Managing ideas: a new method for me

  This year I have been trying new things, and that includes managing those new ideas. I have often read and heard people say to you should carry a notebook with you to jot down that "idea" that pops into your head at the oddest times. To be honest, I have done and said the same thing for many years. My problem is, that most of my ideas strike when I am writing in my journal and then those ideas get lost because I don't make the effort to rewrite them in that ideas notebook of mine.

Notebook, pen and bag

  About two weeks ago I came across a website about this very thing, but it is a touch more comprehensive than keeping a notebook. It is called the Zettelkasten method and it uses cards for noting down those ideas. I have tried cards in the past too, but they have never quite worked for me. What I liked about this method, is that the system caters for follow-up ideas and notes, without having to use bigger cards, or more notebooks to keep your notes together.
  Since I have been trying it for only about two weeks, I have not yet found anything not to like about it, but to be honest have not used it that much either. Not for because I lack ideas, but I am focused on #inktober52 mostly and immediately sit down to sketch my idea(s) since the deadline is a week away and there is not time to waste if I want to keep up.
  More on this method as I use it, but give the Zettelkasten method a try, it might just be thing you have been looking for.
  Speaking of new things. It is Valentines Day this week, and if the blog host sends me the info in time, there is a new book for you to explore this Friday. 
  Also a new #JournalArt2020 post on Thursday, and my next newsletter is out tomorrow with something special for subscribers.

But now it's time for me to go see to a few chores in preparation for the week ahead.

Until next time!
💜 Linzé
  

Art Journal 2020: Love (a guest post)

Today I have the pleasure of my friend, Vanessa Wright's #ArtJournal2020 contribution. She loves using zentangles in her art journal, and I thought it a good idea to let her tell you how she approached this art journal about LOVE using zentangles.

Zentangle was invented by a monk, Rick Roberts and an artist by the name of Maria Thomas and meditation met art. This method of drawing promotes concentration, creativity and personal well-being. This art form is traditionally drawn on 9x9 tiles.

2020 saw the beginning of an exciting art journey for me and my friend, Linzé Brandon. We started art journaling. After reading up on a few articles and watching endless YouTube tutorials, I finally knew which direction I wanted to take regarding this art form.

• First and foremost it needed to be a personal journey, not just random art for art's sake.
• Secondly, I wanted to do something that had only rarely, if ever been done. I had been part of the Tangle all around Facebook group, run by Alice Dean Hendon for nearly a year and yet had any artwork to show for it. This was the perfect opportunity.
• Thirdly I wanted to be able to look back at the pieces and see whether I had gown as an artist. 

Here is the process I used for this zentangle art journal entry:

1. I decided to repurpose an old hardback book which was missing a few pages and was doomed to be thrown away. As the pages were stitched and not glued, I was able to rip out nearly half of them.
2. I then glued 3 pages together by applying gel medium and added two layers of gesso to prepare them for anything I wished to throw at them. I was worried that the text, which was still visible, would impact the artwork, but my acrylic background covered it effortlessly.
3. I mixed sap green and lemon yellow and lightened areas with titanium white which I applied directly to the page.

   

   Zentangles around a cut out

4. Sap green and some fingerprint action made the edges slightly darker.
5. I cut out paper hearts, printed the quote and the word, love, and stuck them in with gel medium.
6. I used washi tape to divide both pages. Do not tangle with expensive Pigma Microns on this surface, use a cheaper Artline pen or a Sharpie as it destroys the tips of the Micron pens.
7. Tangle carefully to avoid smudging. There are literally thousands of tangle patterns available on the web; the sky is literally the limit.

I like the simplicity of the finished page as most of the art journaling tutorials I watched were so overdone and involved stencils and stamps and paper and magazine cut outs and and and....

This was why the zentangles appealed to me. I hope you are inspired to try this, so relaxing and super fun.

The final result of the zentangle art journal entry

Thank you, Vanessa! Phew, that must have taken quite a bit of time and I know you enjoyed every moment.

If you like to use zentangles in your art journal, why not share them with me on Twitter with the #JournalArt2020, I would love to see what your creative results look like.

Until next time!

💜 Linzé

Art Journal 2020: Memento Mori

Welcome to #JournalArt2020! This is a blog series of actual art journal entries that I am doing this year.
Since this is my first time doing art journaling, it may not be as pretty as you see on YouTube, but these entries are personal, that I can assure you. I decided to keep to my theme of Living in Balance, and started the series with Stoicism, as I am a practitioner of the philosophy.
Enjoy!

I started with two facing blank pages. Both of which were glued together with gel medium and allowed to dry overnight.
The pages are a dark beige colour, but the colour of the paper does not matter because I was going to paint it.
The first layer was done with white gesso to seal the paper and prepare it for painting.

