been a creative person, but only in the past several years have I considered myself an “artist”. I have enjoyed all sorts of creative and crafty pursuits over the years, but it wasn’t until the last 4 years or so that I began seriously working at art. As a child I wrote plays, made costumes, and did lots of daydreaming. As an adult I continued my various creative pursuits off and on through the years. Over the past decade I’ve grown more and more dedicated to my creativity and it’s currently the most important aspect of my life. My primary art form is painting (mostly with acrylics). I also enjoy sewing, crochet, book making, and many other fun creative things.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
My biggest personal challenge in life and in art is chronic illness. A few years ago I became very ill with an autoimmune disease. Being chronically ill and experiencing severe chronic pain means that I have limitations in my life and abilities. I am not always able to create art when I want or need to. I cope with this by remembering to be grateful for the times I can create…remembering to really savor those times. The times when I can not create due to illness and/or pain I remind myself that it will pass and I will most likely have another chance to create again. Nothing in life is permanent…not the good times and not the bad times. It’s really been one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about life…savor the good times because they don’t last forever and don’t get caught up in the suffering of the bad times because they don’t last forever either.

What is your greatest personal achievement either in your art, or because of it?
The greatest thing I’ve achieved with my art is bringing a very rich and consistent source of joy into my life. I have a life long history of debilitating depression and anxiety. Art is something that brings me a lot of joy. It’s been my best “therapy” and a wonderful method for coping with life challenges. This is why art is the most important thing in my life…it’s critical to my health, happiness, and well being. 

Have you ever found anything that originally daunted you as an artist that you can now overcame easily?
Early on in my art making I would be afraid to “waste” my “good” supplies. I would often avoid using my good/expensive/special supplies for fear of “wasting” them by making art that wasn’t “good”. Essentially I was afraid of failure and didn’t want to feel I had wasted money on top of “failing” at art. So, I collected a lot of supplies for a long time, but used very few of them. It’s funny to look back on it…how did I expect to grow in skill and as an artist if I wasn’t willing to use my supplies?! How did I expect to grow in skill and as an artist if I wasn’t willing to “fail”, to make mistakes?! One day I decided I was finally going to use some of the polymer clay I had been saving. I took out a package and it was rock hard. I had waited too long and the product was unusable. It was just what I needed to snap me out of that fear of failure. I realized I could truly waste my supplies by continuing to postpone using them, until they all ended up expired/unusable OR I could “waste” them on art projects that might (or might not!) be “failures“. I realized that no matter how badly I might “mess up” a project…it was a far greater waste to let supplies go unused than to use them up while I was learning. I no longer fear “failing” at art. For one thing, it’s impossible to fail at art. Art is a personal expression of humanity, emotion, perception, and more. It’s not possible to “fail” at expressing one’s experience of life-just not possible. Also, I see mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow-which is what they truly are!! 

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?

You can find some of my crafty type work in the book “Microcrafts” 

Thanks so much Mel “Bunny” Sparkles, I really enjoyed your art and story. Your answer to what originally daunted you that you now overcame was awesome! I recently did a blogpost where I mentioned that I've been investing heavily in supplies - I've brought more 'proper' paints, pencils, pastels, tools, books etc than I would ever have allowed myself to believe I was 'allowed' before. Like so much in art I think it is truly about giving ourselves permission....permission to play with these expensive products, permission to mess up, permission to express ourselves! Let's give ourselves permission (& whenever we hear a niggly non-permission voice come in ponder this: if you don't give yourself permission to go where your creativity wants you to go in that moment in time how will you ever reach or know your fullest potential?....art food for thought!)

Do you want to be a TATer??

To be featured email me or find all the details here =)

Which Idea Should be Next??

This is my ideas journal

...well it's really a binder

yeah, it's BIG!

I wouldn't be surprised if there were over a thousand ideas in here. Many so well planned all they need is the smallest part to make them come alive - the action. There are enough ideas in here to last a lifetime, several. And they are added to practically every day.

