A to Z Blog Challenge: J is for...

Art Journal

or Lifebook in my case

I have been a fan of Tamara Laporte's lifebook for years. A private space for thoughts, often covered up by a painting. This year our art group is back on doing a monthly lifebook entry as part of our creative practice.

Sharing is optional to the members of the group. I would sometimes share my painting, collage, or drawing but the private stuff would either be covered up at that point, or simply done after.

I choose a theme for us, since it can be difficult to choose a reference (or idea) when one's private thoughts are not always conducive to artistic expression.

This past March, the theme was Growth. Each member of the group could interpret the theme in any way they wanted, but it also gives some guidance for personal reflection. To be honest, I don't write in my Lifebook, because I have a journal and don't need a theme or a reminder to use it. It has been a practice of more than 40 years for me, so the art is just another opportunity for some fun.

>>> My March Lifebook interpretation of the theme, done with acrylic brush markers and metallic gel pens.

Until tomorrow for a CreativeLife update post. The A to Z challenge resumes on Monday.

🇿🇦💜Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: I is for...

In the Dollhouse We All Wait

by Amanda M. Blake - a book feature

Buy link: AMAZON

Synopsis

An extreme horror novel of privilege, cruelty, and survival—splatterpunk at its most unflinching.

“In the dollhouse, if you don’t play with Annie…she plays with you.”

Sam Frain thinks she’s found the perfect a live-in nanny position in a sprawling mansion owned by one of the wealthiest families in the country.

The job seems simple: Take care of Annie Lange.

Annie may look like a grown woman, but she lives inside a world built for a little girl—frilly dresses, scripted games, rigid rules, and what seems like every doll in the world.

As Sam learns the true nature of Annie’s games, she’s forced into a waking nightmare of psychological domination, grotesque excess, and carefully curated cruelty. In this gilded cage where money erases morality, survival means choosing whether to resist—or become part of the performance.

Blending the social unease of The Nanny Diaries with the ruthless brutality of Hostel II, In the Dollhouse We All Wait is a harrowing work of extreme horror that explores power, complicity, and the terrifying truth that the rich really are different.

Buy link: AMAZON

Excerpt

The gown on the mannequin in front of Sam enthralled her: gold brocade that wouldn’t have been out of place in Elizabethan costume, although this gown had more modern lines. The thread looked like it had been spun from real gold. For all Sam knew, it had been. Seed pearls of different sizes had been sewn to the bodice in an elaborate pattern, like lace from the irritation of gastropods. At the décolletage, there was even a diamond brooch—probably real, because why wouldn’t it be?

The mannequins came to a complete stop, skirts rustling like woods in a light wind. Sam stepped closer to the display case to get a better look at the details, the elaborate collar framing red ringlets and ‘Queen of Hearts’-painted lips and eyelids. Sam wondered if Annie had made the pearl headdress, too.

The quality of mannequin in the Dream House exceeded that of any boutique or department store. Most places deliberately tried to make mannequins look more stylized to keep them from entering the realm of uncanny. Either these mannequins had already been uncannily human or Annie had made them so to better display the quality of her gowns, similar to what she’d done with the altered Barbies.
Sam took another step closer. She didn’t want to leave prints on such beautiful art displays, but she wanted a closer look at that diamond brooch to figure out how real it was, how it caught the light…

The mannequin blinked.

Sam jerked back, just as another waltz started. She didn’t know the name of this one, and she barely heard it as the turntables spun the mannequins once more. She struggled to follow, trying to see if she’d seen what she thought she’d seen. A trick of light, maybe from the turntable starting, or maybe Sam herself had blinked, or maybe there’d been one of those stealth power surges that made her wonder if she or the lights had dimmed. 

Sam ran around the spinning turntable, daring herself not to blink if she could help it. Maybe it was just her panic and disorientation in basement sunlight, but it seemed like the mannequin’s face was sadder, brows low over the dark eyes. Was that a tear running down the mannequin’s face, or had the tear always been there, or was it just another trick of the light?

