Tag Archives: Authenticity

Mixed Media with Chrissie B #4

Good morning!

It has been a couple of days since I have posted this latest video out on YouTube, but I wanted to make sure that I get this post up for you!

This week, as I got ready to do this art journal spread, I did not have a plan in mind, which is not surprising, as I usually come to my art journal playtime without any kind of a concrete plan. The only thing I had in mind was that I wanted to use the color red.

I once had an instructor teach that you should never use red in your art journaling unless you were using it in really tiny quantities, because it caused to much distraction. Well, red is my favorite color, but when she said that, I figured she was a better artist than myself, so she must know what she is talking about. So I completely took red out of my repertoire!! Seeing these words in print, is quite shocking to myself, because I never thought that I would let something like that stop me from using something that makes me so happy.

Well, if you have been following my journey lately, you will already know that I am going through a process of stripping off everything that is not authentically me, and how this translates in this art journal spread is that, since my favorite color is red, then I should be allowed to use it whenever I want to! That may seem like a very minor thing, in the big picture that makes up my life, but I am learning that being 100% completely free to be myself in everything, including my art should be a given! No matter how well intentioned that art instructor was, I need to remember to let my true colors fly and follow my true north, in whatever that means for me at the time! So, that is what I went into this play session thinking.

As I was laying down my colors, I decided that I was going to use a magazine image on this spread. I do that a lot in my personal art journaling, but I am not sure I ever have in any of my video layouts, so that is what I thought I would do this time. Again, all about being authentic and showing my true colors. It also is proof to myself and to anyone else who might be wondering, how do I create beautiful art journal pages if I don’t know how to draw? Well this is a perfectly acceptable way to do so!! I mean why not??? I just try to incorporate the image into one of the layers, instead of just plunking her down on the top of the spread, and I think she ends up looking pretty cool!!

and do you see what color she is????

RED!!!

Yep, she’s red! I don’t feel like she is a distraction, and this spread makes me UBER happy, so I am going to call this one a win!!

Supplies I used in today’s art journal spread:

Old book pages
Golden’s Fluid Matte Medium
1 1/2 inch hardware brush
DecoArt Crafters Acrylic Paint: Christmas Red, Squash Blossom, Goldenrod
5 various wash tapes – I have no idea their brands
Dr Ph Martin’s Bombay India Ink: Orange
Golden’s Fluid Acrylic: Naphthol Red Medium
General’s Pencil 2B
M Graham & Co Heavy Body Acrylic Paint: Titanium White
Dina Wakley Media Stencil – Alphabetic
Magazine Image
Uhu Glue Stick
Christy Tomlinson Designs Stamp – Shescript
Archival Ink Pad: Jet Black
Stabilo All Pencil: Black
Fineliner Applicator Standard Tip bottle with white acrylic paint
A couple of paint brushes
Scissors

Well that about raps it up for today! I am very happy with this spread, I hope you enjoyed it too! If you haven’t subscribed, please do so, so you don’t miss what’s to come!

If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments section! I will be happy to be of help! 🙂

Here is to living a Beautiful Creative life,

If you want to have a different life, you have to choose differently!

Finding My Voice!

Good morning!

I am so tired this morning! I feel a little like I am just spinning my wheels and not really getting very far. Actually, now that I’ve said that out loud, that may not be so very true. I am almost out of debt, I can feel myself getting physically fitter little by little every day – even though I am not losing weight consistently, I have less than a month to go before I get to go to Brave Girls’ Camp, something I have been dreaming about for the past few years! So, maybe I should start over!!

Good morning!

Life is good! I could still afford to go to bed a little earlier tonight! 🙂

I am taking a new Brave Girls’ class called The Walk. I am currently busy in the middle of doing week one’s homework, and watching week two’s lessons!! It is a little overwhelming, but taking every portion one step at a time has really seemed to help! I have just got to work on staying focused. With so many other things going on, and so many other responsibilities calling on my time, it has been a little tricky to manage, but I am a firm believer that you get to decide what you spend your time and focus on! Right now, for me, that focus is about taking time to put myself at the top of my to-do list, and figure out who, what, where, and how I want to be. It is all good stuff! 🙂

It has been nice spending time in the art studio doing my class homework, but I am really wanting to carve out some time, somewhere, to get back to my own arting! I haven’t made a piece in a while, and I can feel my inner Chrissie started to fidget, as if she is just on the verge of throwing a hissy fit because she hasn’t taken any stress free, non-thinking time to play! I will have to make sure that I make that a priority!

You may have noticed a little bit, that I am struggling with my blogging. I am over thinking it.

What will people like?

What do they want to read?

What will draw readers?

etc. etc.

I’ve decided to knock all of that craziness off, and just use Beautiful Creatives as an outlet for my voice. Plain and simple. No agenda. An online journal of my journey to get from where I am to where I want to be. Day by day. If I end up being the only reader of my words, then that is ok. I have done my best. I am constantly learning, and I know that there is always room for improvement, but the only person that I should be competing with is myself.

Is today’s Christina doing better than yesterday’s Christina?

Even if the answer is “Yes” by only a hair, then I am going to count that as a success!

If you do happen to stumble upon my blog, and you like what you see, I would be so honored to have you follow my, and share your comments! I think we could ALL use a few more cheerleaders in this life! 😉

Anyway, I am off to go get ready for my day job! I have a meeting first thing this morning, and I need to make sure my freshly washed gym clothes make it back into my gym bag so that I am ready to work out at lunch today! That has been a great addition to my schedule within the past two weeks, but since time is running short, this morning, I will have to tell you about that another day!

Here is to an AUTHENTIC VOICE kind of morning!

If you want to have a different life, you have to live differently!!

Gotta Dance!

Good evening!

I have gotten home from my belly dancing class this evening, and I am still really jazzed!! I have to tell you, it is such a happy class! It is hard for me to go there and not have an absolutely great time!! I know you must be sick of hearing me say it EVERY SINGLE WEEK, but I just LOVE BELLY DANCING!! and you know what, I think it isn’t just belly dancing anymore, I think I just love to dance!!!

Who knew??

I have never been a terribly physical person, I have always excelled at things that involve your mind, and thinking, or a talent like music, or the arts. Dance, which yes, I realize is also an art, I had just never thought it was something that was ever going to be in my repertoire, and I SO LOVE IT!!

Dancing has literally changed me.

It changes the way I see myself.

It changes the way I think about the future and what I now think is possible as opposed to what limitations I had previously placed on myself!

For the first time in my life, and I mean EVER, my inside and outside are starting to become more congruent!! They both are finally HAPPY!! I mean truly, unadulterated, no facade H-A-P-P-Y!!!

I wish that I had the opportunity to provide every single person out there to have this euphoric feeling that I am feeling now. I am convinced, now more than ever, that this feeling is the feeling of joy that is placed upon you when you are doing ANYTHING that honors your authentic self!! For me, right now, that is dancing, for you that might be cooking, singing, drawing, writing, sewing, walking, or whatever!!

My challenge to you this evening and for the rest of the week is to get out there and find an activity, ANY ACTIVITY that honors who you are on the inside – the best of who you are capable of being, and if you feel like sharing, please fee free to let me know in the comment section what that activity might be for you! You’ll never know who might come along and read what you have written – you just might inspire someone to get out there and find THERE OWN PERSONAL activity too!!

I look forward to chatting with you some more tomorrow! Until then…

Have a FABULOUS evening! 😉