I cannot think of it as a burden to have so many ideas constantly coming

It's energising

But it's also confusing

and it always begs the question 'which idea should I work on next?' (and usually before any of the current 15 projects are anywhere near to being done)

'what if I pick the wrong one?'

'which one most calls my heart to be done?'

'why do thirty ideas call my heart all at the same time dammit?'

What I've realised recently is I have a lot of inner critic stuff surrounding me around this (which is handy really seeing as that is the soothing healing aspect my 21 Secrets Art Lesson is about - I do believe the universe gives you what you most require, even if it feels very, very uncomfortable!) 

but...I'm beginning to learn how to get out of my head a bit more...'cause that's where all the questions live!!! If I don't, then I can (often) be paralyzed by sheer overwhelm. To sum it up in the recent words I wrote in my journal I'm 'feeling' my next move, rather than 'planning' my next move.

It's really not easy for me to get outta my head when 1000s of projects are cultivating, expanding and morphing, and I don't think it'll get easier anytime soon, and constant second-guessing yourself questions are just one of things my inner critic likes to keep himself busy with....so releasing and going with the flow, rather than concentrating and going with the 'logic' (in ' ' as the inner critic can often give very good arguments to the point where we believe a inner critic dig is actually a truth!) is something I need to learn to keep myself in alignment with.

So I'm so curious about this I might set up a discussion on Journal Workshops; does anyone else have this issue (too many ideas, not enough time? which way to go? who knows, let's go make a coffee instead!??)

and if so how do you choose which (of all the very fabulous) ideas to go with first?

and does anyone ever just work on one idea at a time? (aka am I just a freak working on so much, or it is a usual habit to have what feels like a years worth rolling at any one time?)

Leave your thoughts in the comments below, or on the Journal Workshops discussion here I'd really like to hear how everyone else deals with what I'm sure if a very common tripping issue for many creatives.

Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Paula Haynes

Hello, hope you've had an awesome start to this week

(can you believe it is the last week of January already? seesh)

It's tuesday yay! so here's your weekly artist interview inspiration hit, enjoy!

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
Hello, I am so excited to be apart of this great ,"Tell All Tuesday". Let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Paula Decker Haynes and I am married with one son and two daughters. I have five grandchildren and a sixth on the way. I reside in a small town where my husband and I own and operate a small business. I run a small Primitive Decor and craft shop which I am changing out to have an art studio where I will be able to teach more art classes.

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges with my art is simply having time to do it. I start a piece and something comes up either with the business or an illness in the family and there goes my time to do art. Because I have fibromyalgia I have to get plenty of rest so sometimes it really is a challenge to find the time I need to get into my art. I have learned over time to relax with it. To just do it when I can and trust my gut to go where I need to when I can spend time creating. I have learned to just enjoy the process and that has made a huge difference for me.

What messages do you try to portray in your work and do you feel that you achieve it?
I want to convey who I am through my art as well as who I want to be, the things I like and places a would love to go to. I am a follower of Jesus and although my painting rarely mention him or my relationship with him, I hope that it shines through in my art presentation. 

What advice would you offer to any perspective new artist?
I would suggest that you just get some basic supplies, good ones because they do make a difference and just have fun. Try to get in a group on facebook or online that is challenging you to try something at least once a week or everyday if you have the time. Join in an art studio if you have one near you. It will keep you motivated and you will be with others who will give you encouragement. Lastly just have fun. Every time you create it may not be a masterpiece but you will learn and grow and it is so therapeutic. It has gotten me through some really difficult times.

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?
I have a couple of Facebook pages, an etsy shop and my brick and mortar shop where my art can be found. Paula's originals and My Fathers House on Facebook and Etsy. My shop is at 207 E Main St., Clarkson,Kentucky. 

Thank you for sharing your story and some of your art with us Paula, what you said about following your gut...that is something I totally agree with and have just flowed into in almost all I do recently, but most especially art. What I will say is there is always reasons why we don't have as much time to do art as we'd like (I hear it on here all the time and if I ever mentioned how much doing admin for my art - for instance all the emails I get, work on my art community or etsy shop etc - cuts into my time for doing art, I think people would be really, really shocked) but please see any time you have to take out for your business as a wonderful thing, because oh my goodness your shop is adorable and something that I think many of us crave for. One of my own personal dreams is to have a physical space like so to teach in etc so sincerely well done and I really hope you love your new teaching space when it's complete (would love to see some finished pics?!)

