Personally my real-life workload apparently never stops (although I get a couple of months off from lawn maintenance) and I've never managed to successfully do any sort of journaling. I did Inktober a couple of times, but even that got away from me.
My workload doesn’t stop either, so I definitely hear you. But journaling, specifically this combo drawing kind, is something I make time for in the margins. Thank you for reading!
I love the idea of a series in my journal and the idea of drawing some of the ornaments on my tree. Thank you for the inspiration! Also, it seems like such a simple thing, but a light bullb came on when you said that a series doesn't have to be every day. For some reason I am constantly having to be reminded that there are no rules and that my journal is mine-- anything goes! That's the best thing about it, so I'm trying to get less picky about it and just enjoy the freedom of a creative space that can be anything I want it to be. :-)
I’m glad that was helpful.... a series definitely doesn’t have to be daily! I have some series that are weekly and have been for a few years, so there are lots of ways to think about it. Your journal work is wonderful. You just need to keep being easier on yourself!
My favorite knick knacks are the set of Santa plates I made for my children when they each turned 3. Their little handprints make me happy every time I pull them out of their wrappings.
Definitely white lights. I like the clean resting point amongst all the riotous color of the holidays.
I’d like to take the grandson to see all the Christmas lights. We did it last year so I’m wanting to make this a tradition.
I bet those are wonderful plates, Michelle, and special to see each year. I hope you do go looking at lights this year. That is a wonderful tradition to make and reinforce. You have to sing as you go though.
Love the nutcracker series. I meant to comment last week. My daughter was given a nutcracker from Germany by her in laws. A beauty of a guy in lederhausen, the grey leather shorts, with a backpack and felt jacket. She hates these creatures. When she moved to London where she lived for 13 years I was the keeper of the nutcracker. I returned him to her and her family now she is back home. Her kids can enjoy him. I wish I had drawn him when I had him.
I started drawing some ornaments over the years as well. I was a folk artist and spent much time focused on the holiday season. I did Santa and snowmen in all sizes on wood or as cut outs. Some even life size. I taught classes as well. It made people happy and some still have those pieces I did.
As life changed and I had to downsize. I turned my focus to paper and kept only a few my old pieces.
A favorite is a big wood piece I did of a pull toy of a Santa riding a chicken pulling a wooden Christmas tree. It brings me joy. This year I pulled him out and seem to have lost the wagon for the tree.
White lights only but enjoy seeing colored on other peoples houses.
I signed up for Care December with Kasia Avery of Everything art. It is free but donations are welcome for a non profit she supports. The color will be blue as the focus.
I am finishing off a year long project with Joanne Sharpe. December is the last chapter. I love red and green and snowmen and created my first page asignment quickly.
No tree this year. My new cat would no doubt destroy it with her curiosity and dexterity. I will be happy with lights and some greenery from the woods on the patio.
Thank you Amy for your beautiful writing and the fun nutcracker illustrations. Your journals are treasures! So glad you share bits. I would love to sit on the couch and go through every one of them.
I will paint my usual snowmen cards for a few people. Each year I say “no more!”
Gail - I replied to you, but somehow my comment ended up out of sync and shows up detached. I am commenting again just because I would hate for you to think I didn’t reply. The reply is here.... above or below.... you’ll see it.
Amy I got it. Thank you! I have a few people who have as many as 10 years of cards they display each year. Some even frame them. I loved the folk art friends I had but with each move across the country it meant leaving them behind and starting over. Finally I just stopped and for about 15 years I could not create. Glad I found Jane LaFazio and Danny Gregory and I was inspired. I have white lights up and one string of red on a bunch of cedar. Looks pretty . Not perfect but nice. That nutcracker was an authentic German nutcracker. My daughter’s in-laws were originally from Germany. He was a beauty.
This reminds me that my oldest son had an obsession with them when he was young and we have a collection of them somewhere. I had the boys pull the Christmas decorations out of the attic this year and I wonder if they purposely didn’t bring them down. Teenagers are too cool for nutcrackers, apparently. I’ll have to get them down myself, I guess. 😊
My favorite Christmas knick knack is a set of figurines that my mom gave me. One is Santa on the phone in his night cap and the other is a little boy calling with his list. My father was a lineman for the phone company and this was our “homage to the phone company” decoration every year throughout my childhood. Maybe I’ll post a photo in the Sunday coffee chat.
How funny to think they might have purposefully edited the decorations for the year. Lol. I can see that happening. The special figurines you describe sound very sweet! I hope that your December has gotten off to a good start!
