Victorian Secret Diary

Did you ever wonder what a lady of the 19th century wrote in her 'secret' diary? Warning some images may be a little too racy for this century ... but the fire brigade are at hand.

Art Journalling: Session 10 - Put your Determination where your Desire is

This week it's back to paints on our journal pages, cutting and sticking down images, and stamping.


Put your Determination where your Desire is.

My thoughts this week have come from an article I have just read by Jennifer Leclaire.

Basically she is telling us whatever we are wishing for, we should stop our wishing and get determined. The determination is measured by the hope we have. She says “the difference between hoping and wishing is significant. A wish is a desire for something that seems unattainable. Hope, by contrast, is desire with an expectation of attainment.”

She further explains that hope expects with confidence. Hope cherishes a desire with anticipation. Hope breeds faith, and faithful determination generates grace for us to achieve our desire.

Put your determination where your desire is. So I guess that brings me to what my desires are, and I have plenty, I just have to rank them.

What we hope for, we make little steps (or goals) to achieve, hope then connects itself to those things which indicate its accomplishment. So each little goal boosts us to go further on, onto the next goal.

The point of hope is that to which our soul tends to. If held in our spirit, it is hard for circumstances to take away the power of hope.

This journaling exercise will help us to try and do just that.

Preparation of Page
First prepare your page by using primary colours to create a washed layout. Do both pages of your journal, plus one more on the following page (which is for next week) in one of those primary colours.

Then I have used stickers (Daisy Ds) to emphasise the title of the article, plus a stamped image and also printed off a retro image of a target (Batman and Robyn). On the otherside I have made my own personal journalling of what I got out of Jennifer’s article.

I’ve used Brenda Walton’s Mira mini kit collection to highlight certain words, put tabs on the side of the journal, as well as stapling ribbon (also from this same kit).

Next week: Overcoming Resistors.
Once you are determined to reach your dream or your heart’s desire, you will meet resistance; so next week we journal how to overcome the resistance we meet.

ATC Lovers

I realise I haven't posted any ATCs for awhile, so here are some:


An old worlde mix with Renaissance - you see it can be done, just very subtly.



I know Valentines has been and gone, but it's always nice to send a bit of love to everyone. I think Valentine's should be all year round, people always need love!


Here's a Byzantine one, this illustration has been coloured up with Twinkling H2Os. It's actually hard to see the shimmer with this image.


This one is similar to the Valentines one, using a skeleton leaf brushed over with ink. Also mica (thin slices of this transparent mineral) has been laid on this one as well.

Art Journalling: Session 9 - A lens into the future

So I hope everybody had a good week. I'm still trying to sort out my studio, it is getting pretty crammed. I will post some photos of it as soon as I get it looking okay.

Anyway for this week's session we are going into the future; way, way, way into the future, if we can imagine that far.

You can use your imagination to think sci-fi or whatever. I've used a little sci-fi fantasy, some apocalyptic undertones, coupled with heavenly glory. One wonders and can not really imagine.
Plus I've added lots of bling to this one, making it a really starry night.

I've used some scrapbook paper from NZ Scrapbook, they have a whole range of galaxy prints.

Next week: Put your Determination where your Desire is.

Commedia dell' Arte Scene

Remember this post.

Well, I've finally had some creative time to work on it, and I ended up cutting it up and using it as collage pieces for my altered art toy theatre (theater)/diorama scene.

Here it is:The pierot girls are enjoying the show:


And for those who like detail, more for you:

The show floor folks:

Little glimpses through the archway with another story unfolding:

This is a card from www.inthemagicmoon.com.

The troubadors:The show floor:

Here are some pieces I used to create the scenes:You can get these papers from Somerset Studio and Creative Imaginations.
The bead trim is from Scrapbookers' Delight.
Flowers are from Prima 'Spring Blossom' range, and the acetate is also from Prima.
My friend Anthony made the stage.

Art Journalling: Session 8 - A lens into the past

This one I've added bling (couldn't help myself!).

Okay, put on your lenses (metaphorically speaking here) and go back in times past; way, way, way back. I'd like you to get your inspiration from the past. Think of an occupation and journal items of that particular work which interests you, adding words or phrases, and images to reflect that time period.

Here my lens into the past is on the ancient astronomers. I don't know where I got this image from but it made me think of planispheres, discoveries, old fashioned measuring instruments, and it was even interesting to note the decor in the background of the image ( the lily of the valley in the vase).


You could think of a number of other different occupations if you don't want to think of astronomers, try these:

• navigators
• explorers
• traders and merchants (e.g. Marco Polo)
• architects/builders
• chemists/apothecarists
• missionaries (e.g. Dr Livingstone)
• deep sea divers

Then compose a double page spread in your journal representing these people (or occupations). The idea of this exercise is to note the colours you are using, the objects you use to typify the occupation and the words you choose. From this exercise you can use this as a springboard for other artistic spin offs (e.g. ATCs, collage or altered art).

Next week you are going to then move this occupation into the future: A lens into the future.

Triptycht Mermaid Fantasy

If you like storytelling and wish to entertain the kids for an afternoon, try your hand at making a triptycht storyboard.

Here I have used a range of Mamelok Relief Die cuts, Finmark decoupage papers and scraps of paper and pieces of coral, pebbles, seaglass and other what-nots.

For the first scene I have divided it into realism (on the surface of the water) to fantasy at the bottom half and underneath the water); second scene is relatively all fantasy with some aspects of realism; whereas the third scene is totally fantasy with just a hint of realism on the far right.


This art piece was also published in Altered Art Magazine 2009.