Do you wana join the TATiness ... ???

Email me or click the link to find all the details here =)

Intuitive Studio Stuff... (aka Important Artist Work)

Hi Guys

Well after last weeks very rambly ramble I'm feeling a lot more myself hoorah! 

I've realised I've had a different way of creating this week.

I was chatting with my mum last night (hi mum!) & I was saying how yesterday I didn't feel like doing anything creative, but when I began expanding on that I realised I was still instinctively drawn to my studio for a decent chunk of time. As I expanded more I acknowledged that I did then intuitively start playing with things, like sloshing paint on a blank card or arranging things, like putting paint blobs on the top of some new paint tubes:

and that is how I've kinda been all week, just meandering around my space, but not committing to anything particular.

I have been updating my studio quite a bit over the last month, I brought a new 'daylight' studio lamp that helps artists eyes see colours correctly and not tire them (or give them headaches. woohoo - big plus for me!):

I have updated an area that was a complete mess, here's the before and after:

(I still have some of those large plastic drawers at the bottom to come, but the co couldn't get them all out on time ho hum, so in future it'll still look like this but with less boxes on top and more plastic drawers on bottom.)

I have invested loads over the past 4 or 5 months in new media, for example even after I did the pastels video last week I brought some lovely new pastel pencils:

I have dedicated whole drawers to products I didn't have enough of before to require a whole drawer, such as watercolour markers/pens and acrylic paint pens:

watercolour markers drawer
- still awaiting some new buddies from the states =)

I have a whole bunch of new drawing pencils that I have previously told myself were 'too expensive' for me to buy (especially the 120 Faber-Castell set, seesh, amen for sales!):

And I have invested a LOT in acrylic...trying all sorts of new brands, some are standard ranges, others extremely high quality, but it is my most used thing in my whole studio so it's all needed (right?! RIGHT!)

So the past week I have just been getting to know my new media, I have taken them to a relaxed coffee shop rather than a dressed up expensive restaurant for first date you might say...and I have been really enjoying myself. 

And you know, as I write this out; this identifying what I have been doing I suddenly realise HOW important it is to do this - to just chill out and enjoy your media, to not stick any exceptions onto anything and to treat yourself to something new when you feel stuck in a rut! For a big chunk of 2014 I brought hardly anything arty for myself, and I think my mojo & enthusiasm for my space waned because of it.

Now I know that new things aren't required to be creative (hello! JB here, my mantra is 'use what you've got'), but I think sometimes little boosts like a new media, or a new class (I have a new class available btw, just in cases you're looking ;) ), or a new technique, or a new environment...whatever, sometimes they are necessary so that we don't get stagnant and bored with our creativity. I know too that I have more new supplies than I could possibly get to know well, even in a year, but I have noticed over this week that my journal pages are containing 'a little bit of this', 'a little bit of that' so that a page may be made up of: 10% collage, 10% acrylic, 10% pastel, 10% pencil, 10% watercolour marker, 10% acrylic paint marker, etc, etc and I'm LOVIN' it. 

I feel no need to go through a 101 colouring pencils learning bootcamp, they are doing what I want them to do - allowing me to enjoy them! So I don't really care if it takes me years to get to know exactly how to work all of these materials, I'm just happy to have them right now to play with, and am more than happy to take my time over it. As a bonus through using the new media I have found a new love for my old supplies too, because they are suddenly being forced into new directions I haven't taken them before through incorporating these new items (I haven't felt this much love for Gesso in years lol!) And if there is one thing I know FOR SURE is it that many discoveries will be made by creating this way (because there always are; there would be in the 101 bootcamp route too, but I firmly believe you always learn more taking the route of your intuition, or creative instinct as I often call it). So I am looking forward to seeing what is going to be discovered, who know's what it'll/they'll be???

This is Important Artist Work

PLAY ON!