Thank you for sharing this. I love so much about it, the images most of all, of course, but also this line: "I associate December in my sketchbook with softness, with something light and whimsical, with something quiet and reflective." I love the feeling this line gives me as I read.
Thank you, Kathryn! I really appreciate that. Thank you for reading and for commenting. I hope your December has gotten off to a good start. I did see that that is a marker month for you, and I wish you peace in these days.
Gail - I didn’t realize you had done folk art that way at one point. That’s very cool. You are so prolific in your art making though. I love seeing what you are up to, and I am glad you are doing Kasia’s course and have enjoyed Joanne’s year-long class. The kitten definitely has turned things topsy turvy! I hope you do have lights in play somewhere. I am sure those who receive your snowmen cards love them! Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
White lights because they go with everything else!
Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses
Positive word: Present or savor. I just want to enjoy the moments that I can and not rush through the season.
Sadly, I might not put a tree up this season because of our new cat, just as Gail mentioned earlier! I’m considering filling up my China cabinet with ornaments because that’s my favorite part of Christmas decorating. I love remembering the old days and friends and the kids when they were little with the ornaments.
Of course drawing one a day (or 5 a week or whatever) is a wonderful idea. I just need to get them in a safe place!
I have a few nutcrackers that would be fun to draw, too. I have a mariachi one that feels very Texan that you might enjoy a picture of for your drawing this season. If I get that box out soon, I’ll send you a DM on Instagram.
Thank you for suggesting a song! And a word…. And generally playing along. It took me more than 50 years, but I shifted to white lights a few years ago and love them so much now. I’m sorry about the cat issues — I heard that from someone else today, too. Definitely a risk! I hope you do find a way to bring out some things that are special to you. And yes, I would love to see any of your nutcrackers. Thanks for always commenting! I hope you have a good week and that things are fun as the semester starts to wind down.
I don’t have a lot of history with nutcrackers, but I was in our local production of the nutcracker. I was one of the parents in the party scene and it was so much fun.
My favorite ornaments are a collection I have of needlepoint ornaments my grandmother made. She made one for us each year when we were growing up.
White lights are my favorites, although all lights are great.
My favorite Christmas decoration thing, was (strangely enough) a manger that we had. My family is not religious at all, so I don’t know why we had it. It had these super cool wooden people and animals, and I loved to play with it. I wish I still had it.
My favorite Christmas song is a holdover from high school, Bandaid - Do they know it’s Christmas.
I bet the needlepoint ornaments are wonderful. I love needlepoint, truly. I hope you draw them! You could hang them high on a wall somewhere this season, well out of reach of the cats! Thank you for sharing a song. I love how memories like the manger and its animals stick with us even when we aren’t sure of the reasons.
"This is wisdom I have gained through the years. This is what I have learned about myself. Time spent drawing and documenting life is my version of self care."
There are many other types of nutcrackers besides, the soldier guy. I prefer the simple metal jaws.
Try as I might, Amy, I’m not really digging the illustrated part of the journal. I think my spacial art is more in photography. As always, I enjoy your meandering mind.
I’m sure that illustrated journaling isn’t for everyone. For some, it is a nice and natural balancing of journaling and the drawing we do. Your photographer’s eye is wonderful. I would never assume we should all do or enjoy the same things!
I love seeing your nutcracker drawings, both in color and black and white. We will be putting our tree up this weekend, and you have given me the urge to draw ornaments. I feel they are such magical little objects, Christmas time can have many glimmers. A favorite ornament I have is a painted salt dough gingerbread man that I made with my mom when I was probably only a toddler. It is about 45 years old and still in once piece. I hang it up each year even though it always feels a little risky! A risk that is worth the joy of seeing it there. The other part of that favorite ornament as that I have ones that my kids made when they were that age, a special tradition.
I love the idea of art journaling and drawing as self care. I can very much relate to that.
I love that you have these favorites, both from time with your mom and time as a mom. That’s wonderful. I hope you DO draw some of your ornaments this year!
Again on nutcrackers. I remember having my photo taken by my daughter with a life size nutcracker at a German Christmas market. Alas I looked everywhere and could not find it! Oh well through it could be fun to see again.
Thanks so much, Donna!
Personally my real-life workload apparently never stops (although I get a couple of months off from lawn maintenance) and I've never managed to successfully do any sort of journaling. I did Inktober a couple of times, but even that got away from me.
