I read all your blog posts since I subscribe vie email I have been enjoying glimpses into your visual journals. Today’s writing by Gretchen Rubin, plus your daily practice of playing with paints and pens have hit a tender spot. I just found out that a dear friend read one of my journal entries a few months ago and she didn’t like what she read about my frustrations with her behavior and my frustrations. There is more to the story but the crux of it is that we cleared the air and committed to being more “clean” in our interactions. But it hurt me as we’ll as her. I’ve since gotten past whatever I wrote but I have a lot of work to do in our somewhat enmeshed friendship. This might be TMI, however I wanted you to know that I am inspired by your posts and Rubin’s thoughts on creativity. I think I finally see how artists use a visual journal to process feelings and thoughts. The doodles and lettering can be a way to express thoughts with only a few words that won’t be a stab in the heart. Thank you and kep on inspiring growing visual journalers in their golden years to change and grow. You are wonderful and fantastic.
BTW, I have yet to make either of the journals from your online classes, but I’m more inspired now. Maybe visual journaling will be a way to relieve stress. I can only hope.
Sincerely and with gratude,
Marrianna in Flagstaff, AZ
Joansays
I didn’t ask when you took a leave of absence…how long is this leave? I’m assuming it’s through the summer, but hope it’s longer for your sake.
All this wild color is exciting. Having the freedom to do what you want when you want has got to be a plus, eh?
I’m reading a mystery by an author who isn’t familiar to me….Still Life by Louise Penny. I’ve not read enough to have an opinion yet. I’ll let you know.
OH How I enjoyed your response to people who wonder what you do….now that I’m retired, when people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m incredibly busy…painting, cutting, pasting. It doesn’t sound like much. But it is just HUGE after all those years of struggling to find 15 minutes here and 30 minutes there.
Enjoy! (As if I needed to tell YOU that!)
Good morning, sitting here in Casa Hoagland, looking at my first ever sketch (a sketch of a wall in my living room). I have been posting daily to my blog, a major achievement and just enjoying life. Ah, the beauty of it all. Have a great holiday. You are inspiring me to sketch.
I do believe I need to look into getting a cat again. I believe we are over the loss of our late old lilac point Sebastian but with all the weird noises in our old house I think he has increased the signal. “There’s a cat out there waiting for you…” That’s what he’s saying.
While I’m not a paint and brush artist, I just got a whole batch of digital templates from Anna Aspnes – the Artsy Layered Templates – which I plan to use while dogsitting next month. Lots of fun for the digitally inclined like me. Plus I won’t mess up my son and dil’s house!
Violet Cadburrysays
Just cracked open a beer, turned the vacuum to blow and dusted the house, and now off to hack fossilized crud off the BBQ burners awaiting the arrival of the burgers and booze crowd. Just another Monday;)
LaurieJaysays
OMG, if more of us could sleep like Wyatt the world would be a happier place.
Hey, I think your cat and mine are related. My Max has white paws but other than that, they’re twins, even down to that “I will find you and hunt you down and you will die” look on their faces! He’s a rescue and definitely mostly Maine Coon, so perhaps they were separated at birth. HOnestly, as I scrolled through your pics, when I came across that one, I thought, “Hey Mary Ann, why did you steal a pic of Max to put on your site?”, and then, “Hey FB, why did you screw up again and move my pic to MAM’s page?” Then I got my wits about me…
Today was going to be a day of chores and responsibilities, but after seeing your journal, it’s veering off into a day of paint, gelli-printing, doodling and journaling. If anyone stops by, I’m going to blame my dusty house and empty fridge on you. Fair warning…
Keep sharing those inspiring photos so the rest of us can be reminded of what’s really important in this little life of ours! thank you…
Monday morning. I’m good, enjoying a quiet rainy holiday, which actually means nothing to me any longer since every day is a holiday in my world. Started working in a new Art Journal yesterday…doing Gelli Plate printing on and off…making mail art postcards and responding to incoming mail…and other cool stuff. Have yourself a good day and a great week! xo
Loving your pages and reading about your process in your BIG journal! Such sweet kitty faces.
I keep meaning to ask you – is that Echo Park in your banner or? A million years ago I went to a hippie progressive school for high school and for about the first few months I attended, we didn’t have a classroom – we had classes outside in the park at Echo Park! Many other interesting locations would follow 🙂 We took field trips in an old Van de Kamp Bakery truck. Yup, those were the days …
maryksays
just home from work (time and a half, woohoo). i’ve got the rest of today and tomorrow to mess around. think i will get some paints out. i also got some pads of canson drawing paper at michaels on saturday. might just make a new journal. you’ve got me wanting to just play and make marks/patterns. have a good day everyone.
susan wsays
lovely early morning in the back yard. It is cool and overcast where i am, very peaceful, very pleasant
Do you like audiobooks? I have two for you to try: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The readers of these are so engaging that I have listened to them multiple times. It is hard to realize that there is only one individual performing instead of all the different characters in the story. Not only that but the stories, while witty and entertaining, have hidden depths and resonances. I know you like to have music on often when you work, maybe a book sometimes?
read readers’ reviews here http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B002V8LI0U&qid=1369663706&sr=1-1
and here http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B0036KV7Y4&qid=1369663845&sr=1-1
Monicasays
Mine is clapped out on the couch next to me after a sudden run to the bathrom window sill which is high up and where a female cardinal was attacking her image.
