A New Journal's First Page ~ The Fires ~ August 30, 2013

I seem to have created this tradition for starting a new journal ~ inserting a PaperClay object. If you haven't used this diverse product, I love that it's just white cellulose, can air dry and can be painted with anything you choose. Found at most craft stores! For each new journal I like to contemplate a theme, or characteristic I'd like to focus upon for the period of filling this new journal. With this journal, I chose "deep instincts" and deliberately left the piece unsealed, so that it felt more organic, earthy. I always have to cut through several journal pages to allow the PaperClay piece to fit. What I like about doing this on my first page is that it starts the page (eliminating that scary blank-white-first-page syndrome) and also projects those open holes through the next few pages, adding a design element I get to work around.


That summer was bereft with five large forest fires that encircled our valley. Burning 35,000 acres, the smoke poured into our area, forcing me to wear a mask for our nightly walks and cut out most outdoor activities. These images of flames 'n smoke were the theme for the remaining summer and fall.

But I had to insert a bit of optimism and aliveness onto that page ... and so ... a quick sketch of the spikey, green water chest nut ripening on our near by tree.


Even tho the summer was a rather bleak one, I do like how the two page spread opens up and starts this journal. And I'm off and running into this brand-spanking new journal . . . y-i-i-i-i-i-i-p-p-p-p-i-e!!

New Journal ~ Snow with Cozy Chair

I've come to a lil' custom with each new journal. I search out a theme for where I am in my life or a goal at which I'm aiming and I craft a paperclay (see paperclay.com) item to stitch into this first page.For this entry I'm focusing on "home" and have used an overstuffed chair stamp to imprint into the paper clay. I paint it warm reds and browns, then stitch in red. As usual, because of the paperclay I need cut additional pages out behind the first page to allow for it's thickness. And on the final page that will show thru the paperclay window, I letter in the word, "HOME". I like it :)


T'was mid-December, the day blossomed clear blue and sunny ... and my lil' family (Roland, Cody - the furry one, and I) decide to take a spin up to Mt. Ashland Ski Area. We may just poke around, take a walk, play in the snow ... but just in case, I pack in the snow shoes. The snow sparkled and we find a remote spot where Cody and romp freely, a bit past the skiing parking lot. We see now that you have to buy at least a $3 parking permit and I already know it will get cut up to go in my journal. There is a wicked wind

that swings around from the south side of the mountain and it dampens our outing. So after a few snowballs, and tumbles in the snow we opt to head over to the ski area for some photos and then, return home. This snow sketch was the demo for my Journaling "Clinic" for the topic "snow" and as one of my students remarked, "the best way to paint snow - is not to!" I loved this image I caught of the rock mound frosted with white snow and framed by blue sky and evergreens.

Retreat's Thursday flows into Saturday

My Thursday at the Women's Retreat just echoed another day in paradise, with no relief in sight! After arising early (yes, only the quiet fishermen we up on the lake at the same time), awareness-awakening yoga, and another amazing breakfast, I introduce paperclay, one of my favorite mediums. Here you see one of the participants determinedly creating paperclay pizza! Yes, I did say pizza!! Endless ideas have to cease to allow a quiet Buddhist Meditation before it's lunch time.

Chef Izzy outdoes herself again (with Roasted Asparagus, Poached Egg, and Brioche and Creamy Shallot Vinaigrette) and happy round tummies we waddled down to the "Miwok Holes" area. There Jean instructs us in the dual assignment of imaging and writing our own Haikus. I love these stacked granite shore rocks with fasciniating rings demonstrating different water levels with a few yellow leaves clinging on to Autumn. So this become my subject for the Haiku. And you can see my resulting page too.

Thursday evening tumbles into Friday. We are served home made jams by Izzy and not only were the yummy but all us artists were in love with the glowing colors as the sun shown thru the jars! Of course, I had to paint them! Friday at the Retreat included making our precious individual books (stay tuned to upcoming blog entries to see mine). The formal instruction/schedule ends after our Alumni Lunch and participants sprinkle around doing their own bidding.

Saturday finds us all finding our own fun direction. I'm seeking some solitude and head off to the East end of the lake for a solitude filled sketch. Some of the others had gone on out on a mission to pick up any stray fishing line and/or fish hooks cluttering the beaches. So when they all returned with some actual "beautiful" rusty ole' hooks, I selected one that had to go in my journal. Here I've installed the hook in Mod Podge and sliced the business card of the quite delicious Mexican "El Vachero" Restaurant we ventured off to Arnold to try.

I'm really pleased with the diversity of this page and how it all melds together. It so is reminiscent of the quickly flying-by-time there at the end of the retreat. We all wanted to cling onto the close friendships and the exuberant laughter that we so often shared. But we all knew . . . our time together was trickling away.

I found my journal actually got kinda of shaken up and out of order. You see we had a medical emergency that had to be dealt with and it did scatter the usual organization of my mind. But I learned I could handle it and come out grateful for my health, the "miracle" participants present at the retreat and the eventual positive outcome nurtured by everyone's caring.

Life is a miracle . . . sometimes I just need reminders!