Journal Prompt " Be Kind To Yourself "

Journal Page and Prompt Be Kind To Yourself. Listen, calm yourself, reflect and  accept peace within. This is what I am reflecting on today as I look back at a overwhelming past week and mishap from yesterday.

Hello Journalers and friends, I wasn't sure if I would be able to get a post out today. I usually try and publish the journal prompts Saturday evenings but yesterday was busy and hadn't written a post in advance. We were working on the yard, kids coming and going....Then all of a sudden Sammie was brought home injured. She had a terrible fall over at the neighbors. A gash in in arm from just below the arm pit to wrist area and scraps all on the upper inside arm from tree branches and rocks due to the fall. She is lucky not to have broken anything, nor did she need stitches!! To see your child bleeding, crying and in pain is very difficult, but out came the nurse in me, calm, taking her inside to clean her up and add the necessary treatments.
Then of course what else would make a little one feel better? How about a movie and popcorn to take the mind away from the pain and of course lots of attention, ice and compassion from mom. Whew! Under control!!

I have to admit this past week I didn't paint not even once. But I remembered this page I made I don't think I shared. Be kind to self! Perfect I thought, I can still give you a journal prompt. The prompt really it goes wonderfully to what my week was like and reminding myself to be calm and loving to myself even when I don't reach my personal art.... goals.

Sometimes life takes you away from your passions a bit, that is ok and we need to be calm about the detours. Honestly I feel like I get a little edgy when I don't get to create a page or have some creativity going on but the bottom line is, I still need to be calm and kind with myself. I know this summer has so many detours in it, but I will try and let you know when I am taking a trip, having to help family, or just sidelined or haven't had time to create art or journal.

On another note about self and loving one's self. I started Weight Watchers since a friend of my daughter's joined and was loving it and losing weight. They were having a special and decided to join. I love how it helps you be accountable to your self in a good way! {points, tracking, weigh in, community, using your own food choices and helping you make better choices} I know not every week will be easy, but I lost 3.2 pounds this first week The good in that is I have reached one of my goals this week, in a big way and starting on better health!


Do you ever have weeks where you can't get a chance to create your art? Have you ever had to challenge yourself to love certain aspects of your life or self? Have you ever had to try something else to help you with your weight?

Journal Prompt: Be Kind To Yourself;
I hope you are able to create a journal page about being kind to yourself, loving yourself or calming those voices of negativity from within. Use stamps if you wish, write yourself a note, give yourself a reminder and mostly reinforce loving yourself!

Quote: If I am not for myself, who will be? Pirke Avoth


Food For Thought: Leather Journal with embossed heart

Free Journal Prompt " Explore, Create, Blossom"

Hello there journalers I hope this finds you well. I decided to share this journal prompt with you today showing you how I added flower cut shapes and layered them into my painted journal page. I used the flowers cut from the page and also layered the pages with the cut out flowers in the corners to balance my page. So basically I have inverted the order of the position of the flowers. I kept the pallet simple and drew in with color pencils some words around her head. The words are Create, Explore and Blossom. I used bright pastels to make the flowers and her face pop. As you can see in the close up there is quite a bit of paint layers. You never know what you will create if you explore and let yourself blossom! So I hope you make a journal page where you explore using cut out pages with flower shapes or what ever shape you like and see where it takes you. What is your favorite part of journaling?

Journal Prompt: Use cut flower shapes in your journal page. Words; Create, Explore Blossom

Quote: An artist has to be a little like Lewis and Clark, always exploring in new, uncharted directions. C. W. Mundy

Food for thought:  Strathmore 90lb Mixed Media Paper is great for visual journals.

Free Journal Prompt and Journal Page

 

This week I am showing you an example of how I incorporated layered paper into my page. Not lots of layers but just elements that fit in a section.On my page here her wings are of paper and the flower is painted on added cut out paper then adding other layers of paint. To make the house I first drew it in pencil and sketched the angel around it later. I painted the background and then the angel. I written all the words you see inside the house with colored pencil and on the side of the house with charcoal pencil and white color pencil.This was actually where I started my page from.