This is an interesting tradition you have here.
My workload doesn’t stop either, so I definitely hear you. But journaling, specifically this combo drawing kind, is something I make time for in the margins. Thank you for reading!
I love the idea of a series in my journal and the idea of drawing some of the ornaments on my tree. Thank you for the inspiration! Also, it seems like such a simple thing, but a light bullb came on when you said that a series doesn't have to be every day. For some reason I am constantly having to be reminded that there are no rules and that my journal is mine-- anything goes! That's the best thing about it, so I'm trying to get less picky about it and just enjoy the freedom of a creative space that can be anything I want it to be. :-)
I’m glad that was helpful.... a series definitely doesn’t have to be daily! I have some series that are weekly and have been for a few years, so there are lots of ways to think about it. Your journal work is wonderful. You just need to keep being easier on yourself!
My favorite knick knacks are the set of Santa plates I made for my children when they each turned 3. Their little handprints make me happy every time I pull them out of their wrappings.
Definitely white lights. I like the clean resting point amongst all the riotous color of the holidays.
I’d like to take the grandson to see all the Christmas lights. We did it last year so I’m wanting to make this a tradition.
I bet those are wonderful plates, Michelle, and special to see each year. I hope you do go looking at lights this year. That is a wonderful tradition to make and reinforce. You have to sing as you go though.
Love the nutcracker series. I meant to comment last week. My daughter was given a nutcracker from Germany by her in laws. A beauty of a guy in lederhausen, the grey leather shorts, with a backpack and felt jacket. She hates these creatures. When she moved to London where she lived for 13 years I was the keeper of the nutcracker. I returned him to her and her family now she is back home. Her kids can enjoy him. I wish I had drawn him when I had him.
I started drawing some ornaments over the years as well. I was a folk artist and spent much time focused on the holiday season. I did Santa and snowmen in all sizes on wood or as cut outs. Some even life size. I taught classes as well. It made people happy and some still have those pieces I did.
As life changed and I had to downsize. I turned my focus to paper and kept only a few my old pieces.
A favorite is a big wood piece I did of a pull toy of a Santa riding a chicken pulling a wooden Christmas tree. It brings me joy. This year I pulled him out and seem to have lost the wagon for the tree.
White lights only but enjoy seeing colored on other peoples houses.
I signed up for Care December with Kasia Avery of Everything art. It is free but donations are welcome for a non profit she supports. The color will be blue as the focus.
I am finishing off a year long project with Joanne Sharpe. December is the last chapter. I love red and green and snowmen and created my first page asignment quickly.
No tree this year. My new cat would no doubt destroy it with her curiosity and dexterity. I will be happy with lights and some greenery from the woods on the patio.
Thank you Amy for your beautiful writing and the fun nutcracker illustrations. Your journals are treasures! So glad you share bits. I would love to sit on the couch and go through every one of them.
I will paint my usual snowmen cards for a few people. Each year I say “no more!”
PEACE
Gail - I replied to you, but somehow my comment ended up out of sync and shows up detached. I am commenting again just because I would hate for you to think I didn’t reply. The reply is here.... above or below.... you’ll see it.
Amy I got it. Thank you! I have a few people who have as many as 10 years of cards they display each year. Some even frame them. I loved the folk art friends I had but with each move across the country it meant leaving them behind and starting over. Finally I just stopped and for about 15 years I could not create. Glad I found Jane LaFazio and Danny Gregory and I was inspired. I have white lights up and one string of red on a bunch of cedar. Looks pretty . Not perfect but nice. That nutcracker was an authentic German nutcracker. My daughter’s in-laws were originally from Germany. He was a beauty.
Oh, the nutcrackers! Love.
This reminds me that my oldest son had an obsession with them when he was young and we have a collection of them somewhere. I had the boys pull the Christmas decorations out of the attic this year and I wonder if they purposely didn’t bring them down. Teenagers are too cool for nutcrackers, apparently. I’ll have to get them down myself, I guess. 😊
My favorite Christmas knick knack is a set of figurines that my mom gave me. One is Santa on the phone in his night cap and the other is a little boy calling with his list. My father was a lineman for the phone company and this was our “homage to the phone company” decoration every year throughout my childhood. Maybe I’ll post a photo in the Sunday coffee chat.
Have a wonderful week 💖
How funny to think they might have purposefully edited the decorations for the year. Lol. I can see that happening. The special figurines you describe sound very sweet! I hope that your December has gotten off to a good start!
