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Art Journal Project Using Watercolor Paint and Distress Stains
This week I wanted to share with you an art journal project using watercolor paint and Distress stains. The inspiration for this page was in a moment where I did not feel very creative. Many of us struggle with creative ideas from time to time. I hope this simple page will encourage you to create even when you are not feeling inspired. You are Not Special You might be wondering why I chose this quote for this project, “You are not special, but what you have to offer to this world is valuable.” This thought came to mind when I was running errands a few weeks ago. I had been…
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Art Journal Page Using Distress Embossing Glazes
Today I want to share with an art journal page using Distress Embossing Glazes and pastes called “In the Darkness.” Over the last few weeks, I have been processing the events in the United States with the death of George Floyd. It has brought up some strong emotions for me. Social justice is important to me, and to see what is happening in the US is breaking my heart. I Believe I do not want to talk about politics, but I do feel that I should say something about what has happened. I believe that every life is precious and valuable. I believe that we need to love mercy and…
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4 Lessons I Learned from Almost Anxious
Today I wanted to share with you the 4 lessons I learned from Almost Anxious. If you have been following my reading list for 2020, this is one of the books that I committed to reading to help my personal mental wellness. Why Almost Anxious? Almost Anxious is a book that was recommended to me by a friend. The premise of this book is how to deal with the “almost anxious” moments in our lives. One of the problems with anxiety is that we are often put into one of two boxes: anxious or not anxious. This criterion is not always helpful. Many of us have anxiety that is above…
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Finding a New Normal
Have you been thinking about how to find a new normal in the wake of the pandemic? It has been on my mind over the last few weeks. I had an opportunity this past weekend to visit the Calgary Zoo for the first time since the pandemic. It made me think about how we can find our way back to a healthy routine and finding a new normal in our lives. Being Emotionally Disoriented I have mentioned in other articles the feeling of being emotionally disorientated during the pandemic. There have been many good days, but there are other days where I feel like it is a real struggle.…
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4 Ideas for Using Gelli Printing in Your Projects
Today I want to share with you 4 ideas for using Gelli printing in your projects. Last week I wrote an article and provided tutorials about how to make Gelli prints. As a follow up to those tutorials, I want to give you some practical ideas for using Gelli printing in your projects. Creative Ways to use Gelli Prints It is not always easy finding creative ways to use Gelli prints in your projects. When I first started Gelli printing, I would end up with a stack of great prints that I had no idea how to use in other projects. I generally just pasted them onto journal pages and…
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How to Make Gelli Prints
Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite art techniques, how to make gelli prints. Gelli printing was a technique I used to struggle with until I took a class from a professional artist. She showed me that Gelli printing can not only be easy but also fun and relaxing. Gelli printing is my go to art activity when I want some creative self-care, especially in the moments where I’m not feeling very creative. What is Gelli Printing? What is Gelli printing? It is a type of monoprinting which is a form of printmaking that has lines or images that can only be made once. It differs…
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In Time It’s Going to be Okay
This week I have been reflecting on the changes in life that we all have been experiencing lately. There is so much uncertainty. How do we effectively handle our emotions when things are so unsure? The thought struck me that “In time it’s going to be okay.” Right Now it Does not Feel Okay Right now it does not feel okay. I found that for the first month of social isolation and distancing I was able to stay quite hopeful and focused. The longer this is dragging out, the more I need to force myself to be focused and to practice self-care. It requires more diligence and more focus than…
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3 Lessons from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Today I wanted to share 3 Lessons from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, a counter intuitive approach to living a good life. This book was recommended to me several years ago when I started working on my personal self-care and mental health. When I read it, it changed my perspective on many things in my life. When I chose books for my goal of reading 12 books in 2020, I added The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck since I it made such an impression on me when I first read it. I want to re-read this book every few years as to not forget…
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Goal Setting During COVID-19
Goal setting during COVID-19 may seem like an odd thing to discuss, but I believe it is now more important than ever. If you have been following my site for a while, you will know that I have already shared some of my personal experience with goal setting. I believe that goal setting is an exercise that we should do at least once a year. It needs to be more than a New Year’s Resolution. Goal setting is a tool to help us find purpose and define the goals that are most important to us. In my original article about goal setting, I provided a free goal setting template. This…
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3 Lessons I Learned from Daring Greatly
My book review this month is 3 Lessons I Learned from Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. This is a fabulous book about having the courage to be vulnerable and how it can transform our lives. For anyone who wants to greatly improve their self-care and mental health, this book is a must read. I wanted to share with you the 3 lessons that I learned personally from Daring Greatly. I am Uncomfortable with Vulnerability My first lesson from this book was realizing that I am uncomfortable with vulnerability. Brene Brown writes about what she has learned as a shame and vulnerability researcher. She speaks about her interviews with her research…
The Art of Self-Care
