creative journaling – Page 2

Thankful Thursday: This little light of mine

November 19, 2009 by Melodye Shore

Last week, I needed to coax myself out of a dark, barren corner. (We’ve all been there, haven’t we?) I’m thankful today for Creative Journaling, which helped me reconnect with the shadow-dispelling Light Within.

Two hand-crafted pages in a tiny sketchbook. Not Fine Art by any means; perhaps meaningless to anyone else. But for me, the symbolic value is incalculable.

I also owe a debt of gratitude to Staci Dumoski, who encouraged me to try Creative Journaling. For more information about her monthly workshops at It’s A Grind coffee shop, click here.<!– Copyright (c)2006 Site Me

The Art (and Zen) of Creative Journaling

October 29, 2009 by Melodye Shore

Creative journaling is a brand-new experience for me, so I was overwhelmed (in a wonderful way) by your encouraging comments. Since it’s Thankful Thursday, I thought I’d express my gratitude by sharing this charming little video. More encouragement to start/revive your own journal? Perhaps…. Smile

Creative Journaling: first efforts

October 27, 2009 by Melodye Shore

My good friend cartazon introduced me to creative journaling a few weeks ago. She explained its usefulness for writers, which is all well and good. But lo, when I laid eyes on her splashy entries, I ~~coveted them~~ wanted to try it for myself.

And still, I resisted, mainly because
a) I’m not an artist (have I mentioned the ‘C’ grades I earned in elementary school?)
b) my perfectionist tendencies might make it more work than play

But when I kept coming back to the idea, I figured I’d might as well give it a try. I bought a spiral-bound sketchbook–small, so I won’t get intimidated by the broad expanse of blankness. And over the weekend, I ~~emptied my bank account~~ filled a shopping cart with art supplies. (Disclaimer: You don’t really need more than a few colored pens and pencils. See also: b, above.)

Long story made short: I’m in love. It’s another avenue for self expression, one that connects the right side of my brain with the left. Plus, the very act of creation invites more inspiration, which has a spill-over effect on my writing. My enthusiasm far exceeds my skill level, I know that. But really and truly, I don’t think that matters. Whether or not the pages are beautiful, the process itself brings me joy.

Since it’s Teaser Tuesday, I’ve mustered up the courage to post my debut pages. The images you see here are representative of "His Eye is on the Sparrow," my chapter about Nana. They’re not perfect by any means, so I’m certainly open to suggestions. And if you haven’t already, I invite you to create an artistic journal of your very own.