DancingMermaid » are you delighting your inner muse?

since i have been posting so many of my students art journaling pages lately, i thought it was time to share some of my own! the one above i did last night and it felt SO GOOD to finally have a little playtime for myself. it was the first page i have done in over a month. i choose the treehouse because i am currently dreaming of an art-studio-treehouse for classes and for me. *sigh* how perfect would that be? a treehouse by the sea….

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i read on alex’s blog today about the importance of play. this is so true and i think it is easy to put play at the bottom of the to do list. i really liked how alex talked about scheduling playtime for yourself. i know a lot of moms are constantly arranging playdates for their kids-my question is, are you making time for you to play?

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all i have is a cranky cat to care for, so i do not know firsthand what it is like to be a mom and not have the time. i have heard a lot of stories from my friends who have kids, and i can imagine what the strain of giving all the time can do to one’s creative soul. i actually become angry and resentful if i go too long without personal playtime…resenting anything or one that is coming between me and my art goodies.

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of course really the only person standing in the way is me.

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some of my art journal pages:

as you can see, these are not fancy but they are fun. and fun is good. you want to have fun when you are playing…otherwise, what is the point?

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i have found that getting messy with my journal-coloring outside the lines, having things go out and up and basically just breaking the rules of what you are “supposed” to do with a journal really helps loosen me up. when i try too hard, or put pressure on myself to make something “pretty” or useful (like to sell, or a gift) i start judging my work, getting crabby, and then hating the outcome.

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but this, this i like. i feel like they are accurate pieces of me and where i was in the moment i created them.Â some people do yoga to feel present, some run. i art journal.

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in spirit of this, i created a few art journal kits for my etsy shop. they were really fun to put together and include many of my favorite art materials.

you get a lot of cool stuff here, including a moleskin art journal. (which is what i use)

i think my favorite thing is these little stamps on colored cardstock. i love gold stamping. how cute is that elephant??

i also LOVE this goldfish paper. it is super soft to touch. i think i am going through a goldfish phase. all i want to paint is goldfish.

i also put my rock postcards on sale. they are a great price and need good homes! (lets just say i got a little ambitious when ordering them)

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in support all of you artists out there…the ones that are doing it, the ones that are thinking about doing it, the ones that really want to do it but are having a hard time beginning…my message to you today is to just start. start small and start simple, and go from there.

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and play. always always always play.
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there are no more art journals left in my etsy shop but if you want one i can do a few more….email me at mccabe@dancingmermaid.com.

19 Comments so far

Gorgeous - as usual. I have such difficulty in ‘letting go’ re: creations like this. It’s that ol perfectionism rearing its ugly head. You have shared more of your magic and I am going to give this a whirl. You are my muse!
xo

beautiful and inspirational-as always

love and glitter~

brandi

You know I’m with ya ;P

you are the best.
i love you
j

Just start…..wise words indeed! Enjoyed seeing pages from your art journal.

so last night i say to my man after dinner….i FEEL like i need to create, only i am tired too, i could just watch a movie…he suggests, create in bed. so we bring supplies. and have different music playing in our headphones, but create and play in our journals until we do get so sleepy we lay down. it was a must.
i feel lighter today.
playing is best when we are not attached to selling it.
i always thank you.
but i always mean it
thank you.
a

Thank you for the reminder, I am determined to play for at least a little while every day this week.

I love to play!!! Your art journal pages are so much fun and beautiful- I love the vivid colors and affirmations you’ve used!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. So glad to hear you are back to some playtime for you! YAY! This week is my play week. I have made no plans with friends or family and I get to have all ME TIME! My me time consists of beach walks and soft music and beginning, slowly, to redecorate my bathrooms. My art for this week is creating a space I love to look at. Looking at a pretty space from my bed and another from my couch. Both bathrooms will be this weeks WORK OF ART. Big hug!

your pages
are
b e a u t i f u l

xoxo

ps yayyyyyy plAy!

So much COLOR and beauty and JOY!!!! wowowowowowowowowow!!!!!

so beautiful and inspiring! for so long i’ve been unintentionally hoarding art supplies. i would think: oh i can’t use that i have to wait for a really special project. now i’m more open to using what i have-respecting the process instead of obsessing over the product. play!!!! your art is awesome in its beauty and the spirit of play with which it was created. i have a question: how do you display your images? do you have a scanner or photograph your pages?

these are soooo happy and yummy! i’m so excited to meet you in the messy journal class and play together!!
em xx

art supplies for shakti rising are on the way……(mailed yesterday)
i love all of your journal pages. the tree house is such a perfectly wonderful idea!! can’s wait to see you in november so we can play!
xo
kim

Oh McCabe, you’ve just lifted me right up today! Those pages are just bursting with colour and soul…

Thanks for sharing and inspiring…
xo

Hi Mermaid

Like you I have been getting asked for many years to do workshop stuff but with no real formal training. I do not fit any boxes

I have just been asked to do some ‘masterclasses’ with older people who are just starting out.

I am really into scrapbooking and journalling.(for myself and have done a bit with Mental health peeps)
Do you think I could intro this to them.
I am not in the box and I do not want to leave them feeling like it’s not what they consider art but I frankly think the free stuff is so much more meaningful.
Any tips for how to intro it to them. what I can say/how to explain it’s aim etc
I would be really glad to hear from you.

so beautiful…just like you.

it’s play time for me tonight, so thanks for the fun inspiration. ;-D

i think… that you should contact someone coming to squam so that you can sell some of your lovelies. although, it would be even better if you were just coming. ;-D

(((hugs)))

call me an egomaniac, but everytime i see the word shakti, i think ME! :)
hope to see you soon babe
cant wait to do magical mermaid makeup on you.
love you
shakti

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are you delighting your inner muse?

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