Out of the Ashes with Art Journaling
Hello friends! Like I promised in a previous video, I have completed the art journal spread that I have titled, Out of the Ashes, that I started in Late 2023. This spread is more than deeply personal; it is somewhat of a demarcation point due to the life change this spread has helped me work through.
My father passed in January of 2023 and my mother passed in January of 2024. So my grieving process has included the very intuitive and spiritual practice of my art journal. As I have worked through my loss, I have expressed those emotions through gouache paint, fabric, stamping, collage, oil and water soluable pastel, plus embelishments such as sequins. So many layers have gone into this particular spread. I started with an idea of using a floral motif in the center of a night sky with moonbeams coming out, as a way to express Coming up out of the ashes (which symbolize the passing of my parents) with the idea of growing through the process and learning to live anew with my parents in spirit. So I cut strips of fabric (which you can see in the first video below). Then I had the idea of putting splashes of paint on the substrate (see next video). Then I started collaging papers, both brown paper, and paper from dream notes I take in the morning) and adding layers of gesso in between. I also used several stamps in the process: one was a small floral stamp to unify the floral in the center adding green highlights with oil pastel crayon; another was a clock/watch stamp which represents the passage of time, from childhood til now; then I used letter stamps to spell out Ashes across the page in between the fabric strips (which I did toward the end of the process.) Once I was satisfied with the layering on the substrate, then I put down the fabric strips that feature a night sky with moon and stars. I see the strips as moon beams. Then I hand lettered the words "out of the" using oil pastel and water soluable pastel crayon in black and white on brown paper. I did the same with ASHES, hand lettering. And then adhering. Then I used silver, black, white and green pastel highlighting the fabric strips, accentuating the idea of moonbeams. Lastly I added green sequins as an embellishment. I wanted to brighten things up a bit. (I've had these sequins in a jar mixed with beads and buttons for many years! It pays to gather supplies when you see them since you never know when you'll use them!)
I wanted to finish this spread, Out of the Ashes, by year's end, to have closure with my parent's passings and move into the New Year with a fresh start. I'm glad I did. I have had 4 sessions over the holiday season, following my intuitive nudges with each session, noting what was working and what wasn't working. (I decided against buttons which was the original idea with my design and instead used sequins to accentuate the design elements.
I really wanted to share the finishing of the project with you as I have given you glimpses of my process with videos over time so you can see the ins and outs behind the scenes. It is important to me to share this process with you so you can be along for my journey. Thanks for warching, reading and subscribing to my YouTube Channel in support of my work. Your presence here means the world to me; I wouldn't want to do this without you! So thank you for being here. My delight is to continue sharing my artistic/spiritual journey with you in the coming year of 2025. I hope to see you here! Happy New Year And remember that Gentle is Magic!
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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! Let's Have Some Fashion Fun with a Scarf Extravaganza!
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! 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! What if We Could Choose Just One Thing?
Welcome back to Going Gentle where we talk about strategies we can use every day to decrease our stress and increase our peace! This week we're talking about a way we can set the tone for our day and feel the most accomplished and relaxed by Choosing Just One Thing! I talk about the benefits of following the strategy of One Thing so we don't feel so overwhelmed with the Many Things on our To Do list. We all have them, don't we? Sometimes it can be helpful to take a closer look at what we want to accomplish and determine what we think would have the most impact, leaving us feeling confident and more relaxed. And who doesn't want to feel that way every day? The more relaxed we can feel, the more we can do with ease and flow, rather that stress and constriction. What would be your ONE Thing to choose today that would set your day in the right direction? Perhaps it would be helpful to take it to your journal for some clarity on the subject! ![]()
Journaling Prompt:
Make a list or reference the one you already have and ask yourself the question: What would ONE Thing on this list accomplished make the most difference in my day today? Is it something I'm putting off? Something time consuming? Consider your list and choose one thing to do. When you're finished, record a follow up entry describing if it made a difference in how you felt afterwards. Did you get more done? Were you more at ease with yourself? Yay if so! It's all about being aware of what creates stress and choosing ways to increase our peace! Remember that Gentle is Magic! There's No Place LIke Home!
