Archives

Here is the first blogpost about my take on Project Life. I will try to post about it every week, on Mondays (duh, you could have guessed that with the subject of this, I know). May it be just the spread I did for the week before. Or sharing a struggle (in hope someone will help ? I love discussions !). Or talking about something around it that I love. We’ll see how this goes.

I really wish that it will trigger your curiosity about memory keeping. And that we can share our process with each other.

If you are not familiar with it, Project Life is a system of memory keeping developed by Becky Higgins. It takes all the stress and (if you want) fuss out of using all these photos you take and want to keep. In her own words:

Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets. I’m so glad you’re here.

Bear with me as I am still in the early stages of it, even if I did start it a year ago (I may talk about that on a seperate blogpost later). And especially because I want to be more regular in working in the album, I am planning it this time. I want the process to be fun, creative but still effective.

1. I want to work in it weekly. Not just when I think about it. Yes, it means having something to actually share, and this is for me all the point: seeing and recording what would be invisible to us otherwise. The first time doing homeword after Winter break, as it marks being back to our regular routine for example.
2. I still am undecided about printing everything at home with my Selphy and bigger printer, or going once a week-end to Costco and get the 4×6″ photos printed there. It will be a cost question I guess, to see what is cheaper (both are good in quality so it won’t be a factor of decision).
3. I need to see ahead. Will I need filler cards (the kind you use to fill a space on your page), journaling cards ? double-sided or not ? this kind of things to determine week by week.

I would really need a space dedicated to my Project Life «stuff»: store the photos I print as I take them and know want to use them for the week spread/page (and I am not that much of a neat freak, but when it tends to our photos I can be); the products from the monthly Studio Calico Project Life kit (will be receiving the January one today), the cards I do myself, etc.
For now, it is regrouped (kind of) near my computer (I have an Expedit made of 4×4 cubes and my computer desk is attached to it).

I had the crazy idea to do one album for our family. One album for each girl. So three in total. But it is challenging in many ways too, so I will have to think about how to make it work. The idea of replicating spreads does not really excite my creativity…

Are you doing Project Life ? How are you organizing it so it stays simple ?

Project Life is a memory keeping system initiated by Becky Higgins. This is how I decided to keep track of our family life.
If you live outside the US, you can order Project Life items on Scrapbooker’s Inner Circle.
You can find all my Project Life oriented blogposts right here.

If you are a regular reader of this space, you probably know I am a deep fan of Mindy Lacefield (a.k.a. Tim’s Sally) and her art. I am currently in her year-long class beautifully called True Free Spirit. We will be having a project a month (I think) and started with this one where we create this tall beautiful character.

Maybe because it is the beginning of the year, I felt the urge to create something even more meaningful than usual. Using my symbols. Words to guide.

I am learning from my struggles.
I am loving the process.
I am surrendering to what comes.
I am listening to the Inner Voices.

Here is where I stand today. I feel like there is still work to do to sense she is complete, though.

Yes, she has a third eyes. She is seeing deep beyond.
Yes, she even has a mouth. To sing chants to Mother and Father.
Yes, she is very tall. So she can shelter the one who needs one.

…to be continued…

I know it does not speak to everyone, but it’s now been a few years that I decided to introspect and find some word(s) to guide the year that will soon begin.

In 2012, my word was «Expand» (you can read more in this previous blogpost). And oh boy… did I expand this year ! I am very hard on myself, on what I achieve. And as a lot of you I guess, I tend to first see what I did not make a reality rather than looking for the accomplishments. Just because this is how I did for most of my life, and changing such a strong thought paradigm is a pain in the butt. However, I firmly believe that changing is possible, and often it is a rather good thing.

Pinpointing what is going wrong helps. I enjoyed the ride in 2012 and it really was a year of change for me, personally as well as an artist. Having a word to guide me is something that helps me to stay on the path I’ve set and decided for myself. It is the reminder of where I want to go and who I want to be(come).

This year, I did not have to brainstorm and scratch my head to discover what I desired 2013 to feel like. I have plenty of plans for this year, in my personal life, for my business. I have been feeling weird for the last few weeks of December. Letting go of old patterns, dreaming out loud anyway. Learning to definately go with the flow of the emotions running through me, not to fight them but to accept that they were a part of my journey.