"She is not alone" was created as a reminder to myself to nurture my dreams and to let them flourish, not give up but to let myself blossom into who I am. When I feel like I can't move forward with my art or goals to know that I have an angel to listen to my fears and thoughts. To remember I am supported in many ways.The flower represents me having planted the dreams and goals that come from my heart and waiting to see them blossom. I just began this page with the house, it just evolved from that and the words I had written inside the house.This journal page is an example of how you can create a page that harbors the essence of your dreams safely. What ever you create just start with one of the elements and let it grow by playing on the page. But try doing a page that only has a few layered elements and has some simplicity to it. 

Do you ever feel like you need to nurture your dreams better? Or have patience to see your goals to come to light? 

Journal Prompt: Add a few layered elements that fit in your journal page. Write about nurturing your dreams and having patience to see them blossom. 

Quote: All art requires courage. Ann Taylor 

Food for thought: The Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa Sonora Beam

Free Journal Prompt "Heartfelt Words"

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Source: google.com.au via Theresa on Pinterest

 I did this journal page right around the time I did my journal prompt Faith. I felt like I needed to create a page where I just spilled it all on paper then creating over the words. So I drew her and painted over the words. Then to add more interest I wrote where her hair is. For me the drippings represented her releasing her thoughts. The heart represented that she was sharing what her heart was telling her to let go of so she can make plans to move forward. Her arms stretched out asking the universe to listen and share its gifts. So you can see that my two journal pages were very much in sinc with how I was feeling when I did these pages.  My writing was heartfelt when I was spilling all that was bothering me in the moment. Usually I don't do a lot of writing in my journal but lately I am finding that is helping me with those things we harbor inside.

I think it is important to really be in the moment when you are creating a page. Sometimes it is hard to start on a blank page but if you have something that is worrisome or happy spilling those heartfelt feeling and then just sketching, painting and pasting things over and around makes you page come together. I hope you can find the time to add some heartfelt words to your journal page and then create a drawing right over the words. I am sure it will help lighten the burden if you are carrying one. I found this photograph and thought I would share it. Such a simple reminder but a great one! Have you ever just spilled your heart out on a journal page? 


Journal Prompt: Heartfelt words


Quotes: All healing is at first a healing of the heart. Carl Townsend
Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.
-- Leon J. Suenes

Food For Thought: :
Affirmations to Release the Past

Free Journal Prompt "Aura"

An aura is a field of subtle, luminous radiation surrounding a person or object.

I created a journal page after thinking about my youngest daughter and how she is as a person and seeing what her aura radiates. She is not very girl y, always when she was little was in pretty dresses yet played in the garden collecting bugs and digging. Now she wears jeans and tee shirts and is kind of a tom boy. As she grows I she her personality and who she is developing and when I look at her her aura is pink. Her aura is pink due to the fact that she radiates compassion, love and the sweetness of a child growing into a caring person. She is wise beyond her years and shows in many ways. So this journal page isn't about looking like her but the feeling I get when I am looking at her aura.

 Maybe her aura has many meanings. So I set out to learn a little more when I came across this explaining some of the Aura Color meanings. You have to scroll down landing page for the meanings but they are written out very well if you are interested in reading about it drop by here for Aura Color Meanings. If you are interested in learning more there are many readings on it on the web.

Here is an article of how to see Auras the article also explains the color meanings again with a body chart.
Have you ever been interested in auras? Do you notice that many religious images that have been painted have had auras in them?  


Journal Prompt: Aura

Quote: The Aura given out of the person or object is just as much of them as their flesh. Lucian Freud 


Food For Thought:

Free Journal Prompt "Faith"

*click to enlarge

This journal page was created on a day I was thinking of where I want to be artistically, spiritually.... and how many times I have heard if you ask the universe or God through prayer that that you will receive the answers. By definition:  Faith, a belief that is not based on truth. Sincerity of intentions. The Hebrew word means essentially steadfastness. As signifying man's attitude towards God it means trustfulness. 