Welcome back to Going Gentle where we talk about daily strategies to decrease our stress and increase our Peace! This week, we're talking about what makes us feel most at home and when to determine it is time for a Homecoming of sorts! (I'm not referring here to a family reunion or school reunion but those are fun too!) We often put off the things that bring us the most joy in the busyness of life, but what happens when we put it off for too long? Do we forget the benefits of engaging in things that speak to and feed our souls? What about the satisfaction we can experience after doing something that feels most like home to us? These things are vitally important for our well being. As we choose to Go Gentle with ourselves, that includes not only reducing what stresses us (or eliminating it all together), but also Enhancing our Lives with what brings us the most JOY and ENERGY! So, let's not put off what we love; let's make it a priority! I give some ideas on what brings me great satisfaction in the recesses of my own soul and why you would benefit doing the same. Of course, this is never to guilt you but to inspire you toward what makes you feel the most At Home. Because Home is Where the Heart Is, and how you feel in your heart matters! So let's have a Homecoming together! Share in the comments what feels most like HOME to you. I want to cheer you on! ![]()
Journaling Prompt:
Make a list of the places or activities that give you that feeling of HOME. What is it about that place or activity that lifts your spirit and gives you energy? Put one of those things on your daily calendar and start today with a Homecoming of your own. And remember that Gentle is Magic! It is Party Time?
Welcome back to Going Gentle, where we talk about every day strategies to decrease our stress and increase our peace! For today's post, I thought I would address the issue of being down in the dumps and how a Personal Party might be just the thing to get ourselves back to a better place and mindset! In the video, I share several ideas for a Personal Party and how this can change the energy to help give us a fresh perspective, since, sometimes, that's what we need! Have you ever had a day where you just felt grumpy and couldn't quite shake it off? Have you ever considered what you could do to get yourself into a better space? The last thing we want is to stay stuck in stagnant energy that drags us down, leaving us feeling exhausted and unhappy. We sometimes need to take Gentle Action toward creating a shift, to shake things up a a bit, but in a way that is fun and uplifting! What will you do to get yourself out of the dumps? Share below what works for you! I 'd love to hear about it and others may benefit from what you do as well! We are here for each other in community as we Go Gentle together! ![]()
Journaling Prompt:
Detail the last time you felt "down in the dumps" and what might have triggered such a feeling. Now write a list of the things that help you create that shift in the energy, that make you feel vibrant and alive. Now pick one of those things and do it as soon as possible! One goal is to get out of that stuck place. A secondary goal is to prevent getting IN that stuck place! Let's take preventative action to stay aligned with positive, healthy energy that leaves us feeling peaceful and satisfied. And remember that Gentle is Magic! Are You Emotionally Aligned to Receive?
Hello friends and Welcome back to Going Gentle where we share strategies to decrease our stress and increase our peace! For today's post/video, we focusing on our Heart's Desires and how we can more gently align vibrationally to manifest those desires! In the video, I talk about the issue of resistance we may be creating without even knowing we are! How? With our emotions. I share some tips on how to resolve this resistance. How can you tell when you are creating resistance? Ask yourself the question: How am I feeling when I think about what I desire? We are often completely unaware of how we're feeling at any given time, but especially when it comes to our emotional state in connection with what we desire in our hearts. It really doesn't matter what those desires entail, whether it's for something specific that you're drawn to out of curiosity or something that you have held on to for many years that you would love to do or experience. What your heart desires is there for a reason! So don't get frustrated...instead get grateful! Now I know that can be hard to do, especially when it feels like what you want will never happen. That can certainly be disheartening. I completely understand! I've been there myself! But I find that when I engage with what I already have, reminding myself of how blessed I am, that I feel so much better! Less stressed, more at peace. And that's what we all want, right? So here's to attracting what we desire because we already appreciate what we've got! ![]()
Journaling Prompt:
What is your most cherished heart's desire? Do you have a dream of doing something fun, inspiring or maybe life changing, but it seems so out of reach? How have you felt about this dream? Are you frustrated or determined, aligning with gratitude for where you are right now? What would get you into that positive space in a short amount of time? Consider doing that right now! Don't hesitate! And remember that Gentle is Magic! Why Choose Pressure When We Can Choose Presence?
Hello and Welcome Back to Going Gentle, where we talk about strategies we can use to decrease our stress and increase our peace! For this week's video, we're talking about the Mundane; and how we can choose to be present with all the tasks we do on a daily basis rather than getting stressed out and pressured by what we need to do next. Do you always find yourself in a hurry to get things done? All the time, right? We just can't seem to slow down our pace enough to actually appreciate our own efforts when we do what needs doing! Well, we can change that! Watch the video to get my take on the mundane and how we can approach it completely differently for well being and self care in the process. Every moment matters in this life; why waste it stressing out when we can bring calm and peace to our every day? Let's determine together to pay attention, stay aware and be in the MOMENT as much as possible. Our hearts (and bodies!) will thank us! ![]()
JOURNALING PROMPT:
What was the last mundane tasks you did? Where was your mind as you accomplished that task? Thinking ahead? Were you stressed out or calm in the process? Note the details of that time and strategize how you can Stay in the Moment the next time and see how different you feel. What sense do you like to use when staying in the moment with a task? Consistent awareness can really help to make the mundane more magical! Imagine that! 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
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