Thursday 25 April 2013

Hello...remember me???

Hello, hello!! I'm back, did you miss me?? I missed you. Thank you to everyone that's left such warming comments for me in my absence...and while I said I was going to stay off of the computer (which I did do very well I think) I did check sites & messages on my phone still - you can take the internet away from the girl (...but only if she doesn't sneak a smart phone up her sleeve or under her pillow lol) still it did mean that if you sent me a message I did read it, so thank you to everybody for being so supportive (right down from the tips of my toes!)

So what's been happening in Jennibellie-land? Well creatively not much. I was actually away longer than I had intended; first I was very unwell and wanted to do nothing but watch tv shows on the sofa (I even brought all the twilight movies to watch consecutively in bed like a teenager lol). Then when I started to feel better physically I still just felt so drained in everything else; I was creatively burned out. This page below was the only art journal page I did during the whole of my absence, done after Margaret Thatcher died:
As you can tell not very 'arty', it is just a sketch on an already-painted background and A LOT of writing. And writing is what I mainly did as a creative release, because while I felt emotionally drained my mind was just going crazy - it did not seem to recognise that my hands were not willing to comply so gave me about 50 ideas for new projects a day (or may be it did realise & tried to overcompensate!), either way it was driving me nuts. So I wrote everything down in the hopes these ideas would leave me alone (yeah right!). But writing still proved useful, and through recognising this, and the fact that I just did not feel like physically creating anything I started to write other things. It worked at calming down my whirling brain by giving it a singular creative focus, and within a week or so, I had completed my first brand new zine in years:
jennibellie's journals - my new zine
It is my first perzine (personal zine) and was one of the most cathartic experiences I've ever been through; I think not only because of the emotional toils I was revisiting on the page, but also because of my current emotionally low plateau. Either way it helped, like extracting something poisonous you didn't even know was stinging you. This zine is about the secrets behind the journal page (or more specifically behind my journal pages) - the life, the experiences, the heartaches, the fears etc. There's more info on why I wrote it from this 'who, what, why' page from the actual zine:
if you want to read it click on it I'm sure it'll become bigger
So I'm pretty pleased I managed to 'create' something while still listening to myself and not actually creating anything lol. The zine isn't available yet, but I have sent it off to be professionally printed so I'll let you know when it's available if you're interested in reading it. Speaking of, I said I would say when the hard copies of my Prompted Art Journals are ready for sale, and finally as of today are they in:
click the pic
So other than hand-making the matching envelopes to go with journals I've not done much arty hands-on stuff more recently either. The most I have done is over a pre-arranged art weekend with a friend (this last weekend just gone) and in showing her how to make things I did feel a bit of my spark did come back. I made my studio a bit prettier and recorded some footage for a new video to do with art spaces - not nearly with the same amount of gusto or huge creative dose as I might have usually though. The thing about creativity is I know myself the times when I just have to park my butt and force it through, and I know the other times when I just have to wait for it to come back to me as it pleases - and this has been one of those latter times. And the constant flow of ideas shows me that if you are a creative, then that never totally leaves you, even when you have to take a break.

Uh! So long blog-post...but I'm back. Gimme a little time to settle back in (yes it's weirdly disorientating coming back after going 'offline' for a while - like taking a long holiday somewhere then having to get used to your regular home routine again lol) but I'll see you soon =)

much love

ps Sweepie missed you too
'where'd you go???'

33 comments:

  1. Jenny so glad your getting your flow back, it is really worth the while taking a break so you don't get burned out, but as you have seen you have refreshed and come back with so many ideas. The Zine and the prompt journal look great
    Amanda - Realityarts-Creativity
    Art Blog

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  2. It's so good to take a break and perhaps reflect on why you burned out in the first place. My blog list has been the poorer for your absence, so, so happy to have you back!

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  3. Welcome back!! We missed you (and Sweepie...) and your creative inspirations.♥

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  4. So glad to see your smiling face again! Looking forward to whats to come.

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  5. hello jenny and sweepie! it's wonderful to have you back & wonderful to hear you are feeling better! take your time getting settled back into things. i must get myself one of your prompted journals! and the new perzine looks remarkable, the fact that you are so willing to share all the aspects of art journaling with "us"is a beautiful thing-it's not just about the pretty pages. sometimes i get off track and one would think i have the idea my art journal is going to be on the evening news for all the world to see-i stop myself as i am about to scribble something down and think..."would i want anyone to see this?" (when the odds are, no one ever will! hahah. so your sharing the behind the scenes of your pages sounds delightful and liberating to me! hoping to make my 1st etsy order very soon!!! i am off to journal about your blessed return! hugs-smooches-and much love to you and sweepie bum. tell your mum i said hello as well ;)

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  6. So good to have you back!!!! I'm looking forward to new artful adventures with you. :D

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  7. Hey Jenny! Welcome back!! So glad you took the time to take care of yourself. You deserve it. Have fun playing!