About the Author

A mass of tentacles and rose vines masquerading as a person, Amanda M. Blake is the author of horror titles IN THE DOLLHOUSE WE ALL WAIT, QUESTION NOT MY SALT, and DEEP DOWN, dark poetry collection DEAD ENDS, and the Thorns fairy tale mash-up series.

Alt-historical plague novel MASQUE releases in 2027 through Quill & Crow.

For more, visit amandamblake.com.

A to Z Blog Challenge: H is for...

The 100 day project

and 100 Tiny Treasures

The 2026 edition of #the100dayproject started on 22 February. Today is the 47th day since the start of the challenge, and by some miracle I have been keeping up a daily creative practice.

Last year I spent more of the time writing, but so far I have only used two days to write, and not draw or paint. This does not mean that I haven't written during the other days, I have. I do have a book to finish, so writing (and editing) is necessary so I won't miss the new publication deadline in May.

And then I decided to do #100tinytreasures. These are tiny paintings and the perfect solution for days where I have to focus on the book. The tiny treasures is not a challenge but a quest (alias the inventor, Leslie Stroz) to make 100 tiny paintings in a year. So not everyday, but often enough to keep the creative interest, and a perfect solution for the 100 day project too.

And just so you know: I don't count the A to Z challenge blog posts towards the 100 day project. And on that note here are a few of those tiny paintings.

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: G is for...

Graphite

The most basic of all art mediums, the humble drawing pencil remains a favourite.

A friend asked me last night which graphite pencils I like to draw with, and I had to think for a moment. While I usually reach for my trusty 2H first, I have been drawing with a 5H pencil as well. And this choice is the result of the paper I am drawing on.

The 5H pencil just seemed be the best choice for drawing on Canson Sandgrain paper. We have an oil based material project for April, and I chose oil pastels. The harder pencils don't smudge easily, so the oil pastel won't get dirty because I smudge the first layer of the painting with my fingers. I love Sandgrain paper, although I know many artists don't because of its abrasive surface.

But here is another oil pastel I did on Sandgrain paper - it is based on an acrylic painting tutorial by Michelle the Painter on YouTube.

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: F is for...

 Friends

Doing art with friends, is one of the best ways to stay creative. You don't have to paint or draw the same thing; just sharing the process can be great fun and inspiring.

It is one of my favourite things to look forward every week: spending two hours with friends painting or drawing. Since we all decided to take part in Leslie Stroz's 100 tiny paintings in a year, the meetings have become even more fun.

We have a private group, where we share our paintings and support each other, and share ideas to keep going since this is a longer project than what we would normally do.

Tiny painting No 2. 7x7cm - ink and wash

Until tomorrow!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé

A to Z Blog Challenge: E is for...

Experiment

Staying creative is not always easy, and experimenting is often a good idea to keep the creative juices flowing. But not all experiments are successful, as many scientists will attest.

But when it comes to making art, who doesn't love making a mess? So I did. And while the outcome is not a masterpiece, I did like the process: I combined two ideas from two different ladies on YouTube.

I am sharing both my attempts, and will definitely try it again. The crayons for the background didn't work so well, but I will try with artist grade crayons or paint next time.

Until tomorrow!

💜🇿🇦 Linzé

  

A to Z Blog Challenge: D is for...

Drawing

Drawing or sketching? I like both, but drawing is a more time intensive activity. Sketching can be done while waiting for your coffee at your favourite coffee shop. Ofter called urban sketching it can be a quick record of a time or place, whereas a drawing usually requires more time, more attention, and can be a work of art when it is done.

`White ink drawing

Both are fun, and serve to satisfy the urge to create something. So, when I have a bit of time, I like to do a drawing with lots of details and might even add colour with watercolours or coloured pens or pencils.

Sketching on the go? Why not? It is excellent practice to capture a moment (or moments) and takes almost no time on a busy day...just long enough to get a cup of your favourite brew.

There is no post tomorrow, so I will see you again on Monday!

🇿🇦💜 Linzé