Journal Journey nears completion

So here they are, all thirty journals.  Lots and lots of hours of designing and painting.  They will be going to a shelter being made over by http://www.enchantedmakeovers.org/ along with a Canvas Painting and Art Blocks, that I will be sharing in the near future, along with some close ups of these journals.  It has been a satisfying and humbling experience.  I've learned alot about myself in the last couple of months.  To ensure I met the deadline for this project, I had to work at it everyday, so I started getting up very early around 4:30am - 5:00am most mornings, so I could put in a couple of hours before work.  If I waited to the end of the day, I would be tired, make mistakes, or not get to my studio.  Beginning my day when I had energy and focus, peace and quiet, was a delightful routine to get into and I plan on continuing, so I can put renewed energy into my Etsy shop http://www.bethscraftroom.etsy.com/   The creative ideas and designs are overflowing so fast in my brain these days, it's hard to keep away from my studio.  But I also look forward to journaling on my blog more and making a more consistant presence on Facebook, to share and interact with my creative community. 

Next stage of the Journal Journey...

This will be most photos.

doesn't look like much at this point, lots of prepping to do

then picking the colors

trying a little variety and covering some with paper and paint

experimenting is very fun

a few almost done, hurray!

the next batch waiting their their turn to transform

lots of prepping, a good task when I'm tired but still need and want to be productive

in progress, stay turned, thank you so much if you have followed me this far.  This project is deeply satisfying for me.

Journal Journey for www.enchantedmakeovers.org

This simple composition book is going to be transformed into a custom journal.

This is the first coat of Gesso on the inside covers.  

Once dried, I applied a second coat of Gesso and then after drying again, I applied a coat of acrylic peach paint. 

I would love for you to follow me as I create 30 customs journals to donate to  http://www.enchantedmakeovers.org/ for their 2011 challenge.  As the process unfolds, I will share my thought and all the steps to complete them.  I do not know what they are going to look like yet, I just know they will all be original custom art work.  No two will be exactly alike.  I will be experimenting with a variety of techniques.  Tradition painting, mixed media, papercrafting, and possibly fabric.  I will post each step on my blog and announce when new blogs are up on my twitter and FB. 

My first experience creating this type of journal was for the http://www.pinkslipperproject.org/ if you check them out or look at some of my older blog posts, I have a photo of the journals that I donated, as well as knit slippers and dolls. 

I just finished this cute little knitted lamb this weekend. 

This is a different view, not quite as flattering for little lamby, but I wanted to share some of my other creations.

And not only did I finish one project, I started a couple more.  It's been awhile since I've been able to have time to knit and paint both in one weekend.  And I got some raking done in my front yard.  I did not realize how stressed out I was becoming from not having time or energy to be creative. 

I am always surprised at the depth of stress and sadness that comes over me when I am unable to be creative.  Everything in my life becomes overwhelming.  So finally, I am settling down now that I've purchased my home and can begin my creative journey again with a new sense of purpose and focus.   

Holding my breath

I've been holding my breath for a while now.  Waiting for spring.  This photo was taken last year and I look forward to seeing this tree bloom again, especially since now, I own this tree, as of today!  Yup, that's right, John and I are now the proud owner of the little house we have been renting for the past year.  It's been a long, long winter, working through all the paperwork and hoops to jump when purchasing a home.  So now, I can exhale...   

She had always been strong

I completed this Mixed Media Artwork about a month ago.  I had intended to sell it on my Etsy shop, (which I have been sorely neglecting) but this is my first official attempt with mixed media and I think I may have to keep this.  

As much as it is extremely satisfying to sell my artwork, creating can not always be about making money. 

You get the idea

Here are almost complete hand painted journals that will be going to http://www.pinkslipperproject.org/  , they just need a final coat of varnish on the inside covers.   Each step needed to dry before I could proceed with the next step and it took longer than I had anticipated.    So, another busy week begins and as much as i would have liked to ship these donated items tomorrow, it will be a few more days.  Getting stressed out because I could not meet my self imposed deadline on a new project won't get them done any faster.  I am trying to work on a new approach to my life -- stop racing!  Racing and rushing generally makes me cranky and ultimately, unproductive and feeling badly about myself and what I want with my new Art Business and life in general.  What I accomplished this weekend was really very good.  That is what matters.  I am going to bed tonight satisfied with what I got done and not what I didn't.  It takes time to break old habits of making a too large and unrealistic "to do" list.  It takes times to realistically calculate how much time it takes to create a new piece of art work or project.   

This art work is a 5 x 7 original acrylic painting of words from a poem I wrote years ago.  Words that are near and dear to my heart.  Words that I live by.  I just finished it late this afternoon and need to photograph it properly before I put it for sale on my Etsy shop.  I also want to take a good quality photo that I can use to sell prints of the original.