Imagine The Stories Journal Page

Hi Everyone, Remember the sneak preview of the journal page I gave you. Well here comes the rest of the page and a little journal prompt for you. This has been one of those busy, the kind that seems like you aren't getting anything done! One step forward, two step back weeks. Do you ever have those?

Journal Page: Imagine The Stories I'll Tell You

This page was inspired as I was reflecting on how I love to tell Sammie stories as she swings. Sometimes she reads to me, we talk, tell each other stories and in the summer all while hanging out the laundry. The butterfly is pulling the book around to open it.

Well I love doing this so much and thought of the news my daughter Krissy gave me a bit ago. She is having her second baby due in December. Shes has had a rough pregnancy but is doing better now, but still has to take care. Any way, this page is for the little one who is on his way. I created this page for him.

One day Sammie will be older, the swing empty and waiting for the little boy to come and have me tell him stories. It won't be often as we live far apart, but I know he will enjoy the tales I have to tell him. I can't wait to hear a name, see his precious face and enjoy another baby in the family. Her daughter Audrey will be almost 4yr old when he is born.

Journal Prompt:  I just thought I would share you can add pages about events happening in the family and how they relate to you personally. I said things in layers that didn't show, you know some personal things. I also added in real tree twigs and some mesh fabric ribbon. Lots and lots of textures and layers.

Well, that is all from me for now. I hope to get back on track with things this coming week. Thanks for visiting! & Have a great weekend. Oh, and its Paint Party Friday if you like seeing other creative folks work. The link is in the resources page. Follow along and sign up  Or subscribe by going back to the top left side. I'd  love to have you here and return your visits. Be sure and comment so I know you stopped by!

Do you journal? Have you worked on your journal pages lately?

Journal Prompt " Love Note"

When I took the photograph of my journal page "Love Note" the sun just happened to hit the moon and shined upward. Honestly, when things like that happen, I just have to smile!

I made myself a love note in my journal page. I have found over the past few years my focus has not been on the business side of my art. I have focused on growing artistically and I have put others needs first. Squeezing in my art here and there. Now, I really feel a need to focus on many aspects of my art life that has been taking a backseat. My focus needs to be creating my art life with planning, dreaming and creating opportunities and seeing my vision (s) and bringing them to life.

Whether it is putting myself out there more, applying for submissions, trying to get into shows or fairs, writing, creating a piece of artwork, getting artwork published or what ever my desires are,  I know you have to ask for them. At different times I have done some of these and had some success (s) and some disappointments but I must not give up on my dreams and goals.

I am always reading about succeeding with goals and different ways to achieve them. Dreaming those ideas, creating those plans and putting them into action. I have had several goals over the past year. Some put on hold by necessity, some by fear, some by needing to help others. Now I find in the quite of my space that I need to give some attention to those desires and not just ask for it, but nurture it to fruition. Like the journal page I created here.

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When I made this page I had a plan for something entirely different I had created a flower and it made me think of growing so I charcoal penciled in a girl and some thoughts. Then I felt it didn't flow just right so I began to paint her in, I also wrote thoughts all down her dress.

When I think of asking for things I have a way of looking to the universe, a power greater than I that I can reach out to. To represent that, I painted / created the mountains and night sky. All of a sudden in the journal page its vibrancy wasn't there so I added inks.

I arrived at the place where I knew the page was ready. Ready like I am now personally to really focus on  what I am wanting and the love and nurturing  that it will take me to bring my desires to fruition.(& work that it will take to get me there!)

Have you ever come to the point where you really have to work at nurturing those dreams into reality by pushing your faith in yourself and your artwork?  What big leaps of faith have you taken?


Journal Prompt: Create a page with a love note to yourself. A reminder of those things you wish to nurture and see come to fruition. 

Quote: All that we are is a result of what we thought. Buddha

If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you don't ask, the answer is always no. If you don't step forward, you're always in the same place. Nora Roberts

Food for Thought: 
Using Inks in your journal pages I used Adirondack ink by Tim Holtz. 

Journal " No One Should Be Like A Caged Bird"

Yesterday I sat down to paint a journal page in which seemed like it had been a long time. I looked through a few images and when I started I thought I would do a  journal page about my daughter's wedding, but as I was painting it was changing and being more about women, relationships and how things can get out of context.

