A Retiring Year of Uncertainty (& How I've Stayed Certain) - Daily Behind the Scenes Blog 2

Hi love

This is my second daily blog behind the scenes post, you can view yesterdays here. I'm summing up what I've been up to lately all in one week! (Yep, it's a mission! lol)

In this post I'm going to pretty much sum up my entire year. 

A couple of days ago I received a message from Connie the creator of 21 Secrets, letting me know that the class I contributed to last year is retiring. This got me to thinking, I thought about all the projects I did last year, including this one. Then I thought of all I've done this year, while still a lot it has definitely been a retiring year for me, and my creativity. 

A few months ago, perhaps even a few weeks ago, I would have said I would be ready for 2016 to be over. 

Not much had gone my way, my creativity while I wouldn't use the used 'blocked' was certainly lacking. Inner critics dug their claws in early on, replacing my usual creative angels and muses. To someone who has been used to creativity being a faithful companion for years now (with a few little hiccups occasionally along the way) it is quite a heavy loss to feel! I also lost some family members, one of whom I loved beyond description, and I cannot even type this now without tears taking over (while I am through deliberate intention a happy person and I celebrate his life more than his death I still get caught unawares but my emotions welling up like this and sticking in somewhere around my throat). I have felt stuck and uncertain as to where my future lay, a feeling that soon becomes overwhelming and chocking all in it's own right.

journal page from one of the....well you can guess what kind of day!

So yes, not long ago I'd have told you to 'take it away' if you'd have brought 2016 up to me (in an 'off with it's head' Queen of Hearts tone)

Now though, as I shared in yesterdays post, things are changing. Creativity has returned. Clarity is everywhere. Passion is back. The murkiness has lifted as I stopped focusing on the obscurity of 'the future' and decided to concentrate on now. Want do I want now? A new studio*? Sure! To create a new class? Righto, let's go! Some of that gorgeous chocolate cake? Oh just one piece then! Find the right biz coach? Oh err, okay! To plan an adventure? Lemme get my planner! To create some new DIY embellishments? Whoop whoop! A cuddle with my bum bum**? Come 'ere boy *smooshies*!

I now don't want this year to end! 

I feel there's so much I still want to do! I stopped being wrapped up in what had gone wrong (which just continues the spiral) and took notice of what great things are happening now.

I'm sharing this because at some points this year I really was at a loss, really was at my lowest, but I feel better now and wanted to share how I did it. 

Things are still as uncertain for me as they were before...

but what has shifted is my attitude towards that. In truth aren't things always uncertain. Isn't certainty just an illusion we make up? Something we pretend is there to feel safe, but something that doesn't really exist. I think many people have felt their illusions shift with the political shocks this year. I felt it with Brexit. The world as a whole appears to be feeling it with the US Presidental Election results. What I noticed though is that after this year, a year of personal uncertainty, the mass uncertainty could not keep me in fear for very long - not even for a few minutes. 

Things are uncertain right now. Things will always be uncertain. My job is to be okay in spite of this, in spite of whatever is going on in my life, or in the world at large. 

Tears may well in my eyes at times but I stay in my knowing that all is well. I stay certain, because it is not the job of the world to do that for me. Our emotions, our lives, our achievements and our desires are our own responsibility. 

And as this year retires I thank all the uncertainty that presented itself in my life for teaching me how to stay certain; 

how to create, and live in, my own stability. 

Till Tomorrow

* more on my new studio in tomorrow's post!

** my Sweepie-pie-bum-delicious -

PS

As the 21 Secrets 2015 Classes are retiring this is the last chance to get some amazing classes from some of the best mixed media artists around (yep, including my humble self lol)

For 21 Secrets Spring click here

For 21 Secrets Fall click here

If you use the code 'RETIRE' you will get $30 off!

Happy Creating!

