a few more favorites from past months...

 It has been a busy few months since I posted last. I find it has been hard to commit to getting to my journal every day, I want too, and I need too, but sometimes my grief stifles my creativity, or mood to create something. Or just plain tired from working and life. But I do long for creating every day. 

We had stuff stored at our oldest son's house and after 2 years of living in our apartment, we decided it was time to move it to our garage here. Probably could of just dumped it all since we hadn't used it in 2 years! So that was taken care of as we moved into a garage closer to our apartment, then moved the stuff from our sons into the garage. We had gone through the stuff at our son's house and rented a dumpster to dump some things there. 

The grand kids started school, so always like to get them on the first day. Always fun. Birthdays, events, just keeping busy. I am finally getting around to add to my blog! 

I now have some catching up to do as I have been sick for about a week! 

this is my favorite page, just like the gloominess of it all, yet its pretty. I like finding artwork on Pinterest that makes me smile or feel a certain way. Adding to the pages. 

Sometimes I find the image and build the page from that. If you notice the picture up in the upper right..I absolutely love it, it looks like my Blaine and I wish I had it in a framed print on my wall. 

Shane and I celebrated our 42nd Anniversary this year. We must be old as we chose to stay home and cook steak in the airfryer then to go out!

Im a sucker from sepia tone....

This bird cracks me up so I found papers to match. I use Esty a lot for my papers, the downloadable availability is fantastic.  The fold shows my 2 older grandsons being safety guards at their perspective schools, on the same day! 

I made a fold out album of the grandsons Dominic, Wyatt and Mason and Oliver as well. They attended a back-to-school foam part down in a shopping area. They had a good time but after a bit it did get a bit chilly!

My journal has been a place to place my thoughts, cheer myself up, cheer myself on and a place to continue with my grief. I haven't done much actual journaling my thoughts in this album, I started out journaling every day, but I slacked off and just have gone on with finding what speaks to me that day and time. 

More Journal pages...

 I'm adding some of my journal pages from the last time I posted. I love these pages, the girl riding the moth is my favorite page in this section. It brings me joy and a smile to my face. I like adding in art I find on Pinterest that makes me smile.  Then I usually find downloadable papers on Etsy to match the theme or look for ones I have already downloaded. I am using Etsy pretty much exclusively as finding scrapbook papers at Michaels or Hobby lobby, that I haven't used is hard. SO, I have more luck with Etsy.

So, enjoy these few pages, until next time. 

These are a few of my favorite journal pages this years....

 

It's Been Awhile.....

I have been MIA for a bit. I have taken time to enjoy my family after we moved to Omaha, to be involved in a few Art Shows, which was big for me. I am very shy, lack self-confidence, so I was happy I stepped out and I enjoyed that very much and it did help me gain some confidence and push me to create every day. 

About eleven years ago I did a course with a group, doing art journaling. I instantly loved it and have since adapted it to work for me, and in my style. I have journaled my way through these years and have many memories stored in these dear books that I have made. 

I thought I would start back up on this blog as much as I can with work, recouping after working and just dealing with everyday life. Sharing my journaling with you. 

Here is my shelf of my personal journals. I love that I have them and can look back on them and relive the memories. 

I will start sharing some  of my favorite pages though this year's journal. I may share a few out of last year's journal as well to show you why that year's journal is my most precious.  I will post another blog right after this one with some of my favorite pages this year. Thanks for stopping by.

Pencil Drawings

Just popping onto add a few of my pencil drawings that I have done in the last few months. Getting to really like pencil drawings even over my painting these days. I am working to get better and better. I want to really be able to be really realistic. Also I have not drawn men, so branched out on that as well. This drawing on top is the latest, and I feel Im making progress in my abilities. 

strength

First attempt at a lion. It was a gift to my brother in law for supporting me in my 1st art show. 

Rescued.

I have been listening to Lauren Daigle's new music. I decided to draw her from the cover of her CD. My favorite song is "Rescue"  "You are not hidden, There's never been a moment you were forgotten. You are not hopeless, though you have been broken your innocence stolen..." It speaks to me from my past years of abuse. God did rescue me from it, even though it was 13 years of enduring the abuse, the rescue came after. You may ask, how do you believe in God when he let you go through that? I know God was with me through it all, it was then that I was drawn closer to God. There is always a reason for the things we go through. We are being strengthened, taught to persevere, taught patience. It is also though that pain, that situation, you become  a help to someone else who maybe going though the same thing. You may even see a situation and know what is happening and be able to help, or prevent . I dont think I ever felt sorry for myself for what had happened to me, but it did effect me. It did break me inside, it did cause me to lose people who were my family. Because they would not stand with me. My own brother was one of those people. Do I hate him or hold a grudge with him? No. He had to do what was right for him. I understand that he needed a "family" he needed that connection. I didn't. I found my family in my husband/husbands family. I finally got to experience what a real father was like in my father in law. I found my family in my friends. High school was a really hard time, it was in the midst of the abuse and my safe place was school. I was fortunate enough to have people in my class and in my school who were my comfort. Who protected me, though they didnt know what from or even know they were.They were there for me and brought me joy, they brought me though. I will always love my brother. I miss him. I hope he knows that. I just know, that if I was to have a relationship with him, the past is attached. I cannot bring the past back into my life. I have found happiness with my little family.

I have been rescued.