Close-up of the things on my pegboard - i painted three tin cans and hung them up to hold pens and pens

The tiny "shrine area" - there are three cool matchboxes my daughter Jess gave me.

Those of you who know me know that one of my biggest struggles is with organization. It's a constant challenge. The corkboard that used to be in the spot where the pegboard is was so overun with newspaper clippings, postcards, doodads that it no longer inspired me - it was just too plain chaotic for that. So since i see the board constantly while at the computer (and i spend a ton of time here) i needed to feel more at peace and not so chaotic. I needed to be albe to find my tools at a glance, to have a bit of colour up there like the painted tins that hold pens and pencils, and needed small containers for push-pins, paperclips and elastic bands. My Virgin Mary statues and the wee Indebele (african) doll, as well as my colourful matchboxes and Ideal client needed to find a home. Unfortunately there were lying on my desk rather unceremoniously collecting dust and lying beneath paper rubble. Now i need to tackle the rest of the room which is in dire need of attention - with books and magazines lying EVERYWHERE. Thankfully Mr. G is good at making things so he'll be making another bookshelf for me. He made the pegboard for me - i went off to the Hardware store and bought the board (it was only 6 dollars) and he added a frame and the Shrine shelf for me. Psychologically i feel better just looking at the pegboard.

Is there some place where you create that you could bring more order to? If you do something like i did then you'll free your mind up for doing creative work and the bonus is you'll be able to find your "most used items" quickly! You could add a shelf or designate a certain area for an altar or shrine to inspire yourself every day!

Art Saving lives
The reason why i'm such a fanatic about art is that it pretty much saved my life. When i was a child i was afraid of my father who was a pretty strict guy. There were all kinds of rules in the home - you had to sit quietly, could never disagree, couldn't talk or play with boys until the age of 16 etc. There were tons of rules.....and for a person who inherently pretty much likes to disregard most rules you can imagine how incredibly stiffling it was. My constant friend was my sketchbook which became populated with drawings of myself behind bars and later fashion illustrations. Again and again i turned to my silent companion for solace. When i discovered how amazingly transformative it was to put art and words together...well.....i guess you could say i was really hooked. It was then that i wanted to teach visual journaling - or what some people call it - art journaling. If it could help me turn my life around, help me come up with solutions to problems and issues that kept repeating themselves then it could help others too! There is a definite message of hope in creating art - the end result is not as important as the journey to get there. Getting engrossed and lost in the process is reward enough in my book! And speaking of how art saves lives - if you want to be inspired by the stories that other crafters tell how they were transformed check out Craft for Health's latest blogposts. You'll find a very inspiring story of how art journaling helped a woman who was suffering from Uterine Fibroids. If you have a story to tell why not e-mail them?

Can you see the Forsythia bush peeking out behind my van? I love the juicy yellow colour! It's early this year - we've had an early spring however this morning it was close to zero which is rather frosty (centigrade) - i hope the sudden cool weather does not kill all of the blossoming trees and spring flowers that have graced us with their presence at least one month ahead of time!

This morning i decided to brave the cold in my jammies of course......and take a picture of the back end of my van with the forsythia bush in the background. As i ducked down to take this artful photo a bird whizzed by almost beaning me in the head.....i'm serious. It never saw me there ducking down. Next to the van is the old Lexus my son Ryan gave me a couple of years ago - how could i say no to a gift of a reliable Lexus? I knew that my beloved van needed some work and quite frankly i couldn't afford it so i took the Lexus. I haven't had the heart to sell my van (it needs some work but was certainly drive-able when i received the Lexus). If you are interested in buying my van please let me know. I wish i could dismantle it and then reassemble it in the backyard but i'm sure that would also be a costly venture.

Where the Heck is the party girl?
Back to the Lexus......i still keep losing it in parking lots and sometimes end up in tears because well......it's pretty much beige.......and even though i've been talking about creating a decal of a mandala or something cool for the front hood i haven't done it yet. I'm not into painting the entire thing - gone are the days that i want to be so obvious and take part in artcar parades like i used to. It seems that i enjoy a quieter existence. I actually enjoy anonymity much to many people's surprise. And the party girl in me has taken a backseat to the person who enjoys quiet, art, being in nature and meaningful conversations and exchanges. It's funny but i almost feel guilty changing - maybe it's because i feel like i've let other people down - the friends who enjoyed all of the parties i threw, or the folks who like to pigeonhole me and expect me to stay frozen FOREVER in one way of being! Oh good grief.......that would be scary wouldn't it?

