Art Journaling

Art Journaling: Quick Creativity for Busy Days

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Creativity does not have to wait for hours of free time.

In fact, you can get your creative juices flowing in as little as 10 minutes!

I have been on an impromptu content creating hiatus. For many reasons but if I were to pick just one it was me trying to be perfect.

Trying to create perfect journal pages. Trying to create perfect content. Trying to find perfect words.

Did I say perfect too much? Well I was definitely trying to create in a way that, if I am honest, I have never created before.

I like quick, I like to enjoy the act of creativity.

I love getting messy and for my space to be in total chaos around me as I pick up this thing then that thing and glue this and scribble that.

 

It makes me so, so happy!

Mess Can Be Part of the Creative Process

When you have a mess of supplies on your desk you can be called into the general sense of creativity.

  • Seeing your favorite pens might inspire a scribble or a doodle
  • A picture torn from a magazine might become the focal point of your page
  • The general sense of chaos also can allow a letting go of the need to be perfect and to just have a play

Having supplies already out on your work space makes it so easy to dip in and out of your journal pages when you only have a few minutes to play!

Here are some tips for quick art journaling sessions:

  1. Keep a small tin or bag filled with some yumminess to add layers and dimension to your pages
  2. Keep some markers, paint pens, gel pens or colored pencils in your favorite colors. Choose 3 that are in the same color family-cools like blues and greens or warms like red, yellow and orange.
  3. When in doubt-washi! Washi tape or even masking tape can add interest and be used to hold down some of your decorative elements.
  4. Keep the trash! Got some junk mail or cool tags off that new maxi skirt? Keep them and add them to your ephemera tin or bag. Use them to make tags or just add a level of interest.
  5. Leave perfectionism at the cover! You are here to be creative, to play and to enjoy the process. If at the end of it all you aren’t happy with the results, cover it over with a coat of paint or gesso and have a go another time! The added layers will make for even more creative magic!

Today I started out by glue down some ephemera only to quickly remove it. I decided to use some tempera paint sticks to add color and then a quote jumped out at me and I decided to make it my focal point. Highlighting it with color.

Some background papers and a few layers et voila! I had an art journal page complete!

If you want some company during your creative play time I have a video of me playing in my current junk journal.  Grab your goodies and let’s create a page together! I cannot wait to see what you make! Be sure to tag me on Instagram @dreamingdilettante

 

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

This Week in the Studio: Frustrations with Starting a New Business

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Happy Monday!

Today I am sharing my weekly studio vlog and it was a bit of a challenge. Most of the week went well as I was able to get some studio clean up done and I also set up my new writing binder for a new story I am working on. I have signed up for a Self-Publishing course and I am really excited for it. To prepare I began with getting my current work in progress. I write all new stories by hand first in a notebook. My first edit comes when I type it into my computer. There is something about writing hand to paper that just connects me to the story in a way the keys don’t. It’s a fun way to get to know my characters and their world.

I set up a binder which is a new system for me, that is going to hold all my story information. Characters, worlds, plot, chapters that sort of thing. In addition to the one I am writing there are several others waiting to be edited so they can be self-published. I would love to have a book ready by the end of the year to publish-even it’s just all the editing is done.

When I first saw the class I was really excited and signed up for the waiting list. I have been following the author for a while and I really love her approach to career and this course feels in alignment with my own career goals. I’ll be sure to keep you posted as to how it’s all going.

The other goal I had this week was to print the sticker sheets I have been creating and add them to my shop. Theoretically this was going to be easy. The hard part of conception and creating the art was over right? I was so wrong.

I have been wanting to turn my art into stickers forever and I have tried over the years and basically ended up really, really unhappy with my cutting machines.

I finally thought I had it all worked out and then the machine (my newest one) was giving me issues. I managed to solve those issues only to have my printer give me problems. In the end, I have re-designed my stickers and I have one sheet available for purchase-woohoo!!! I am very hopeful that I will have the rest of the stickers done and ready for purchase by the end of the week.

To celebrate the sticker sheets are shipping for free so yay! You can purchase a sheet here if, like me, you love your coffee too 🙂

I will also share a secret little item that, for now, only you my faithful blog readers will know about. I have a new journal for sale in my shop too! If you have been following along in my Make a Journal Series this is the journal I make and this Friday the last of the videos will go live. I will also promote this journal for sale so if you would like to pick it up before then you can find it here.

So that was what was going on this week in the studio. I have lots of new projects in the works and I am hoping to have some new dollhouse content up if I could just decide on the upstairs flooring. I still think I want full carpeting but I am really not sure. I will keep you posted.

I hope your summer is going well. My oldest two have been enjoying camp for the past few weeks and I have been playing chauffeur. Looking forward to next week when the schedule quiets down for a few before another week of camp.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

 

 

 

 

 

My 2024 Journal Line Up

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I have taken a new approach to what I focus my attention on. Taking time to not pick things that sound good or fun but that are supportive of the big things I am looking to call into each day.

The truth is I have countless ideas. Countless projects I would love to work on. Sadly, as a human being my limitation lies in the realms of time and energy. While I am grateful to almost never be bored I am also easily distracted by ideas.

