Nervey Butterflies

My last few days have been this:






>>When I failed my drivers test I played with buttons and ribbons, and came up with this. Now my journal is sparkly and fun to play with. It can also hold notes with paperclips. I'm going to try to put notes on every once in a while to remind me what I want to focus on at that time. It's a sort of pre-painting-motivation thing. Mostly, though, I just like the interaction of being able to PAPERCLIP things to the front of my journal! Oh how I love office supplies...

Thanks to Suzi Blu for the hole + ring idea, and thanks to iHanna for getting me to break out the buttons! I made a bracelet in the same vein as her post here, and it's pretty awesome. Different colored buttons and brown ribbon. I forgot how fun it is to be able to actually wear something you've made.

Today I DID pass my drivers test, and am now all licensed up. I have real I.D.! Hurrah!

Less than two weeks until I leave. Yikes.

Not much more to say. Another picture-heavy post, I apologize.

Some more random journal pages (+ a negatized version):

Crayons, Cake, and Paint

I'm starting to feel back to normal. I woke up happy, which is strange even when I'm healthy. I'm not complaining - it was a great day. Productive, even!

Let's see, let's see. Well, I went driving! I have my test on Tuesday, and I am determined. On this driving trip my dad and I got cake mix, as we celebrated my mom's birthday this evening (even though it was last week). For the occasion, I painted a picture. It's in a frame and everything, it's a new thing I'm trying out. I painted a mother and child, and added a funny quote by Dorothy Parker. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out! (there's a picture on the left but the colors turned out wonky in the scanner)

I saw Skye for the first time in a while, so that was great. I love it that we can go for months, years, whatever, and things are still basically the same. I also got her to wreck a page in my journal, which was marvelous. She was throwing rock crystals and everything! I was scared to look. But more on that endeavor later.

My recent art journal obsession is crayons. I think part of it has to do with digging up old art memories. But, another part is that crayons are just plain fun and are made out of pretty wax colors. I've also been fascinated with rubbings and etchings (using crayon, but also scratching away paint). This is another childhood magic; suddenly revealing the colors underneath but with only the thinnest of lines, and having a previously invisible picture that you drew emerge. And it never looks like how you imagined it would!

Another visit to my past occurred today in the form of Remington Steele. Not many people know this, but there was a time in my life (middle school / early high school) where I would watch reruns of Remington Steele nearly every day. This show features dashing Peirce Brosnan as a mysterious, suave detective with a passion for classic movies, paired with clever Laura Holt (technically the real protagonist?), as gaurded and sharp as a woman should be. Dazzling intrigue, witty banter, hints of romance - what more could I ask for? We got the first season on DVD, and I've been watching it with my sister Gael. So cheesy, SO fun. I love this show.

Anyway, my journal entries for today. Nothing special, but I think they document my new found carefree acceptance; a mixture of the old magic and the new sentiments, if you will. I'm starting to be at peace with my situation and imminent changes - starting to, I say, starting to.

Kinks in Plans and Organs

So, I've been in the hospital for the past few days witha kidney infection, and apparently a kidney stone? What? This makes no sense to me. I'm doing ok now, but am still tired, grumpy, and irritable as I recover. This has definitely put a kink in my plan to pack and clean and do good things for the world. Ah well.

Before I was buckled over in pain, I actually finished a painting. A painting that was made not in a book, but with the idea that people look at it! I can't post pictures though, because it's a surprise.

I've also been wrecking my journal. This page said to cover it in circles. I like circles and dots - they come up a lot. So, I decided to focus on the covering part. Circles I can do, with lots of appealing space. Against my instincts at various points, I just kept going. Of course a strange little voice kept popping up telling me that I'd "ruin" it, which is silly considering the journal. but hey, that's why we wreck things. To find those silly little voices and gleefully step on their toes. In the most caring, thankful of manner, of course.





Only ONE WEEK until I see Alex!
Which means only two and a half weeks until I go to England? Yikes.

Outside Journaling

As I mentioned in my first post, I've been going on an art rampage. This is fueled and consists mostly of art journaling. My favorite spot to journal is outside. On my left, you can see pictures of the mess I make. The outside is just so large. There's always room for me there. Also, it's easier to wildly paint with the breeze and sun. In any case, this is what I've been doing instead of actually communicating with people. In a way it's bad, because it gives me a perfect excuse to be alone. I shouldn't be able to settle into solitude so comfortably. It makes me lazy when it comes to upholding actual relationships. It's also good though, because it's important to be comfortable alone. And hey - art - outside - awesome. Anyway, you can see more of my art journal pages at my flickr, but here are a few examples that I've done in the past two or three days (didn't go outside yesterday, as I was reading in my screen porch listening to rain).

Today I hope to journal outside again, as it feels weird not having done it for even just one day. I need to snap out of this lethargy. I'm also going to practice driving today; hopefully I'll actually get my driver's license finally. I'm twenty years old and can't legally drive. Well, with the whole gas thing I guess it's really not so bad. However, I'd like the freedom. Not that I would drive everywhere, but knowing that I COULD would be nice. I have a test scheduled for the 16th, wish me luck.

Besides journaling, I'm also currently working on two different painting projects. One is of Alex and I, and the other is just a girl. The one of Alex and I is fairly realistic (I cheated and used the square method on a picture of us), so I felt the need to do something a bit more imaginative. So that's why. They're turning out nicely, although I'm too careful with them.















This one I did last night and this morning. Just a quick drawing of my Rascal-kitty perching on my hip. She does that a lot.