This weeks journal prompt is to do a page based on Faith. What it means to you, what you are asking for in your life. In my journal page the girl I drew represents me. I am open to receive the answers, my arms are open ready to receive answers in any way they come to me. I feel my connection to my belief's best when I am outdoors in nature, so she on a hill top. What instills faith in you? Have you read any good books on the subject of faith? I would love to know~

Journal Prompt: Faith. What it means to you and your thoughts about faith. A drawing representing: Asking and having faith to wait to receive the answers.Or page as simple as writing quotes about faith~

Quotes:

Reason is our soul's left hand, Faith her right. ~John Donne

Faith is reason grown courageous. ~ Sherwood Eddy

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. ~Helen Keller

 Favorite Supplies:
          
            

She Followed Her Heart to Happiness

I think I have been doing quite a few journal pages that have to do with the heart and heart felt thoughts. I guess those whispers of doubt have been creeping back and I had been  finding procrastination at my door, not completing projects that are started or things that I have intended to do completed! Well listen doubtful whispers be gone! I am doing this for my happiness, I have a plan and am working on it maybe not as fast as I want but I am! I want to say Yes to my dreams, let me trust and follow them. I can say I have planted the seeds! Are you with me?! Lets chase those self doubts away! Trust your heart let it be your guide~

I have to say I love the word happy! It is something that I constantly struggle with, but I am seeking that daily and working on that, I hold that word in my heart.  What I love about the word is its definition and what it means and I think that if you find your happiness that all should follow~
noun Happy adj.Happier Happiest 1. characterized by good luck, fortunate. 2. enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction or joy. 3. being especially well adapted, felicitous: a happy tum of phrase. 4. cheerful, willing, happy to help.

I love that happiness is enjoying, fortunate and willing to help. It is like a full circle word all in one~ 
I hope this happiness rubs off on you  today and you create a journal page about creating your happiness, planting your dreams and following your heart.
 What makes you happy? Have you made any changes to create your own happiness? If so how?

Journal Prompts: Let Your Heart Lead You, Plant the seeds of your dreams, Happiness~ 

Quote:  Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing you will be successful. ~ Herman Cain

What we think, we become. ~Buddha

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it. ~Buddha

Food for Thought:

Journaling & Journal Prompt " Listen to Your Heart"

                         Listen To Your Heart Theresa Huse 2011       

This is a journal page that I created first by just layering on two different colored blues and then decided to create a face, after I thought why not a body holding a heart.Then I added the thoughts I was having.
Sometimes you just have to start playing in your journal and see where it takes you.
There are plenty of days I let things affect me, feel down, don't get off to a good start, am over inspired, tired or what ever and that is when thoughts just start to shut me down. But then I pick up my brushes, start to play with color have no expectations for what is to come and let things evolve. 
Your journals are for you. My journal is just for me. Yes it is fun to show and share pages that come out as beautiful,  or the way you want or have planned out. Yet, I think the greatest thing for me about journaling is when you don't have a clue what you are going to create, you let go and you just let things happen. After creating it has helped you change the way you feel, opened your soul , set your words connecting your intentions, thoughts, and even prayers.
Sometimes you just need to trust yourself, play, listen to your heart and your soul will sing.
So I hope you can just go to your journal, pick up your brush, paint some colors you love, write some of  your thoughts and layer any image that comes to mind. Listen to your heart~ 
Have you ever had to deal with things that set your heart racing? Have you ever just had to listen to your heart for the answers? Have you ever just gone to your page and let your creativity come from your heart?

Journal Prompt:   
Listen to your heart

Quotes: 
True creativity quite simply starts with balancing your emotions and activating the power of the heart. Through practicing emotional management from the heart, you tap into the highest form of creativity possible--recreating your perceptions of reality. ~Doc Childre

The heart has eyes which the brain knows nothing of.~ Charles H. Perkhurst

Food For Thought: free e book   -written by Doc Childre
Website I came across when researching the subject of heart and mind I journaled, HeartMath. 

 Thoughtful reading:







 More Thoughtful Readings~ 

What Inspires You?

I decided to play along with Inspiration Avenue this week and touch on what inspires me. This would be a great prompt in your journals too. So without further adieu here is what inspires me~ 

                         

via we heart it

Things that inspire me and I love~       

Enchanting gardens

Books

Fashion

Nature

Illustration and Art

  

beach fun  image by me

Photography

Travel

Flowers and Botanical s image by me

Capturing my inner Frida by Painting 

Color

I hope you are inspired to record your inspiration~  Use photographs, words, images from magazines.
Create a journal page and a blog post about what inspires you~ 
What inspires you? I would love to know!

