Oscraps

Have you figured out a place that art journaling takes in your life? For me, I find that it helps me to get my feelings out that otherwise might not be expressed. I tend to hold my negative feelings inside and have a hard time sharing them with the world. I am for the most part an open book, but I grew up in a family where negative things were swept under the rug, and it was very difficult to share deep and hurtful things. My mom always acted like everything was fine, until she couldn’t hold it in any more. Then it came out in spurts of being manic about the house being cleaned. Her family of origin did not teach her how to handle stress or difficult emotions, and she passed that down to us because that was all she knew.

So…art journaling became a tool for me to get out my feelings when I couldn’t figure out how to express them verbally. Jill Walls, designing under Created by Jill took me under her wings and challenged me to learn art journaling and to learn to express myself creatively. Sadly, she passed away from cancer many years ago so she never got to see me grow out of those first scary steps.

Last week, I had a very emotional few days and I was finding myself sabotaging my healthy lifestyle around food, and I KNEW I was doing it, but seemed powerless to stop it. Finally I had enough and started scrapping about it, and then I knew what I needed to do. This page came out of that. I took the time to feel the feelings and decided on an action plan!

Rachel Jefferies | Studio Basic Stay Patient
Rachel Jefferies | Give Yourself Permission
Rachel Jefferies | The Struggle is Real: Self Esteem
Rachel Jefferies | TT Journey
Rachel Jefferies | All in my Head
Rachel Jefferies | LBW Do it For You

Wendy Page Designs | I’m So Sorry

Enough about me!!!

This month, our Art Journaling theme is SERENITY, and that is something that is hard to quantify and express for me but I gave it a go, and so did many other people in the challenge. I love seeing the different interpretations of the word!

The word “serenity” generally refers to a state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. It implies a sense of inner tranquility and freedom from stress or disturbance.
On a deeper level, serenity can be seen as a profound state of mental and emotional peace, where one is able to maintain a sense of calm and balance despite external circumstances. This deeper sense of serenity is often associated with spiritual or philosophical contexts, where it represents an enlightened state of mind characterized by:

1. Inner Harmony: A deep sense of alignment and balance within oneself, where one’s thoughts, emotions, and actions are in sync.
2. Detachment: The ability to remain unaffected by external chaos or disturbances, often achieved through practices like meditation, mindfulness, or spiritual contemplation.
3. Acceptance: Embracing the present moment and circumstances without resistance, cultivating a sense of contentment and gratitude.
4. Wisdom: An understanding of the impermanent nature of life and the ability to navigate challenges with grace and equanimity.

Here is Sonja’s amazing page to get us going. Isn’t it gorgeous, and don’t you just feel the feelings of serenity and tranquility??

Come see all the other pages that have been created so far!!

Art Journaling Challenge – Week 1

Come join us!!!!!