Always inspired in the morning

     ............I 

have never tried to journal here using my phone.  First for everything.   I cannot believe how long it had been since I have posted.   Years have gone by.   I am happier now than ever.  God is so good to me.   I have had to work 3 jobs.  .My husband and best friend had a bout with cancer.  Art making was put on hold.   We have many things that have broken our hearts but my God delivers comForts and restores.
I am doing DLP this year.  My head is swimming with ideas.

Self love

Come Home

Your best friends with the word regret

Your afraid that your life's been wasted

So why hope if it's only gonna let you down?

You don't think people really change

Your a mess and you'll always be the same

And you doubt if you'll ever get it turned around



Chorus

So (I know) you've been running, searching for something

But you're looking in a place you don't belong

But it's never to late, you can't outrun grace

No, Mercy doesn't care what you've done

Come Home 

You can try to fix your broken empire

Put bricks on a cracked foundation

But you'll be building castles on the sand

There's power in the blood of Jesus

"Your father's screaming Just Come Home!"

He's reaching out His hands


Bridge

From the shadows , From the wrong roads

From the darkness, From the unknown

To redemption, Something beautiful

To a new love, to new home

Canvas board Journal

I made this art journal from a canvas board that I had painted and collaged in a butterfly theme.  The pages within are watercolor paper.  It is more intimidating to work in this book than a fifty cent composition book.  I hope to fill it 2012.

Ask

We are all artists of some kind.  The only way to discover and develop our unique giftings is to be comfortable expressing the artist that we are.  I will always have that structural tension between what I had envisioned in my head and what actually happens at the end of my paint brush.  I think it drives me.  

Hope all are well and making ART

Valerie Brown

Only God can make a tree

Journal page from last January.  I am wondering why I can't pin images from my blog to pinterest.  Today I have a few projects I hope to accomplish.  I need to have good examples for classes this week.

Inner Voice

Entry into my junque art journal.

 Most of it was done while carrying on in the 2008 mixed media class.  While I was planning the class I wanted to wrap my mind around how to express to them what I meant by internal dialog.   That internal dialog we have that makes us randomly laugh or become quiet. While you are doing everyday things this voice in you brings gems for Art Journaling. I am trying to remember the "inside" jokes of the day.  Expressing the day visually.

 I know, I know voices in my head .......   One artist described it as the material for wildly entertaining and moving journals...Collect along your journey.

   I have no idea who the reggae band is under the v I Liked the energy they brought to the page.

Testing to see if mobile down load works.  Hooray it did !
This is a picture of the Sanibel lighthouse.  What a beautiful place.
This may be the place I record all of my art adventures because my other blogs do not seem to work with my mobile phone or other accounts.  All this technology is way over my learning curve !!!

Junque Journal

glimpse inside my junque journal.
Most of this journal is done during technique demonstration. I think I like about half of my pages. It is the process and the "book" that I love.

This is my junkiest junque journal. Classes start in a month. I will ask my class if they mind my sharing the journey here.
Creative blessings
Valerie

A few journals. I am trying to figure out how to upload from my phone that would help with my blogging.

Artiscape 2011

Artiscape 2011 hosted by European papers my Junque journal page

I am wrapping up one of my journals today. As I flip the pages I can't help but reflect on what I have been through and how I have changed in the past year and a half. Some of it has me singing the lyrics to songs I have put here. Some reflections on heartache makes me weep. My art journals have many names and uses. They are a place I go to to be soothed to rest and to get inspired and reflect. When I want to learn more about something my art journal contains all the facts and my responses. Collages, scraps ephemera of my journey are all glued in place. A visual chronicle of my life are contained here. Some folks reminisce at the beginning of a new year. I do at the end of a journal.
If I could sum up the journey recorded here. I would say I decided what my treasure was. I drew up a map. I kept my focus with a can do attitude. I took responsibility for my own happiness. I found Joy!!!
I hope to encourage others to discover and express the artist that they are.
Art journaling is an excellent form to work out your dreams, Discover Joy, It is a no-fail art playground. I hope you all are having fun with it.

Chunky Page

Chunky Heart page. Trying out some grunge/chunky things.

Happy Valentines Day!!!!

A couple chunky "fat" book pages Joined a journaling workshop offered by strathmore. Ilove the first assignment but it means I need to print some of my art and I have no ink OH Bother

My junque journal for 2011. Today for my journaling I finished my 2010 journal by putting Garry's gift tags that were on my Christmas presents in my book. They say things like to Cindi bear from Yogi and stuff like that. We have been making goofy tags to one another for 20 years. Anyway, I have been making chunky book pages again. I wrote a page recipe for a thread at afa. I love doing the art thing.
hugs to whomever is reading.

Continuing to trade atcs I really love keep ing my journals I feel more like me when I am art making.

My art is a celebration of His goodness toward me.

When God created those first 7 days He declared each thing “good”. His creation was good before it was useful. I believe it is useful because it is good. I believe the same of the arts and my “creations”. If I work to express His goodness He will bring results.

My art is a celebration of His goodness toward me.

This is a collage on the inside cover of my journal. I love this green I have no idea what it is called. Today, I get to make art with one of my favorite people. I have been drawing eyes, spraying and salting watercolor backgrounds, making atcs, zentangles, altered playing cards, decorated elephants...... Atc recipe cards are next. Thanksgiving weekend is a birdathon. I am gathering reference material for that weekend.

This is part of my testimony:

Before Christ, I had no power within myself to do what is good and right. I had no example in my life that reflected the love and grace of God. I was divorced, a single mom of 2 children. At one point I worked a full time job, worked two nights a week and cleaned houses, while taking classes at Columbus State. I was exhausted I cried all the time. My children seemed to be sick all the time. I hated life, I hated myself, I was headed for another bad decision. I did not want my children to grow up to be immoral people. I went to my brother’s church expecting the people there to be full of distain for me. I expected however they would receive my children. I was addicted, self destructive, and immoral. What I met in the church were people who accepted me where I was. I accepted that I was a sinner. I believed in His atoning sacrifice for my sin. I made a decision to turn my life over to God. After receiving Christ my church family counseled and loved me out of the life I was living and into a hope in Christ Jesus. I knew what hell looked like. I had experienced it. I realized He saved me. He rescued me. I adored Him. I broke off relationships and learned a new way of living. I found HIM the Lover of my Soul, the one who knew everything about me. I was transformed.

My 2009-2010 journal. I think I have 16 journals going now. I am so happy doing .... I guess you would call these "junque journals" .

I thought I could cut and paste to this blog argh....It has been so long I have forgotten how to paste???

rofl

hugs to all the creatives that may read this.