Heidi Wallacesays
Good morning from the sunny Midwest! Day three of the weekend will be filled with a little creating (those sewn, patched, mismatched circles you shared a little bit ago have got a few ideas swirling in my brain).
I am seeing your creative process evolving, MAM, with ample time to explore every path your thoughts lead you down…dead ends, switchbacks, and narrow paths that open up into wide clear crystalline meadows. I am so happy for you!
Hi Mary Ann, I love to come visit your blog! You have sooo much fun!!! I’m taking two of your classes, Full Tilt Boogie and Remains of the Day. Love them! Just finished a big stack of 6 signatures to do my first FTB book! Hey, if you email me your addy I’ll send you some wall paper pages and other goodies!
Hello. I’m coming home from work, heading to bed. Thinking you have some very lucky cats! And loving your photos. They make my fingers twitch. I have not taken time to play for too long! Perhaps tomorrow….before I head to work again! Enjoy your day!
Good Mornin’ It’s now almost 4:30 AM in there parts, and will just now be calling it a night…ya see my plan was move furniture around the living, a little change up is good from time. Got the room all turned upside down and I’m staring at my walls and decide the livingroom could use a color lift, I always have a massive Behr color wheel chart at the ready and we started flipping through and decided on a color and well, we got the paint, tape for the trim and what not, pulled out all the painting gear and just dug in things, needless to say things are in chaos, but I like change, I like to rearrange furniture, I like trying new colors, I like to start fresh. It’s fun. Ok not so fun was finding we have a leak under our kitchen sink and we got the parts and after futzing with that for an hour got a major leak fixed but there are still 2 small ones that need attention…poop…DH will get on that tomorrow after his shift at Home depot…but I’m excited so that is what I will be doing, painting, taping, moving furniture hither and yon I can’t wait to see the new color on the walls. YES. And the Cat Posse look like they are on personal missions, one to explore the other to explore in a slightly different manner.
OMG Cindy! I see what you mean…! Max has a doppelganger!
Your bright and colorful art journal is very inspiring!
– Tina
I read all your blog posts since I subscribe vie email I have been enjoying glimpses into your visual journals. Today’s writing by Gretchen Rubin, plus your daily practice of playing with paints and pens have hit a tender spot. I just found out that a dear friend read one of my journal entries a few months ago and she didn’t like what she read about my frustrations with her behavior and my frustrations. There is more to the story but the crux of it is that we cleared the air and committed to being more “clean” in our interactions. But it hurt me as we’ll as her. I’ve since gotten past whatever I wrote but I have a lot of work to do in our somewhat enmeshed friendship. This might be TMI, however I wanted you to know that I am inspired by your posts and Rubin’s thoughts on creativity. I think I finally see how artists use a visual journal to process feelings and thoughts. The doodles and lettering can be a way to express thoughts with only a few words that won’t be a stab in the heart. Thank you and kep on inspiring growing visual journalers in their golden years to change and grow. You are wonderful and fantastic.
BTW, I have yet to make either of the journals from your online classes, but I’m more inspired now. Maybe visual journaling will be a way to relieve stress. I can only hope.
Sincerely and with gratude,
Marrianna in Flagstaff, AZ
I didn’t ask when you took a leave of absence…how long is this leave? I’m assuming it’s through the summer, but hope it’s longer for your sake.
All this wild color is exciting. Having the freedom to do what you want when you want has got to be a plus, eh?
I’m reading a mystery by an author who isn’t familiar to me….Still Life by Louise Penny. I’ve not read enough to have an opinion yet. I’ll let you know.
OH How I enjoyed your response to people who wonder what you do….now that I’m retired, when people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m incredibly busy…painting, cutting, pasting. It doesn’t sound like much. But it is just HUGE after all those years of struggling to find 15 minutes here and 30 minutes there.
Enjoy! (As if I needed to tell YOU that!)
Good morning, sitting here in Casa Hoagland, looking at my first ever sketch (a sketch of a wall in my living room). I have been posting daily to my blog, a major achievement and just enjoying life. Ah, the beauty of it all. Have a great holiday. You are inspiring me to sketch.
I do believe I need to look into getting a cat again. I believe we are over the loss of our late old lilac point Sebastian but with all the weird noises in our old house I think he has increased the signal. “There’s a cat out there waiting for you…” That’s what he’s saying.