"Dream Big" Art Journaling Prompt

Never Let your dreams fail you Dream Big ~

"Dream Big"Acrylic on canvas Theresa Huse 2011 

Dream Big! Use your thoughts for positive affirmations~ The power of positive thinking~

How many times do you really focus on creating and making your big dreams a reality? Honestly I have had lots of ideas only to see them go to the wayside and then later see them as someone else 's success. This year I truly want to focus on dreaming big! It might mean I have a lot of hard work in front of me. I can see some of the things that haven't worked for me and know some changes need to be made to make my big dreams a reality! I hope that you will see some of the big dream changes coming here on the blog and in other ways which I will share later with you. I have some ideas to put into play and hope when I do you will feel like participating. I think it is important to share our learning journeys, creative processes and art work in order to grow. Remember not every idea, piece of artwork or day will have success when you dream big, but if you put those words into action I am positive you are going to see results!

This weeks free journal prompt is for you to write about  "Dream Big" and what it means to you. What steps you need to get there? How will you put your big dreams into action? or How are you putting your big dreams into action? What a perfect time of year to start with dreaming big and positive intentions~

Journal Prompt: Dream Big    

Food for Thought:
Your unique creative talents and abilities are flowing through you and are being expressed in deeply satisfying ways. Your creativity is always in demand. ~ Louise L. Hay

Think Big There are unseen forces ready to support your dreams~ Cheryl Richardson

Related Readings:

Christmas Is Coming & Simply Sunday Journal Prompt

Twelve days before Christmas! Are you starting to rush around yet? ( or ) Are you one of those people that have it all together for months? Well this week I decided not only to give you a journal prompt but some helpful links for some holiday goodies such as gift tags &  DYI projects to add that creative touch to your packages.Yes, today all foggy & cold here and I will be inside wrapping some gifts to mail out to family. Trying to get on track with the incoming holiday and end of the year~ Where has this year gone?
Print ready gift tags & felt tutorial~ 

Gift Tags via Going Home To Roost

Gift Tags via Creature Comforts designed by Camilla Engman  (kids would love these)

Felt Ginger Cookie Ornaments via Creature Comforts (great for package toppers too!) 

Faux Sugar Cookie Ornaments via Creature Comforts

Gift Tags designed by Georgianna Lane  (  This Link Expires12/31! but, these are my favorite & from one of my favorite blogs to visit! )


Now for your Journal Prompt : make a little holiday page. It can be fun, whimsical  page with holiday colors, ribbons, papers or even illustrative. Do a page with all the childlike qualities of Christmas that you love! You might like to list some of your favorite parts of the holiday season that you love or have enjoyed when you were a child. Whether it be decorating the tree, making handmade ornaments wrapping gifts, baking cookies with the kids or visiting family~ A few of my favorites are baking holiday cookies, making ornaments & of course looking at the beautiful tree all lit up for the holidays.
What was your favorite Christmas memory as a child ? What is your favorite thing about Christmas now?

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. Laura Ingalls Wilder

Here is  holiday idea book that I am swooning over! Do you have a favorite?

Simply Sunday "Incognito"

This week I decided to play along with Inspiration Avenues prompt "Incognito". I immediately thought of Joan of Arc a French girl born in 1412 and a heroine after she led the French army to several important victories. I can imagine her posing as a man to assert herself to follow her calling. ( above is my journal page) I am not afraid. I was born to do this. ~Joan of Arc


Last weeks Journal prompt was to take a prayer and journal it. I came across this example of an image and Dante's prayer together and thought you might enjoy it~ You can still submit a journal page or writing to Mr. Linky at the bottom of post right here & view the post if you haven't.


Weirena

When the dark wood fell before me
And all the paths were overgrown
When the priests of pride say there is no other way
I tilled the sorrows of stone

I did not believe because I could not see
Though you came to me in the night
When the dawn seemed forever lost
You showed me your love in the light of the stars

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless
Please remember me

Though we share this humble path, alone
How fragile is the heart
Oh give these clay feet wings to fly
To touch the face of the stars

Breathe life into this feeble heart
Lift this mortal veil of fear
Take these crumbled hopes, etched with tears
We'll rise above these earthly cares

Cast your eyes on the ocean
Cast your soul to the sea
When the dark night seems endless

I know this is going to be a busy week for everyone so I decided to have last week's prompt be for two week & you can find prompt and information from the link above.
Hope this finds you well. Will you be staying in town or traveling next week for Thanksgiving holiday? I would love to know~

Simply Sunday "Her Spirit Rose from the Earth"

