Ready For Change

I was going to do this post tomorrow, but here I am, looking out at the beautiful, sparkly lights on the houses in our street and I just can't help but feel a little magic.

I don't go in for much hype at New Year, though I have positive feelings for the future, in spades. I love new beginnings and each day, really, is an opportunity to do things differently.

Today I did lots of housework. Not too exciting you might say....for me though, it has all been about clearing out the old energy and making room for a positive new year. Getting rid of old papers, clothes, 'stuff', changing the furniture around, vacuuming in untouched places (!) Lighting candles and letting the fresh air blow through the house. Listening to the cicadas reach a crescendo outside in the summer evening air and just being grateful for every. little. thing.

'Change' is my word for 2010 and it most definitely chose me, not the other way around. Astrologers are saying that 2010 will be a highly creative decade, as it was in the sixties. I will be trying my hardest to make it so! Let's bring it on!!.....

Mischievous Creature

Here is the witch-doctor painted in my journal, as promised.

He is not a malevolent creature, more likely mischievous! He will happily plop a snail into the bottom of your drink, slip an ice cube down the back of your shirt, or hide under the bed and grab hold of your ankles as you're about to climb in!

christmas day 2009

at lunchtime on christmas day, it was overcast, hot and humid - fairly typical weather for this time of year. hard for northern hemisphere folks to get their head around, i suppose. while i was waiting for family to arrive for a late christmas lunch, i made up a jug of pimms with lots of ice, lemon, orange and cucumber slices and sprigs of mint .... so refreshing.... i sat on the deck with my journal and found myself painting a witch-doctor mask [i'll post the finished product later].

this is what happens when you journal ... things just appear from somewhere deep in your psyche and it's often a surprise to see what's actually going on in there. i browsed through violettes 'journal bliss', a christmas gift, for some inspiration.

my daughter knows me well and without fail, chooses a gift that is special. this year i received two beautiful exotic looking tea cups, a box of chai tea bags, a new journal for writing in and a fat book of fiction to read.... totally spoiled...

today - boxing day, is cool and rainy, courtesy of the tail-end of 'cyclone laurence' that has been hanging around in queensland for the past few days. quite a contrast to yesterday's heat. the whole neighbourhood and my own household, is quiet as can be - all sleeping in after a full day of food, family and festivities. i'll go now and add this christmas to my gratitude list.

pause for a day...

another journal page.... i just love painting in red...

last night we met some friends down at the waterfront for icy cold wine, fresh prawns, sydney rock oysters, a cheese/fruit/vegetable platter, and a tub of freshly made hummus. all delicious...

we stayed there till well after dark and from a distance we could hear the crowds enjoying the carnival and circus camped beside the water for the summer break. pretty coloured lights twinkled everywhere and the holiday atmosphere was truly magical.

tomorrow we will have a small family gathering, some simple but gorgeous summer food and exchange a few gifts. for us, it's all about family pausing for a day, to just be together.

i wish everyone out there a happy and restful holiday break, whatever that means for you....

Twilight Sailing

Every summer, the local yachties gather on Wednesdays for Twilight Sailing. The pier is the start line and they muster in the bay behind it, busily jostling for position, even before the race starts! The race begins at 5.30pm when the hooter at the Yacht Club blasts.

They sail dreamily along the water for a couple of hours, returning to the finish line around 7.30pm, just before nightfall. First yacht in gets another blast from the hooter.

We take some cool drinks and a picnic down to the waterfront and enjoy the sight of all the beautiful white sails, backlit by the setting sun. Best way ever to chill out, after a hot summer's day.

Word for 2010.... Change

http://www.wordle.net/

2010 can be glimpsed if you just take a peek over the hill, which means it's time to choose a word to focus on throughout the new year. Visit Christine Kane for loads of inspiration.

2008 was all about 'balance' and I really did find equilibrium during that year..... then somehow lost it again in 2009 when I was supposed to 'listen' to the intelligence of my heart and soul. I was thinking that this word was a fizzer until just this month, when I was given a huge prod from the ether.... I couldn't help but listen!

So now it's time to embrace 'change'.... reconfigure and change my thinking, creative habits, surroundings, how I treat my body..... shed this old, scaly skin. Some changes have crept in already, they wouldn't wait for 1st Jan, so I'm well on the way to a better place.

