ink blots: journal class recap

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I wanted to do a little review of sorts of the last journal class I took, called Ink Blots, by Elaine of Glow in the Dark Soul. The photos above are a few of my favorite pages from the class.  The first one is a pic I took of the winnings I received from the second class giveaway.  The second one is the cover of my journal, which is covered in a freehand chevron design done with paint marker.  I love how it turned out!  And the last page is the inside of the cover.  Probably my favorite page inspired by this class.  I definitely favor the "scrapbook" style pages over the pen & ink ones, although I am learning that my doodles will never be perfected if I don't practice (which is why the next class I take....Janel's 30 day journal challenge, I will be doing only in ink).
Elaine was an awesome teacher, and I was so inspired by all the creative girls in the class.  I can't wait to hear more about her next class!!  It was so much fun.   :)  Plus, she is totally cute (I love her style!) and you should check out her blog cause she's a neat lady.

ink blots

 If you take a peek at my sidebar, you will find a link to the new journal class I just signed up for, called ink blots.  It starts tomorrow & I'm sooo excited.  I'm so ready to start journaling again.  It's so therapeutic.  Just the very act of picking up a marker/pencil/pen/paint brush & putting it to paper makes me happy.  I bought washi tape online (for the first time ever! eep!!), ordered a few hand carved stamps (will do a separate supplies post), and got a new moleskine sketchbook.  It's nice to have a place to go to talk to other crafty girls, to get inspired, and have daily prompts.  The first assignment, "Lesson 0: Teacher's Pet", is the one you see above.  We were to journal what we hoped to get out of this class.  I think the best part about taking a class like this, if not meeting/interacting with great girls, is the positivity.  The online creative community has a way of making you feel excited about the littlest things, which is so nice in this negative world we live in.  After a rough day, we can come home & soothe the mind/spirit with colors, and happy imagery.  There are no rules & no one to please but yourself.  The nicest & most supportive group of girls live online (well part time anyway!  ;) .....and I can't wait to get messy & make something pretty with them!

it's time to listen and....

Food wise, this has been sort of a cleansing month.  February has been a "food detox" of sorts.  It's a transitional month, in that March is the month I start a new diet & exercise routine.  I wanted to wait until the mountains of snow had melted down a bit so I could take the dog out for morning walks.  Plus, when it's warmer outside there is a lot more motivation to get out there and be active.  But this goal is about so much more than diet & exercise.  It's knowing my body.  Listening.  Learning to figure out when I need to give in or tweak things a little bit.  Making sure I get the proper nutrients to make me feel good.  Adequate rest so I have time to heal, and don't wake up grumpy.  I need to learn how to become less reliant on the wrong foods for comfort, and more reliant on the right foods for health and happiness.  Buying a cart full of healthy foods feels so much better than filling it with junk.  It's so nice to leave the store with a clear conscience.  I know I'm doing the right thing for myself and my family buy buying wholesome nutritious foods.  I know that If I eat a few slices of veggie thin crust pizza I feel tons better than a thick slice of greasy meat pizza, which immediately puts me into a food coma.  I know that my skin will clear up if I load up on fresh fruits and veggies.  It's just really simple things that aren't always fun or cool, but at the end of the day you can feel safe, sound, have peace of mind.  Here are some examples of what I will be working on in the next few months:

• eating more healthy, natural foods
• becoming more active, going on a daily morning walk
• limiting junk foods, esp. "trigger" foods that will lead to a binge (like brownies or buttery cheesy breadsticks)
• setting up a descent bed time for myself
• wearing clothes that are comfortable and appropriate for the weather
• showering right after work to relax and ensure that I won't forget to wash my makeup off before I fall asleep
• engage in mindful entertainment.  Knit if I am watching a movie, take the initiative to research what I am interested in instead of thinking "someday I would like to learn...."
• keep setting mini goals and methodically organize and de-clutter every room in the house
• learn how to meditate comfortably
• figure out time management to get more done while also scheduling in "me" time

• journaling more often.  Not art journaling.  Just words.  Letting go of the chaos in my mind.

Basically I just want to be a grown up. 

day 12...

Good morning bloggers!!
Here I am bright eyed and bushy tailed to bring you fresh ideas!!

First, I wanted to share a page I did in my sketchbook project journal.  You can find out more about this project in the link over in the sidebar.  Oh I love this page so much!  Here it is:

Isn't it just the cutest thing?!

Today I am thankful for:
* my hair getting longer
* my daughters getting converse (thanks mom!)
* all the homemade Christmas tutorials, recipes, and inspiration I am sure to find in blogland
* vanilla candle scent that wafts over to me even when unlit

Prompts....
1. If you could own your own shop what kind of shop would it be?  A cupcake shop, candy store, diner, bakery, coffee shop, yarn shop, scrapbook store, vintage shop?? Plan out the name, the goods, the color scheme, uniforms.  Have fun planning and dreaming.  It might even get so complex that you start thinking about making it a reality!
2. Plan out your dream wedding.  I am always daydreaming about these things.  Like all. The. Time.  It's such a fun little fantasy.  Buy a bridal magazine, and check out hip wedding blogs & sites.  One of my favorites is OnceWed.com!
3. Do you long after a little collection? Vintage dresses or Blythe dolls perhaps??  Plan out what you are in the market for.  What colors do you want?  Plan outfits out & think about names.  Clear a special place in your home for your future collection.  Draw out your detailed fantasy collection.
4. Dedicate a page to your favorite & future tattoos (or hypothetical ones).

