Journal Artist Spotlight - Samantha Kira

An artist and avid journal keeper I've followed for quite a few years now, is the talented Samantha Kira aka The Journal Girl. Her handmade journals are filled to the brim with colour and utter beauty, I get mesmerized by her work for long periods of time, shes inspired me to start working with bright vibrant rainbow like blocks of colour in my own work. Which is a new and invigorating experience to me!


Just recently Samantha has brought out collage sheets featuring some of her bright and beautiful coloured artworks to spice up the pages of your journal if you get stuck for ideas or just want something a little left of center. click the image below to take you to her collage sheets for sale.


if you are interested in journal workshops but the budget is tight! some of Samantha's workshops are at a very affordable price, starting from as little as $10US you can jump into her world. I for one, will be taking the workshop below in the following weeks.


If binding your own journal just seems a little too much, Sam has a custom journal section on her blog (click away to a custom journal) Another gift to myself in the coming weeks, yes I can bind my own and all that jazz, but her work just awes me so much I have to own my own journal made by her.

This beautiful Journal artist has inspired so much inside of me, and I thank her for all shes done, even though she doesn't know it, she has helped light that rainbow fire in my heart again.
That is worth its weight in gold to me.

Please check out her website and her store, there is something for any journal keeper I can assure you more than just one item, there are several!!

enjoy your weekend inside the pages of your journal! I know I will
xx Courtney

**Please note all images and links included in this post have been used with FULL permission for Samantha Kira Harding.

Inspiration Saturday.

A few of my favourite Journal related Muse Lifters.


The Intricate Penwork of Teesha Moore.

The Enchanting Work of Suzi Blu

The Beautiful Work Of Donna Downey



And Over at The Design Sponge
is this adorable tute on reusing papers and things to create little journals/notebooks
a simple and fast way to create a journal if you're lacking that element.

Tutorial Here

thats all from me for Saturday, Soph or I will be back next weekend with some more inspiration for you guys
xx - C

Cut Out Poetry..

Cut Out Poetry is one of my favourite things to create.

You will need:
A pretty article from a magazine (make sure it contains lots of lovely words)
Glue
Scissors
A nice little spot in your journal to create your poem.

Method:

Cut out some lovely words and let your imagination take them on a journey.
I sometimes start with an idea, but often the words I find will determine where the poem will go.
Be free, don't worry about punctuation or grammar.
Glue the words in when you are happy.
Sit back and admire your lovely new creation.

You can try this with old book pages too.
Glue onto stock card and frame for a lovely piece of unique artwork.

Have fun creating!
S xx

A sketchbook is a place to put your heart and soul.

Let it out into the wild; we’ll keep you connected.

We know how precious a sketchbook is. You carry it with you everywhere, spending months working on it. It becomes a part of you. When you're finished, share your hard work with the world. We'll make sure you stay connected with your sketchbook as it tours the country and after we catalog it in The Brooklyn Art Library.



if your interested in this amazing experience pop on over to The Sketchbook Project

x C & S

The brilliant Donna Downey

The fab work of Journal Artist, Donna Downey, where every wednesday she uploads her journal page shes working on, and also a video into how she did it!
great for writers stuck in a rut...or for something outside the box.

check out her delightful blog
she also is our journal seller of the week! she makes awesome canvas and thick cardstock journals. Stunning!


keep writing
xx C

a book every journal keeper must have.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, is all about the practice of journal writing. It is not about how to write short stories, poetry, novels, magazine articles, or anything else as structured as that. It is about the writer, alone with a pen and a notebook, simply writing.


let it change your life.

xx C

a few little prompts

sometimes finding a journal you love isn't the issue its how to keep it going, to keep the pages being filled with wondrous words. I suffer from this more than any other thing, I have many blank beautiful journals in my stash of notebooks, but then I get one off the shelf and Im left staring blankly at a blank page, which leaves me feeling unmotivated and kinda depressed. So in order to help you stop becoming me here are a few prompts I've found that have helped me keep my journal flowing.


Journaling Prompt - Sit yourself in a favorite spot, or imagine an ideal place and describe it as an expanding bubble or sphere. Start with the center which is you, how you feel, your thoughts. Slowly expand, taking note of subtle nuances around you. Expand the sphere beyond your field of vision

Journaling Prompt - Creating lists can be a provocative way of assessing your creative internal thoughts and can spur insightful contemplation. When writing your lists, write what comes to mind, even if you feel it is a bit odd. List 15 things that change. List 15 things that do not change. (Hint don't stop at ten, challenge yourself; go on to 15.) Continue by using your lists for journal entry subjects, fiction or non-fiction writing.

I love this one:
Journaling Prompt - Make a record of "acts of compassion" that you observe in your life and around you.
before you know it you'll have pages of things that matter, instead of blank.

take your time, and enjoy the process
xx C