Take Me Deeper Study // Week Two

Thanks to one of my favorite blogger, Mary Brack, I found Take Me Deeper Study. This isn't really an art group but a weekly devotional that gives you ideas (prompts) to help build your relationship with God through the year. Most of us have decided to respond through art, but it's not required.

The study has a monthly theme that the devotions center around. January's month is all about Transforming. Week One's devotion was about Transforming Willingly. Week Two's devotion was about Transforming Vulnerably. Below is my art take on the devotion and a bit about my creation.

I was reading the study last week, I realized how related the two devotions are (and probably all will be). I decided that since we were still taking about Transforming from the inside that I would continue with the heart from last week. From there I thought about what God was speaking to me.

"Sometimes we have to move past Barriers to open up to God + others" 

Although the study was about being vulnerable, I heard God whispering about barriers and how those barriers can block us or hurt us. That is why I painted a rose bush. Our barriers sometimes hurt us, and others, more then protect. If we learn what the barriers are then we can remove them. Once the barriers are removed, then can we open our vulnerable hearts up to God and to others (like I did last week).  

So far I have been really enjoying this study and creating art for God. It's not the most complicated art but it works it's purpose. I hope that you were able to get something out of my blog or if not at least enjoyed the art. 

Are you creating for God? Are you creating art at all? Share you thoughts or links below!

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Take Me Deeper Study // Week One

Thanks to one of my favorite blogger, Mary Brack, I found Take Me Deeper Study. This isn't really an art group but a weekly devotional that gives you ideas (prompts) to help build your relationship with God through the year. Most of us have decided to respond through art, but it's not required.

Just like my journey with Documented Life, this group also has a monthly theme that the devotions center around. January's month is all about Transforming. Week One's devotion was about Transforming Willingly. Below is my art take on the devotion and a bit about my creation.

 I struggled with this for a week. I couldn't understand why I had a hard time. Usually I can think of something to do for anything. I read the devotion multiple times, still I struggled. So I reached out to the group, through the forums, and asked for some help. It wasn't til another lady asked a few questions that I realized what my problem was, and it wasn't fear of the blank page...

 No my problem was that I having a heart problem with this devotion. It was totally me. I was having a hard time not with the devotion but what God was speaking to me. He was saying that it's all about giving away, to let go, to loose control. Ouch. That wasn't what I was expecting from Him. So I painted it out.

"Sometimes, we forget our hearts aren't perfect so why wouldn't we hand them [to a] God who is?"
This is what God was speaking to me. God doesn't break our hearts, we do. We place dreams, goals, ideas above Him and think all we want will happen but if it's not in His plan, all will fail. God NEVER fails us. Why do we forget that?

This devotion taught me alot about myself, our hearts as humans, and our wonderful God. I can't wait to share with you guys week two. If you are interested, please join in! It's never to late to start with God, or art. haha.

I hope that you were able to gain something or that you least enjoyed my art.



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Documented Life Project 2015 // Week 1

The new Documented Life Project has started. Last year I found out about this amazing art group a little late. I still tried to keep up with the weekly prompts but I felt weird starting so late. Eventually I just stopped. This year though, I am going to try to finish - something I am not very good at. 

 Each new month DLP has a theme that their weekly prompts are based around. January's theme is Facing the Blank Page, which I find perfect for the start of a new year. So many beginnger are scared to do anything on that white page so these prompts are to help get over that fear. Within the weekly theme they give an art prompt, a material to use in your art, and a journaling prompt, an idea to give direction. Week One was released January 1st, giving an extra three days to work. The art prompt was to use "Book Paper", anything from a book/newletter/ect and the journal prompt was "Be your own Goal Keeper". Below is my idea for the challenge. 

The card reads "I will be my own GOAL KEEPER by...allowing myself change,growth and healing; I will explore and take on challenges; I will not set limits, call myself beautiful and most of all LOVE with all I have. -Cody Doll"

 I started this page pulling out one of the book pages I have saved from a not very good book. I then lightly brushed on some black paint so the word would blend in a little. Then I cut into uneven strips. I wanted them uneven to give them a grudge look. I arranged them the way I thought looked best and glued them down with regular glue stick (Elmer's Xtreme).  The I just used my felt tip pen (Sharpie) to write my marta/reminder of the year.

 Check out my Flickr for larger pictures. I plan on updating you guys once a week but we will see how that goes.

Are you in DLP? Are you doing any art? Share with me. I love fellow artists. If you aren't creating, give it a try. This has no "drawing" in and I've seen lots of doodlers. Good luck to all fellow DLPers.


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Brown Bag Pocket Pages "Tutorial"

A new year and new opportunities. It's a time to think about goals, future and what we would like to do with 365 blank days. I am going to create art. Not sure if I will everyday but I do know that there are alot of art journaling groups out there and I want to be apart of most of them. The downside to all this is that it's hard to track the prompts from each group, if they have a monthly theme or devotionals every week. I had to come up with a way to tracking all of it. What I decided was a double pocket page for each group each month.

I started with small plain brown paper bags. I picked up a pack from Wal-Mart in the lunch baggie section. They came in a pack of 50 for $1. Then I cut two inches off the top because I wanted them to be 5x7, the size of my album. Leaving the bags flat, I cut and pasted sketchbook paper over top the tall baggie section and what would be the bottom of the bag. Then I used my wonderful washi tape to seal the now front side of the bag. I only used washi on the edge. This is a little hard to explain so bare with me. First I did the top edge of the baggie, folding inside the bag so I could still use the big baggie part and then the bottom edge of the bag. Then I did the edge of the top part of the bottom of the bag. I did not stick the washi to the paper but folded over so I could use the bottom as a pocket. Lastly, I taped the sides, going over the both the bottom and the baggie and folding over on that edge only so I created a pocket. The last bag in the photo is the completed process before I added information. For more help, see other photos for details because pictures probably explain better...

Here you can see the two pockets. The top is the smaller pocket made from the bottom of the bag and then the lager pocket from the baggie itself. That is why I only taped one edge so I could still kinda expand the pocket. 

Being in five art journaling groups this month and six in February, I had to keep up with the prompts for each week plus the monthly theme. After I made my pocket pages, I titled/headed each page with the group name, in this photo it's Documented Life. Then under that I listed the month. On the small pocket page I wrote the monthly theme out. Not all groups have a monthly theme but some do. This way I can keep up with if there is one or isn't one.

I also cut some of the sketchbook paper into 3x3 squares. On the top of the squares I listed the week in big letters. I also added the abbreviated group name to the side of the week, in this photo that would be DLP. I did this so in case all my squared fell out I would know which group the prompt belonged to. Later on I added the groups color to the squares titles, so purple for DLP. I did this just so I could tell on color and not read but really it doesn't matter.

For groups that are Faith filled, I did the main verse for the week where the prompt would go. On the back of the card I will write or print out that verse. If there is a devotion for the group, I plan on printing that on 5x7 size and putting into the bigger pocket. 

Here is all the groups that I am in and all the monthly themes. I hope that all makes sense. If you have any questions, please ask. Come back tomorrow, or later this week to see the art I have created for Week One Prompts. 

Are you art journaling? Are you in art groups? Why or why not? If your in more then one how do you keep up? Let me know below. 

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