Rekindling the Flame

 OK! Seems like moving into my new studio has opened me up to restarting my personal Daily Journal Page Challenge. Yesterday, my first day spent in my new studio, I sat at the work table and looked at the 28+ Paperblank journals that I had filled with my daily journal pages over the past two years. I placed them on both walls on grooved horizontal railing conveniently left by the previous tenant. I can show them closed or open, and it's really a revolving gallery -- I have 740+ spreads that I can display. I though to myself that the discipline of doing a page a day, really helped to get to this studio to this moment in my creative evolution  Although I took a break over the summer because of work, in truth I wasn't sure whether I'd start up again. However, as I gazed over them lined up on the wall, I reached for a blank journal and thought what the heck let's give it another go. And like a tip of the hat, a wink, a wave hello -- it was oh-so-easy to sit down at the table and create a page. I also decided what would make this easier for me, more flexible, more spontaneous? So, I will create a page for each day of the year. But I'm giving myself the option of not having to make one each day. I may make a bunch all in one day and then post them catching up when and where I need to. It's my party. We'll see what gets celebrated!

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 364

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 364: Good Direction

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 363

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 363: Discover Yourself

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 362

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 362: Don't Let Severe Interfere

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 361

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 361: The Greatest Thing

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 360

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 360: Half the Story

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 359

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 359: Have a Powerful Impact

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 358

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 358: Get Inspired

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 357

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 357: May Your Presence

APRIL FOOL! I Wish...

Since today is April Fool's day it seems perfect that my brother would leave a comment on Facebook and point out to me that there are 365 days in the year and not 356.

OMG!

What I want to know is WHY DIDN'T ANYBODY ELSE POINT THIS OUT TO ME!!!! Didn't you guys and gals get that memo in elementary school? I guess I sure didn't!

Geez, where are my so-called friends -- letting me make a fool out of myself!!!! There goes any credibility that I imagined I had -- LOL!

So now I have to hurry up and catch up in my Daily Journal Page Challenge so I can properly finish the damn thing! Better get going!

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 356

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 356: Work Your Magic

When I started this personal art challenge last year -- creating one journal page a day for a year -- I was curious to see if I'd stick with it. I was determined to bring my creative talents to the forefront but I knew how easy it would be for me to walk away. I am delighted to report that I made it to day 356! What an amazing and relatively easy journey it's been to achieve this small miracle. As a result of sticking to my guns, I have seen over the year a leap in my creative output. I have to admit that I'm still not generating steady income, but I will not throw the bebe out with the bathwater! Thanks to all of my friends, both online and in my life. There exists in the heart and soul a magical universe, it is up to all of us in big and small ways to believe and affirm this.

During this art challenge I filled 15 journals over the year! These are the terrific PaperBlanks Mini journals. Just love these little babies -- compact, beautiful covers that I can ornament -- or not, easy to transport, easy to fill. To read my first post about my Daily Journal Page Challenge go here. To see all of my pages visit my Flickr slideshow.

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 355

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 355: Float on Air

Wild thoughts occupy my brain this afternoon. What if a new way of relating is coming into being? What if it's based on fullness instead of need and hunger? What if you could reach out with your awareness and your beloved was there with you? What if separation -- i-ness, you-ness, we-ness -- did not exist -- only a united flowing, a changing, a moving as one? What if it's here, now?

On more day for my personal art challenge to come to a conclusion!

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 354

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 354: Unchain My Heart

Don't ask me what my pages mean. Often I just take images and colors and bits of this and that from different sources and slap a piece of text on it. But sometimes a page does reflect my inner process. Take this woman here -- great haircut, beautiful hair color, young, fresh -- and miserable. She doesn't see that she's the one who chained her heart to some tree trunk somewhere. She doesn't see that she's the one who can unchain herself. She's determined to hang onto that tree trunk, that chain. Maybe letting go might be more problematic than where she is now.

Gee, have I been there before? Yep? Am I there now? Nope. It's a whole different story now, and boy I'm looking forward to seeing how it unfolds.

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 353

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 353: All of Me

Sometimes I feel I've lived 100 different lives, been 100 different people...all during this lifetime. That makes for a lot of conflict because many of these lives and personas seem to be occupying the same time frame. All though this has led to a creative life, there is also not a lot of energy left. Well, I guess I could probably manufacture some more, because I have this inate ability to create different personas. Should I be on medication? Nah, how boring. Too bad I didn't become an actress!

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 351

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 351: So Enjoy It

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 350

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 350: Follow Your Instincts

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 349

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 349: A Leopard Can't Change

Really? Do we ever really change? We can gussy ourselves up, gloss things over, go into denial, even ignore the sore and angry and pitiful parts of our self. (Even try to outrun them.) But when push comes to shove they don't ever really go away. I think I need a body transplant, or maybe a brain transplant. Yep, that's ticket.

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 348

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 348: Mesmerizing

Can you imagine being able to create a feeling, a place, an animal, a lover, that totally matched you -- externally as well as internally? I imagine that would be mesmerizing.

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 347

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 347: Just Call Me Rosebud

I can't help myself, it reached 79 degrees here today. My roses are calling to me...

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge...Day 346

2009-10 Daily Journal Page Challenge -- Day 346: Connection at a Level

I believe most people wish and desire and dream and hope for a connection with others that is fun, passionate, complete. Unfortunately in this world, this goal is seemingly impossible. Yet the desire remains, and poets write about, artists paint it, singers sing it, actors act it. Is it all one big illusion? Perhaps. Yet I believe that the desire to light up oneself and another cannot be a lie. The desire itself speaks the truth. How we manifest it in our lives is to be found in our essential spirit. And that is a process that has its own rhythm.