For 2013, my word is TRY. But there is a catch, as I am coupling it with BE DARING because I think that I truly need to get out of where I feel comfortable and cosy. I need to take the reigns and go for it. And you know how much I love p!nk’s music… so I could not let it go without doing something something…

Do you have a word to guide you in 2013 ? What motivated you in your choice ? I would love to know 🙂

***************************

A few years back, I took Kelly Rae Roberts‘ first online class, focused on how to build and do your creative business, called The Flying Lessons (if you are a regular reader, you’ve read about it several times throughout the years). It was life changing, and I am still connecting with the other students, and we call ourselves «the Flyers».

There is a 2013 Word hop going on, and I decided to join 🙂

Hi beautiful Souls !

I hope those of you who celebrated enjoyed your time and I wish you a merry Christmas.

As the end of the year approaches, and that I am improving the quality of my Art Prints, I need to make more room.

Until now, I was printing via an external source. Which was nice, until it went wrong (meaning very long printing delay, orders needed to be filled when it was not yet in my hands. For example). It was the starting point of looking for a professional home printer that would not be an investment I could not afford. And you know what I think: when something is meant to happen, everything falls perfectly into place. First, my husband agreed to look online what could fulfill my expectations and needs. Then, I searched online for the different providers, and of course one was having a sale on the Epson Workforce 7510 and delivering here… oh yes, that was it 🙂

It is an all-in-one large scale scanner and printer. I will be able to scan my 11×14″ canvas in one piece instead of puzzling them and stitching the image in Photoshop (which worked great and was better than not being able to do any print of larger artworks at all)…

It is a huge leap for me. As my neighbor told me, it is stepping into the Light, affirming «I AM an artist, a professional, I can not deny it any longer now.» as a personal statement. And it rang a deep bell in my core when she said that out loud to me.

Finding the right paper is still a quest BUT I have found a paper I really like: it is a 80lb (300g/m²) with a satin finish (so between glossy and matte). I chose a 8.5×11″ as the standard size for my prints (they currently are printed on 8×10″) and have the same paper in 4×6″ so you can choose a postcard size if you want.
I personally really like it (which is important when you are a seller).

I am having a BUY 1 GET 1 FREE sale until the new year. Simply purchase one print in my Etsy shop, and tell me in the «note to seller» box which one you would like to receive for free.

I am doing it to clear my current stock so I can update my entire prints section with the new improved items 🙂

Click on the image to go in the shop:

Merry Christmas to those of you who are celebrating today !

You know I love making lists. They tend to keep me on track (not always though). If we didn’t all die tomorrow (coincidence it is supposed to happen on the day of the Winter Solstice, December 21th ?), I am starting to plan what I desire and wish next year to be.

I was looking for a great quote to share with you in this post, and came accross this one by C.S. Lewis. I loved it so much that I made a poster-ish from it.

Because even if I do know the importance of NOW, I am one to make plans ahead. I noticed that as my thoughts often run at 100km/hr (hmm wondering how fast this is in miles. anyway), I need to keep track of them. This is where the lists come in handy (I even have a french book all about making lists, titled «the art of lists» ahah). So this list is just as it crosses my mind. Some are already «on the way», some just thoughts for the moment:

• Attend an art retreat (planned, I’ll be in Port Townsed (WA) in June for the Sugar & Spice retreat).
• Send submissions to creative magazines, with the hopes to be published.
• Finish the secret project, and share it with the World. This is one that means a lot lot to me.
• Create in my Art Journal more regularly, get back to it.
• Do my Project Life album on a weekly basis, print photos as they are taken. When I feel it, create some cards to go in the albums (as journaling cards or as filler cards). Share it on the blog.
• Connect with the local art community.
• Find a gallery that will gladly exhibit my art.
• Make at least a {Painting/Journaling In Motion} video a month.
• Become more familiar with our DSLR camera (a Nikon D5100). I have already some basic knowledge but I want to go further.
• Use my BigShot and Silhouette cutting machines more.
• Create with my girls on a weekly basis. We all love it.
• Bind more journals (for my personal use, my girls, and more for the shop as well)
• Play one or two instruments. And start learning music theory again (mine was in 5th grade for the last time. I still remember a lot, but I want to go further).
• Play more with my Wacom tablet.

Of course, this is an open list. This seems like A LOT. but some of these can actually be combined together 😉

Have you already thought of what you would love to add in your creative life next year ?