I believe that menopause has played a role in the changes but also meeting Mr. G who has definitely been a calming and stabilizing influence on me. I think when we accept the changes in our lives rather than buck them or try to be what others may want us to be then we feel a certain serenity and quiet joy. I'll all about the Joy! Bring it on!

I have FINALLY finished the video for our bathroom revamp - i guess editing is not one of my favourite things to do! Anyways i hope you like the video - in it i show you how i painted the bathroom counter with polka dots, varnished it 5 times and sprinkled on ultrafine glitter. I also show you how i painted words on the perimeter of the "toilet room". You will see how i used spackle on the walls to add texture and hide a host of imperfections! I'm quite happy with how bright and spiffy it now looks. Of course there was a lot of elbow grease that went into it! You might be wondering why i put the recycled caddy in the bathroom (it's meant for sewing supplies). I just thought it looked good in there with the checkerboard picking up the checks on the floor. Because this is such a tiny house everything is close together - if i need sewing supplies i am not too far away from them!

You can infuse your personality and your artistry in your home decor projects - i could not image revamping a room without doing something creative to it. What room in your home can use a bit of paint, glitter and writing on the wall? If you do decide to add a creative flair to a room in your home you'll be happy every time you enter that room. I know i am!

Di Mezzo Il Mare
Please check out Di Mezzo Il Mare. Di Mezzo Il Mare is a new online journal of literature and art connected to Wellness and Writing Retreats in Italy. I was fortunate enough to have some of my journal pages included on their blog - i also have some images up on their February 28th entry. You can submit too!

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” - Dr. Suess

Yesterday while clearing off the counter for dinner I started walking towards the back door with my crow caddy to put it outside in the Studio. I heard a little voice in my head say “wait a minute....you like it so much why don't you leave it on the counter as a center piece?” My next thought was that Martha Stewart would have a bird (no pun intended). The next thing I thought about was the Dr. Suess quote about being who you are! So I left the caddy on the counter – simply because it makes me happy to see the bright happy colours and the art supplies which have fed me in a creative way. It seemed so appropriate to have both creative sustenance and physical sustenance together on the same table/counter! They seemed kind of happy together. The thought that it's important to surround yourself with things that make you happy is constantly on my mind. We care too much what other people think. If they love you they would be totally accepting of your ways.

If you have just joined me you might not know that I have a two part video on the making of the crow caddy. You can find the videos here.

Remember – Be who you are and say what you feel!

The Caddy was in the Studios Magazine - which means it was gone for about 2 or 3 months while the magazine took pics of it. I was sad to see it go because i had become so attached to it! When the caddy was sent back i was delighted to begin using it. I used it the other day when i taught the graffiti purse project and the children loved it. Maybe i should teach a class on making your own caddy - but then it wouldn't be wise to do a free tutorial online for it eh?

Heather from Simply Feather has a fun challenge happening called "Paint with me!" - do check it out if you are up for some creative goodness!

I hope you all have a marvelous weekend!

Love, Violette xox

I'm trying to make some boxes from painted papers - you cut the boxes out from a flat piece of painted paper. Tiny brads hold the sides together. I wish i had taken 2-D design in school. This little project would have been so much easier. I'm creating some boxes in anticipation of my little grandson Sammy (who is only 2 months old) being ready to colour. I'd say i'm going to have to wait another 10 to 16 months....what do you think? It makes me happy to see a wee box of crayons like this. It reminds me of being a kid and being given a new box of crayons. They always had such a neat distinctive smell....and oh the colours...all the gorgeous, juicy colours really excited me!

This post is going to be brief since i'm getting ready to see my little grandson and do some business in the big city of Vancouver - I'm such a country bumpkin i tell ya! See you tomorrow! Ciao for now. xox

Above are some of the clutches/bags the kids made. Cool eh? Some of the kids decided to make their bags into lunch bags or they were planning on adding straps later on.

This is the purse i created yesterday to show the kids what they could do - i felt the other one was a bit elaborate!

