(goals for 2014 #1: Keep an Art Journal)
 |
| A piece of my art journal… using list making to explore myself |
 |
| Planner Pad got turned into an art journal! |
I kept a journal religiously throughout high school and college, using it to pour my feelings out about unrequited crushes and being overweight. Sometime, around the time I met my husband, I let go of the process of writing in a journal. Around this time my journal, which contained my most private thoughts and feelings, was lost along with my luggage. I was devastated. I felt violated and as if I lost a part of myself. At the same time, I was finding contentment in my life. My weight was stable and I was happy with myself and where I was going. That was 20 years ago. Fast forward to today, when the art world is filled with artists who “art journal”
Artists create spreads in their journals beautiful enough to frame. I wasn’t sure if that was something I wanted to do; private art making didn’t speak to me. I love to share my art. Moreover, I couldn’t see myself writing all over a piece of my art.
 |
| List the words that touch your soul, a page for you! |
Then I got a Planner Pad this summer. I got the planner as a way to get myself to focus and organize myself. Something us creatives have a hard time doing. The planner has a month view to write appointments as well as week views to make lists. I found myself turning to the pad to write lists but not necessarily in the spaces that were intended for that day. That evolved into putting gesso and paint over old to-do lists and starting from scratch. I even caught myself stamping words like “inventory”, “ideas” and “goals.” In order to find the month views more quickly, I bordered each month with decorative washi tape. Somehow, without my realizing it, I had created an art journal. The journal may not be like the other artists’ journals. You won’t see me creating pages that are frame worthy; I still
 |
| CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ART JOURNAL CLASS! |
prefer to save that kind of art making for the canvas. I also may not be ready to pour my heart out on paper yet (my teenage kids are so nosy!) However, using this journal to make lists-and not just “to do” lists!-really appeals to me. While bouncing around like Tigger around the internet, I found a terrific blog by Moorea Seal. She suggests to make a list of words that touch your soul. I am sharing my list with you. If you want, you can share your list with me by either linking it here in the comments. To help get you started I am giving you your own blank journal page. Print it out and use it for your list. You can keep this separate, throw it out or glue it down into your own journal! You can also find a template for making a list on Moorea’s blog.
What words touch your soul?
Thanks so much for the links you provided.
Best,
Nina
Nina– THis is the planner Pad I use: https://plannerpads.com/index.asp I also noticed that this blogger has more tips and is doing a giveaway. {inmyownstyle.com/2014/01/fresh-start-planner-organization-ideas-giveaway.html} By the way, I use the 8.5×11" size but I think the next time I order one I will get a smaller size so that it can fit it in my purse. xo Miriam
Can you post a link to the planner pad that you purchased, Miriam, if you can find it online?
🙂
The planner pad is wonderful. You are supposed to create to-do lists within categories. For example one list for home and maybe one list for work but I find myself so obsessed with my work I only make art lists!
Most of the artists who share their journal pages either show them without the words or they will digitally blur the words to mask the private stuff. When I was keot my journal in years past, I didn't include any art. The art was all over my school notebooks though!
thanks so much! I am having fun with this project and I am glad that I stumbled upon Moorea's blog just when I was open to the ideas inside of it!
I love the blue background and your words are very inspiring. I followed your link from Moorea Seal to find you but I'll definitely pop back to see more of your beautiful lists.
I love the blue background and your words are very inspiring. I followed your link from Moorea Seal to find you but I'll definitely pop back to see more of your beautiful lists.
I found it interesting to learn about your art journaling throughout high school and college and how meaningful it was for you.
If I were to start an art journal, I would not make it public, since I don't think it would behoove me to bare my soul to the public (assuming some of them read it).. 😉
I like your idea of using a Planner Pad and think I shall purchase one.
I am also giving thought to making lists.