Letting Go of Doubt and Embracing the Horizon

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Yep, this is my new "motto" for the year 2011. I don't do resolutions because I get frustrated with them and then that leads to disappointment and down spiraling from there, so I've decided to do "Mottos" of positive energy. Toss it out to the universe and see where the trade winds take me.

So now that the Sketchbook Challenge has begun, I don't think I've ever been so excited about a new project and enjoying it all at the same time. There have been soooooooo many beautiful examples and inspirational pieces. The theme for this month was "Highly Prized". That was a thinker and ponderer of a title for me. I had been working on a particular special box that I intend to make it a box for my grandchildren to rummage through. I took an old shoe box and gussied it up a bit with some "self made" decorative tape and a few print out words and call it "Nana's Treasure Box". I'll be putting little mementos throughout the year and when it's full by the end of the year, I'll just put it away for years to come.

So, now back to the theme. I thought why not draw my box because these trinkets and mementos will become treasures one day. So here it is...........

Not perfect, but neither is the box I made. (giggling) And I am letting go of my doubt in my ability to create and be creative and embracing this new challenge. Now I get to enjoy all the other entries through out the month and drool and be inspired for the coming months of challenges.

I've also been working on another challenge offered at http://www.milliande.com and it's been very interesting to explore and exciting to push my limit of creative.  Of course it helps when Millinde gives you a video to guide and instruct as well as inspire to prompt you in your creative world. This particular challenge is a daily one. I'm not sure if I'll have to time to keep up with it, but it's a type of challenge that can be picked up when you have the time.  This one is manipulating a piece of art work and then taking it and expanding on it.  The theme is "Z" for "Zebra".

Zentangled Zebras using copier paper and copic pen .05

Milliande was gracious to give a template with her instructions.  Can you see the Zebras?  Oh cool, this could be one of those "I Spy" pieces! Anyway, there are three zebras in the piece and we were asked to do zentangles with the template.  Then take a copy of it and cut it up into pieces to be place in another format of design.  Mine turned out like this:

ZenZebras for Art Journal 2011 with Milliande.com

 

See the ZenZebras on the right of the page? Then all the pieces I cut from around them are placed in various places to make a picture. I used watercolor and Sharpie marker and my favorite orange highlighter for spots of color.  This was a fun project.  I look forward to see what comes next for the zebras. 

Well, that's what I've been up to since the New Year.  I pray everyone has a blessed New Year and may it be filled with joy and love abundantly.