Recently.....

  Hello again dear friends, it has been yet another while since I've last posted. I know that I told you last week that I'd be blogging more frequently and then I immediately sat back and drank tea whilst forgetting all about what I'd said.

  Now that I'm back I assume it's only appropriate to inform you about all the little things that you've missed while I was being lazy. Since I'm on my Summer break I've gotten to spend a lot more time doing all the things that I love, like binding books, reading, journaling, and sketching.

  This first picture is what I started to draw last night but didn't quite finish yet. (I really dislike drawing clothing.) I've missed drawing so I'm happy to get back to it, though I should probably use better pencils than just my regular old yellow school pencil.

  
I've really been enjoying binding books to use as journals. Though I hate using the kettle stitch it makes neat books so I'm grateful for it. The book on the bottom there is the first one that I bound, the cover turned out a little wonky but I think I've got the hang of it now, at least I learned that using old cereal boxes to make "hard" covers is not a good idea!

  
Here are my last two, most recent journals that I made, have you noticed that I love to put charms on them?

  
Now, onto more pressing matters. (I'm literally laughing right now, even though I've been told my jokes lack a sense of hilarity, they amuse me) my brother Eldon made me a beautiful book press that I love to use when I make my journals, the picture doesn't really show it, but it's varnished, waxed, and very smooth. I was terribly excited about it, and readily made the cookies that Eldon requested as proof of my appreciation.

 
 My reading of late, hasn't been Anne of Green Gables, or Little House on the Prairie, instead I've been devouring (yep, I'm absolutely hilarious) this College Nutrition Book, I've learned so much and can hardly wait to learn more. I'm sure I'll get to learn plenty more considering how I'm on page 32 out of 512.

 
And there, that's the end of my hobbies of late, since I've gotten caught up with you I can now sit back and wait till tomorrow to make another post. It truly is a delightfully satisfying feeling!

S ~ Smash Book/ Art Journal

  I have no idea why in the world I ever had an excuse to be bored in my life, when the art of keeping a smash book, or an art journal, for that matter, existed out there, somewhere, just waiting for me to discover yet another passion in my life.

  Just a few days ago I discovered an art journal for the first time. I came across a video on YouTube by Johanna Clough on how to make you own art journal, binding it and all. Now, since I am recently really into binding books, I was willing to give it a go, and now I am in love with art-journaling.

  The lady I mentioned is a very young stay at home wife and mother who spends late nights creating in her journals. In overall perspective I admire her greatly and know that if you watch her videos you'll love her too. Besides, she has an Australian accent, and I absolutely love such accents!

  So far I have created three journals and am working on my fourth. The first one I'm using, two of them are going to be gifts, and the one I'm working on right now will be my first real art journal. If you have ever art-journalled (I have no idea how to spell that, or if it is even a legitimate phrase) and you have any favorite tips or anything, please feel free to let me know what they are because I would appreciate them very much.

A ~ Art

  You all know I have a deep affinity for art, I love painting, sketching, crafting, you name it.  I have so many different sketch books, but for some reason my passion for creating art kind of went still for a little while until recently when one of my great friends showed her art book to me and we formed a mutual art tips and critiques club of sorts. Seeing all of her beautiful pieces moved me to pick up my pencils again and pour out my soul onto paper.

  Obviously I had to page through my old art books and I found several of my favorite sketches that I want to share with you today.

  My Mum had ordered our new school curriculum for next term this fall and it arrived today. I was unbelievably delighted when I discovered two gorgeously splendid art books that my Mum bought I absolutely can't wait to start drawing again, besides, I know I want to get a lot better at it all.

   I can't precisely pin point what it is that I love so dearly about art, perhaps it's the streaks of lead and charcoal that cover my fingers, perhaps it's that feeling of falling deeply in love with what ever I'm drawing, it might be that feeling of hope that springs forth when a picture slowly starts to form on paper, maybe it's the fact that a bit of my mind, heart, and soul become visible throughout the process, or it might be because I love that feeling of clarity as I spend hours listening to instrumentals, doing incessant comparisons and forgetting to eat meals in between drawing. Actually I think it's all of them together that make it all worth it.

  Because of all of the above I was motivated to share some of the pictures with you.
  I love to pour myself into the eyes of the people I draw, like Sam here.

                     
  For school one week I had to draw birds of various sorts.

  Hopefully the next time I make a post on art, I'll have improved!

Portrait Art

  I have a few possessions that mean a lot to me; one of those possessions is my old tattered art book that I received when I was about twelve. I dug that book out of a stack of random objects this morning and almost felt like crying just looking at it. The poor thing is now so tattered and it won't be long before my pages of art start falling out. The cover is loose and ripped in various places and the binding is twisted and banged up.

  I very hurriedly started making plans to slip all of those pictures in protective sleeves once they fall out. It simply won't do to let my hours of time and effort go to waste. I was relieved when my dear mumsy went about scanning my favorite pictures for me and printing out copies of the others.
Now I don't feel quite as heartsick whenever I look at my art book.

  I was cheered up a little though to see the progress I made in my art over the past year or so and now I am inspired to bettering my art some more because I am still not anywhere near as good at drawing as I would like to be.

  Here are two of my favorite drawings.