Art Journalling: Session 8 - Re-invent Yourself

Feeling stagnant? Depressed? Feel like a failure? Holding back from your aspirations? Or just not going forward, but not going backwards? ... drifting .... if you're happy with that, fine, but if you're not, then why don't you RE-INVENT yourself?

Take a look at Madonna she does it all the time, whenever she releases a new album, she's a new persona. She's dynamic in that she doesn't stay with the status quo. She never gives you more of the same, instead she gives you a new show, a new experience and she gains a new audience.

Re-inventing yourself requires a nod of approval to change. Don't think about it, just do it. If you're reluctant to think about change then don't use that word, substitute it, reframe it in your mind to something that sounds a little more adventurous or less off putting ... so think of re-inventing yourself.

You may like to, however, reflect on what sort of image to re-invent yourself into:

• professional
• stylist
• smart
• sporty
• arty
• classic
• bohemian
• trendy
• casual
• alternative
• Western
• other ..............
  

Sonya Friedman from Smart Cookies Don't Crumble states "How we feel about change, in whatever form, helps to illustrate and define how we see ourselves."

So taking a cue from her, I've developed some simple ideas that you can choose to get the process of re-inventing yourself underway:

• get yourself a new hairstyle (totally different to what you are used to);
• buy yourself a new wardrobe (i.e. clothes and jewellery that you normally would not choose for yourself);
• change your style of clothing (review above list for inspiration);
• change your eating habits e.g. Sushi on Sundays;
• wake up half an hour earlier on work days;
• change your route to work;
• let yourself go gray for that distinguished, mature and cultured look;
• lose some weight.

Some more extravagant ideas:

• buy yourself a new car or even a motorbike (I still fancy riding a Ducati);
• buy yourself a 'designer smile';
• splash out on some new perfume or after shave lotion.

And other ideas not related to your image:

• start voluntary work or supporting financially other people less off than yourself;
• read a new newspaper from the usual one you read;
• check out new food in the supermarket;
• rearrange your house/furniture;
• take up a new hobby or interest (e.g. gardening, archery, whatever takes your fancy).

Okay, so now to your journalling. Fairly easy one for preparation.
You just need a double page spread in your journal. You are going to make a "Re-invention Track" - the metaphor is running a race around a track; and you can take as long as you want to get to your destination or the finish line.

You will need to sketch with pencil your track, making a circular path gradually moving into the centre of your page.

Collect together some photos. One of your present self, and maybe an aspirational picture of someone else you'd like to look like or copy, or leave it blank with a question mark in the middle.


You will notice how this track is not made as a timeline -- that linear approach can be too restrictive with creative people -- whereas the circle allows you the freedom to move onto the next area (your milestones) when you choose.

The milestones you will develop up as a legend and code them into symbols and plot these on your track. Then give them an explanation in your legend what that milestone is. I've just used Tom Bow pens. The arrows on the track are actual acetate photo corners from Prima Marketing.


You can define your own success level. You don't wait for others to define the 'carrot' you will pursue – it's a code for you. So you don't need to have the legend on the page, and you can make it a chart and put it on your fridge. For the purpose of this exercise though, I have included the legend on the page.


Finally, in the words of genius Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe "Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men." So let your own re-invention (your dream) move first your own heart (especially when you start achieving your milestones, that helps build your self-esteem too!) and then it will move the hearts of other people. They will notice the change. You may even become aspirational to them for their own re-invention.

Art Journalling: Session 7 - What are you reading?

This year I have reacquainted myself with the novel. Any spare time I can get, I'll devour myself in a novel. The books I read often give me inspiration for art pieces, or themes and subjects that I wish to study.

So what book have you just read? Or are reading? And it doesn't have to be a novel to do this session.

I've been reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronté. This lady was a literary genius. For those who do not know this novel, its genre is Gothic Romantic (i.e. a mixture of the metonymy of gloom and horror, melancholy, foreboding landscapes and weather; with romance - pursuit, emotions and senses, alluring affection, conflict). It is a wild, passionate story of intense and monomaniacal* love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a foundling adopted by Catherine's father.


The novel explores revenge, desire, love and insanity. Both Catherine and Heathcliff are rebellious, passionate, cruel, misanthropic, isolated, and wilful, have mysterious origins, lack family ties, reject external restrictions and control, and seek to resolve their isolation by fusing with a love object. Their love is cursed, as lovers they are cursed resulting in their insanity.

In this session you can make a double page spread collage in your journal by collecting and cutting out images depicting scenes from your novel, and descriptive words symbolising the novel's message.

For me I used words such as wild, violent, tempestuous, vengeance, revenge, love, passion, desire. Then I also used quotes of what the characters said to each other e.g. "Heathcliff is more myself than I am" and "I am Heathcliff", says Catherine of her unattainable lover. While Catherine is dying Heathcliff says to her "I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul."

Add other images to the collage such as acetate words and hearts. Also add any other material that epitomizes their end. I've used a quote from the Song of Songs (love poem in the bible). I have used a gel medium on my page so when I wrote the words I used a Sharpie pen which allowed me to write over glossy surfaces.

* When I researched a little about the novel (okay I can be a nerd at times) I uncovered that psychologists have examined its contents; and one of them describes their love as being monomaniacal. That is going to the extremes, of a singularization, uber-singleminded determination.

Further notes
Derek Traversi calls it "a thirst for religious experience". The existence of spirit - afterlife.

Dorothy van Ghant calls it "a metaphysical exploration". Mystery of the numinous.
Metaphysics is the branch of speculative inquiry which treats of the first principles of things, including such concepts as being, substance, essence, time, space, cause, identity, etc; theoretical philosophy as the ultimate science of Being and Knowing.