Slow Down... Relax... Take It Easy* (...and make notes!)

Dear Scribblers

It's important that you do - "Slow down. Relax. Take it easy."* - take time to step back from the hustle and bustle, especially if you are a creative. It's in this downtime I find that I have some of my best ideas. 

So how do you relax? Do you take a walk? Swim? Work out? Listen to music? Sleep and dream? Or do as I like to do, take a bath. 

I like a bath with lots and lots of bubbles! One of my favourites has been the FCUK #bath syrup. I was given it as part of a gift set, but I think it's discontinued. I'm going to be quite upset when I finish it, so replacement recommendations are required. Do you have a favourite bubble bath, I'd love to know. 

There must always be a candle or two burning. 

I've recently fallen in love with Matalan's scented candle range. They smell gorgeous, burn evenly, last for ages, come in a massive chic glass jar with a heavy lid, and £3! Island Breeze & Sequoia Wood are my favourites at the moment, although I've tried about 5 different scents now, and they've all been good. It's a great and inexpensive way to indulge. Plus, when the candles finished, you can clean the jars out and use the for your crafting goodies!

However you relax, take time to let your mind wander and discover new avenues of inspiration, and always remember to have a notebook or digital device close by to jot down your ideas. Although I would only recommend pen and paper when you are in the bath! In my next post, I'll discuss my latest favourite notebooks shown here. 

Please add to the comments your preferred method of relaxation and creative insight. It would great to hear about alternatives. 

Happy Scribing!

* The title of today's post comes from a line in the song - "Baker Man" by Laid Back. An apt named group for chilled out music!

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/bakerman/id269896173?i=269896198

Lessons Learnt - 9 - Getting to grips with art journalling... It's Easy Like Sunday Morning.

Dear Scribblers

I hope you are having a fabulous weekend. Enjoy your days whatever you are doing.

Now, talking about the weekend, here's one I made for a Sunday for LSNED

The title reads, "Life made fabulous. Easy like Sunday morning, followed by thunder bolt and lightning, very, very frightening!"

I remember this day, it began beautiful and sunny, and ended up dark and brooding culminating in a massive storm.

I tried to get the page to reflect this. As Sundays in our home always begins with a trawl through the papers and supplements, I decided to use newspapers as the theme.

The background is ripped up pieces of proper newspapers and stuck down with wet glue, much in the same way as you make paper-maiche, although just a thin layer to cover the pages. I then painted over the whole think with watercolours, leading to dark colours on the end to represent the storm.

I used words out of the newspaper to make my title, apart from the last section which was tiled paper letters I had in my stash, and the pictures and cartoon (including the row of flowers along the bottom) all came from the papers too. In fact, the relaxed girl was actually made up of three separate pictures  (legs body head) stuck to make one image, take about being Dr. Craftenstein!!!

I think this was one of the first pages I made where I actually thought I was getting to grips with the difference between scrapbooking and art journalling. What do you think? Although it's great to be part of Shimelle's LSNED course in September as anything goes.

Happy Scribing!

Lesson Truly Learnt with LSNED

Dear Scribblers

Sometimes I get so excited and inspired by projects, goals and tasks that I throw my heart and soul into it. In the end, I have nothing left for me and I become ill. These are the times I need to take a step back, relax and just let my body catch up with my ever-ready over-eager mind.

This page was made to remind me to not let myself get to this point. It was a lesson learnt for the day, but I know I will forget it again! A lesson to learn, and relearn, and relearn, and... 

Happy Scribing!

Journal Prompt 12

Dear Scribblers

"The Most Relaxed Place - Feeling - Moment - Music - Time - Experience is... "

Happy Scribing!