When I sat down to curate this years journals I wanted to make sure I was picking practices that support what I am working towards and how I want to spend my days. I feel good about the line up I have but I am also planning to re-evaluate everything as the year goes and to not be afraid to cut things out or maybe add in something new.

So here are my current journals for this year.

First up is my 5 year journal. I saw this video and loved the idea. I have kept a small journal where I write down just a few things from the day before but I loved the idea of having one book for 5 years. I picked up this journal which is going to be short a few pages but that I thought would work well for this practice. I also decided to make a cover for it to dress it up a little. I followed a great tutorial from Pin Cut Sew that you can find here if you want to make your own.

Next up is my catch all journal. This was originally going to be a bullet journal until I realized, again, that while I love watching videos of people and their bullet journals that type of planning doesn’t work for me. So I ended up repurposing this journal into a catch all.  A place where I can write out ideas, work through plans, make lists-whatever comes to mind. I have no preciousness about this journal, I scribble in it and I absolutely love it! I got this journal as a 2-pack (the same pack I used for my current reading journal) and I am so happy with it.

Next is what I think of as my morning pages journal but really I write in it whenever. It’s the journal where my thoughts and everything I am going through gets written down. I have a cover I purchased years ago off of Etsy and I refill it with blank journals when it’s full. I love writing in this but it’s one of the practices that once I fall out of it is so hard to get back into. I often will write in it on our patio under the tent during the spring and summer and it makes me so happy. I really want to bring this practice back to help me with my writing goals.

Next is my “Be Still Journal” which is a book I created for my prayer practice. It holds space for daily prayers, verse of the day, words God has spoken to you along with blank journaling space. I plan to list a few in my shop along with some handmade goodies but in the meantime you can purchase your own here if you wanted.

Then I have 2 sketchbooks that are part of the year-long art class I am taking with Carla Sonheim. These will be where I work through the different assignments throughout the year.

Last up is this big and beautiful sketchbook that I purchased originally for the class but then decided I wanted to do something else with it. I have no idea what that something else will be but I feel like I want to make it part of a daily art practice. I am giving some space to this one to see what unfolds and I’ll be sure to share with you once I’m done.

And of course the last one, which I forget to mention in the video, is my Reading Journal which I shared with you yesterday.

I hope you enjoyed this little look into the journals I have picked out for the year. I do plan on sharing them with you as the year goes on and if you would like to know more about any one in particular just put a comment below.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Setting up My December Journal: Video

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Today I am easing my way into the holidays.

The Christmas spirit is just settling into my heart and I thought it would be the perfect time to set up my art journal for December. The idea here is for me to have a creative space to come to and create and relax in during the month of December.

I am using my kit and plan to keep everything in the box so I can carry it around with me and make art in little snippets of time.

It’s not just going to be just for art either. I might make lists of some of my favorite things, books I have read, movies I have watched. The idea is for this to be a creative space for me to rest and recharge in during the holiday season.

I also made a list for you of ideas and prompts for what you may like to do in your own journal. You can download it by clicking on the image below.

I hope you are having a wonderful start to your week. Much love!

 

 

Until next time…

 

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

My First Ever Art Journal Kit! Unboxing Video

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I am so excited to share with you my first ever art journaling kit! I have wanted to curate my own art kit for years and I am so excited to have one for this holiday season.

This kit has everything you need to take part in December Daily, memory keep those holiday plans, decorate your planner-you name it. You can check out the video below for all that’s included. I only have a few of these kits available but you can buy them on my shop here.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

Video: Making a Hand Embroidered, Refillable Journal

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Happy Monday!

I hope your week is off to a lovely start. I am on my own for a few vacation days and have been having such a nice time. I have gone for ice cream with a friend, gone shopping, gardened and harvested a load of green beans, lots of reading and spent an entire day in my studio. I really cannot ask for anything more.

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using this links I earn a small commission but it does not cost you any more.

Today I am sharing with you an exciting project that came to me a few days ago. I wanted to hand embroider a journal cover. I have a pattern I purchased a while ago that I hadn’t used and decided to embroider it on the cover of a refillable notebook. It’s really simple and fun to do and I hope you will join me.

I am sharing the process in 2 different posts. The first post will be making the signature and sketching out or transferring your embroidery design and the second post will be embroidering the design and adding the embellishments and elastic to hold the signature.

I used a combination of book pages, magazine pages, scrapbook paper and ledger paper to make my signature. You can used anything like you of course-have fun! Maybe you want to use watercolor paper or mixed media paper or just copy paper from your printer. It’s your journal so I hope this post inspires you to make a journal that you will love to pick up and use.

I attached the pages together using my favorite 3 hole pamphlet stitch and set it aside.

Next I took some embroidery fabric (affiliate link) and sketched out the design I chose. A light box would make this really simple but mine was out of batteries so I made do.  If you would like to purchase the same pattern you can find it here.

There is so much you could do with your cover-including just using regular fabric and skit the embroidery part. If you don’t like embroidering you can just pick out some fun fabric and use that. You could use canvas fabric and paint your own cover-there really is no limit! If you do choose to embroider I will be sharing a video of that, along with putting the hole thing together later this week.

I do hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to comment below.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante

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