How to Complete Your Biggest Project in Next to No Time (Daily Behind the Scenes Blog 1)

Hi lovelies

So last weekend I posted that I've been so neglectful of this blog I would share a 'what's been happening' post in the week. Well I am so crazy busy right now that I didn't, but because I'm so crazy busy it also means I've sooooo much I could be/should be sharing with you all. So I've decided everyday this week to post a daily blog of behind the scenes of what I've been up to. Heaven knows I've more than enough going on in the land of Jennibellie to fill several monday-to-fridays posts, so let's get started with this one: 

Now to put this magnitude into perspective I've other classes I'm working on that are taking over TWO YEARS! The content in this one is NOT sub-par. No corners were cut, I actually included far more than is necessary. I even launched it today (about 2 minutes before writing this post) which means lots of funky graphics were also needed to be made, payment systems set up, promo videos to be cut, sales info to be written etc etc. So how is it possible for something so big to be created in so little time?

In truth when I look at the past two weeks I'm not sure I know, everything I've done looks rather impossible. What I do know is that I have dedicated a hell of a lot of time to it over the past two weeks (more on that below) but that does not mean I stopped myself doing everything we all normally do (- including larking around as much as I wanted). I also know that the class outline was already done for me, as it was just one of the bazillion, billion ideas I had already written up in my ideas folder ready to roll with (but we all know don't we that the ideas are the easy part!). What I believe might be the main reason why in two weeks this big imposing project came together so easily, beautifully, magically even is because I could not get it out of my mind! 

Whenever I have created something with so much flow, and ease, and joy it has always been when my brain was fully engaged.

So I switched off my brain from my other 50 million 'right now' projects, this is the hardest thing for me to do as a creative. My brain wants to work on everything at once, my hands want to work on everything at once. The trouble with that is while it's fun to work that way for playing, if you want to produce something beyond that then scatty on the inside generally produces scatty results on the outside. So I crossed my other projects off and gradually allowed my excited in this one to overpower all I was doing. 

Once that excited had taken over I didn't feel like working on other projects so much. What I did do though was occasionally enjoy other projects, as I used them as a way of taking a break from this one, yet staying inspired. I didn't linger in those other projects though, I wanted to get straight back into this one. Having built this focus with this main project it somehow brought it to all the others into focus as well. No more scattiness, just crystal. clear. attention. on whatever I was doing in that moment in time.

Working this way somehow makes time stretch. I managed to complete more work in one day than is usually possible in a week. 

There is this false perspective in our society that says anything good only comes through hard work and struggle. 

There is also this idea that producing something quickly and easily means it's won't be up to scratch. Like above I felt I had to make a point of mentioning that in this class I did 'NOT cut corners'. But this way of thinking is so far from the truth! When something comes together through joy and engagement it is 1000 times better than anything created through struggle and strife. It contains more juice because it is built with enthusiasm and passion. The creation and the creator are connected, are one, meaning the creator puts all of themselves into it.  It is meaningful and has a purpose beyond being made because it was planned, or because it will bring in x amount of sales or because it is the 'it' thing to do. 

Somewhere along the way this year having to deal with some 'life stuff' I forgot the right way to bring a project into fruition, but I know this. I've always known it. This is the whole process of creating projects joyously, easily and quickly that I teach in another class: Creative Goal Journaling. Somehow this year I've been all screwed up with uncertainty and perfectionism. It feels so good to kick those to the curb and do what it takes to create a big project in next to no time: just be in total engagement.

That's if for the first Daily Behind the Scenes Blog, argh it feels so good to be back! 

See you tomorrow!

PS In case you were wondering here is a look at the class I created in two weeks and released today:

Created especially for artists and owners of handmade goods shops this class is all about how to make money from your creative skills in a way that is profitable, sustainable and most importantly enjoyable. And because I'm releasing this class on Cyber Monday FOR THIS WEEK ONLY IT IS LESS THAN HALF PRICE

wooooowweeee!

Here is a sneaky peek video. If you wanna get all the details, more sneaky peeks and topics that will be covered please head over to this page: 

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/rock-your-online-shop 

Happy Cyber Monday!!!!