I remember the era my grandma was from. Most women didn't learn to drive, they lived with their husbands, stayed home and raised their families. Although my grandma did do some work, she always made money from home but it wasn't enough to support herself. As I journal this that is part of  the happy part memory. She did have some money for her needs but ultimately she was a caged bird with no choice, no way to emancipate herself from a situation that was ultimately not good for her. Yes she loved her husband but he had issues that were not dealt with. At times he was very cruel to her verbally and down right scary at times. She stood up to that but never left. Luckily she was never hurt.

So what I am trying to say as I journal these thoughts is I am so happy we live in a day and age where we are more educated as women, have the capabilities to make it on our own and have a voice. We can stand up for ourselves and there are places women in need can get help. No one should be like a caged bird.

That is the title of my journal page No one should be like a caged bird and is written next to the image of the young lady. On the top left, but you can't see it in this photograph. Next to her, along side the bird cage I painted in white on the cage to represent the light / escape from being caged. The figure in the white with the bird represents her being freed. At the bottom of the page is a figure with a heart with wings. This represents listening to your heart and having the wings / guts to leave. The photo with the feet in boots with wires represent that even though things can get tangled that there is light there and that you can find a way out. On my page under that a voice says "No escape" yet on the side of my photo where it doesn't show in the photograph I took it says " Find One"

I could write so much more about this subject, but I chose to leave my journal and page as it  is, words unspoken. Luckily today you can speak the unspoken. There is hope you don't have to be imprisoned by any circumstance.

Today I am choosing to share this with my Paint Party Friday Friends as most are women. I hope to create a large painting from some of the concepts of my journal page. When I do, although it may not be right away I promise to share it when done. I know this is more of a somber subject but, as an artist I feel not everything has to be about something that is pretty. This will be a two part post and on Sunday I will have some journal prompt ideas posted for anyone who would like to create a journal page. Today I leave you with a quote I just read for the first time by Maya Angelou and the thought as she so puts, never stand on the grave of your dreams.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings By Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.


But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.


The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.


The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.


But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.


The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.

Journal Prompt & Journal Pages "A Creative Journey" & "Believe"

Hello journalers and welcome new followers! I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was on the bright and busy side. I had preplanned a post for today knowing that I was going to be busy, but then I decided to just show you two different journal pages I did recently and haven't shared with you yet.Why the about face? Well the post I created is really suited for another day and this journal page I created prior. I am trying to keep what I share in a sequential order as much as possible. I guess more for my diary than you, but I hope that makes sense. So here is this weeks journal pages and prompt;

This journal page has written at the top a creative journey with charcoal pencil. I used dictionary pages from an old dictionary. I glued down the definition of journal above her head from a dictionary page *diary: a daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations. I also have on the page the definition journalist, the word success and definition of happiness, good fortune. These elements were posted on various places and painted around. I created this page to reinforce one of my focus's with art and  journaling.

The second journal  page represents taking the steps and learning from those steps on your creative journey. Finding and Listening at the top of the page represents finding your voice and listening to your heart. Inside the heart I wrote to believe in your dreams and at the bottom I wrote expand your wings. In the center of the heart I glued the dictionary word believer* to think; to feel sure of; to accept as true. I think you have to be a great believer in order to find your way. The little heart flying off the journal page with wings above this journal page represents me finding my own way flying into the unknown yet listening to my voice while I find my way being a believer.

 One thing I am learning on my creative journey is that in order to expand you wings and have your own voice with your work it involves taking chances, pushing what you are used to creating, experimenting, playing and even changing. With journaling since it is such a safe place it is a spring board for anything goes. Just opening up to your creative process and allowing yourself to let things flow is another important thing.

For this weeks journal prompt I want you to chose some words from a old book or dictionary and combine them in a journal page that helps you define you or your creative process or journey. Allow the words to come to fruition placing them into the forefront of what your goals are, your journey, your process.
Have you ever experienced positive outcomes from something you wrote down from your heart? 


Journal Prompt: To take dictionary page words you select and incorporate them into a page. * see above

Quote: In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can Michael Korda

Some things have to be believed to be seen Ralph Hodgson

Food for thought: Creative Wildfire: An Introduction to art Journaling- Basics and Beyond

Journal Prompt- Spring Into Action

This week I created a journal page that has a creative action plan. Spring is the perfect time to step into action and what better way than to list things you want to accomplish on your journal page. At first I had a lovely die cut paper that had lines on half the page.

