Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle where we share a slower pace and get creative at the same time. 
For this post, I will be sharing about an Art Journal Spread that I've been working on since late 2023 (now that's going gentle!) 
I've been slowly making progress with lots of layers, fabric cutting and using stamps and making marks with oil pastel. 
My goal is to complete this spread before 2024 has concluded. 
Right now I'm in the midst of adhering the layer of fabric that I cut many months ago as part of the design element. 

The video above shows my process of adding a watch/clock stamp in varying places with pattern and overlapping, showing the passage of time I am expressing through the deeper meaning of this spread. 

I also use black and vibrant green oil pastel, by Faber Castell, making marks in various places. 

I do not include any narration in the video. I recorded it on the weekend while I was home with hubby. I do add a few notes to the screen clarifying what I am doing. So if you want a peek behind the scenes of playing in  my art journal, this is for you! 

My delight is for you to be inspired with your own creative pursuits! You are welcome to engage in whatever inspires you creatively while you watch. It's an 8 minute video, so just enough time to do something fun and inspiring! 

If you haven't already, and if you enjoy the video, please give it a like, leave a comment (either below or on my YouTube, and subscribe. I truly appreciate your support. 

I had fun filming this for you and I trust that fun with translate to you as you watch! 

​Remember that Gentle is Magic! 

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we pace ourselves and do what we love to keep balance in our lived full of responsibilities! 
For this post, I will be sharing about 2 of my favorite art supplies as a response to the Question from Karen Abend who is the host of Sketchbook Revival! I had so much fun watching some of the art sessions from varying artists that Karen interviewed, and I decided to share my favorite art supplies, both below and in a video where I actually demonstrate why I love them so much. 

I had so much fun demonstrating the different things I love to do with these two supplies that I use daily. From lettering and illustrating to coloring and choosing how to highlight the bits I draw.

The Pentel pen is EXCELLENT for fine detail in my lettering and illustrating, and the Neocolor IIs are great for vibrant color and texture! 

Come join me for some fun art inspiration as we celebrate our favorite art supplies together! 

What is your favorite art supply and why do you love it so much? You're welcome to share below in the comments! I'd love to hear from you. 

I so appreciate your view on my YouTube Channel videos and your subscribing; it means a lot to me. 
Enjoy and remember that Gentle is Magic! 

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle! I love sharing the easy approach I'm taking to the Inktober 2024 event where we draw with ink from a prompt list provided; and I am getting inspired!

For Day 9, Sun was the prompt and I decided to put my own artistic twist on it and drew a fashion ensemble inspired by the Sun! How fun is that? 

I love the spiral as a design element and used it to create a sun motif for fashion I created from my imagination! And how fun is that? 

Sunshine on my shoulders! Yes, the top features a sun-patterned motif with sun-patterned scarf with a sunny pleated skirt, also with sandals and jewelry to match! I really enjoyed bringing this "vision" to life on the page! 

I initially used fine pen to draw the basic structure, which includes some highlights to create more depth and dimension, plus oil pastel in yellow and gold to liven it up with some color, since fashion just inspires me to get creative with color. I would so wear this if it existed in form! (hey, you never know...maybe some day!) 

I really enjoy drawing my own wardrobe choice each evening in my sketchbook journal so I thought I would take a similar approach with this Inktober prompt of sun for Day 9. 

The video shows my process from start to finish. There is a bit of light wash-out toward the end since I had a light in the background as well as on the desktop, just so you know. But you can still see the design being created.  

Thanks so much for reading/watching as I share my Inktober journey with you! I am having so much fun and thought you would appreciate the fun vibe too! 

Are you doing Inktober? Let me know in the comments! 
And remember that Gentle is Magic! 

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we talk about making things easier and paying attention to what works for us! 

For today's post, I am sharing a video about a certain collection I created for 2024, my LAUGH Collection, and how the collection served its purpose until it didn't. I describe the decision making process for making a change to something I intended to do for the whole year and why I decided to take a different approach. 

