Artline Monday - World Gratitude Day

World Gratitude Day is celebrated on the 21st September every year and it is a day to reflect on the things you are grateful for and appreciate about your life.  Focusing on what is good is a great way to stay positive and improve your mood so I thought for today’s post I would show you how to make a little gratitude journal to carry around with you so you can record what makes you happy and grateful.

Supplies and Artline pens

The basic idea behind this is a junk journal, we are going to make one out of scraps of paper, envelopes, paper bags and any little bits and pieces you have laying around.  You will also need some nice pens like my Artline brush markers and fineliners.

First of all you need to find something to make the cover of your journal.  I am using a card a friend sent me but you can use some pretty card or thick paper, just fold it in half to create your book shape and then look for things to fill it with to make the pages.  I have some sheets of patterned paper, old postcards, envelopes and a couple of paper bags I have kept in my craft supplies box that I am going to use in mine.  If you have an old book that is falling a part and heading for the recycling bin then you could take some pages from that to use in yours too.

Postcard, papers and envelopes

Put all your pages in the cover and fold them inside as if you were closing your book, then trim any overhanging pieces so the papers fit inside the journal.  It doesn’t matter if any pages are smaller than others, a junk journal doesn’t have to be perfect.  If you do use any paper bags or envelopes make sure they fit inside the cover without having to cut the sides and that you have the opening end facing the top of your journal so anything you pop in them won’t fall out.  I have also cut the folded tops off my envelopes so it’s not fiddly to put things in them.  I think I will use these pockets to store things that make me happy and remind me of good times like tickets to a trip we have been on or receipts for a nice meal we shared etc.  You can also write on the outside of the bags and envelopes as if they were pages inside the book too.

Arranging my pages

There are a few different ways you can bind your book, just do whichever is easiest for you.  You can staple them into place along the middle of the centre page or sew a couple of stitches with a large needle and thick thread.  I used a piece of elastic to secure mine placed along the centre fold and tied tightly around the outside of the cover. I cut two small slots at the top and bottom of the spine of my journal to hold the elastic into place and then trimmed off the excess elastic from the knot.

Securing the pages with elastic

Here is the view from inside my journal...

The elastic holds everything in place

To make the journal look a little neater I hid the knot on the spine using a kraft coloured sticker and it will also hold the elastic in place.  You wont need to do this if you stapled or sewed your pages. 

Hiding the knot

Now you have made your journal you can add some extra decoration to it!  I used a brush marker to write on my front cover. 

Writing on the cover

Then it's time to fill your journal with things to make you smile, pictures, doodles, quotes, memories and the things you are grateful for!

My first page

Happy memories

List of things I am grateful for

There is still plenty of space left inside my journal so I am going to carry it in my bag and jot down any things that make me happy and if I am having a bad day I can take it out and look at all of the things I am grateful for and hopefully improve how I am feeling.

I hope you like my idea and please let me know if you are going to make your own gratitude journal!

Artline Monday - Spring watercolours

I love spring, I love seeing the world bloom with colour again after the wet, grey months of winter and I feel energised and renewed.  I wanted to mark the start of the season in my journal with lots of pretty florals and I had an idea to paint some flowers watercolour style with my Artline paint and chalk markers.

Welcoming spring in my journal

It was a complete experiment but I am happy with how they turned out so I thought I would share with you how I did it step by step in case you wanted to do something similar.  This is a quick and easy way to dip your toe into watercolours without having to buy an expensive palette of paints or a nice craft project for your children over the upcoming Easter holiday! 

The supplies

You will need some watercolour paper or any other kind of paper that can withstand you using water on it, I used my tomoe river notebook because the paper is super strong.  You will also need some poster and/or chalk markers, a paint brush and a waterproof pen like the Artine 853 OHP marker.

Starting the flowers

Use your poster or chalk marker to draw a circle or semicircle for the base of your flower and then go into it with a wet paintbrush to spread the paint out into a flower shape.  You want the paint to be darker at the bottom of the flower and fade as it goes up to the top of the petals.  This doesn't have to be perfect, just spread the paint out until you have a general shape.

Waiting for the paint to dry

Paint as many flowers as you like and then wait for the paint to dry.

Adding details

I used my 853 OHP marker to draw some stems and leaves on my flowers, these details change the paint from looking like blobs of colour and into blooms!  Again these don't have to be perfect, imperfections make the flowers look more interesting anyway.

White highlights

The last step was to add some specks of white paint to the flowers using my Artline 444XF paint marker and then I was finished.

The finished flowers

I think I will try to use my poster and chalk markers for more watercolour art now I know that they work well, the key to it is just adding the water quickly and using the brush before the paint sets on the page.  I am already picturing sunset skies with pink and purple streaks and seascapes, I can't wait to get started!

Please let me know if you give it a go!

Artline Monday - Ways to relax

So it's the middle of November and my Christmas plans are in full swing now but I still find myself stressing over getting everything ready in time, I guess I'm just a worrier!  I thought I would share with you some ways I relax when I feel a little frazzled in case you find yourself feeling more frustrated than festive over the next few weeks!

Ways to relax

Colouring books

I love how colouring in has become a big thing for adults now, there are so many different types of books to choose from so finding one to suit your style is easy.  Taking ten or twenty minutes out of my day to work on one of my pages relaxes me quickly, colouring in such small pieces with my fineliners takes my mind off everything but staying within the lines! 

Mindful colouring book & Artline fineliners

Baths 

A long hot soak in the bath or a refreshing shower washes away worries!  Take as long as you need until you feel ready to face the day again with a smile.

Journalling

Putting things down on paper is a great way to clear your mind.  Keeping a journal or diary can feel quite therapeutic as you have to spend some time reflecting on your day.  This gives you a chance to record your highs and lows and helps you address anything that is niggling away at you.

My journal

Walking

Go outside and get some fresh air, stretch your legs, wrap up warm and enjoy the chilly weather.  I love going for a walk in the evening when it is just getting dark and people have turned their Christmas lights on, it makes me feel excited about the holidays and takes my mind off my to do lists.

Art journalling

I'm not a great artist but I do enjoy drawing, doodling and painting and the best thing about keeping an art journal is there are no rules about how to do it.  I fill my journal with all kinds of things, memories about holidays and celebrations, things I want to remember and I usually do a spread dedicated to what I am looking forward to each month.  If you decide you want to start an art journal all you need is a notebook and a selection of pens and pencils while you work out your style of journalling.  Once you have found your groove you can try adding other materials into the mix like paints, collage and different kinds of paper and markers, the possibilities are endless.  Have fun!

My ode to Autumn in my art journal

What do you do to help you relax when you are feeling stressed?  I'd love to know!