Year End

I have just finished reading Rice Freeman - Zachery's , 'Living The Creative Life' and 'Creative Time and Space'

Both books are full of fantastic advice and inspiration from working artists. It was so good to get inside the artist's heads, all different personalities with their own unique ways of working, but essentially each one living in the same lovely creative zone. Their studios range from organised messes (like mine!) to works of art in their own right. Now I want to paint my studio!

Despite being all creatively motivated, I've been happily absorbed in end of year activities. On Saturday we caught up with family for a christmas party and it's always good to see everyone.

My son finished his Year 10 exams, dressed up in a suit for his School Formal and performed on stage at the School Variety Night (bass guitar). Next week is his graduation from junior high school, then the next two years he will work towards the Higher School Certificate (the final high school qualification in Aus). Soon school will break for the summer holidays, so we'll be heading to the beach as usual, no doubt.

I also visited some girlfriends for dinner & champagne and afterwards we sang Karaoke to 'Singstar' (Playstation) - I'm still laughing, it was so much fun!! There's a Diva in all of us!

This journal page is a rough one, an idea quickly set down on the page. I feel I want to add some more detail, so I'll leave it to sit for a while.

I hope your year is winding up happily too!

Princess

An African princess ..... the reflected glow of firelight.... blue shadows ... contemplating her betrothal? .... She seems happy with her future.

This journal page began with an old design of mine also. The eye (on your left) was cut out and pasted, then the princess emerged.

Let's Go Fly A Kite....

Let's go fly a kite,

Up to the highest heights,

Let's go fly a kite,

and send it soaring,

up through the atmosphere,

up where the air is clear,

oh let's go, fly a kite!!

The Mary Poppins video brings back childhood memories for me and maybe will for your too....

When I paint pictures like this, there is always a story attached to it. Sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. I have always loved songs that tell a story - The Hurricane by Bob Dylan, The Ballad of Georgie Boy by Rod Stewart, The Boy With The Moon And Star On His Head by Cat Stevens. Levon by Elton John - even Joelene by Dolly Parton and Lucille by Kenny Rogers - I love the tales and the images that they create. There is a richness there that doesn't exist in a basic song.

I find that more and more these days, I must have some writing paper nearby so that I can scribble down the story as I am painting. I want more from my paintings than something that is just nice to look at. Something I need to consider developing further.......

Snowbird

Today I found myself with a day empty of plans, with plenty of time to play. The body of the tree is one of my old doodles from long ago, pasted in the journal and painted around. The snowbird emerged seemingly from nowhere and insisted on sitting at the top of the tree. It is very, very hot here today, so maybe it is my sub-conscious desire for coolness taking over!

Pink Pages

In these pink pages I have pasted some little designs I made years ago. Once they were buried away in a box. Here in my journal they get to see light of day.

I have been listening to podcasts over at notes from the voodoo cafe that Suki kindly alerted us to ..... artists talking to Rice Freeman-Zachery about their love for the art they make and the importance of journaling to the creative process. These artists are so generous in sharing their wisdom and experience. I found myself taking down notes, it's all great stuff, too good to miss!

Then, as if all that creative goodness was not enough, I watched teesha moore's new videos sharing her journalling techniques and tips. After a couple of months at a distance from art every day, I'm now all squirmy & motivated, itching to get started! Every day!

Snail Control

This is our resident Blue Tongue Lizard basking in the morning sun. He has a most beautiful bright blue tongue that I was unable to capture with the camera. They are common in backyards in Australia and are always welcome because they love to eat snails. (They are too slow moving to catch anything else!) So it's no coincidence that his home is right next to my herb/veggie garden where the snails congregate in the evenings. They don't mind humans, tho we'll have to try and keep the cat away from him if we want him to stay!

My copy of Steve Pressfield's The War of Art arrived yesterday and I read it in a couple of hours. There are some great insights & advice in this book. The focus of Book 1 is 'Resistance' and how to recognise & understand it, stare it in the face and sit down to create anyway. So I did!

A Few Things

~ Here I am, back blogging and doodling in my journal after a few weeks break from all things creative. Thoughts of a new painting have been pestering me lately, so it might now be time to get back to it all. This one was the last one painted, it seems like months ago! It's been good to have a break and it's given me the opportunity to think about what I am creating and what I might do differently.