It's important to pay attention to the Collections in your bullet journal and whether or not they are serving the original purpose for which they were intended. 

It's always about how your life is improved, organized, inspired or how you can create a focal point that you look forward to working/playing with in your journaling practice. 

My Laugh Collection worked for several months, but as time waned, not so much. So I found another approach that I describe in the video! 

It's ok to change things up to suit your own aesthetic. That's what I love about bullet journaling. It is so customizable from month to month, as I make my pages, I can evaluate what stays, what goes and what to add if there is a new focal point that has come onto my radar that is worth paying attention to in its own space. 

If you are new to bullet journaling, I wanted to record this video to share with you my experience with my Laugh Collection and what the purpose of it was and how it has worked (or not) up until now. I hope it helps you with the decision making process as you make pages in your bullet journal each month. 

Let me know how it's going for you! I'd love to hear about your journaling practice! It's one of my favorite subjects! 

Thanks for watching/reading and subscribing to my channel. Remember I have The Art of Journaling videos right here on my website with tips and prompts for you to run with, as well as The Art of Journaling Prompt Play Book & The Art of Journaling Toolbox! Enjoy! 

​And remember that Gentle is Magic! 

Hello and Welcome back to Going Gentle! I happen to be involved in drawing the prompts for Inktober 2024 this year, but I'm taking it as I have time, being gentle with myself with not doing too much, in addition to my other art practices.  

(If you would like to see the first post featuring Day 1 & 3, click here.)

So Day 4 prompt was EXOTIC. I had no clue what I wanted to do for that. So I asked hubby, Bill, what was the first thing that came to mind with the word Exotic. He said, A Flamingo! We both love birds so I wasn't surprised he chose wildlife with birds in particular as his reply. 

So I decided to run with that. Flamingos are gorgeous birds! And I had fun with this one, with the feathery detail and the distinct characteristics, which I've never drawn before. 

Wildlife or animals in general on not my usual fare for the most part as far as subject matter goes. I'm often doing faces or fashion, or little illustrations of my activity from my day. So I'm broadening my horizons and hopping onto those observation skills to get my Inktober on! 

I've included an image of the final drawing, but I've also provided a video above of the process, 7 minutes on higher speed. My delight is for you to be inspired to get your creative on too! I'm having fun, so I thought I'd invite you along for the action! 

​Enjoy and remember that Gentle is Magic! 

Hello and Welcome back to Going Gentle! Today I am excited to share some sketches I've done as I decided to take part in Inktober 2024, where you sketch (daily if possible) from a list of subject matter. 

I managed to get a day one sketch of my backpack which you can see below. I worked on this one last evening (10/2/24) after I did my usual journaling practice of narrative and illustration. 

Today I decided to run with the boots subject. I was closer to the boots so they are larger and didn't fit into the page fully. I also determined to record my session on video so you can watch my process. At first I come from the right side, and then I change to the left so you can see better my process as I'm sketching. 

I really enjoyed the process and my delight is for you to be inspired with your own creative projects whatever they may be. 

Enjoy the video and leave a comment about what you're working on right now, whether it's drawing or something else entirely! Let's support each other in community, shall we?

And remember that Gentle is Magic! 

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we talk about being in the moment, taking it slow and paying attention to detail, all with a gentle approach! 

I'm excited to share with you an In the Studio "moment" When Inspiration Struck Me and I ended up doing something fun and spontaneous just to see "what would happen." In other words, EXPERIMENT! 

I absolutely love it when inspiration strikes, especially when it's spontaneous, in the moment, not over thinking, but just PLAYING, really...do you ever have moments like that? When you least expect it? 

Well, I did have something that got the whole thing started. I was watching Day 1, Session 2 of Sketchbook Revival with Janine Vangool sharing an inventory of art supplies. After a watching for a bit, I decided to bring the recording in to my studio space and use that active inspiration to do something with my current art journal spread...