Sticky Things Haul Video & Journal Page

Helllllllllllllllllllllllllloooooooooooo

It has been SO long since I've posted around here I thought I'd share what I did with you today, so here's a haul vlog. I usually don't do haul videos (although I get asked...a lot) because you know me, I don't like feeding into the 'you have to have this latest thing to be creative'. At the same time I love new goodies as much as anyone, and this is just a lil haul I got from Etsy seller 'Alicemolds' so I'm always happy to support another Etsy Shop owner - they have a lovely selection of 'sticky things' and I really like what I got:

 And here's what I made with this afternoon with this haul:

While making the page I decided I wanted some circles, similar to bubble wrap but not, so I dug around to find a teeny tiny scrap dreg of rubber to create a makeshift circle stamp.

(...plus I had a lotta fun rearranging my washi storage holder - too much fun really, that much fun should never be allocated to washi tape lol)

So that's a lil of my day, first day I have managed to spend a full several hours in my studio just 'milling' in aggggggggggggges! Feels so good, I shall write a more in depth blogpost this coming week about what I have been up to lately - I have neglected JB Studio this last couple of months so will be a much regular blogger for the rest of this year. Right now though I'm off to do a bit more milling, see's ya later

Jennibellie

xoxo

Finishing Your Art Journal Pages #4 - The Art of Adding Words

Hi guys

Here is the fourth and final video in my Finishing Your Art Journal Pages Series, sharing a couple of pages from my Junk Journal and Altered Book Journal & focusing on the 'Art of Adding Words’ enjoy 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLCayXBYfJ0

Today I also signed on the dotted line to the new studio space woohoo!!

But the Blow Out Studio Sale is still on (though I don’t know how long for, so grab your new class or kit now) - http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/studio-sale

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/studio-sale 

The Studio Sale of 50% off All Classes, 40% off all items in my Etsy Shop. Check it all out here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/studio-sale 

Thank you so much to everyone who has purchased a new art class, or a new kit or digi product. I love you lots

Jennibellie

Moving on Up...into a New Studio

'we're moving on up, we're moving on out'...for those of you that don't know the song I'm sorry, for those that do I'm sorry even more for sticking the 90s back in your head lol I've got it stuck in mine as things are all about moving in my life right now. One of the main things being a new studio in a gorgeous 1850s building =)

It is not official yet, but probably will be this week and to celebrate this I'm having the biggest blowout sale I've ever had online. 

You can read all about it here:

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/studio-sale

There is 50% off All Classes, 40% off all items in my Etsy Shop and 30% off of the already reduced Bundle of all 5 my classes. 

This sale is to raise funds for a couple of things but if you’re tempted don’t delay as it is uncertain how long this sale will continue (all is explained on the page)

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/studio-sale

Any questions let me know

Enjoy

Need a creative kick in the pants?

If so what is the one thing you can do for yourself today to gift yourself that lift/inspiration/revitalization? 

If you read my latest blogpost where I share the struggle I've had with my creativity you may know I’ve had a punishing year, but through all this I’ve learnt all we need to do to give ourselves this boost back on our creative path is one simple *small* thing. 

When we are in this space we can think that we are soooooo stuck that we need to make huge shifts in order to get ourselves moving again. This is FALSE. Every journey begins with a single step...and besides big shifts are too difficult (if not impossible) to do from this space anyway. How can you travel all the way to the moon if you cannot journey to a nearby sea? 

The art table can seem like a looming stranger that only gets more and more distant and difficult to approach the longer we dwell in a place where fear has set in, or the inspiration has dried up, or burnout has taken over. But…it’s still just our art space. It is the same as it was when we were thriving in our creativity, it does not have the ability to have its own thoughts, therefore it simply cannot loom. IT IS NEUTRAL, as is our creativity and both are ready to welcome us back into the fold with open arms. But it does take that one step to turn that intimidating stranger back into an old friend.

For my one step I am currently using the workbook out of my 'How to Ride Your Creative Camels' ekit for the starting of a new project, as it contains sections for helping along every step of the journey. Notice I say ‘starting’, I am not trying to attempt the whole project, I am just starting and using the kit as my one small step for doing this. This kit is the first product I have created for agggggeees and I made it because, well, I need it. As I said this year has been a difficult one but even in the best of times taking the creative path can be hard, it requires courage and it requires conviction, so sometimes we need such things to support us in travelling our paths. 

