The Wisdom Journal (& Livestream)

Hey Love

I'm SO excited.

I have a BRAND NEW Journal Making Class Now OPEN!! Whoop Whoop!

The Wisdom Journal is about making your own survival guidebook of your own personal wisdoms. 

For more info visit: 
The Wisdom Journal {clickable}

In the Wisdom Journal Class we will:

*Make a Unique Journal - including creating pockets, decorating background papers before binding, crafting a decorative spine, adding a closure etc.

*Detect Our Wisdoms – what is to go in the journal? Well, we shall see…

*Art Journal – once we have done the work around finding/making our wisdoms we shall art them out in our fancy new handmade journal.

*Apply Our Wisdoms – we will look at how we can consciously apply our wisdoms in our life. This class is not about locking knowledge away in a book never to be seen again, it is about bringing awareness to light to use …and as a result create our own fabulously customised survival book to have forevermore and use as a tool.

Registration is open now for a CRAZY Low Early Bird Price. 

See more about the class here: journalworkshops.ning.com/page/wisdom-journal-class

(or if it’s already a ‘YES’ workshop for you click ‘Join’ in the classroom here to secure your spot now: journalworkshops.ning.com/group/wisdom) 

Class Starts 1st Sept & you get LIFETIME access to the class content (so grab it now while it's a bargain!)

PS Last night I also did a facebook livestream on 'How to do Art the 'Right' Way' (yes...there is a right way, apparently) & I also showed a little more about the Wisdom Journal Class if you want to see it in 'person' as it were. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/Jennibellie/videos/1810971888919813/

xoxo

PPS This new class like all my classes are hosted on my art community Journal Workshops, you can sign up now for free and browse all the classes I have on offer if you wish, or even take a free one!

journalworkshops.ning.com
come join the family...we don't bite =)

Butterfly Addiction (& Video ~ Real Time Art Journaling)

Hi Love

I've had a realisation this week as to why I may have a slight butterfly addiction (those of you that have take my free class Inspiration Station would have seen this, I explain it as I realise there are butterflies ALL OVER those journals lol). My sudden realisation comes from a social media post I wrote a couple of days ago. It's kind of a personal one, so I am sharing it here for prosperity followed by an early peek at a youtube video I'll be posting tomorrow where I create a page with...you guessed it, butterflies. Enjoy

My Great Grandmothers Butterfly fits in nicely in my outdoor studio I think...

When I was a child I remember these enameled butterflies being all over her little flat (apartment to those over you over the pond). On every mirror, windows, picture frame and fridge (…may be this is where my obsession with butterflies comes from?). I don’t know if that was truly how it was or if it just how I remember it, but I always associate these soft little pretty colourful girlie things with an austere, proper, Edwardian woman who I loved but no one in their right mind would have ever called a ‘softie’. 

She wore bland clothes, kept a bland house, and was straight down the line. She saw everything as black and white, ‘this is right and this is wrong’. No argument or compromise. She invented the phrase ‘stiff upper lip’. I never remember seeing her smile except in photographs I have seen as an adult, long after she has left the earth. Pure toughness of the First World War generation through and through. Yet I obviously never saw or noticed any of that as a child, she was my great grandma, and I just saw butterflies 

 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

Hope you're having an awesomely creative weekend

Much love

Jennibellie

PS If you're not having an awesomely creative weekend hop on over to Journal Workshops. 

There's the New Maker's Meet-Up, a New Art Swap and New Mini Art Classes to Join (plus bonuses added to some other ones!), go check it all out now on my art community, 

Journal Workshops: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/

Three Videos in Three Days

Hello Love

Hope you're having a fabulous creative weekend, if not here's some kick-starters for you. The last three days I've posted a video a day so here they all are together, enjoy.

