The Gift of Imperfection

Hi everyone!
It has been some time since I last posted here, but I am back ad hopefully things will get back to normal soon.
During this past week I've been working on a class with Brené Brown: The Gift of Imperfection, and boy has this been a journey.
The Gift of Imperfection is based on the book of the same name (you can find it HERE), where the author helps us to use courage, compassion and connection in order to live wholehearted lives.
We had the journal assignments and I just let go of all my fears  of not creating the perfect page and allowed myself to be imperfect in my art, and I have to say that I absolutely love it. It was so inspiring and so freeing, no need to judge my work or ask if others would like it.
I'm imperfect and I'm enough!

Permission Slips

Perfection Pledge

Courage is a heart word...

This three journal pages are the beginning to a wholehearted awakening!
For my first three pages in my imperfect hand-bound journal I used: Dylusion ink sprays ( Bubble Gum Pink, Squeezed Orange), Distress Ink ( Shabby Shutters, Worn Lipstick and Vintage Photo), Mini Pomegranate Stencil, Pearlescent Watercolors, Pelican Watercolors, Tombow Pens, Scor- Tape, Archival Ink, Unity Stamp Set ( Now & Always) and Faber Castell Pitt Pen.
Can't wait to see what this new week brings.
Keep dreaming!

Big hug and lots of positive energy!

Julia

100 Years of Tombow Celebration!

This is so exciting! I am part of the 100 Years of Tombow Celebration!!!!!
As part of this amazing experience Tombow is making a donation in my name to the Council of Arts Education, a national nonprofit dedicated to promoting and supporting art education and quality art programs nationwide.
I was so surprised when I received the invitation to participate, it came at a moment of deep soul search and while I was questioning myself if I should continue with my art or should I put all at hold and keep my professional life as chemical engineer as my priority. Many plans had been made for an art studio and teaching, and then all of the sudden I was rethinking everything and looking deep inside myself for answer that didn't seem to want to come to me.
When I received this invitation, I felt that I could do something that could touch people and bring some insight to their life experience.

The project that lead to this invitation was my Happiness is... art journal spread, created for the class called Sweetlings Mini by Effy Wild. Effy is an amazing teacher and has a fabulous soul and free spirit.

The artist in me was reborn through this experience and I can't thank enough, the Tombow family, for this amazing gift!

Here is my creation, a mixed media project:

Message: Let your Dreams take Flight

Tombow was so generous and they sent three products for me to use in my project:

Dual Brush Pen Set, 6 Retro

Stamp Runner, Dot Pattern Adhesive

Irojiten Color Pencils Dictionary, Rainforest - Vol. 3

Here is the process:

Colored watercolor paper in a random pattern.

Added some water with a brush for blending, markers are water based.

Water droplets made this beautiful feathered borders, loving it!!!!

Added some designer paper to create the effect of grass.

Added some texture to the background with stamps.

Made a simple sketch of a girl holding a kit.

Colored the face and arms with acrylic paint and Tombow coloring pencils.

Dressed my cute gir  in a bright yellow dress.

Drawing with the markers.

Filling in the leaves with coloring pencils. 

Adding centers to the flowers with the markers.

A little detail to my butterflies.

Added details to my girl with a Signo white gel pen.

Some shading with Gelatos.

Some details of the finished art journal spread:

Thanks Tombow for this amazing opportunity!
Would like to share at:

• Make It Monday 161: Anything Goes
• Five Simple Things: Inspire Me Fridays 123
• Artist in Blogland: Show and Tell
• Paint Party Friday: Week 30 Year 3

Keep dreaming!

Big hug and lots of positive energy!

Julia

Ghost Girl Class!

Hello everyone!
This has been an amazing day! Drawing pencils, Dylusions  ink spray, stencils... yes,  I am part of Ghost Girls Class and I'm loving it!
Guadalupe Brizuela (Guada) is the teacher, and she is a very talented artist and her teaching skills are amazing.
You can find her Blog HERE!
My first project or Ghost Girl was an amazing experience, I learned to use and combine mediums in a different way.
I am not in love with the mouth, need to work some more on it, but the eyes I love!!!!

Products used:

• Hempflower Stencil
• Square Rose Stencil
• Black Marble Dylusions Spray
• Bubblegum Pink Dylusions Spray
• Vibrant Turquoise Dylusions Spray
• Denim Colorwash Spray
• Acrylic Gesso
• Faber-Castell: Stampers Big White Brush Pen
• Uniball Signo Gel Pen

Would like to share at:

• Make It Monday 161: Anything Goes
• Five Simple Things: Inspire Me Fridays 123
• Artist in Blogland: Show and Tell
• Paint Party Friday: Week 30 Year 3

Big hug and lots of positive energy!

Julia

Face 29: 29 Faces in September!

My last face for this project is part of a mixed media art journal spread. The mediums used are acrylic paints, Prisma coloring pencils, Gellatos and Charcoal.
The message is: Be You...; just do what you love to do and don't worry about what others want you to do.
The second message is: Keep Dreaming...; and I promise I will keep dreaming. Will you keep dreaming?
The third message is: Love; don't need to explain this one!

Would like to share at:

• Make It Monday 160: Anything Goes
• Five Simple Things: Inspire Me Fridays 122
• Artist in Blogland: Show and Tell
• Mandarin Orange Monday 61
• Paint Party Friday: Week 29 Year 3

Big hug and lots of positive energy!

Julia

Faces 27 and 28: 29 Faces in September!

As part of this adventure I did some colored portraits. The coloring medium were Prisma coloring pencils.

Face 27

Face 28

Big hug and lots of positive energy!

Julia

Faces 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26: 29 Faces in September!

I have being drawing all weekend and yes it has been fun!
Here are some faces

Face 21

Face 22

Face 23

Face 24

Face 25

Face 26

Big hug and lots of positive energy!

Julia

Face 20: 29 Faces in September!

I needed to share this face on a separate post.
This week was really hard. I wanted to do so many things, but work, family and my thoughts got in the way.
As I said in my past post, many projects are in progress, but I am also feeling the pressure from my past. I am fearful that my past will hold me, not let me get where I want to go.
I've been reliving my pain, many years of being told that I could not do things without an unmerciful and manipulative person by my side. Each time I get excited I can hear his voice, crushing each and every dream.
I know he can't hurt me any more, at least if I don't allow it( and I won't), but the memories are so real at moments.
I have to stop feeling the pain of that first relationship, and facing my fears is one of my ways of healing.
Sat at my desk and drew a face, not any face... but a hurt one.
This is what I feared for so long, this is how I saw myself: bruised and scared... so scared.

But I am not this woman any more, my face is not bruised, no dark marks, no black eyes...
I don't need to cover my marks with makeup. My face has healed. My arms have healed. My back, my legs, my body has healed.
My heart and soul are healing, the process has been slow, painful and so exhausting; but it is happening. Each day I am better.
I need to believe in  myself; not let that little voice hurt me; not allow the past to become my present.
I am still learning to be Me.
I want to be Me.
I need to be Me.
Big hug and lots of positive energy!

Julia

Faces 18 and 19: 29 Faces in September!

It's been a eight days since I last blogged here, hum, to many days without writing...

I did create, worked hard on my faces; but work got in the way and it took my week away.

During the past days I've been thinking a lot about life, family and dreams, yes, dreams. They keep following me and telling me very softly: You can do this, just go for it!

I might just jump in some very exciting ventures, creatively and business wise. I am so excited and scared.

Will keep you all posted on this new project.

For now I am sharing faces 18 and 19:

Face 18

Face 19

Big hug and lots of positive energy!

Julia