I think we all are looking for things to fill all of our time at home during these Covid19 filled days and nights and honestly, it’s easy to find activities that accomplish that but have they been helping me through it or not. I dove into art journaling in 2017 but then for some reason stopped in mid 2018. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was getting better at even drawing faces so I’m not sure why I stopped but stop I did. Flash forward to 2020, health issues, the election, family divisions, fire, famine, I mean really.. 2020 has had it ALL. Watching 5000 episodes of TV shows on Netflix & Hulu was NOT helping my mental or physical health what so ever. I saw a free taster session for Life Book, the amazingly transformative year-long art class I’d taken and loved before so I thought, OK! I’m gonna do this. I had about a 2-week head start to work on organizing and clearing out my art studio so I dove in.
Honestly, I weirdly adore going through and purging and organizing my art supplies quite a bit so once I get started this is a joy for me. I wanted my space to be reflective of me, be easy to work in, have a spot for the spoiled dog and I just HAD to get some more light into my workspace. I rearranged a ton of things, moved the TV out that I never watched and rainbowfied my beautiful collection of Stampington Magazines, Daphne’s Diary and other art journaling books and papers.
Gorgeous Art & Mindfulness Magazines
I’ve been a Stampington Magazine addict for quite some time now. My first love was Daphne’s Diary out of the UK and I finally just treated myself to a subscription of that. Each page is filled with calm happy, English countryside, beautiful papers you can use in your mixed media art after you read it from cover to cover. Cute things to cut out, games to play, crafts to make.. It’s just fabulous.
Somerset Studio Pictured in my retail therapy picture above was my second addiction.
The art is just gorgeous, lots of beautiful spreads of mixed media yumminess as well as papers you can tear out and use in your art. Lessons from the top mixed media arts, fun projects and gift ideas. I’ve been buying them since 2016 and they are just so worth the price. There are no obnoxious big pharma ads, no make-up, food, etc that I could care less about so paying a bit more per magazine doesn’t seem like a hardship at all, plus you are supporting artists and that’s huge in this time of the arts suffering so badly. Here you can get a Free Magazine (up to $14.99 value) of choice when you purchase a Premium Subscription Bundle.
Bella Grace is meant to be savored. To get tossed in your beach bag, or tucked under your pillow to enjoy before bed.
It is meant to be written in and dog-eared. To be read over and over again.
If you’re looking to discover more magic in the ordinary, come join us,
and get lost in the beautifully penned stories and soul-stirring photographs that make up Bella Grace.
Bella Grace Gift Bundles on Sale
Art Studio Make Over
Having my sweet dog happy was a big deal, he didn’t like his big bed in here, no to the other rug I provided so I searched and found this pretty teal rug (my new signature color) on Varagesale for $10. SCORE and Dobby loves it. You can see my rainbowfied Somerset, Bella Grace & Art Journaling magazines as well as other art books and papers on the top shelf of this cool vintage-inspired cabinet. I modpodged the two recycled subscription box boxes to hold my pretty napkins aka Serviettes in the UK and my finished art journals. The red canister holds what else… dog treats.
First Abstract Mixed Media Piece
This piece of art really surprised me. One of the perks of signing up for Lifebook is the grab bag of prizes you get early access too. One of those was an Artists Soul Retreat. (I really needed that). The French instructor Laly Mille made a surprising statement in one of the first sessions. She said you should try to get out of your comfort zone with your art, you should try to find your comfort zone, discover what makes your heart sing, favorite colors, themes, marks, papers. That was so freeing for me. This image below just makes me happy. Art Therapy really does work!
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