The first one I posted is all about 'How I Organize & Store Scrap Papers':

If you want more Ask Jennibellie videos you can get them via signing up to my Monthly Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/BHv-1. When you do so you’ll also receive a free Creative Ebook, Exclusive Videos, Collage Sheets & other goodies *instantly* as well as the monthly news, articles, videos & other occasional gifts sent direct to your inbox =)

The second was the new monthly art challenge video on Journal Workshops, where we are exploring your relationship with creativity. Check it out here: 

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/monthly-challenge 

The Monthly Challenge is a free group I host on my art community Journal Workshops. It is a monthly art date for us to stretch our art/journaling comfort zone. If you are not yet a part of this Group, come & join over 5000 creative comrades plus get new monthly art vids from me here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/monthly-challenge 

The third video is from the Makers Meet-up is all about having yourself a 'Creative Spa Day':

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/makersmeetup/

The Maker’s Meet-up is another free group on my art community. A weekly meeting place where you can come and share, find support and be inspired (and where I give little extra creative assignment videos such as this one too) =D

So there you are if you follow all three you'll have an organized studio, be getting your creating groove on while improving your relationship with creativity and having a luxurious Creative Spa Day as you do it all. No excuses for a non-creative weekend around here, though in truth these are all 'regular' videos I create all the time (though obviously they are all on new topics each time) for my newsletter or art community - so just follow the links to get more ;)

Much love

Jennibellie

xoxo

New Video: a JUICY Art Journal Tutorial

Hello my lovely

Hope you’re having a gloriously creative weekend so far. I have a new video tutorial for you today, all about the EDGES of your journal pages.

After the little tut I share a few of my art journals pages I created using this edges technique as a base too...

hope you enjoy:

These are the sketchbooks I use: http://amzn.to/2rFFgjZ. 

The glues I use are double sided sticky tape, Glue Stick (my fav http://amzn.to/2ol28TQ) and Tacky Glue (Aleenes Original being my preference http://amzn.to/2oJmnxv).

Here is the ‘3 Glues Technique’ video I mentioned and used in the Juicy Edges tutorial: 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

Jennibellie

XOXO

PS Are you part of my free art community Journal Workshops yet?? If not get your buns over there and signed up for free weekly and monthly art activities, all of my current online workshops *plus* a free art journaling class. 

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/

[Video] Art Technique Plus Over 50 Art Resources

Hi love

I've a treat for you, if you weren't at the Birthday Bash Art Party last month here's the 'cool down' technique I shared at that event. It is one of my favourite repeatable art journaling techniques; simple, yet you always learn something new when you do it.

The Birthday Bash Group is still open if you want to see what else we got up to that day, while the event itself is over new people are joining everyday as all the projects are still visible. Join here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/the-2017-birthday-bash

Note: you will need to be a member of my art community, Journal Workshops, to join any groups or classes. If you are not a member yet it's free and easy, you can join my art community here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/main/authorization/signUp?

The CRAZY AWESOME Deal of the Week:

This week saw the release of the Art Bundle for Good. This is an amazing package of tons of art courses and resources (over $2500 worth for only $97!)

http://tinyurl.com/artbundle

There are LOADS of goodies from artists you may know and love, such as Flora Bowley, Micki Wilde, Andrea Gomoll, Willowing, Tracy Verdugo, Angela Kennedy plus many others. I’m including $165 worth of my own courses, zines and kits ...so even if you only want one or two things out of this bundle it is well worth it.

I’m truly excited about this as it is a great way to get a whole bunch of treats for you while supporting your favourite artists and charity, as 25% of all proceeds go to art charity Free Arts:

You seriously do want to check this out, it is too good to miss - but it's only available for this week so don’t delay:

http://tinyurl.com/artbundle

There’s also a free ebook to grab at that link even if you decide the bundles not for you (though at all that’s in here I don’t see how that could be possible lol), to which several artists including moi have contributed to called ‘The Business of Art’! 

Happy Arting

Much love

Jennibellie

xoxo

2 Art Journal Supply Videos

Hello my love

I've 2 Art Supply Videos for you today.

The first I recently posted on youtube so you may have already seen (I so need to get better at posting blogs the same time as I post other stuff lol) is about creating using v.limited supplies. This video shows a super quick 5 minute journal page...yes you can create in only 5 minutes and using the 'limited supply journal game' is a great way to encourage that. 

Hope it gets your mojo-juices flowing:

Supplies used in this page*

Liquitex Basics Acrylics – https://goo.gl/p9obcn

Staedtler Lumocolor Fine Permanent Marker Pens – https://goo.gl/3F5cHN

Derwent Graphik Markers – https://goo.gl/rw0W6A

Staedtler Mars 780 Technical Mechanical Pencil - https://goo.gl/9VsM7O

Tsukineko Brilliance Dew Drop Inkpad in Pearlescent Beige - https://goo.gl/g7E1Y1

Come join me on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/jennibellieart/

The second video is a new feature I'm sending out to my newsletter subscribers 'Art Supply of the Month'. 