~ Yesterday I had fun watching 'Julie & Julia' at the movies - a warm and funny movie. I loved seeing the streets of Paris - the bread, the cheeses, the wine - and came out of the movie feeling very hungry! Julia Child's upbeat character was irrepressible, considering she must have had a kitchen sink full of pots and pans to wash up each night! A joyful creative!

~ And lucky me! I won a prize from Sandy over at the dreaming cafe last week - a free copy of Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles? Something to look forward to in the post. I have not been so much blocked as pre-occupied with other things. Still, it will be interesting to see what Steve Pressfield has to say.

The Humming Tree

Last week I managed to misjudge the stairs and did a spectacular, flying leap, landing heavily on my ankle and knee. Swollen, sore, bruised... Since then, I have spent a lot of time sitting down with my leg iced and raised up on pillows. The weekend was cold and wet, so I haven't felt too bad about languishing inside watching movies.

Today I'm feeling like things are mending and made a trip to the nursery to buy some more spring herbs to plant in the garden. Basil, coriander, thyme and grape tomatoes. Tomorrow, the garden...

The weather has been crazy, but Spring keeps on coming. The Crab Apple tree is in bloom and the bees are going berserk in the tree (whose name I don't know) out the front of my house. It is loaded with tiny bunches of green, nectar filled flowers and the whole tree hums and vibrates, the grass below a carpet of drunken bees.

This and That

I planted these nasturtiums in a sunny hot spot where they can rub shoulders with parsley and sage. They all seem to like it there.

Outside my window steady rain is falling, washing off all the red dust that settled over everything during last weeks dust storms. Snails are out and about and everything smells fresh. Nature knows just how to restore the balance.

Today is my son's 16th birthday and I have baked a wicked chocolate torte for his birthday cake MMmm. I'm looking forward to icing and decorating it with little chocolate buds and strawberries. The tiny baby with skinny legs who failed to put on weight when he was first born has now grown into a tall, strong, active teenager. I am so proud of him, I could burst!

I am still travelling through a funny phase where I am not feeling very creative. A weird feeling. So for now, I go with the flow, thinking maybe I need to 'fill the well'. Next week I am going with my sisters to see the Blake Prize, 'the oldest art prize in Australia dedicated to spirituality, religion and cultural diversity'. Just in time to stimulate some creative juices!

Downhill Run

Things have been quiet on Bliss Fruit lately. I haven't spent much time in my journal or in the studio at all. I blame Spring, and tasks like window cleaning have taken over my time. Fortunately I only got to a couple of windows before the dust storm of the century descended on Sydney, blanketing us all in thick, red dust. Freaky. Another lesser dust storm blew in over the ranges overnight, but this one has only left us with a white haze.

The end of the year begins in September, if you were to ask me. Both the men in our family have been in Soccer finals, my son playing in his Grand Final today (Go the Mighty Roos!) End of year exams for my son also, end of year School Formal, Christmas parties being organised and gifts being bought and tucked away - it's all downhill from here!

Sandalwood Memories

When I sit in meditation I keep myself warm with a light-weight pashmina shawl. I wrap this shawl around a cake of sandalwood soap whenever I put it away. Each time it lands on my shoulders, the sandalwood scent wafts around me, bringing back a happy memory.

A few years ago, my sister Helen took me to the Chenrezig Institute, nestled in sub-tropical rainforest in Eudlo, Queensland for my birthday.

We climbed the steep steps, passing a stupa dripping with offerings - anything from flowers to wristwatches and biro's! We sat in half-lotus on the wooden floor of the meditation hall and listened to a buddhist monk's teaching, with the help of an interpreter. We ate the best vegetarian meal ever, in the dining area beside the sangha. Later we browsed in the shop, where I found the sandalwood soap. It was such a peaceful, honest place.

Book Shelf

I picked up a library book this week called 'Dying For A Cure' by Australian writer Rebekah Beddoe. Rebekah tells her tale of misdiagnosis and the nightmare she was lucky enough to live through on a cocktail of anti-depressants (SSRI's) and anti-psychotics. For Rebekah, the drugs were the cause of her mental deterioration, not the cure.

I know there are a lot of bloggers out there who are either on anti-depressants, are trying to come off anti-depressants or who are maybe thinking of going on them. This book gives an interesting perspective, raising many questions. It is well written and researched and I found it a compelling read.

It has a foreward written by Psychiatrist Dr Jon Jureidini who says, in brief - 'This book shows that the inappropriate use of anti-depressants constitutes a major health risk, and it sounds a note of caution for depression-awareness campaigns'

The above pic, which I think is actually upside-down :) is another bliss fruit journal page.

