I have to admit, I am so happy to be back on the blog after my post vlogmas hiatus. After taking 3 weeks to recharge and reorganize, I have to admit I am so freaking happy to start a new year. In 2017, I found my creative groove and I don’t think I have ever been so productive when it came to art. I have since kind of fizzled out a little, but lord knows I am ready to be back in that creative space. I came across my art journal from most of last year and holy smokes, I don’t think I have ever made such a wonderful art filled book. Here are two journal flips I did.

Last fall I made my fauxdori, and proceeded to use this collection of journals to track my projects and work. And you know what….my art mojo dried up since then.

Outside of my wall dolls, there was really not much happening. Avoiding the clay studio, Not much in the way of fiber happening either outside of a boring but much needed sweater, and a stash buster blanket. All the essential oils in the world could not break this slump. But I have been doing this long enough to know that creativity ebbs and flows. For the most part it is best to just roll with the waves. But I also think we are not always at the mercy of our slumps. I have written about this so much. (like here, here and here).

So yeah…once again, I am aware of how much my creativity flourishes when I art journal. And for me what that looks like is ONE BOOK. One books that I carry with me always with all my ideas and notes and day to day stuff.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a HUGE fan of little notebooks. OMG squared Moleskins, dotted Leuchtterms, even handmade journals. I love love love them all. I have a collection of them. And I have been using two focused goal planners (this and this) to work on my business. I love the idea of bullet journaling, but honestly…as many times as I tried to do a bullet journal…it just does not stick.

What works for me is one book, A5 (5.5″ x 8″), preferably watercolor paper with lots of squared paper sheets I can glue in. Lots of inks, watercolors, ephemera, washi tape, envelopes, and my favorite pens. Just leafing through my old journal brings me back to all the inspirations and creative energy. I have placed it on my drafting table to inspire me further this week. I am grateful for this resource of my own inspirations. And it is not even that I make beautiful master piecing in my journal. It is a collection of doodles, and color and random stuff. But as a whole it becomes a work of art. It is a collection of notes and ideas, even the mundane stuff like my meal plan for the week becomes part of my art, reminding me that inspirations can come from anywhere.

So I suppose it is time for a new art journal challenge. I do this every now and then when I find myself falling off the journaling wagon (and in this case, the art mojo wagon). So, this time, I am going to aim for 21 days. I will post to Instagram and Pinterest. I also will post at least 3 flips on YouTube. Alright! I am gonna give myself 3 days to prepare, so starting Saturday I am doing it.