I shared a peek of this video on facebook and said 'you'll never see this elsewhere' lol well that's usually true but I wanted to share just this one sneakily with you here, you'll have to sign up to my newsletter to receive the exclusive videos I send each month though. If you're not already on the list you can sign up to get these videos (as well as the art supply they also get an 'Ask Jennibellie' video where I candidly answer any question) plus awesome giveaways, news & offers and you’ll also get a BUNCH of *Free* Goodies for joining up immediately here: http://eepurl.com/BHv-1

Hope you enjoy: 

Here are the supplies shared in this video*

My Box of Medium Point Uni-posca Paint Marker Pens - amzn.to/2lPTZYW

(however these Extra Fine Points seem to be more popular - amzn.to/2mB8e2j)

My Hartbag (The Derwent Canvas Carry-All Bag) - amzn.to/2lPTI8w

*links may be affiliate; this costs nothing extra but allows me to get a free bottle of glue occasionally if you decide to purchase, but as ever I will only ever recommend products I use and trust myself :)

Hope you've enjoyed these vids

Have an awesome day

Much love

Jennibellie

PS want some more videos from me?? Next week I'll be sending my newsletter out so make sure you're on the list for that: http://eepurl.com/BHv-1 & also the new Monthly Challenge video will be posted on my art community Journal Workshops too so ensure you're a member there if you're not already (it's fast and free to join) http://journalworkshops.ning.com/

My First Ever Facebook Live

Hello

Wow will this really be my first post for this year? Geez. I need to get better at blogging, but despite my lapse here I have been super busy! Tomorrow I will be holding my first ever facebook live at 1pm GMT time in order to get ready for the Birthday Bash Art Party that is coming up this Saturday. 

In it I’m going to answer the questions that have come up around the Birthday Bash, give you more of an insight into the days events, share a pre-bash giveaway and perhaps even show you a little of my new studio space if it’s not too messy (as that is where I’ll be filming from so fingers crossed for me the internet signal works well enough). 

It will be my first facebook live ever too so I would so appreciate any ‘hellos’ of support if you are on the internet at this time, you know trying not to buy some new art supplies, or shielding your surfin’ screen from your boss lol If you cannot make it at the actual time the facebook live will be on my page afterwards so you can head over there to watch it whenever: https://www.facebook.com/Jennibellie/ 

And if you haven’t already come join the Birthday Bash Group here:

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/the-2017-birthday-bash

The Birthday Bash is an annual f*ee event I host on Journal Workshops. 

There will be Art Techniques, a Community Project, Art Swaps, Giveaways, a Facebook Live Journaling Session and a wonderful community to do it all with! 

Join now to ready for our art party on 18th Feb =) 

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/the-2017-birthday-bash

Really hope to see you there, it's a pure creative blast!
Much love
Jennibellie

Finishing Your Art Journal Pages #2 ...Plus Other Videos

...The Art of Overwhelm

. This video particularly deals with the overwhelm of having too many art supplies to choose from, ever come across this?? Yeah me too, here's how I get over it, quickly...

Do you have any tricks for getting over this overwhelm? Or deal with any other kinds of overwhelm in art? (pst if it's to do with having too many ideas oh boy do I know that one! I did this video below to address that)

 

Yesterday I also posted the Monthly Challenge Video mentioned in the Finishing Your Art Journal Pages Video above which you can view here: 

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/monthly-challenge/forum/topics/may-2016

If you're not a member of this Group it's a great place to be, and to be a part of it you just need to click the 'Join Monthly Challenge' Button at the top of the Monthly Challenge Group (http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/monthly-challenge) & it'll let you in immediately (assuming you are a member of Journal Workshops, if not just sign up here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/main/authorization/signUp? once I've approved your account you will get access to this, and a bunch of other free arty offerings, easy peasy!)

Hope to see you around there. 
Much love

Current In Progress Mixed Media Art Journal Pages

Hello (my how beautiful you are!)

Back to a proper 'weekly ramble' format this week, meaning this post is a quick snapshot of where my creativity is at & view of in progress stuff rather than any completed things.

