Monday, October 17, 2011

inspiration monday



  when i first came to blogland, i saw lots of photos of beautiful journal pages that had been created by other artists.  but, i never really understood why keeping an art journal was so important.   and then i started keeping one.  and, i'm going to be honest......at first, i still didn't quite get it.  mainly because i thought there was a "certain way" you were supposed to do it.  i thought that if i wasn't using specific materials, or didn't have time to work in my journal every day, then i wasn't doing it "right".  but, then i realized that's the whole point.  there is no right and there is no wrong when it comes to keeping a journal.  it's simply a place for experimentation, for play, and for growth.  and the important thing is that you try to keep one.....according to your rules.





 keeping a journal gets really easy when you let your journal become your friend......that special friend that you're willing to be your true-self with.  that friend that won't judge you, or your artwork, or the fact that you might be in a crummy mood that day.  that friend that encourages you to grow, and maybe even suggests that you try a little something new every once in a while.
because whether you're a mixed-media artist, a poet, a watercolorist, a writer, a collage artist, a note-taker,  or you love to sketch.......keeping a journal is a wonderful snapshot of who you are on that particular day, and what your passion is at that particular moment.





no matter what type of journal you keep,
i think Mr. Skousen sums it up perfectly: 
"keep a journal.....you'll be so glad that you did".
:))


{please join me tomorrow.......
i'll be participating in julie fei-fan balzer's stencil hop!!}





26 comments:

pearshapedcrafting said...

What a lovely man and what he had to say rings so true! I wish I had started journaling long ago! Some of my pages are only to be seen by family probably but hopefully they will give them an idea of what I was thinking at the time!
Thanks for sharing, Chrisx

wv said...

i am already somewhat inspired
but now i am more inspired!

Doda said...

thankyou. Good inspiration!!!

Sue Simpson said...

Thank you for the reminder....a little bit of syncronicity here as a friend sent me a link to 'A Line A Day'.....now EVERYONE can managed that :o)
What a legacy that guy is going to leave. xxx

katie purcell said...

WELL THAT IS THE MOST INSPIRING THING I HAVE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.
I AM AT THE BEACH READING OVER MY JOURNALS FROM THE PAST 16 YEARS.
WISH I HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE I STARTED JOURNALING LONG AGO.
LOVE IT.

Atticelf said...

What a treasure on those shelves. That tugs at my scrapbooker heart strings.
Such a timely post, Lori. I thought of you yesterday. I took my very first art class at the local library - Autumn Nature Journal. Just a little quickie 'using watercolors' class and it really inspired me to get out there and get going. It started with you though and all your lovely works - thank you!

Bumbles and Fairy-Tales said...

This handsome gentleman really touched my heart today! I have been inspired to journal, but have been struggling. But now I see that it truly is whatever you want it to be. I love the simplicity of his binders, and yet, they mean so much to him. And I'm sure that his family truly values and loves them just as much if not more. Thank you so much for sharing this today :)
hugs, margie

Caryl said...

I couldn't have said it better... now tell me how to make journals :o)

Alexandra MacVean said...

This is a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing the video, too. I just watched a show on 60 minutes last night on Vincent VanGogh and they showed snippets of his journal that he kept, filled with thoughts and artwork. I thought to myself I ought to get back into that and here you go blogging about it. :)

Good luck with your letter class. I so wish I could take it but unable to afford it at this time as I depleted my savings over the last 8 months taking care of my sick father (as I was also forced into a 3-month unpaid leave of absence from work.) I'm trying to get caught up now and still need car repairs. Please let me know when you plan to do the next one and maybe I could particpate then. :)

Hugs.

Anonymous said...

What a delightful gentleman! It truly gave me a different outlook on journalling as I've never been a journaller (reminded me too much of the old diaries you never wanted anyone to find :) Thanks for sharing this Lori.

Margaret said...

A very inspiring link. I love your journals, so much nicer spine than my Bind-it-All. I'm going to have to stop visiting you if you keep showing me things that I need to learn lol

Margaret :o)

Dolores said...

Thank you Lori, that was an inspiring video as are your posts.

Unknown said...

Oh my gosh- that is SO inspirational. That is SO amazing... thank you so much for sharing it.

Cynthia Schelzig said...

Stencil hop....ooohhhh, I will check that out for sure. Those pristine white journals look fab...I´d have to wear gloves though while binding them. How did you keep them so clean?

Jeanette said...

Lori, What a poignant post, truly touched my heart. Our journals can be our legacy and validation to our lives, whatever our path. And, the video is precious. What a sweetie he is. Happy journalling to all! xoxo, Jeanette

Katie Cannon said...

that video was so sweet it almost made me cry. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

Annie Lightbulb said...

Journal rocking art, so cool! Though's journals wow! So pure!

dinny said...

Just started an art journal this year. Did you make those elegant white journals? If not, where are they from? ...thnx

nancybabb said...

Awwww man! Sure wish I had done this!...But, that's what I'm hoping my blog will accomplish... but I can't even do THAT every day! :-(

Thanks for sharing, what a sweet man!

Kathryn Zbrzezny said...

Sniffle. Wow. This made me cry, lori. Thank you. What a sweet, incredible man! I have kept journals since I was nine I guess. 41 years of journals...some years not much, but then years when I wrote every single day. And then not just words...but some colors and scribbles and stamps. Always a desire to put things down on paper....never thinking I would ever share them...life is full of surprises and wonder! Have a fun, creative week, lori! Kath

Unknown said...

Lovely post Lori. I so Love the photographs of those beautiful crisp, clean, white, scrumptious journals. I'm drooling.

Kyles :D

K said...

Thank you, Lori!

Andria said...

What an amazing archive this man is leaving for his family and for anyone else they might share it with. He is such a sweet-looking man, too! Thanks for sharing.

Laurie said...

Thank you for sharing that inspiring video. What a lovely man and just love his message. Now when I'm tired at the end of the day I'll see his wall of journals in my mind and I'll make more of an effort to sit down and write in mine.

Kathy McCreedy said...

Lori, those journals are really beautifully done... Did you make them? If you did, you did a SPECTACULAR job and I want to know all the details!!! What paper did you use, what did you use for the covers? Just beautiful... And I love that you encourage us to keep a journal and remind us why it's such a good idea! Thank you for stopping by and leaving such a nice message... Have a terrific weekend!

Anonymous said...

I kept a journal for over 20 years. I used notebooks and created handmade books that I wrote in. They filled up 5 or 6 large plastic totes with plastic lids that snapped on. I was moving and asked my Mother to store them in her garage for a few weeks. When I came to pick them up they were all gone. She had destroyed every one. Even the totes I stored them in were gone. I'm still trying to understand why. It crushed me.

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