Yesterday's Graffiti purse class was a big hit! There were 21 kid's between the ages of 10 and 13 in attendance - a couple of them were boys and the rest girls. The School room we were creating in became a colourful, glittery magical kingdom! I wasn't sure if the janitor would have agreed with us! A great big thank you goes to Cindi and Danielle of Camp Alex for helping out during the workshop! Camp Alex funded the event - they have actually hired me a few times to create with kids and teens. Camp Alex Neighbourhood house has done many wonderful things for the community. Hopefully they will continue to be funded so that they can continue their good works. I know that due to the poor economy there have been cutbacks - when that happens the arts are usually the first to suffer.

After the workshop i was pretty exhausted......it certainly reminded me of my age - 55......I am not as sparky as i used to be. Recently someone e-mailed me to ask if i wanted to do kids parties....you know....come over and do arts and crafts with little kids. I might have wanted to do that 10 or 20 years ago but not now. It's odd but when people see my book Journal Bliss the cover leads them to believe it's for kids. I have to keep saying "No....it's for adults but teens also like it!" I'm not sure if it's the whimsical nature of the cover or what that makes them think that way.

ADD Diva
I find that since becoming menopausal i have become more and more "ADD - like" in how i am in the world.......it's been very frustrating as i can't focus on one thing - every little shiny thing (just like a crow) attracts me and draws me away from what i am doing (for example i have left this post several times to check out websites). So i was happily surprised to find out that there is a website dedicated to Menopausal women with ADD called Addiva. Check it out if you get the chance and take the test if you suspect you might have ADD!

I'll be teaching purse creating at the local elementary school today - teaching 20 kids around the age of 11. This is the clutch purse i made on youtube a while back and it's seen better days so i need to make another one to show the kids - it will be less elaborate since they only have 2 hours to complete the project. I have a couple of other deadlines to get to so don't have much to say! I'll be back with more tomorrow! Ciao for now! xox

I created this Journal Castle for a display i had at Lori Paul's Song Salon on Saturday. It had been on my to-do list for over 9 months. When i was at the Art Teacher's Conference a while back i was sitting at my table and drawing in a notebook and came up with a sketch for a journal castle. If i had not written and drawn a picture of it it surely would have been lost in the ethers. See how important it is to document your ideas? You need a book of some sort to capture your ideas. I have several of them.

Back to the Song Salon - i was asked to do a mini powerpoint presentation at the Salon - i said yes thinking i would be doing it in a classroom - but no....it was in an auditorium...a big auditorium and i had to be up on stage to give it. Can you say ACK!!!!!!!!!??? While i was seated waiting for my turn my mind chatter was driving me crazy. It went sort of like this "Okay....i think i'm going to be sick....i feel nauseated....i could just say i can't do it and sneak out.....i have to go to the bathroom....you don't have time to go to the bathroom....what if Lori calls your name when you're gone? What's the worst that could happen??? It's not so bad.....just sit here and wait....it's another opportunity to get over your fear of public speaking...." When i was called up on stage they had to switch from a mac to a PC laptop.....and wouldn't you know it there were some technical problems so Lori told me to just talk while they tried to fix it. I mentioned that this was probably my worst nightmare and then i was off and running talking about art, my book, my art life etc. I took questions from the audience. I think i spoke for over 10 minutes which seemed like an eternity. Then the computer was up and running so i could complete the powerpoint presentation on my book. It was quite an experience i tell you! Everyone was so kind, laughing at my stories and asking questions. I sold 4 books which was a nice surprise.

There could have been more people in attendance but i think that the Olympics kept many people away. The Salon was all free - what an amazing opportunity it was for aspiring (and seasoned) songwriters, singers, musicians to learn more about songwriting, networking, what the radio folks are looking for, creating videos to promote your work, visual journaling to document your ideas and songs etc. All of the presenters donated their time and energy to this fabulous event (which is going to be a yearly event i am told). I was blown away by the passion and openness that were key attributes of everyone involved in this Salon. Everyone was so helpful and kind........there were some big names in music there, a DJ from a local radio station telling the audience what the stations are looking for and how things have rapidly changed because of the internet. Many pitches are sent digitally now rather than hard copies like in the old days.