Her Spirit Rose from the Earth~


This is a journal page I did after seeing a photograph of woman who was both of American Indian and African American heritage. Her beauty was amazing. But more amazing was my thoughts of what a woman's spirituality looked like if I was to put it into journal page. I found several Earth prayers from the Sacred Seven Prayers and the words just spoke to me so I decided to combine them. Here is one of the Earth Prayers; O Great Spirit of Mother Earth beneath our feet, Master of metals, Germinator of seed and Storer of the Earth's unreckoned resources, help us to give thanks unceasingly for Your present bounty.
Noel Knockwood, B.A. Elder 1996

This weeks journal prompt; is to find a prayer and image that speaks to you and create a journal page from that inspiration it could be written, photography or artwork. Below I am sharing some links to some interesting history, also of an amazing woman artist and about November being American Indian Heritage Month. From my research I have started a canvas painting I hope to share soon~ I hope you find your spark and create something from the prompt above. I hope you come back and share what this post inspired you to write, photograph, and journal about. I will leave it up for two weeks.

This isn't the photograph I saw and I didn't draw its true likeness of the one I used only an interpretation of it. When looking up the history of Black Indians I found out about this woman artist.
Mary Edmonia Lewis was the first African American and American Indian woman to gain fame and recognition as a sculptor in the international fine arts world. She was of African American, Haitian and Ojibwe descent. She is listed among the 100 Greatest African Americans.


Hiawatha Marble 1868 Newark Museum

Another thing I found out was when researching was November is American Indian Heritage Month to find out more visit the Smithsonian Education site and to see some videos related to contemporary American Indian art and other subject click here.
On YouTube there are many beautiful videos full of Native American Music and Imagery. Here is one example~


Don't forget to have a wonderful and inspired week and I hope you find the time to create something and drop back by to share your link with us! ~ What have you created inspired from a period in time or history?

Simply Sunday "Pocketful of Dreams"

Journal Page pocketful of Dreams~

Knowing that I have guides watching over me~
Putting my goals in my pocketful of dreams~
November + Reflections of the year~
Thankful for~
This weeks free journal prompt is "Pocketful of Dreams." I always find myself at the end of the year in November and December having a lot of reflection, asking myself questions and wondering if my choices in this year were the best I could of made. Have I used my time wisely, met my goals and do I see my dreams becoming a reality? Have I taken risks? Put myself out there enough? Maybe not. Maybe I haven't accomplished all that I have wanted but I have a lot to be thankful for and the steps that were taken this year. I still have my dreams and am not giving up on them. I am listening to the voices that guide me and am creating a plan and putting my dreams in a pocket. One by one I will take them out and try to accomplish them and maybe one day when I reach in I will get that golden ticket~
I hope you make a journal page and write down your pocketful of dreams and don't give up on them. Be happy for others successes and don't compare yourself to where they are in their journey. Create your goals and take the little steps necessary to bring them to fruition.
I have to remind myself this daily as it is so easy to compare one's self and get lost in the pool of talent that is around us in the world.
Do you find it hard to focus when you see such talent abound? How do you hold on to your dreams to make them a reality?

Cherish your visions and dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprint of ultimate achievements. ~Napoleon Hill

Keep your dreams alive, understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, and determination. Remember things are possible for those who believe. ~Gail Devers

*feel free to leave your link in the comment section if you use this prompt to create a page so we may visit and see what you have created~

Simply Sunday " Magical" Halloween

Do you remember when you were a kid and Halloween was the most magical time! It still is for many adults being able to dress up in your fantasy costumes, have parties decorated in full fantasy and cast with magic. At our house part of the magic includes passing out candy to excited children running around in their costumes, eyes light up, waiting for that handful of candy. The magical treat for us is seeing all the wonderful costumes and happy kids. Even our daughter Sammie loves to pass out candy it is half the fun for her. We usually pass out candy for half the time and run around the neighborhood the other half. We leave a bucket of candy at the door when we leave and hope they only grab a handful~ and what is great is I think they do as when we return there is always some candy left in the bucket. So if you have time to create a journal page today or this week our prompt is "Magical" you can draw an illustration, write about your favorite magical time as a child or maybe the party you went to last night & what made it so magical~ For anyone that celebrates Halloween have a safe and magical time~
What is your favorite part of Halloween? What is magical to you?
The real secret of magic lies in the performance~ David Copperfield
A piece of writing is like a piece of magic. You create something out of nothing.~ Susanna Clarke