If you look close you can see the cuts in the paper. I ended up painting flowers right over everything. The lines just bored me in the moment and I thought color was more important. Like a flower in spring this year I want to continue to bloom creatively. And the butterfly represents me ready to fly.

I haven't used a lot of pens lately but took out a fine tip non bleeding pen and wrote around the petals giving them definition from the rest of the page. Then to make it pop a bit more I added the white around the outside edges here and there.

I created leaves with the pen here and there and lines with hearts in a pattern running down from the top of the page to the bottom.

 The die cut paper under the paint add a lot of visual texture. I also used tissue paper here and there.

I am considering changing my free journal post day to during the week. I am interested in feed back. So I put a poll on the side bar. Do let me know what you think about that. If you want me to keep it on Sundays just tell me in the comments section.  It is gloomy, windy and rainy here right now and if you are experiencing this pre-spring weather I hope these colors brighten your day! I hope you find time to create your journal page~ 

Two questions: If I create a group to share your pages from using my journal prompts would you post your pages there? *free group
It would be great if you did poll or indicate keeping journal posts on Sundays!


Journal Prompt: Spring Into Action - create an action plan in a creative way! 

Quotes: He who has begun is half done. Horace

You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great."~ Les Brown

Food For Thought: Small Chestnut Pocket Journal with handmade paper 

Free Journal Page & Christmas Journal Prompt "Simply Sunday"

Since everybody is so busy & Christmas is so close I thought I create a  journal page and share it with you so you could journal any holiday thoughts, thoughts of what you would like to have enter your life in the new year, maybe a list of things to finish left over from this year, goals & aspirations~ Or even your Santa list! What ever you journal with the prompt above or other I hope you enjoy the page~You may also share it with others if you wish!

I will be taking the last few weeks of December off to spend time with Sammie who will be on holiday break & to go see family over Christmas until the New Year. It is so important to spend time with family, renewing spirits & sharing the joys of today along with the memories of yesterday~

I want to thank all of you for being readers of my blog, cheerleaders for the arts, sharing your thoughts via comments and watching my journey as an artist~ I couldn't have better blogging friends who are as dear to me as the family that surrounds me. I want to wish you & your families the Happiest of Holidays & a wonderful New Year!  Brightest Blessings to you all~ See you in 2011 to ring in the New Year! Until then, All my best! Theresa





Link to journal page (print out 8 1/2 x 11) - http://www.box.net/shared/bc3jme11z3
*if you share this on your blog just link back to mine~Thanks

Simply Sunday

Communication is so important now more than ever. It is so prevalent in our daily lives that we take its ease for granted. The other day my cat knocked my cell phone down on the ground, it is a touch screen and locked up. Frozen!! I have taken some photos recently, have numbers stored on it and other things. I'll be lucky if when I get a new phone they can extract that information.
Remember the days of a phone book and cordless phone? Payphones? Or mailing loved ones who lived too far away because long distance was costly? My youngest daughter has never known computers, cell phones, i pods, etc.....not to be in existence. What would she say if I told her that in her grandmas time that they didn't have TV and listened to radio shows. It is hard even for me to imagine that! lol...But I must say I still love getting mail and sending mail to family, friends and now blogging friends. In the above picture are some ATC cards I made and sent with the packages to my winners. I have enjoyed making them & will make more.

What things do you enjoy about technology regarding communication? Have you ever broken your cell phone? Do you enjoy "Snail Mail"? When you get art supplies via mail / ups don't you just jump for joy? Have you received any special mail or invitations? Well I am sure you can think of more about communication for your journals. I know I can. I hope you are able to keep your day simple and enjoy Sunday for all it holds for you. Join me next week for another "Simple Sunday" posting. I know that I used to get more things done when I didn't have a computer or cell phone. They are a convenience and inconvenience at the same time. ~Theresa Huse

Simply Sunday

I created these little Easter illustrations and put them in a collage for you~ I hope that you and your family or friends have a wonderful day together. When you have time Journal your favorite colors that Easter evokes and why, Easter memories or what happens today. Also journal what Easter means to you. Create a little Easter drawing in your journal. I hope you are able to keep your day simple and enjoy Sunday for all it holds for you. Join me next week for another Simply Sunday posting.

'Twas Easter-Sunday. The full-blossomed trees Filled all the air with fragrance and with joy. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Spanish Student