I left the right-hand page mostly unpainted - the gesso is visible here.
I painted the middle of the spread with grey acrylic (I mixed white and black).
Then I roughly painted about 90% of the left-hand page with black acrylic paint.

The rough textured look was the look I wanted.

I used this drywalling fibre tape as a stencil with textured paste next.

I found the tape in a local Builders Warehouse store. The tape is quite sticky, but I soaked it in water, then dried it so that it won't stick to the page. 
It was still sticky after soaking it, but it worked well because it was damp and I could peel it away.

You can see the dried textured paste on the left-hand page where I used the drywall tape as the stencil.

I added the black and grey washi tape to the bottom of the page on the right-hand side, before adding another stencilled piece.

I used the flower stencil on the right-hand page with the same textured paste and a pallet knife. It went over the washi tape at the bottom. This was intentional.








I then finished the entry with more washi tape, stickers, and painted the flower with acrylic paint. Lastly, I added the text in white on the left-hand page, and black on the right-hand page.

Left-hand page text reads: Memento Mori (top)
Remember we will die (bottom)

Right-hand page text is a quote by Seneca: "It's not at all that we have too short a time to Iive, but that we squander a great deal of it. Life is long enough, and it's given in sufficient measure to do many great things if we spend it well. But when it's poured down the drain of luxury and neglect, when it's employed to no good end, we're finally driven to see that it has passed by before we even recognise it passing. And so it is - we don't receive a short life, we make it so."

Memento Mori: final art journal entry #JournalArt2020

Materials:

• white Faber Castell brush pens
• black Faber Castell Pitt pen
• white gesso
• acrylic paint: black, white, yellow, red, green, blue (purple was mixed with red and blue)
• stickers: butterflies, clock, stars, skulls, bones.
• washi tape: black/grey/white, flowers, leaves.
• fold back clips to help hold the pages down while working
• paint brushes - small round

Until next time!

💜 Linzé

Art Journal 2020: Balance

Art Journal about work life balance in 2020 (mixed media)

  I have always thought that art journaling would take too long, and that would make me lose interest. Late last year I watched loads of YouTube video clips, and read even more blogs on the subject before deciding to try my hand at it.
  After trying one entry (above) I am hooked 😍. Since I had no idea how it was going to turn out, I only took a picture of the end result. There are many more art journal entries coming this year, and for those I have/will take many more pictures in case you want to see how I did it.
  I decided to spare you the pain of listening to my voice, so no video clips, only text and many pictures to tell you how I did mine.
  Thursdays will be for art journal sharing on the Broomstick. Want to share your own efforts? Please do so on Twitter (#JournalArt2020), since I would love to see how your art journal develops in 2020.

💜 Linzé

Blog Calendar: January and February

  Need a boost for a new book, artwork, blog post, or some other creative project? Or maybe an older project needs a bit more love? Give me a shout and I would love to help out. Rules and requirements -> here

  Reserved = my spot. I need some of my own time too 😜
  The hashtag shows the dates when #TheTinyBroom tweets. Pick your date right and get an extra boost with #TheTinyBroom.

  Oh, and it's first come, first choice, no exceptions! Thank you for understanding.

Remember to use the link here to send me the details. Replies to this post, or any other PMs and DMs will be ignored. Thank you!

Don't want to miss out on more news, special events, or discounts? Sign up to my newsletter - it only pops into your inbox once a month. Promise.

💜 Linzé

Goodbye, 2019! It was great to have lived you.

Like all good things there comes a time to say goodbye. But it will only be a short reprieve before we tackle 2020 with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. Lots of exciting things happened in 2019 and many more wonderful things are still ahead for 2020.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

  

My last newsletter of the year will also go out tomorrow. More exciting opportunities await in 2020 for my subscribers. Subscribe now then you won't miss out.

Until then!

💜💜 Linzé

Cover reveal: SAVED BY LOVE by Shilpa Suraj

~ Cover Reveal ~

Saved by Love 

by Shilpa Suraj

About the Book:

They meet under impossible circumstances.

She is kidnapped by terrorists blackmailing her father, a Supreme Court Judge. He leads the team sent to rescue her. 

Trekking to safety through Ladakh... They are in danger of falling in love. But, Lt. Col. Arjun Rathod knows that Naina Ahuja, engaged to politics' rising star, is not meant for him.

Forever changed by her trauma, Naina walks out of her controlling family and forges a new life.

And then, she meets Arjun again. But this time, he is engaged to someone else.

Can they save their love or is it too late?

About the author:

Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.

An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

Contact the Author:

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