I love tapes. Not the cassette kind that we mixed up in the 80's and 90's. Washi, transparent, masking and this uber-cool metal tape I found at home depot.  What a lovely, lovely surface to work on. It embosses under my pencil; the pencil rubs away with subsequent media, but the mark remains. It paints beautifully. It also gives one hell of  paper cut...but what's a little blood between friends? This tape inspired me to push past my comfort zone and attempt a bit of a sketch. And then go beyond it. And spread my wings.

Sigh. So many lovely things to play with.

Social Media

I am trying a bit of an experiment for the next month or so.  I love love love all my followers and people that I get to exchange with on Facebook and Twitter. But I also know that our summers are sooooooooo short. And I would like to enjoy the sunshine while we have it. So I am reducing my presence in social media for awhile. Please don't take offense...I'm basking in the sun! (Well, and working productively so that I can do that...). In the meantime, enjoy this art journal piece on the very subject.
xoxo

100th Post!

I can't believe that I am writing my 100th post. Even though I have had this blog for a few years now, it still seems new to me.  I still have to think about sharing.  And I think that I love that about it.  It hasn't become boring or commonplace for me.  I feel like I am still finding new uses for it or new thoughts about how to use it. And morphing in to it being a wonderful extension of my creativity has almost felt like a rebirth. So in that vein, I am going to post a couple of recent-ish Journal pages. The first one was prescribed and inspired by a Helen Keller quote. I am really enjoying using the journaling prompts on Your Life Spelled Out. They make me think about topics I wouldn't have tackled.  And I find that I am turning more regularly to my pages. Keeping it fresh.  And not always just thinking about what is going on in my world or working through struggles. There is still a place for that, but it's not omnipresent.

This second one  has been an evoloution.  I started with the page.  And worked it. And disliked it. And left it.  And in the meantime, I had found this lovely picture.  And it sat - I didn't know what I wanted to do with it.  Then they magically found their way together.  And though the left-hand side of the page isn't complete, I feel so much more energy from this page.  It speaks to connection which is SUCH a big part of my world both personally and creatively.  So I'm sharing it now, knowing that it is still in progress. It is called Serenity - they don't always have titles, as I don't tend to like titles-this one just belonged. In fact - now my head is mulling that over as being part of what belongs on the left....hmmm...perhaps not to bed...perhaps off to create more...xoxox Jen