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  8. Jenny, I'm just thrilled to bits to read your blog today and catch up on your sweet soul!

    I'm awfully glad you've taken the time you needed to process all those thoughts and ideas and get things clearer for yourself. One as young as you has had a lot of stress on those shoulders just from sharing what you love and do, I know. Hades, I can't even keep up with my own FB Timeline 99% of the time. :-(

    Your Per-Zine is on my list of things to save for already and the Prompted Art Journals will be a buy at the first of next month.

    I don't know if I shall ever have the courage that you do to pour it all out in a journal. I said to Papa just this very morning, in fact, that I hesitate to ever let that dam break. I guess I figure, at my age, it doesn't much matter any more that I've held it all in this long and will just keep it in with what time's left. *tiny little smile*

    Anyway ... WELCOME BACK sweetie! Will keep you on my prayer list every day though as it surely can't hurt. ,-) Much love, little one! XOXO

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  9. Glad to see you're back! I agree with the others, take your time... we are here when you are up to it. Take care!

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  10. welcome back! i've just found you while you've been gone and i can't tell you how much i am enjoying your videos. you seem like such a nice, sweet, generous person. i am glad you are feeling better. xoxo

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  11. Welcome back Jenny :D Your per-zine looks wonderful and I have just ordered my Prompted Art Journal book :D Yay me!
    Continue to take care, take your time and see you soon :0) Mo x

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  12. Welcome back! I would love to see your zines! Where do you have them printed? That's a goal of mine this summer.

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  13. Hey. So happy you feel better.

    Doing the happy dance.
    Will order the Art Journal book.
    The rest of the world takes vacations, you should too.
    You certainly deserve it.

    P

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  14. Yeah feeling better you are feeling better. Loving your ponderings and perceptions on your blog today. Give the sweepie a hug and a kiss. Working with the digital copy of prompted art journal I got last week and of course it rocks. New zine looks so interesting looking forward to picking it up tooooooo! Be Well Jazlucy

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  15. Have really missed you and Sweepie. I always look forward to seeing your videos and just about the time I'm thinking I would go back to watch some of the older ones, I found your FB post. So glad you're feeling better. Just wanted to let you know that you are loved & missed.

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  16. Good to hear from you again.
    Hope you will feel better in a while and make some nice art to show;) . A big hug for Sweepie and your self from holland.
    Liefs, Melanie

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  17. Yay! Welcome back Jenny! Of course we missed you! The zines seem very interesting indeed. And I really look forward to a video on creative spaces. Good of you to take the time off that was obviously much needed.

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  18. Hi Jennie,

    welcome back, nice that you're back and you've recovered a little, I need that from time to time also :-)
    I've really missed you and your works, well I always watch your videos on the weird journal book is fantastic and I want to try something like that sometimes, but unfortunately I have to thread beads no patience, I'm too lazy * lol *
    your new plant is quite large class reunion and I love the expression and the colors.

    Greetings Jeannette

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  19. glad to have you back! just ease into things slowly- enjoy each project fully and dont overexert yourself! Lotsaluv

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  20. Glad you are better and back!

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  21. Very glad to have you back, Miss Jenny. The intarwebs are a dreary places without you. :)

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  22. I am thrilled that you are feeling well enough to post again--and that you were being creative even while not creating! Makes sense, right? Blessing upon you!

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  23. so glad to hear from you. Take your time - take care of yourself and be well. xo

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  24. welcome back. =)

    I totally 'get" it all.

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  25. So nice to hear from you! Yeah, when we're not feeling good, it's hard to be creative. But it does come back, often with a venegence! Lol! Love the zine! Wish I was employed so I could buy one! :(

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  26. So glad to hear you are back and that you took time for yourself. Since the digital version of your prompted journal is wonderful I can imagine that the printed version will be magnificent!!! Welcome back!

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  27. Welcome back and it is good to know you have a bit more spring in your step now.

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  28. Missed you SO much but have been rewatching and discovering NEW vids and tutorials by you that I had never viewed before! So that has been FUN! As a former singer/songwriter musician person, burn out is creatively deadly if one does not take a break. I admire you for resting and just letting things come back on their on time and in their own way. Jenny, you are precious to ALL OF US! And we're so glad you are BACK!!!!

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  29. so glad that you're back! Hope that you feel better. 

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  30. Welcome back! We missed you muchly and are very glad you are feeling better.

    *settling down to wait*

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  31. YAAAAAY!!! You're back!!!!!
    I realy missed you!
    Hugs from Holland, Karin

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  32. So glad you are feeling a lot better Jennie, but treat yourself gently and don't rush yourself - then we will get that zingy, arty girl back. I've missed you and all your inspirational ideas and all the wonderful ideas you've shared with everyone.

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  33. So glad your feeling better. We did miss you.
    Im in that mood myself. Its frustrating I want to play but I have no drive. Im just letting it take its toll.
    Love the book...:-)

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