While I’m not a paint and brush artist, I just got a whole batch of digital templates from Anna Aspnes – the Artsy Layered Templates – which I plan to use while dogsitting next month. Lots of fun for the digitally inclined like me. Plus I won’t mess up my son and dil’s house!
Just cracked open a beer, turned the vacuum to blow and dusted the house, and now off to hack fossilized crud off the BBQ burners awaiting the arrival of the burgers and booze crowd. Just another Monday;)
OMG, if more of us could sleep like Wyatt the world would be a happier place.
Hey, I think your cat and mine are related. My Max has white paws but other than that, they’re twins, even down to that “I will find you and hunt you down and you will die” look on their faces! He’s a rescue and definitely mostly Maine Coon, so perhaps they were separated at birth. HOnestly, as I scrolled through your pics, when I came across that one, I thought, “Hey Mary Ann, why did you steal a pic of Max to put on your site?”, and then, “Hey FB, why did you screw up again and move my pic to MAM’s page?” Then I got my wits about me…
Today was going to be a day of chores and responsibilities, but after seeing your journal, it’s veering off into a day of paint, gelli-printing, doodling and journaling. If anyone stops by, I’m going to blame my dusty house and empty fridge on you. Fair warning…
Keep sharing those inspiring photos so the rest of us can be reminded of what’s really important in this little life of ours! thank you…
Monday morning. I’m good, enjoying a quiet rainy holiday, which actually means nothing to me any longer since every day is a holiday in my world. Started working in a new Art Journal yesterday…doing Gelli Plate printing on and off…making mail art postcards and responding to incoming mail…and other cool stuff. Have yourself a good day and a great week! xo
You always inspire …
always.
Loving your pages and reading about your process in your BIG journal! Such sweet kitty faces.
I keep meaning to ask you – is that Echo Park in your banner or? A million years ago I went to a hippie progressive school for high school and for about the first few months I attended, we didn’t have a classroom – we had classes outside in the park at Echo Park! Many other interesting locations would follow 🙂 We took field trips in an old Van de Kamp Bakery truck. Yup, those were the days …
just home from work (time and a half, woohoo). i’ve got the rest of today and tomorrow to mess around. think i will get some paints out. i also got some pads of canson drawing paper at michaels on saturday. might just make a new journal. you’ve got me wanting to just play and make marks/patterns. have a good day everyone.
lovely early morning in the back yard. It is cool and overcast where i am, very peaceful, very pleasant
Do you like audiobooks? I have two for you to try: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman and Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The readers of these are so engaging that I have listened to them multiple times. It is hard to realize that there is only one individual performing instead of all the different characters in the story. Not only that but the stories, while witty and entertaining, have hidden depths and resonances. I know you like to have music on often when you work, maybe a book sometimes?
read readers’ reviews here http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B002V8LI0U&qid=1369663706&sr=1-1
and here http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B0036KV7Y4&qid=1369663845&sr=1-1
Mine is clapped out on the couch next to me after a sudden run to the bathrom window sill which is high up and where a female cardinal was attacking her image.
Good morning from the sunny Midwest! Day three of the weekend will be filled with a little creating (those sewn, patched, mismatched circles you shared a little bit ago have got a few ideas swirling in my brain).
I am seeing your creative process evolving, MAM, with ample time to explore every path your thoughts lead you down…dead ends, switchbacks, and narrow paths that open up into wide clear crystalline meadows. I am so happy for you!
Hi Mary Ann, I love to come visit your blog! You have sooo much fun!!! I’m taking two of your classes, Full Tilt Boogie and Remains of the Day. Love them! Just finished a big stack of 6 signatures to do my first FTB book! Hey, if you email me your addy I’ll send you some wall paper pages and other goodies!
Hello. I’m coming home from work, heading to bed. Thinking you have some very lucky cats! And loving your photos. They make my fingers twitch. I have not taken time to play for too long! Perhaps tomorrow….before I head to work again! Enjoy your day!
Good Mornin’ It’s now almost 4:30 AM in there parts, and will just now be calling it a night…ya see my plan was move furniture around the living, a little change up is good from time. Got the room all turned upside down and I’m staring at my walls and decide the livingroom could use a color lift, I always have a massive Behr color wheel chart at the ready and we started flipping through and decided on a color and well, we got the paint, tape for the trim and what not, pulled out all the painting gear and just dug in things, needless to say things are in chaos, but I like change, I like to rearrange furniture, I like trying new colors, I like to start fresh. It’s fun. Ok not so fun was finding we have a leak under our kitchen sink and we got the parts and after futzing with that for an hour got a major leak fixed but there are still 2 small ones that need attention…poop…DH will get on that tomorrow after his shift at Home depot…but I’m excited so that is what I will be doing, painting, taping, moving furniture hither and yon I can’t wait to see the new color on the walls. YES. And the Cat Posse look like they are on personal missions, one to explore the other to explore in a slightly different manner.