Journal Bliss

I love seeing what artists are doing on YouTube and Violette is an unconventional artist with a house that has been featured on Weird Homes.

I have ordered Journal Bliss - creative prompts to unleash your inner eccentric, written by Violette and can't wait to see what's inside the covers. I love her unconventional house painted with bright colours, doors covered in paintings throughout, mosaic surrounding the kitchen sink and a painted swing hanging from a tree in the backyard!

There is lot's of inspiration for journaling out there and I'm absorbing every little thing. I've been lured by stamp making too, and would like to find out more. For now, I make very basic stamps by cutting out pieces of kitchen sponge into shapes & I use an old credit card to smoosh the paint around. So much fun to be had!

Organised Mess

When I woke up this morning the sun was streaming in through the blinds, highlighting what a mess my little studio had become. Today I cleaned it all up, tidied and organised, but not too much. The after shot is not much different to this one (LOL) an organised mess, rather than perfection!

I have been doing a lot of journaling lately and I 've really been enjoying the therapeutic benefits. It simply makes me happy. I dug deep into a boot box where I keep every little piece of art I have ever created. These little pieces are being pasted into my journal. They deserve to be receiving a bit of attention, not sitting inside a dark box with the lid on.

After quite a break I am back to a yoga practice, kneading & stretching all the kinks and tight spots in my body and mind. Another thing that makes me happy! I hope you are doing something that makes you happy today, life is way too short!

The Artist's Hands

Inspired by a recent Judy Wise post, these are my own hands painted in my journal. There is magic and energy in our hands when we create. We really are amazing creatures, if we stop to think about it - the things we are capable of....

I have picked a winner of the 'Red Tree'. Congratulations Olivia! After you've finished doing the happy dance O, please send me your details, and I'll send it across the waves :)

BlissFruit!

You haven't stumbled upon the wrong blog, I've made some spur of the moment spring-time changes!

Welcome to my Universe has now become BlissFruit, where I share the fruits of my creative bliss!

I hope you like the new name, it was fun to brainstorm. Of course you are still welcome to come here and enjoy my art!

To kick-off the changes I am having a give-away. If you would like to win the 6" x 12" canvas of the 'Red Tree' from this post (and on my new header), please leave a comment! Lots of luck!

Surrender & Trust

I fell in love with this beautiful poem, 'First Lesson' written by New England poet Philip Booth for his daughter....

~

Lie back daughter, let your head be tipped back in the cup of my hand. Gently, and I will hold you. Spread your arms wide, lie out on the stream and look high at the gulls. A dead-man’s float is face down. You will dive and swim soon enough where this tidewater ebbs to the sea. Daughter, believe me, when you tire on the long thrash to your island, lie up and survive. As you float now where I held you and let go, remember when fear cramps your heart what I told you; lie gently and wide to the light-year stars, lie back, and the sea will hold you.


~

Little Piece of Paradise

I have been busy painting trees in different colour combinations on 6" x 12" canvas. They're fun to paint and being only small, they're quick to finish - very satisfying!

I have picked up The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, for a third time. Living in this moment does bring fullness to life and although I know this, I felt the need of a reminder. Each reading brings a fresh perspective and makes me realise how far I have come spiritually. I want my children to read this book.

This morning when I walked, the sky was a gentle blue and it was softly hazy over the water. I found a seat on a hill where we could see the boats moored and a fisherman sitting hunched in a little dinghy. Jess the border-collie and I sat and took in the breathtaking moment.

On the waters edge there was a large fig tree with good strong branches. Someone had installed a treehouse up there and a swing made out of rope. The grass was still wet with dew and you could see little grey fish darting about in the shallows. I just couldn't get enough of this little piece of paradise. We sucked it all in through our pores and turned and walked back up the hill.

Spring Snapshot

I brought these jonquils home in a fit of Spring Fever and ended up with Hay Fever :) for three days! They have been put outside out of harms way.

Yesterday was so exquisitely beautiful I just couldn't spend it indoors. I pruned wayward branches & tidied the garden - always good for the soul to be in the garden in Spring.

Lots of walking along our plentiful stretches of waterfront - it keeps me well, so I don't like to miss a day.

I'm in the middle of a new painting that is going well, but slowly, thanks to the call of the outdoors. I get twitchy & antsy at this time of year. We are programmed to be this way, so I don't fight it!

