Art Slam

…and so it begins…

Friday will be the first day of the Art Slam. Why Friday? Well, I don’t much like starting things on Monday and who is really any good on a Monday because it is Monday? Fridays are more relaxed and what better day to invite you to my Art Slam. Why am I calling it an Art Slam? Well, I was inspired by the poetry slam community recently and I loved how people from different backgrounds came together and shared their poetry. So, I figured, why not an Art Slam for people who love creating like me.

I receive lots of questions about my art journals and instead of just telling people to "Just Do It", I will be working right along with those who have always wanted to do it. All you need to get started is something to journal in or on. I like to use sketchbooks or cheap books from the second hand bookstore that I alter for journaling.

Now, I do have a few rules:

1. You can not under any circumstances remove, rip out or accidentally lose a page in your journal. There are no mistakes when you art journal, only inspirations. What you may see as a mistake or not good enough is most likely just the beginning of something big. So keep it…keep it ALL!

2. There is no "falling behind" with your journal. Creativity and inspiration hits people at different times. So, if you do not feel like creating or one of the projects does not inspire you to create, don’t worry about it. Move on with your life.

3. You are not allowed to compare your journal to someone else’s and talk about how much you suck. You don’t suck. Thank God we are all individual and have different ideas. Being a copycat is so boring. Be an individual!

4. Finally, you must have fun. What I love the most about my journals is that allow me to be free. They are a creative santuary. A place for me to experiment, mess up ON PURPOSE and observe life. After all, life is the art and you hold the key to how much you decide to enjoy life.

So, join me Friday for the first project and arrive open and willing to learn.

I really do need to start taking more portraits on a regular basis. I used to do it all the time, but I have been burning out with the photography…hence all the fruit shoots I have been doing. Even still, I love a good portrait when it turns out just right.

The middle of the week…
The middle of the work week. That is a good thing. I still think it sucks working five days out of a seven day week. But, what can you do besides not work or be an entrepreneur? I am working on the format for my art journal challenge. I don’t want to call it a challenge, something else. Regardless, I am excited about it and the people who want to participate.

I finally saw it. I stood in Borders just smiling. Then I put the magazine back, because between the bright pages, sunlight coming in the window, I was going blind. I had just come from the eye doctor and my pupils were huge. Still are huge!

My page is in BHG Scrapbooks Etc. Page 36. I am the featured scrapper for August and that just makes me smile. Loved the page as soon as I finished it and love it even more in print.

This beauty here is my latest art journal cover. I have been thinking of starting an art journal group. I have thought about it for a while. I hear so many people say they want to do it, but they never start or they get a notebook then they have no idea how to start. What I like about journals and art journals in general is that there are no rules. You just do your thing without judgement and have fun. I fill up art journals a lot faster than I fill up written journals. Plus, I like creating my own eye candy. Maybe I will do it…maybe.

I picked up these lovely Bing Cherries earlier this week and they taste even better than they look. I was a little ill this Friday, so I stayed home and got some much needed rest. Well, about as much as you can get with little people around. Saturday my mom came to visit and Sunday, I took the kids to the park. Overall, the weather was lovely and the weekend was nice, but entirely too short. Who decided work weeks needed to be five days and that a work day needed to be 8 hours. I think it is such a waste of living. Seriously…

The woodgrain paper and the rub on tree and leaves are going to be at CHA this year.

I really like the mod dots and the background paper in this rich brown.

Hmmm…I think I like it here enough to stay.

This is a wonderful site. I can now keep track of all of my books! You can check my library out here: Lucrecer’s Books