So I did! And I show you clearly in the video what I experimented with! 
I used several items: 
Packing paper with cutouts
Roller
Black Gouache paint
Scissors
Matte medium for gluing

I show you what I was attempting to do and when I ended up doing instead. And you know what? I took a very gentle approach with the whole process. No expectation, just experimentation and the joy that comes from trying things! Yes!
​
And then I decided to record it in the moment (with messy hair and all!) and share it with you! 

I trust you will be inspired to get going on something that has been waiting in the wings or starting something altogether knew that you've been thinking about...

What did I learn? When Inspiration Strikes, Seize the Moment! Yes! And enjoy the process to the full. 
You deserve to take the time to get creative. You just never know what you'll discover! 

Journaling Prompt: 
Describe in detail the last time you felt Inspiration in the moment and what you did about it. How did the process impact you? Were you encouraged? Happy? Energized? 

I have also included videos from previous segments of this art journal spread I've been working on in case you want to review up until this new one I'm sharing. 

I hope you get seriously inspired and seize the moment...today! 
Remember that Gentle is Magic! 

Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we focus on what really matters to our heart of hearts! In this post, I am sharing an unconventional sketchbook flip through starting back about 6 years ago (2018?) This sketchbook covers a LOT of ground and with changes in media over time. 

In the video, I share a non linear approach since it involved many projects, from pen and marker illustration to making colored pencil and pastel art for my Podcast, The Way I See It, to doing pen illustration combining cartooning and fashion. It's all in there and I share the visual and talk about each project in depth. 

Some are super special, like family member pencil or marker and pen sketches; others are more for visuals that I used on my website. 

Coming up with visual art for content I was creating was deeply satisfying and fun. 

Some use sketchbooks for urban sketching with buildings and people out in public spaces. Some use it for sketching wildlife and nature. 

In this sketchbook, it was more about illustrating (whether faces or fashion) and some cartooning since those subjects have always been of interest to me. 

I love being able to change up my media to keep things fresh so I don't fall into an artistic rut which can lead to boredom. I am blessed to have various tools of the trade in my studio practice, which, of course, has taken years to acquire and use with skill. 

I dove into drawing with pencil as a child and dabbled with pen and ink later in my youth, so there's that history I have experienced over time. 

I still love trying out new tools and learning how they work best for the effects I am looking to create, that are the most visually appealing and satisfying to my eye. To me, that's all that matters. If I'm happy, then I know I'm on the right track. 

Oh, and FUN. I say that word frequently as I share different projects from my sketchbook in the video. 
I'm always looking and enquiring about how I can inject fun in to my sketchbook, whether this one where I'm showing drawings and illustrations or the sketchbook I use for my daily journaling, where I use hand lettering to illustrate what I did in my day as well as my wardrobe pieces, which you can see on my fashion page here. 

If you desire to start a sketchbook, don't worry about what others are doing and compare what you're doing. Of course there is a place to be Inspired by other artists (I follow many!) but I always come back to what makes me happy. Faces, fashion, and hand lettering. Always go with subject matter that you are drawn to, no matter what it is. And look for inspiration in varying places. Not just online. But what's right in front of you. 

Follow your curiosity and see where it leads. Follow your artistic heart! 
And let me know if you keep a sketchbook practice for any reason; I'd love to hear about it in the comments! 
​Do enjoy the video of my sketchbook flip through and remember that Gentle is Magic! 

Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we find ways to get more present and make life easier for ourselves! For this post, I am sharing with you a video I've titled A Scarf Extravaganza, where I share my in-real-time process of sorting and organizing my growing collection of scarves. 

If you know me, or if you have watched any of my fashion styling videos, you will see that I wear scarves pretty much every day. They have become an essential part of my wardrobe. I'm sorta, kinda obsessed with them. Ha! I always find myself scouting about looking for new colors, designs and fun fashionable looks with scarves whether from retails stores (often on clearance!) to estate sales and even antique shops! You just never know when I'll come up with one that simply suits my aesthetic and is a color I've been searching for for a while! Yes! 

