Getting deep in my art journal

For almost a year now I have been on a journey. Ackschully, several journeys, but that is another story. The journey I speak of now is with my art journal.

I first heard the term “art journal” from my dear friend Effy Wild. (You may know her as the den mama from the fabulous Wild Precious.)

At first she was just talking about this art thing she was doing and I thought it sounded cool, but I didn’t think of myself as an artist, so I didn’t bother to check it out. THEN, she started sharing photos. THAT got my attention. She was showing such amazing pages and yet she still just called it PLAYING. How could such beautiful work, be play??? I decided I HAD to learn more about art journaling.

Effy has been an inspiration to me this entire year, sharing new techniques, praising fellow journalers, linking videos and even creating a home and community for kindred souls to connect and share our stories.

I have never been one to think of myself as an artist, but that is starting to change. I am absolutely comfortable calling myself an “art journaler” and that is in great part to the family I have made at Wild Precious. The women I have met there are all inspiring, uplifting and kind and I am truly grateful for them in my life.

Effy has made sure that the site is well rounded and there is something for everyone. Along with art journaling prompts and videos, there is a photography group, a poetry group and even mandala making! Every group is healing in some way and Effy’s newest baby is sure to be no less than powerful. Beginning July 1 (registration begins June 1) Effy will present her very first art e-course called The Elements of Art Journaling. I am so excited! She is even offering one lucky creative a FREE spot!


Even though Effy is very much about the glitter, she is also very much about the deep and this course is all about the deep. It is going to take your soul on a journey through all five elements, Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Spirit and Effy will be there to guide you the entire way. I cannot WAIT to sign up for this course! I feel like I have just begun to scratch the surface of my inner deep and I need this course to push me even further. I want to be able to dive straight to my core and leave it all on the page. I still feel like I am holding back in an effort to make my pages "pretty" or "perfect" and, knowing Effy the way I do, I know this course will help me push past those boundries and get to my inner deep.

I will be at Wild Precious on June 1 with bells on. I hope to see you there!

Discovering My Truth

It has been MONTHS since I last blogged and so much has happened!

Since moving to Bahrain I have had very little time for arting, much less blogging. Not for lack of desire, but lack of time.

Short recap...

As soon as I arrived in Bahrain, we were on the hunt for a new flat. The apartment was great, but it was not quite big enough and walking the dogs five times a day was a bit of a hassle.

Once we found our villa we started packing and preparing to move. The week we moved we also had car repairs, move out cleaning and inspections, new home shopping AND move in cleaning and unpacking to do. On top of all of that, I am home schooling Christopher for the first time which in its self is a full time job!

*WHEW*

I was so busy, but I still felt like I was forgetting something. Then it hit me...I was missing my art. I missed sitting down and just losing myself in the page. I have discovered that I NEED that. I didn't think I needed art, but the truth is... I do. I need art.

I have been working with truth alot this week. I am a member of the wild precious ning site (see link below) and one of the workshops I am currently involved in is called "The Truth Project." This workshop is all about discovering *your truth* on many different levels.

We are just finishing week one and I cannot believe how intense this first week was. I cried, I recoiled and I tried to run away from the deep issues that rushed to the surface. I did not want to answer the questions that were posed and I had no intention of sharing my dark side. Then about half way through the week I had a break through. I decided to open up, be honest with the group and more importantly, with myself. I did show my dark side, I did talk about painful subjects and I started looking for my truth. To be honest, I had NO idea what my truth was.

I started turning my 'blurts' into affirmations and I have been working diligently to silence my inner critic.

The prompt for the week was to art your truth. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do, but I did have the spark of a vision. When I first started the page I was so unhappy with it and I had to just let it sit. I felt like I needed to make it 'perfect.' I felt like it needed to be... more. I let it sit for two days before I went back to work on it again. When I started working on it again, I could see it slowly coming together and I knew it was right. It was perfect for me. It was my truth.

My truth is I have an extremely distorted view of myself. It's like I have on self hatred goggles. The truth is I need to take these goggles off. I need to see myself as I truly am and love what I see, no matter what.

If you are interested in discovering your truth, art journaling, poetry or any other form of artistic expression check out

http://wildprecious.ning.com/