Your one step could be engaging in something new that you know will be of support to you, or it could be the easiest creative thing that you already know how to do, like cutting out images or organising your supplies. Your creative intuition will always know what the thing is that you could do that would put you on your path again. If you cannot hear it you are not listening hard enough. Take a moment, get quiet and when you feel connected just ask internationally ‘what smallest simplest thing I could do right now?’…then do it.

My newest ekit is all about riding your creative camels, traveling your path and dealing with any roadblocks that come up & available from my Etsy shop here:

http://tinyurl.com/creativecamels

Good luck (& love)

Jennibellie

Remembering My Creativity: A Personal Share About 2016

I've spent the last couple of hours searching old sd cards of my creations for an art project I'm doing. It was a bizarre feeling to look through these teeny tiny things that hold the entire history of my connection to my muse. 

It left me very reflective over many things I've been dealing with this year, a battle (or perhaps several battles in a larger war) that has been raging between my creativity and I. (I also stumbled across some pictures of a half naked ex boyfriend which I suppose didn't help my mood either lol). 

You see I've had a tough year emotionally. I've had a lot of gremlins come up internally and some hard changes externally. 

I cannot always lay my finger on what has been wrong but this year unlike any other before my creativity has not always been there for me, in fact some times it has been the source of my pain. It is really scary to share this, because I have always been an advocate for using your creativity to process tough emotions, never to use it to be the cause of them!

It is wrong to say my creativity has not always been there for me in the sense that I 'lost it' because that's not the case, it's just some times I've just not wanted to access my creativity because of how I'm feeling about it. 

It's a new level of understanding this complex relationship that seems to hold more layers and nuisances than any person-to-person relationship I've ever had.  

Looking through the sd cards today I saw times when I had no clue what my creativity and I were doing together, but we did it anyway. I saw times when I knew exactly what I was doing and still got surprised by the outcome. I saw times when I did not think I was showing up at all but my creativity still took itself for a spin anyway. 

I saw a really thick and rich history, and it was gorgeous to remember it all, first mentally, then emotionally and then through my hands with this RAW Intuitive Journal page:

RAW Intuitive Journaling is all about connecting with your creativity through your intuition and a useful tool for process emotions through art. I have a class on this which you can find out more about it on my art community here:

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/raw-intuitive-class

(or if you're not a member of my community site you can read about it on Etsy here:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/221489763)

In doing this RAW page I was reminded that I know this thing that is creativity, I know it, well. I actually know thousands of techniques and sooooo many processes. I can run rings around any magician for tricks up their sleeve.

It's kinda hard to see the layers via these pictures but through the surfaces of quickened scribbles and scraped on gesso I focused on what it was that I was really feeling and was ready to write with my paint markers.

The words on the page say

Wondering:

I'm beyond where I thought I was

And I'm wondering where to take that.

What's coming is kinda sorta amazing.

And it'll teach me right for forgetting to be amazed.

There's also something in there about getting my confidence back, so I guess what I'm really happy to say is...I finally think I see the bright colours of my creativity through the thick fog of emotions again! 

And on top of that understand what this new twist to my relationship has taught me (for one thing: to remember to be amazed!). 

I remembered that when I want to meet my creativity it is never as hard as I've been making it out to be. In fact it's easy, because... well I know it, 

I know it well. 

I hope if you ever are at this juncture of your relationship with creativity you'll remember this too. What helped me get here is following the steps I shared in this article I recently wrote about 'Dealing with Creative Demotivation'.

Thanks for reading

Love, an artist who just re-remembered her creativity

Video Tutorial: DIY Recycled Signage

Hi lovely blog readers

For anyone who does not know I run a Monthly Challenge Group on my art community Journal Workshops, where on the 1st of every month I pick someone's suggestion of a project for us all to do. I post a video of my project making and create a space for all the members of our community to share their projects also. 

Well anyway, this month I really loved making challenge so much that I decided to adapt the video a little and post it to youtube. 

You can see it here: 

https://youtu.be/rixQMhKsh-8

If this group is something you think you might enjoy you can join for free here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/

All creatives are welcome!

Enjoy & Much love

Jennibellie

xoxo