Thank you for sharing this. I love so much about it, the images most of all, of course, but also this line: "I associate December in my sketchbook with softness, with something light and whimsical, with something quiet and reflective." I love the feeling this line gives me as I read.
Thank you, Kathryn! I really appreciate that. Thank you for reading and for commenting. I hope your December has gotten off to a good start. I did see that that is a marker month for you, and I wish you peace in these days.
Thank you, I appreciate that. So far, so good. Gingerbread party with loved ones was delightful.
Keep writing. It matters.
Thank you. That means a lot to me.
Gail - I didn’t realize you had done folk art that way at one point. That’s very cool. You are so prolific in your art making though. I love seeing what you are up to, and I am glad you are doing Kasia’s course and have enjoyed Joanne’s year-long class. The kitten definitely has turned things topsy turvy! I hope you do have lights in play somewhere. I am sure those who receive your snowmen cards love them! Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
White lights because they go with everything else!
Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses
Positive word: Present or savor. I just want to enjoy the moments that I can and not rush through the season.
Sadly, I might not put a tree up this season because of our new cat, just as Gail mentioned earlier! I’m considering filling up my China cabinet with ornaments because that’s my favorite part of Christmas decorating. I love remembering the old days and friends and the kids when they were little with the ornaments.
Of course drawing one a day (or 5 a week or whatever) is a wonderful idea. I just need to get them in a safe place!
I have a few nutcrackers that would be fun to draw, too. I have a mariachi one that feels very Texan that you might enjoy a picture of for your drawing this season. If I get that box out soon, I’ll send you a DM on Instagram.
Thank you for suggesting a song! And a word…. And generally playing along. It took me more than 50 years, but I shifted to white lights a few years ago and love them so much now. I’m sorry about the cat issues — I heard that from someone else today, too. Definitely a risk! I hope you do find a way to bring out some things that are special to you. And yes, I would love to see any of your nutcrackers. Thanks for always commenting! I hope you have a good week and that things are fun as the semester starts to wind down.
I don’t have a lot of history with nutcrackers, but I was in our local production of the nutcracker. I was one of the parents in the party scene and it was so much fun.
My favorite ornaments are a collection I have of needlepoint ornaments my grandmother made. She made one for us each year when we were growing up.
White lights are my favorites, although all lights are great.
My favorite Christmas decoration thing, was (strangely enough) a manger that we had. My family is not religious at all, so I don’t know why we had it. It had these super cool wooden people and animals, and I loved to play with it. I wish I still had it.
My favorite Christmas song is a holdover from high school, Bandaid - Do they know it’s Christmas.
I bet the needlepoint ornaments are wonderful. I love needlepoint, truly. I hope you draw them! You could hang them high on a wall somewhere this season, well out of reach of the cats! Thank you for sharing a song. I love how memories like the manger and its animals stick with us even when we aren’t sure of the reasons.
"This is wisdom I have gained through the years. This is what I have learned about myself. Time spent drawing and documenting life is my version of self care."
I'm no longer religious, but still...Amen!
Thank you ❤️
💛💛💛
Thank you for reading, Lauren.
There are many other types of nutcrackers besides, the soldier guy. I prefer the simple metal jaws.
Try as I might, Amy, I’m not really digging the illustrated part of the journal. I think my spacial art is more in photography. As always, I enjoy your meandering mind.
I’m sure that illustrated journaling isn’t for everyone. For some, it is a nice and natural balancing of journaling and the drawing we do. Your photographer’s eye is wonderful. I would never assume we should all do or enjoy the same things!
I love seeing your nutcracker drawings, both in color and black and white. We will be putting our tree up this weekend, and you have given me the urge to draw ornaments. I feel they are such magical little objects, Christmas time can have many glimmers. A favorite ornament I have is a painted salt dough gingerbread man that I made with my mom when I was probably only a toddler. It is about 45 years old and still in once piece. I hang it up each year even though it always feels a little risky! A risk that is worth the joy of seeing it there. The other part of that favorite ornament as that I have ones that my kids made when they were that age, a special tradition.
I love the idea of art journaling and drawing as self care. I can very much relate to that.
I love that you have these favorites, both from time with your mom and time as a mom. That’s wonderful. I hope you DO draw some of your ornaments this year!
Again on nutcrackers. I remember having my photo taken by my daughter with a life size nutcracker at a German Christmas market. Alas I looked everywhere and could not find it! Oh well through it could be fun to see again.