Growers Market by the Sea

My daughter and I visited a local beachside growers market on the weekend. The produce was all fresh and seasonal and the atmosphere was great - a string quartet in the background and later, a group singing 'By the Rivers of Babylon' left us feeling all warm and fuzzy.

Between us we bought leeks for Sunday dinner, a bunch of celery, a punnet of fat strawberries, gluten free muesli bars and a large bunch of early jonquils. Ahh ... Spring!

Energy = Art

I love the art of Rebecca Cool and was interested to see these two sentences on her artist statement - "Rebecca is happiest when she is creating. She can't work when she is sad or tired."

How true is this for you? I know it is for me and recently, sadness and tiredness have been hanging around me like the two annoying characters, 'depression' and 'loneliness' in 'Eat, Pray, Love', who shadow Elizabeth Gilbert while she's in Italy!

Yoga has been difficult to kick-start, despite wanting and knowing how good it is for me. What to do? This week, with the help of warm & sunny weather, I have begun walking again twice a day. Getting outside with Jess the border-collie in the sunshine and passing the time of day with other walkers, seems to be just what I need right now.

Happily, the urge to create rides on the back of all that new energy. This pic is a journal page currently under-construction.

I hope your day is a creative, happy and energy-filled!

One Sentence

When I first ventured into the blogosphere, the happiness project was one of my first finds - a wonderful blog belonging to Gretchen Rubin, who has written a book tracking her very own happiness project.

I was hooked right from the start, I mean who doesn't want their own happiness project? Gretchen always gives plenty of food for thought, links that inspire and I love the discussions that emerge from her posts. A recent post on the subject of drift invited comments that were so touching. The pursuit of happiness hits a nerve in all of us.

One of the tips that I have taken on board from the happiness project is a 'one sentence journal'. There is not always time to sit down and journal everything that goes on in our day, but one sentence is absolutely do-able and as we have found, all that you really need to bring back a happy memory.

I found an old, empty journal and have left it open on our kitchen counter. It is mostly my daughter and I who write in it, the occasional visitor or sometimes a family friend. Anyone is welcome to contribute. It is a fantastic way of tracking what goes on in our lives.

My Daughters entry: 14-03-09 - "There were dolphins at the beach this morning, diving among the waves, while we trained on the sand"

My entry: 22-07-09 - "Went into the city today to do the NSW Art Gallery with my sisters & niece/nephew - a great day! (Hottest July day in 19 years)"

It is such a simple & effective idea and we love it at our place! Go visit Gretchen, she's a gem!

Completion

This is a triptych I began painting ages ago, then put aside, then finally pulled out once more to finish. Tropical fish again - an opportunity to use lots of colour, pattern and line. It does not show up very well in the photo, unfortunately. Double clicking on the image may be required.

Now I have pulled out another unfinished painting. This is a glimpse of one-ninth of the unfinished canvas. It is my largest painting yet, so I guess I do have an excuse for taking my time on this one. I got to a certain point with it, where I just kept on getting stuck, so putting it aside seemed to be the best thing to do. It is naive in style and I am really enjoying creating this one, however long it takes me!

Sundays, Sleep & Scrumptious!

We wake at 4.30am most mornings at our place and to be honest, I am not one of those people who cope very well without a decent, uninterrupted chunk of sleep. Thank heavens for Sunday mornings!

We treated ourselves, turned off the alarm & deliberately slept in till 10am - it was bliss! I dreamed deeply of a large, dark-brown brick house, almost Tudor in style. It was not my house and was surrounded by a dense forest of beautiful trees. I can still smell the damp, earthy smells of layers of fallen leaves. It was so real, magical & peaceful all at the same time.

Well slept, I was in the mood for cooking the afternoon away. I made a chicken & tomato casserole for dinner and a flourless/gluten-free/dairy-free, Moist Orange & Poppy-Seed cake, which should come with a warning - it's scrumptious! The trick is to cook it till it's done (pulling away from the sides of the tin), yet remains moist.

You will need;

2 x Oranges - tops removed & scored with a cross (3cm or 1" deep)
6 x large (600g) eggs
250g caster sugar (conversion here)
250g almond meal (conversion here)
3 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
2 teaspoons poppy-seeds

Place prepared oranges in boiling water & simmer for 50 mins. Remove and puree the entire orange (peel included) until smooth, in a food processor.

