Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Crafty Artists

Here are a few web sites that speak to the use of a personal journal. Oh, and a poetry site, too. You can glean some lines from your journal entries and turn them into poems.

http://www.journalforyou.com/
http://pyxlinjournal.familylearn.com/home/
http://www.planetsark.com/JuicyJournaling.htm

http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/


How many are silenced, because in order to get to their art they would have to scream? ~ Ann Clark



Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art. ~
Leonardo Da Vinci



The eighth graders really entered the creating zone the other day. At first they were a bit shy about digging in and splashing their pages with "wow" but soon they were all relaxed enough to express themselves. They chose a word, any word, and drew, painted, colored all around their word. I liked the words they chose. Relax. Pretty. Unique. Spectacular.



I asked some of them why they all seemed so bummed out and I loved their responses.
1. We are tired and our beds are warm. We don't like getting up so early when it's so cold.
2. We are bitter because we didn't get a snow day with this bout of bad weather.
3. We do not want to suffer through eight more days of school.
I said, "Whew. I'm glad it's not just me."
I'm REALLY counting down.















I can't describe the feeling that fills me when I'm busy cutting, gluing, painting, drawing. Can you? It feels so right and time constraints seem to fade into the background. This art journaling concept can apply to everyone. Don't you think?
Do you journal?




I also like to read books about writing and I wish I had long dreamy days to read and write. I must settle for fifty minutes of it with my reading and writing support class.




Will you have time during the holidays to craft a few journal pages? I hope I will.

By the way, I must tell you how filled with joy I am upon reading all your happy responses to my gift post! You are all dear people. I feel rich, rich, rich because I have this sweet, personal, inspiring connection with you. Really, you are THE precious bunch.
I hope you find some inspiration today. I hope you have some "ah ha" moments and I hope you score a few hugs. Oh, and I hope you smell something delicious, taste something sweet, hear a fascinating melody, touch a warm hand, and see friends all around you. (APPLAUSE for YOU!)


12 comments:

The dB family said...

Your blog just warms my heart!! We're counting down to the Christmas break too. I can't wait to have a little time to scrapbook and read with kids snuggled around me absorbed in their own books.

Blessings!
Deborah

Anonymous said...

I know you'll be shocked Pom Pom, but I hadn't thought about decorating a journal like that. Wow, I could really go to town and express myself...goodness, this has made me realise how dull my journal is! Another fabaroonie post from the Blog Queen...thank you dear Pom Pom! xxx

Scrappy quilter said...

This is great. I'm go to take a further look into this. Hugs..

Flavia Sunshine said...

I do from time to time some 'visual journaling', but your post gave me some idea for the kids, chose a word and paint it, this is a great way for learning and expressing themselves and have plain fun !!
Today was a good day for us. My husband left this morning and will be back past midnight since he had a job out of town, the house felt 'empty' ( he works from home mostly in his own little lab )even with the 5 of us here, but we accomplished quite a lot beside schooltime. I hope he will be happy of that !
By the way, i would love to send you a Christmas card, if for you it's ok please e-mail me at
flyefa(at)tin(dot)it

Have a blessed day tomorrow and a great weekend with your loved ones !

Flavia

debbie bailey said...

I've read quite a few of the creativity books you have on your shelf. I especially loved The Creative Call. It was so nice to hear about creativity from a Christian perspective. Julia Cameron is good but I don't agree with all she says. If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland is good too. I'm reading now How To Think Like Leonardo de Vinci by Michael J. Gelb and am really enjoying it. I love reading about being creative sometimes to the detriment of my creativity!

Emily said...

Thanks for all of the lovely, supportive comments! It means a whole lot!

Happy almost-winter.

Emily

Leslie said...

I love these journals! What a fun activity. I have a sadly neglected journal. Journaling is a discipline I would really like to cultivate.

Bradley W. Maston said...

What a wonderful time. Way to inspire those kids. I'm glad they let themselves go a little bit. Fear rules so many little lives. Big love.

Gigi said...

Oh what a good idea! I only have one student (out of my 3 homebound - the other 2 are immobile and nonverbal - SAD) who is capable of doing things like this, and I try to do one fun/crafty thing with her every time I go. Tuesday, we made little houses from card stock for a snowy village scene we're making for her room. We're going to do this today - thanks for the idea!
Blessings,
G

debbie bailey said...

Hey Twin, I mean Pom Pom,

I THINK I have Walking on Water but can't find it anywhere. I love her writing and have read just about everything else she's written. I'm going to have to look hard around here and find it...or buy it again!

Which is what I've done with Music of Silence. It was a library book that I decided would be a keeper, so I bought it. So good and made even better by planing Chant while reading it.

SusanB-knits said...

Hopefully the days will pass quickly and the kids will be enjoying their holiday.
(my only journal is the little bit of blogging I manage to do)

Lisa Richards said...

Your journal inspires me! I love to draw, but rarely get around to it. This looks like a fun and fulfilling way of putting down my thoughts or a scripture, as you have in the sample, and then just drawing whatever makes me happy! I also want to experiment with watercolors. This looks like a good way to combine all of these things. I tend to compartmentalize and think I have to either write or draw. Lovely idea!

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