I could see the similarities with art and music........the inspiration for writing songs is quite similar to the inspiration for creating art. For example.....in my book i included a journal page of a cat sitting on my chest the whole night while i slept in a yurt. While i was up on stage i mentioned this story and said that i could see a song being written about such an experience. Many people were in agreement with me! All in all being a part of the Music Salon was a great experience.

Thanks Susan Sorrell!
Many thanks to Susan Sorrell for having me on as a guest on her Mixed Media Fiber Arts Ning site yesterday. I really enjoyed the lively discussion and great questions people asked me.

Check out the detail of the cloud.....i textured it!

I really enjoy collaging......it brings such cool dimension to your work doesn't it? The walking on sunshine piece is another illustration i'm working on soon to be made into prints, notebooks and magnets! I love the song "Walking on Sunshine"...whenever i hear it i want to jump up and start dancing or hop up and down - it makes me so happy!....Don't it make you feel good? Yeah!

You can be inspired by everything around you - quotations, songs, billboards, magazines, books, nature, smiles, snippets of conversations overheard while walking - you name it there is inspiration and fodder for your art all around!

Come and see me on Susan Sorrell's Fiber Arts Mixed Media Ning group
Fabulous fiber artist Susan Sorrell will be interviewing me on her Ning site this Sunday - come and join us. You can ask me any questions about my book Journal Bliss, my classes, art life, the magic cottage.......whatever you like to know! I'll be on at 5 pm EST (2 pm PST - my time). I guess you have to be a member to view the online chat! If you join now you can read the chat Susan had with The Affluent Artist Rick DiBiasio. I am just checking it out right now!

Tomorrow i'll be doing a demo and teaching in Chilliwack like i mentioned earlier - if you are in the area please stop by and say hello. You'll find that creating art and writing music and playing music are not too different. Artists and musicians find inspiration in many similar places!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Love, Violette xo

I just finished creating these two journal pages and am working on one more so that i can make the designs into notebooks to sell on etsy. I'll also be turning my Marie illustration into a notebook cover! I need to figure out a way to add a bit more space where Marie's face is since the coilbinding will go along her face....also it's been a bit of a learning curve for me since i never really understood "full bleeds" and never considered that you needed to think about blade slippage and how something important might be cut off. For example if you have lettering too close to the edges then that can be cut off. Lots to think about for someone who is generally speaking pretty impulsive and just DRAWS or Paints or COLLAGES without thinking ahead. You see??? You are never too old to learn new tricks. I have stomped my feet and shouted "I'm too old for this!!!!!" but alas...the dream machine stopped working when i did that - my guess is that many people's "Dream machine" stopped working too when they let technology and lack of knowledge get in the way of pursuing their dreams. My Mom always used to say "You have a mouth....you are never lost" meaning that you can always ask for directions, you can always ask questions.

I am posting now on the B.C. Local blog as a writer on Creative Matters. I'll be using some posts from my blog here and some that i have posted in the past. Hopefully i will receive some feedback as to what locals are looking for and would like to read about. You'll find a variety of bloggers posting on different matters such as running, law, business etc.

The Vancouver 2010 Olympics
You might be wondering why i have not blogged about the Olympics which we are hosting in our fair province. Well i'm really not a sports fanatic - even though i do have a certain amount of pride in being Canadian i just can't bring myself to watch the Olympics - you see all of the losing and the falling and the dashed dreams makes me cry. There is plenty of losing, falling and dashed dreams at the Olympics....i guess i could focus on the folks who win the medals but then there are still the folks who don't win and who fall, are hurt and disqualified. Mr. G likes to watch some of the Olympics so when he does he wears headphones or i leave the room and draw or surf the net. My sister thought it was silly when i told her i get too emotional watching the games.....i think she thought i was an alien or something. Everyone is different. I took the Highly Sensitive Person's test and i was almost off the charts when it came to being sensitive. I have been told that i'm too sensitive but i'm not too anything......just being me! Do check out the link i just gave you if you suspect that you or your loved one might be Highly Sensitive. There is nothing wrong with you - you are just simply highly tuned into everything around you! Knowledge is power and helps you to dispell any negative thoughts you may have had about being a sensitive soul. The author of the book Highly Sensitive Person Elaine Aron has written a number of books on the subject which you might want to check out. There is even a workbook available. Learn to love who you are - exactly the way you are! oxox