2015 in Review

2015 wasn't the best year for my blog.  But I did have a few interesting things happen, in my opinion!

Here's a look back.

Observations after 6 months of living in Alabama.

Wisdom from my mother that I need to be reminded of.

I finally posted pictures from Sugar Loaf!

I shared my experiences with medicine side-effects.

We finally visited the beach!  It's only 70 miles away but takes 2 hours to get there.

We visited a local historical park.  And we took an "adventurous" hike.

"I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere."

"The internet is starting to show me all the things about myself that I didn't know I was supposed to hate."

Art Journal Challenge Week 1 Update.

Art Journal Challenge Week 2 Update.

I found some pretty things to photograph around our neighborhood.

I revisited some pictures from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Art Journal Challenge Week 3 Update.

Art Journal Challenge Week 4 Update.

Art Journal Challenge Week 5 Update.

I made my first vlog!

I made some DIY Essential Oil Rollerballs.

I made some DIY Glass Lanterns (Dollar Store Craft).

I wrote about our love story.

Another Art Journal Challenge Update.

Finally *almost* finished my Brazil photo album.

People are different here...

The travel essential you've never heard of.

I finally made a photo album of our wedding.

Art Journal Update. (lost count at this point)

The pros and cons of growing up in a small town in the middle of nowhere.

More Art Journal.

Some things I can blame on Rio.

Some of my favorite Art Journal pages.

I tried my first Umba box.

I answered some "would you rather" questions about travel.

We carved some pumpkins!

I got my first "Try the World" box.

I posted my first "picture an hour" of a weekend trip to Michigan.

I shared some tips for moving across the country.

I let you know 10 random facts about me.

Whew!  That's a lot more than I expected!  Basically what happens is when I'm working full time I don't blog as much, but over the summer break I cram a lot in!  I hope you had fun revisiting my year-on-the-blog!  Thanks for continuing to read my little corner of the internet.  Here's to many more fun posts in 2016!  My 2016 goals are coming soon.  Hope you have a great New Year!

XO,

Julie

Art Journal Update || Watercolor Backgrounds

My husband has been getting into typography and hand lettering.  He wants to do a collaboration with me... I produce the backgrounds and he produces the text.  We will scan my paintings and then he'll do the text via the computer.  It sounds like a great idea but I don't think I'm really good enough.  I like to paint for fun but I don't consider myself an artist.  In any case, I was experimenting in my art journal and here's what I came up with...

I left some white space on some of the pages so that he'd have a defined area for his text.  Other pages were just painted fully and he can add text however he wants on top with the magic of computer editing.

He said he wanted "clouds" or "clumps" of color... so that's what I tried to give him!

I'll let you know if we ever get around to finishing them.  And who knows - maybe we'll make them available as prints!

What text or quote would you put with each of these pages?  I'd love to know!

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Art Journal || Week 5 || Update - Flower Garland

I can't believe I've already finished 5 weeks of summer vacation!  Where does the time go?!?!?!

This past week I didn't really work in my art journal very much because I was too busy with diy projects.  The one project that I was able to finish was inspired by this post.  I made a small paper garland to hang on my gallery wall.

I used the templates provided by the original post, but I made it uniquely my own by watercoloring each flower (instead of using card stock or construction paper).  The only flowers that are not watercolored are the yellow ones and the leaves.  I probably spent way too much time on this project and paid way too close attention to details that no one will ever notice now that it's on my wall, but I had fun doing it and I'm glad I finished without giving up!  I think I might need to add a couple more leaves and sprigs in there, but so far I'm liking it.

Don't judge my wall, it's not finished yet!!!

This week I am planning on finishing this diy and hanging it above my bed.

Hope you had a great weekend!  What are your 4th of July plans?  I'm going down to Florida to visit family and enjoy some beach time!

P.S. The lettered art work is from this Etsy shop.

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Art Journal Challenge

Week 1 Update

Week 2 Update

Week 3 Update

Week 4 Update

Linking up with Anderson + Grant and Craftberrybush

Art Journal || Week 4 || Update

As with most challenges I give myself, I'm beginning to run out of steam.  I haven't worked in my art journal every day this week, but I did manage to fill up a few pages.

The plan for the art journal was to treat it more like an actual journal - decorate the pages and then write in them.  But that hasn't seemed to happen.  I find myself using it more for sketching, planning ideas, and painting pictures.

Sometimes I feel like doing art is a privilege and a reward and that I'm wasting time by sitting at my desk and painting, especially when I need to clean the house, plan for next year, practice music, or do something "productive."  On the other hand I know that creativity is important, and having an outlet and hobby is also important.  It's hard to find a balance sometimes.

Inspiration for the flowers, above, came from my evening walks around our neighborhood.

The Challenge

Week 1 Update

Week 2 Update

Week 3 Update

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter!

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Art Journal || Week 2 || Update

|| Art Journal Week 2 Update ||

The Challenge

Week 1

This week I was focusing on techniques - layering acrylic paint colors, watercolor, zen doodles, and some lettering.  I am not an artist by any stretch of the imagination, but I do find it relaxing to sit and paint or doodle.  I prefer watercolor, but I'm trying to stretch myself and try other mediums.  This week I used acrylic, paint pen, and regular ink pen... and watercolor, too, of course.

I don't use my art journal as a "journal" per say.  Maybe in the future I will.  Right now it's just a place for me to try out different ideas and styles.

Are you art journaling this summer?

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Art Journal Challenge || Week 1 Update

If you recall from this post, I gave myself a challenge of working in my art journal every day while I'm on summer break.  So now that I've completely my first full week of summer break, here is my update!

I did work on my journal every day, but I did not complete a whole page each day.  A couple of days were spent trying to figure out what to do with the cover.  I messed with it and messed with it until this is what I ended up with:

I don't really like it, so I'm going to work on it some more this next week.

And here are the pages that I did complete:

Testing out my white paint pen

Trying out lettering styles

Trying out flowery designs

What have you been up to this week?

Linking up with http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/ and http://www.katerobertsonstudios.com/2015/05/28/express-your-creativity-week-22/