Pre heat oven to 160deg C (farenheit here)

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs & sugar until light & fluffy. Add the almond meal & baking powder. Mix until combined.

Stir in the orange puree & poppy-seeds, then pour the mixture into a 22cm (8") cake tin, lined with baking paper.

Bake in oven for 40 mins, or until firm (may need to cook for up to 50 mins, depending on oven)

Leave to cool in the tin, then turn on to a wire rack.

(cake is suitable for freezing)

Enjoy!

Healing

Thank you for you words of support, it has been tough for me lately and absolutely everything is appreciated.

It is clear that I need meditation & yoga in my life once more - the best psychotherapy to be found, and it's free! I have been trying to get back there for some time now, but for some reason it has been difficult. Yoga is such a godsend and it seems we're inseparable. So I meditate now sometimes three times a day and I can feel the healing happening, slowly...

Nothing creative to show this post, next time maybe.

Walking Away The Blues

Plenty of rain has been falling around here lately and it eased my heart to see some blue sky. I have been feeling unwell for a while now, sick in my very soul and needed some perspective today. I just needed to get out of this house. So I bought myself a backpack this morning, loaded it up with water, my journal and a camera and went walking along the water-logged and muddy waterfront.




I don't have very good sea legs actually, but this little boat appealed to me. I dreamed of puttering off into the distance..... If you look closely, you will see two ducks preening themselves on the deck.



This big old tree - a fig i think - is such a lovely shape with strong, gnarled branches for easy climbing.


I collect little cottages and this one looks out across the bay over green, green grass. Small but perfect in every way. I think the grass really is greener over there!

Then I came home to find Phoebe prowling around my art table, looking for who knows what? I think we have a ghost in residence as she has been more than a little silly lately and strange things have been happening. Cats do know a thing or two.

Feeling a little better now.

Two Winners

Giveaway winners are Martie and since I had a second set of giftcards I drew a second name - Kelly.

Congrats to you both!

A Dream I Once Had... Or ....a Fish Tale.

Somehow, a fish became trapped inside her heart. There the fish lived, for the longest time, flapping its scaly fins lethargically, sucking the warmth from her sides.

Then a longed for day came, when the icy cold melted and she opened up her heart. All the warmth & passion, all the energy, joy & life that resided there flowed out. Tendrils of steam rose up from the surface of the water.

The fish swam with the current, swishing from side to side leaving bubbles in its wake, not stopping to see the world pass by. Nothing could stop it from reaching the dreamed-for goal.

Soon the river of passion swelled into a calm, purple lake, deep with possibility. The fish grew large in its new surroundings and shared its journey eagerly with others, who gathered around with interest.

Love bubbled around the edges of the lake, that soon grew lush with brightly coloured flowers and emerald green ferns. White feathered birds circled lazily overhead and butterflies danced on delicate petals. Ladybeetles travelled busily up and down green stems, fluttering their tiny wings.

Now at last, the shivering fish released from her heart, a space was left where peace could grow and nourish her soul. Now she could rest, for a small while. She was so tired....

Important Thank You's and a Giveaway

Firstly I have to say thanks to a couple of people.

To Kelly - from Kikipotomus The Hobo for this award;

and Olivia from Happyluau for this one;

It really is the mutual admiration society here in blogland, so thank you both very much!

The giftcards above are a set of seven I had printed with my designs on them. It has been kind of an experiment and I thought it would be nice to offer them as a giveaway. Please leave a comment if you think you would like the chance to win the set.

Good luck!

An Intriguing Notion

self-portrait with a bad cold

Have you noticed all the bloggers wrecking their journals out there? Drop in at The Next Chapter if this notion intrigues you.

It is hard to imagine being deliberately destructive towards a brand new journal, however I have been known to treat mine with disrespect on occasion. After all it IS my journal and if I choose to burn a page, dog-ear a page or use it to rest my coffee cup on, I will!

It is a truthful expression of me on any given day, good or bad, happy or sad, constructive or destructive. It is where my best ideas emerge and grow and where any negativity can be expressed, in a loving, safe atmosphere. My self-directed art therapy. I save perfect for the artwork I share with the world. My journal is an extension of me, and like Linus' blanket, it doesn't like to miss out on any action.

I am not joining in on this project, though I will keep watching with interest. The author Keri Smith can be found here at Wishjar.