My creativity has been going crazy the past week, but most especially the past 48 hours. I literally got zero sleep last night; ideas kept jumping, twisting and turning through my brain, I barely put my light out long enough for my eyes to notice let alone close. I am running on fumes today but I think it's gonna be worth it I have FINALLY found the structure(s) I want to create the Daily Rituals Class in (a class I have been trying to mould, shape and create for what feels like forever, all about about creating a daily creative journaling practice that supports you). So today I took my Ideas Journal to my outdoor studio and had a loooong Planning Session (a concept for creating I share in my Creative Goal Journaling Class) to form the Classes that will be (hopefully, with a bit of work) be coming soon...

The other main area my creativity has been channelled the past few days is journal pages.

Here's some in progress ones: 

Puppy dog needs some more layers and pen work I think

This is a 5 min collage I think I'm gonna leave as is, and do some more of these, very freeing

Here's some progress shots of a now finished one:

So that's the snapshot of my creative week. 

How has yours been? Share in the comments below, I'd love to hear (I read every one!) 

Have a great weekend

Much love

PS don't forget to check out the Monthly Art Challenge Video if you haven't already, you can find it here: http://tinyurl.com/aprilsartdate

Finishing Your Art Journal Pages New Video Series!!

Hello my creative darling

This week I'm sharing the first in a new little video series, about taking your pages from backgrounds to complete pages. 

Each video will focus on a different theme to do with finishing your art journal pages, the first is on the art of listening to your gut, so I talk a lot about my class 'Raw Intuitive Journaling' as that is where a lot of this is from/where I mainly teach the process. You can take my Raw Intuitive Journaling Class either by going to my online art community

http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/raw-intuitive-class

or you can buy it through my Etsy Shop: 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/221489763/raw-intuitive-journaling-class.

So here is the first video 'Finishing Your Art Journal Pages #1 - The Art of Listening', click on the image to watch enjoy =) 

Come back next week for the next video where we may deal with other themes to finishing your art journal pages such as the different overwhelming factors that can stop you finishing an art journal page or focusing on ways to mix written journaling and words into your art. See you there!

Weekly Ramble's are blogposts I put out on Friday just to share whatever is happening in my art world, regardless of where I'm at in a process, or in my creative flow, or my studio etc the posts are more about capturing a glimpse of the middle than they are showing the shiny finish...though sometimes the shiny finish might be just what you get!

Invite To My (Art) Party...

Hello beautiful

Welcome, I have a special invite for you. If you're a regular reader you may have realised I've not been posting my usual Friday Weekly Ramble blogposts so far in 2016, basically because I've been chilling. 

Putting the Feet Up.

Filling the Well.

Plotting World Domination.

Creating Some Art.

Drinking Hot Drinks.

Emptying the Mind.

Nourishing the Spirit.

Taking in Peace. 

Apparently in Astrology when you are coming up to your birthday you do get tired, because you are at the end of your cycle and you need the sun in your sign to renew & energise you again...or some such thing. I dunno for sure, I'll let you know if I feel any more go-go-go after my birthday in a couple of weeks.

...which leads me on to inviting you to my Birthday Party - if you come I promise to be lively for that, I'll bring the art techniques and you bring your paint brushes!!

The Birthday Bash is a free event on Journal Workshops, come join by clicking here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/birthday-bash-2016.

The idea of the Birthday Bash is for each of us to have a full day of creativity (or as close to a full day as what you can get) but in communion with other creative beauties via the incredibleness that our little space on the interwebs (Journal Workshops)! 

Click here to see a little video sharing what it’s all about and to join the group (it's easy peasy to join, you just click the 'Join' button on the page you are taken to):

 http://journalworkshops.ning.com/group/birthday-bash-2016

I sure hope to see you there =)

Have a great weekend!!

PS: If you are not a member of Journal Workshops but like the sound of joining the Birthday Bash that's great too, just create a profile for yourself on the site by signing up here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/main/authorization/signUp? - go'on, it's fun & free!!

All About Passion Projects

So this year I’ve really needed a lot of what I call ‘Passion Projects’. These are essentially the private projects I keep all to myself and they are essential for making my other projects, especially those where I’m delivering something to others so it has to be amazing, happen.

Passion Projects are the nearest thing I have found that draw me back to that feeling when I first started art journaling (and actually knowing what it was I was doing) on the floor of my flat in London in an attempt to escape the day to day pain and heartache I was going through. Those pages were the nearest thing I have found to that total sense of escapism through creative pursuit, which I now often miss in my every day journaling practice.

my old creative space (and the floor in front of it was where the main events happened) in my old bedroom in my London days

So once upon a time every project I had was a Passion Project, and you may be reading this thinking ‘yeah every one of my projects is a Passion Project’ and even ‘why would you create any project anyway Jennibellie if it’s not a Passion Project?’ Well it’s not that I don’t have passion for all my projects because I do (or obviously I wouldn’t be creating them) but there are a couple of reasons there is a level of passion difference to these I am calling ‘Passion Projects’. 

