How Collections Work & When to Change It Up
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!
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Sketching Backpack & Boots for Inktober 2024
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! When It's All One Big Experiment!
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! It’s Time to Make Some Musical Magic!
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! Making Impactful Marks
Welcome back to Going Gentle! In today's post, I'm sharing an In The Studio video where I feature the many tools of my art trade as I work through subsequent layers of the making of an art journal spread with collage, gesso, and mark making.
I love the whole intuitive process of creating an art journal spread, and this particular spread has been many months in the making. With a combination of collage elements (paper and fabric), plus stamping, and mark making with various tools, it continues to give me a satisfying place to express my emotions and build a history of how I'm feeling each time I come to it. I'm never in a hurry or wonder why it's taking me so long to complete. It's not about the final "product", so to speak; it's all about listening. To my heart, to my soul, to those intuitive nudges, to the colors and textures I'm drawn to use and make. In the video, I share specific tools from my art studio stash that come in handy with the visual interest I am building with my current spread. As you watch, it is my delight for you to be inspired to follow your own heart with your creative expression no matter what media you choose! Enjoy and you're welcome to share below in the comments about what tool you liked the most and how I used it in my art journal spread. My goal and aim with art journaling is not to be rushed but to Go Gently and intuitively, honoring my heart's message and what it has to say. I want to be always listening. I wish you the same. And remember that Gentle is Magic! Are You Getting Stuck in Indecision?
Welcome back to Going Gentle, where we talk about every day strategies to decrease our stress and increase our peace!
Have you ever found yourself stuck in the decision making process and you're just not sure which way to go with something? We've all been there, right? But how frequently does this happen? Every day? It can help to have reliable strategies to help ourselves get UNSTUCK while in the process of deciding what to do in any given situation. For more complex issues, it can help to compare the Pros with the Cons. Writing down the details of what you are deciding and making it visual can sometimes make all the difference. (I talk about this more in the video.) One of the issues and keys to making an informed decision is to GET Clarity on the issue you're addressing. Sometimes writing down and/or keeping track of your decisions and why you made them and then looking back on how it turned out can turn out to be a learning process so you can get more strategic next time! I talk about other ways to make decision making easier in the video, so you're welcome to check it out! Nothing is more challenging than feeling STUCK, because we want to get UNstuck ASAP but we're often uncertain as to how. It can help to trust ourselves more by looking back on where we went right with decisions in the past; so take the time to reflect! It might just give you the clue you're looking for!
Journaling Prompt:
What was your most recent success with making a decision. Detail the ins and outs of the context, any relationship impacted, and why it went right. Now contrast that with a decision that went inevitably wrong and where you got derailed in the process of that decision. What didn't you see coming? What did you learn from that decision so you can avoid that same trajectory next time? Don't beat yourself up when your decision doesn't work out. Just Learn and Live! And remember that Gentle is Magic! Do You Expect the Unexpected?
Well, here is a Big Unexpected Surprise! Welcome to my new blog, Going Gentle! It's been something on my heart for about 18 months and I decided to follow through with where my heart was leading me. So here we are!
What is Going Gentle about? Essentially, really recognizing what your own aesthetic is and gently implementing the smallest of steps to uplevel your creativity in every area of your life and do so with confidence! I will continue to share the content you have come to expect: journaling, creative tips for your Gentle Journey and some fashion inspiration to Gently break out of the box to inspire Freedom in the way you dress. I love feeling confident with every decision I make and every step I take, and I want you to feel the same way. And Going Gentle means slowing down enough to know what decision is right for you in any situation. When you Go Gentle, it's Magical. So, without further ado, Here we go with our Walk & Chat with Dawn video, where I share a word about The Unexpected and what that Gentle approach could look like for you going forward. Sometimes the Unexpected is a Delight and sometimes, not so much. We may find ourselves getting derailed. So, watch the video for my take on self care during difficult times that we didn't see coming. (and thank you for subscribing, liking and commenting on my videos; it means a lot to me to have your support!) Journaling Prompt: How can you Go Gentle with yourself when met with an unexpected life event? Detail ways that you can uplevel your self care and how you can Get Creative with Taking Care of Yourself when you need it most. Make a list of those activities that nourish your soul and support you when you're stressed. And remember to breathe! Nice deep breathes, inhale, exhale. Inhale Gentleness, Exhale stress. Wishing you well with whatever is unexpected in your life right now. And always remember that Gentle is Magic! |
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AuthorHi. I'm Dawn Herring, Artist, Creative, Journal Keeper and I'm here to share with you ways to Uplevel Your Creativity with a Gentle Vibe so you can experience and recognize your own aesthetic, like a breath of fresh air, walking in confidence in every area of life! So let's Go Gentle Together because Gentle is Magic! Archives
October 2024
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