By the way....can you believe we're already almost half way through November????!  I feel like Halloween just happened yesterday!

journal prompts...

It is day 6 of my little online class.  I am so happy that a few of you are actually doing this with me!!

Today I am thankful for....
* new holiday scented candles
* hot showers
* air & water heaters
* appliances that work
* socks
* the weekend

Prompts.......
1. What colors & textures draw you in?  Do you find yourself pulled towards certain colors over and over again?  Go to your local hardware store and collect paint chips in colors that speak to you.  Do they look good together?  Figure out a color scheme that works for you based on your favorite colors (and textures...check out fabric too).  Think about the mood you want to evoke.  Then go dress and decorate and create in "your" colors.  It will make you so happy.
2. Do you have a favorite product that is really nostalgic of a great time in your life?  Something small.  Like how chapstick medicated got me through school in the wintertime.  And how Noxema reminds me of junior high Summers.  Ivory soap & Johnson's pink baby lotion remind me of childhood.  Go buy that product right now.  Simply for the olfactory memory.  Dedicate a journal page to your old fave.
3. Create a working "good meals" page.  Do you find it hard to decide what to do for dinner?  It is such a chore for me to make that dang decision!  It really is something I dread.  Every time your family (or just you!) eats a great meal that you all love, & you feel good about, write it down in your journal.  Write down the details & the ingredients, the price, mark it as healthy or indulgent.  Then refer back to your list when you don't know what to eat.

Nite Nite everyone.

journal pics...

I am a dum dum and let my computer remember my log-in for flickr.  Somehow something got saved wrong, and for some silly reason I have forgotten my flickr username AND password.  Lame.  But, I'm too lazy to fix it right now.  So I took some photos of the journal pages I've done and haven't posted yet.....

I find it really hard to photograph journal pages.  Do you guys have any tips??

chili.

There is finally a chill in the air......time for chili.  Here is my recipe.  I hope you enjoy!

easy V-8 chili

1 big bottle of v-8

3 cans of beans ( i like black beans and kidney beans for chili)

cholula hot sauce

1 can of diced green chilis

chili powder

1 can diced tomatoes

Get a big stock pot and put it on the stove.  Turn the burner on to a medium high heat.  This soup cooks up quick, which is how I like it.  Open all your cans and dump ingredients in.  Do not drain anything.  Add all the juices from your cans.  You want this chili to be easy.  I'm sort of lazy when it comes to cooking and most of the time I want my meals to be quick and easy.   Next, pour in your v-8.  v-8 is amazing in soups!  (It is so good in taco soup and tomato soup.)  Then add your spices as the soup comes to a boil. Taste test periodically to taste if you got it spicy enough.  Remember, the flavors will merge as the chili cooks.  You probably won't need to add much spice, unless you're like me and like it good and hot.  Once you've got it perfect, serve it up with a little shredded Mexican cheese on top, and maybe a sprinkling of goldfish crackers.  I like to set out raw baby carrots to eat on the side (they are cold and feel good on the tongue if your chili is too hot).  We like to have root beer with chili, and if we're really hungry, we'll cook up some hot dogs (hebrew national is the only way to go).  The best thing about chili, besides the fact that it tastes great and is super healthy, is that you can throw in whatever and it somehow still always turns out fantastic.  You really can't screw up chili.(Sometimes I add meat to my chili - ground turkey or extra lean ground beef -.  If I do want meat in it, I will brown the meat in the stock pot first, and season it with chili powder.  I also like to add extra fresh or canned veggies sometimes too.  Mushrooms, onions, zucchini, squash, corn....whatever you have on hand.  Sometimes I'll throw in a can of tomato paste or a can of rotel.)

Send me a link to your chili recipes!!  I'd love to know how you make yours! Fall food is just the best.  I can't wait to try out some of the fall recipes I have been seeing pop up in my I Heart Fall class....they look so yummy.  I'm going to try some new ones I've been wanting to also, like roasted pecans!  What are you making this fall?

more fall journal pages....

 

i heart fall

The paint is dry on my first few i heart fall journal pages!  So here they are!!  (I used a regular sized binder for this, because I wanted to have enough room to record my favorite season in.  Plus I hear we will be sharing recipes in this class and from my personal experience, it is nice to have a lot of room for recipe writing.  I am especially proud of the deer I painted....so cute!)  I have some really pretty fall papers (already 3 hole punched) that I can't wait to show off....there will be much more of this project to come!

journal journal journal

This fall has been full of journaling.  Here is a peek at what I've been up to....

These are from Shimelle's Learn Something New Every Day class.  I was falling behind (really behind) on these pages, but I am caught up. :)  The cupcake page is my favorite.

more Learn Something New Every Day journal entries...

 * I've been neglecting posting about my Learn Something New Every Day journal.  Mostly because I do my pages late at night and they have to dry before I can photograph them.  I really like this class because it forces you to look back on your day and say, "what did I learn today?".....and then you get to journal it up all pretty.  These small journals are great because they take a lot less time to work in, and when you are committed to journaling every single day, sometimes time is an issue.