First as I said at the beginning when you begin creating things for other people the projects begin to feel different, basically because your objectives are different. I learnt this several years ago when I first started selling my handmade journals. Those journals that went up for sale could not be like those haphazard journals I was happy to create and journal in myself. They needed to be neatly made, with clean lines, made with the correct materials and techniques and they needed to last…that is not to say I people wouldn’t have brought or wanted my own haphazard journals, because I’ve seen many a person sell all kinds of things that have a, let’s say ‘creative looseness’ to them and good on them. There is just something in me that means before anything I’ve made can go out into the world it needs to have met my own personal standards, which I’m sure you can relate to if you’ve ever made a present for someone that you really wanted them to treasure. So this level of attention to a finished product can often remove the freedom I feel in a Passion Project, which again is not to say that I don’t enjoy doing it, it just means I can’t have the total abandon that a Passion Project requires. 

The second reason is to do with the escapism in the art, which I’m going to be going to be talking more about next week, as it is a whole blogpost in itself. 

So how does a Passion Project help you finish your other projects? Well if you are someone who is creating a lot of things that have a lot of elements to them, or are of a large nature, or are creations to share with other people, or are items for sale…basically if you are anyone besides those creatives who are creating 100% of the time entirely for themselves (and if you are lucky you), but even if you are just someone who is making that many christmas cards stamping one more santa will drive you crackers then a Passion Project will help you in two main ways: 1) by giving you a break from your current project and 2) at the same time instilling you with creative energy to take back to that project.

A Passion Project is a project that comes COMPLETELY from the heart and one that you are so inspired by you just HAVE to do it, you simply don’t even have the choice your inspiration is just that high. Passion Projects are actually the love child of the Creative Instinct I talked about a couple of weeks ago, and while yes every project we do must have some passion in it for us to want to do it ‘Passion Projects’ are actually rarer than you may think. I estimate you to be VERY lucky if you manage to have 30% of your entire creative pursuits at Passion Project level, even if you 100% of the time creating private things for no one but yourself (the only exception I believe is when you first ‘rediscover’ your creative side and it feels like you’ll never want to do anything else but create again  - and creative blocks, critics and burnout are things that happen to other people.) 

So my Passion Project this week? Making Orgonites:

I’m not going to go into what Orgonites are here, as they are not just a pretty thing to be made but put in the simplest way an energy balancing tool made of organic and inorganic substances, there’s a lot of science and intricacies behind it, which is very complicated to explain to anyone totally new to it so if you want to know more please feel free to look it up on your own – Dr. Wilhelm Reich is probably the best place to start. 

These are my first batch of Orgonites, which I have been researching for years before I attempted making them (as they really are that intricate and something you want to get right or you will have just wasted a lot of expensive materials). They are something that I have been excited about creating for a long time, dreaming up designs and staying awake all night with anticipation. Now I get excited about every project that comes across my path but to still be excited about creating something years after you first thought of doing it – that is a Passion Project. And every moment creating them was so absorbing hour by hour disappeared without me realising – another sign of a Passion Project.

And the project the Orgonites were helping me to create? My new Art Journal Playdate which incidentally goes live TODAY Woohoo!!

The Journal Playdate is a workshop consisting of ten video steps that are each five minutes in length or under so you can follow along then go execute, follow along then go execute. It is how I would teach you to create an art journal page WITH MEANING if I was with you.

You can check out the details of the Playdate here: http://journalworkshops.ning.com/page/journal-playdates

And if you join in the next couple of days you will get 25% off!! (I like to reward my Early Birders!)

The Playdate isn’t just about making art, it is quite a profound process where every element created has a reason and meaning behind it so it is only for you if:

You want to learn how to use symbolism more in your art to convey your thoughts and emotions.

You wish to use your art journal pages as a practical tool to remove blocks that hold you back.

You would like to spend time with me to absorb the art of creating an art journal page that has personal meaning to you.

If that’s you, click the image below to come on over:

Much love, I hope to see you in the Playdate if not have a great week xoxo