Art Journaling

As I've been talking about the last while I'm so addicted to art journaling.  Mostly I've been creating backgrounds so far and assembling the pages.  Here's a portion of my process (I'm a newbie so I know I am doing things differently than others would).   Anyho.. here goes....

 

Lovely acrylic painted backgrounds waiting to be bound into signatures - to me they are yummy!

 

More backgrounds still drying (and yes that is a clear plastic cloth draped over the table for two reasons... protects from my messiness while painting & Bella's hair - I 'try' to keep her off the table, but catch her there still now and then):

Here are some of the signatures before binding - I'm using file folders to wrap the outside edges, the insides (shown above) are old Christmas cards:

I forgot to take a picture of the binding process - maybe I'll add that in the next time I'm binding a journal.

And here is my first journal entry for 2014 & the first page of my journal!  It's acrylic background, markers along the edges and bits of scrap paper topped with some yarn from creating wristlets this past December:

I decided to glue this little hummingbird to the top edge - as some of you will know hummingbirds represent joy.  I think that's a perfect word to infuse into 2014!

Thanks for looking!  Hopefully I'll share more over the course of the year.  I know I'm pretty addicted to this mixed media play so we'll see how things go.

Have a happy day!
X

The Sound of now

Do you ever stop and pay attention to the sounds of life within your home?

This week I've been practicing much present moment awareness. 
I practice what I preach mostly because I know it works. 

Sometimes it's not as evident and has an effortless flow.  Sometimes I really have to work toward listening to myself.  This has been one of those weeks.  A week where I need to practice to be present.  A challenge with my inner self.  I've chanted....

I am, here now.
I am here.
Here I am in this present moment.
There is only this moment.
And I breathe.

It's been a process of forgetting in one moment.  A wave of anxiety.  A moment of remembering.  A soothing state of rest of relaxation.

Another tool I've worked with this week is listening to the sounds around me.

Here are some sounds which have brought me into the now....

-Fish tank water cycling.
-Sophie screeching for someone, anyone to throw her ball for her (yes she is one strange cat).
-Bella meowing beside her window (this is one Russian Blue that adores her window time).
-Rodney Yee's Yoga Burn playing in the living room.
-The Oracle's struggle with downward dog (he secretly hates down dog).
-Vishen Lakhiani's Envisoning Method Meditation playing.

I adore the sounds I live with.  Who knew how wonderful and blissful these sounds are?
It's been working albeit slowly.  Give it a go.  Listen then repeat after me:  "Every sound I hear draws me more into the presence of this moment."

And so it will be.

Wishing you much peace,
Tammy
x

PS.  A few changes over on my Etsy page - from its name to some new additions:

Mini journal covers....

 

 

And a book to journal in....

 

 

This is so adorable!  And a great reminder of what is needed this week.

 

Rise.  That's right....rise above it all.

 

Om Shanti Love