In recent months, I've found myself struggling to keep it all organized. I came upon some great options for creating more ease with my colorful collection and decided it was time to sort and organize what I've got. 

So I decided to film the whole process (it took about 30 mins from start to finish) and share it with you; perhaps it will inspire you with getting your own collections of accessories in better shape if it's been a while since you've done so. 

At this writing, we are heading into autumn, but this can work any time of the year! So if you're interested in watching my behind-the-scenes scarf extravaganza, I'd love for you to join me. Even organizing can be FUN when it's all about FASHIION, Right?? 

My process was to start sorting by type, not necessarily by weight. And it seemed to move rather logically as I worked through the process, And then deciding where each scarf would go was the fun part too! 

Would you like to see where we started and where we ended up? Well, watch the video and see what it's all about! I'm having so much fun sharing my FASHION experiences with you! And if you're a scarf fan, leave a comment below! Let me know which scarf I show is your favorite or one from your own wardrobe. Yes, one of the perks of watching the video is you get to see most if not all of the scarves in my collection, from animal print to florals, to plaids and beyond! Yay! 

So without further ado, Enjoy watching A Scarf Extravaganza! See you on the other side (wearing a scarf, of course)! 

And Remember to have FUN WITH FASHION! 

Hello friends and welcome back to Going Gentle, a place where we celebrate the ways that we tune in to what helps us slow down, get in the moment and appreciate what brings great satisfaction. In this post, I am sharing with you some new MUSIC, which I am super excited about! Music is such an integral part of who I am as an artist, song writer and composer of melody given to me through my spiritual practice. 

Here’s a bit of context: when I have my spiritual practice, I mix prayer, meditation, study and song writing, and I record those melodies for future reference. So a few months ago, I went back to those recordings and found one I wrote in September of 2023 called The Magic. ​

I love the word Magic since it encompasses so many aspects of life, from creative expression to listening to your heart, hearing from your Higher Self, and seeing that Magic is the Divine Spark in each of us. 

Making this melody really opened my eyes to recognizing where the Magic resides, such as in the twinkle is someone’s eye as they look on you with love, or the creative hand that makes magic happen through many avenues that make a difference and bring satisfaction. 

The more I pay attention to where I see and experience Magic as the Divine Spark, the more I see and feel it rise up in my heart and flow out to others and it flows back to me. It’s a wonderful circle I want to live in all the time!  Don’t you? 

I have offered the lyrics to The Magic​ below so when you watch/listen to the music, you can follow/sing along if you like! 

The Magic
Written & Composed by Dawn Herring

The Magic in Your Eyes
Always takes me by surprise
It twinkles and it shows
the Love I’ve come to know

The Magic in Your Hands
That moves at your command
Bringing Goodness my way
I am grateful today

Chorus:
Magic in Your Eyes
Magic in Your Hands
I see your love arise
The sweetness is Alive
Magic in Your Heart
Magic You impart
Bringing Joy and Gladness to my heart

Vs 2
The Magic in Your Heart
Never Departs
Always Ready to Show
And My heart knows

The Magic You impart
Is a Gift from the start
Ready to Deliver 
​Right now

Bridge:
I feel it right now
It amazes me
Filling me up
Consistently
I love the magic in my way
That you gift to me
Thank you for the magic that you give

You’re the Joy and Gladness in my heart

I’ve included in the video some footage of some very important people who bring me JOY and Gladness…in my Grandma Heart! (Yes, that includes my new grandson born on the 4th of July…so I get to share my birthday with him!) Also included are clips of my sketching the eye of each of my grandsons using 6B pencil, which is like Magic for me as an artist! (The eyes are the window to the soul, as they say!) 

Please enjoy the music from my heart to yours. 

May the Magic of the Divine Spark touch your heart today! 

Journaling Prompt: 
Where have you see/noticed the Magic of the Divine Spark in yourself? In someone else? What did it feel like? Look Like? Describe it in detail. What emotion did you feel as you experienced it? What activity that you enjoy most brings out that Gentle Divine Spark in you? 

Remember that Gentle is Magic!