If Every Art Journaler Read the Same Book

Fabulous Friendship Festival Book Club

Prompt #5

by Julie Ann Shahin, Studio Tangie Social Media Team

If you are interacting with us on our free Connect Book Club group, you already know that a few days ago, I was able to meet our very own Heather, aka sparklyduck75, for the first time. You can read about my excitement here.

New Prompt

This connects to this week’s new  Chapter assignment (below) and one of our prompts this week, which is have you ever met anyone from our Art Journal Caravan or Book Club? I know some of you have been super fortunate to even meet Tangie herself and take her art journaling classes. (See sidebar on right for her upcoming workshops). Oh how I wish and pray, and plan to save up to take one of her workshops! Then I’d get to meet gobs of you all at once too! How fun would that be!!!!

Keep sharing and uploading your creations. I so enjoy seeing your talents. Upload to your favorite gallery and share the link (copy and paste the url here on the blog or on our Connect group), or start your own album at our Connect group.

If you are NEW, here are the links you will need to get started:

• the announcement of the book club selection

• Prompt #1

• Prompt #2

• Prompt #3

• Prompt #4

• Our Book Club Group

• Start Your Own Album At Our Book Club Group (click on black tab titled “Photos”, then click on “My Photos”, then click on “Create Photo Album”)

Anyone can join at anytime!!!

Tearful Goodbye

Speaking of friends whom we’ve met online, I can’t help but acknowledge sorrowful news that I found out on Friday about the loss of the of one of the digital scrapbooking communities most precious artists’ and personalities, as Pattie Knox passed away on Wednesday, February 27th. I was only an online acquaintance of Pattie’s, as we encountered each other here and there over the past five and six years.

Pattie Knox

In fact, last spring, Tangie and I were on a panel at Masterful Scrapbook Design teaching Art Journaling Looks for Scrapbooking  and where Pattie Knox was a regular teacher as well as at Get It Scrapped and Creative Passion Classes. I thought she was also on the panel, but looking at the list her name isn’t on the panel, perhaps she just came to the online discussion. Either way, when I encountered her, she was so sweet, funny, and welcoming. She was a real rarity in the way her soul was pure in reaching out to you in friendship, even across the internet. She will be an inspiration forever. Let’s have a moment of silence for Pattie.

Did you know or know of Pattie? Please share your stories of friendship with her!

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Allowing yourself to grieve fully over losses of friends, such as Pattie, creates room in our souls for future joy. I have a few quotations on this subject to share, they happen to all be, not planned, by Kahlil Gibran:

• “When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”
  Kahlil Gibran
• “The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven? And is not the lute that soothes your spirit the very wood that was hollowed with knives?”
  Kahlil Gibran, ‘The Prophet’
• “Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be?”
  Kahlil Gibran, ‘The Prophet’

I like that phrase that your joy is your sorrow unmasked. It is so full of hope. What do you think?

***

How do you share joy with your friends?

That is one of the topics this week. You might think, the weather is awful, the economy is terrible, my kids are acting out, and I have so much stress  at work. What joy is there to share?

I’m not here to preach. I’m here to listen.

I’m here to share what information I find as well. Such as 7 Reasons to Be Happy Even if Things Aren’t Perfect Now by Lori Deschene.

I’m here to share quotes I find that are relevant…

Life is not about making others happy.  Life is about sharing your happiness with others.

I’m here to be along with you on your journey on as we journal together this book Fabulous Friendship Festival by SARK. I can tell you that one of my goals, for this year and lifelong, is to be positive, to speak positive, to be around positive people. Joyful people.

I feel so much better with positive persons than when I am around someone who is whining all the time, who finds reasons to complain; than when I am around someone I just feel like I can’t trust with information because I know he/she will tell the next person he/she sees; than when I am with someone who uses inappropriate language; or who sees the worst in most situations.

I learned in therapy many years ago that I can not be the savior for most people I care about, they have to do it for themselves.

So you lead by example, be positive, be joyful.

If they do not follow your lead, you either decide to keep them in your life or not.

Back to my question: What joy do you share? Celebrate your positive experiences.  Just talk about something wonderful that happened, anything. It could be a simple, small sign of your faith, a smile that made your day, or a huge miracle of life such as a new baby.  Involve your friends.

Now they say it’s proven science that to do so is beneficial for your health.

“The researchers made a number of suggestions – for example, they said talking about a positive experience could increase its “social reality”, making it especially accessible to memory; friends may point out positive implications of our news that had so far eluded us; and/or we perhaps take extra joy in making another person happy through our good news.”

The next time something good happens to you, don’t keep it to yourself. The researchers quoted an unknown author: “Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower.”

Posted by Christian Jarrett for the BPS Research Digest.

Lambert, N., Gwinn, A., Baumeister, R., Strachman, A., Washburn, I., Gable, S., and Fincham, F. (2012). A boost of positive affect: The perks of sharing positive experiences Journal of Social and Personal Relationships DOI: 10.1177/0265407512449400

Want more to read on this subject? Check out

How to Share Your Joy!

Before I introduce the prompt for this week, let me give you the “instructions” for following the prompt.

Instructions for Each Week

Step 1. Come to the Studio Tangie blog (sign up for email notifications if you prefer) every Saturday February 2  through April 20 to see the prompts and inspiration based on the assigned readings. Tag: Art Journal Book Club

Step 2. Journal based on the prompts. Pick from one or more of the prompts. There will also be an Art Journal Technique suggestion each week. You can make as many pages or as few pages as you like. Any size, any format, any medium, any supplies, although we do enjoy Studio Tangie products.

Step 3. Participate and make friends in discussion of the readings at the social network as much as you like. Connect in the FREE special group just for us HERE. Register or login with your Facebook account. You can also ask questions there.

Step 4. Upload your finished art journal page from the prompt to the our gallery at Connect (or your favorite gallery), and then post on the Studio Tangie blog, on the corresponding prompt, that you have uploaded your page(s). If possible, leave the url of your page. (Copy and paste). This lets everyone know when to look in the gallery, and I’ll get an email notification.

Step 5. Comment on other group members pages in our group gallery.

Step 6. Make sure you have fun!

March 2 – 8, Prompt #5

JOY AND PLEASURE IN FRIENDSHIPS

Assignment: Read Chapter 5, Joy and Pleasure in Friendships

Pages 95-119

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Next, create an art journal page or more from the following prompts.

If something from the book inspires you, instead, go with that. There are no rules in art journaling!

The following prompts are: They Say (quotes), Questions to Ponder, Be Inspired (by specific pages from the book), and Art Journal Technique.

Just do whatever inspires you, however it inspires you.

No rules!!!

The Prompts:

Be inspired by a quotation!

Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away.
George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)

There’s nothing more precious in this world than the feeling of being wanted.
Diana Dors

Be inspired by one (or more) question(s)!

1. How do you share your joy with your friends?
2. What creative activities do you do with your friends that is unusual and interesting?
3. What kind of joy and pleasure have you found in the online friendships on the Art Journal Caravan? Have you met anyone in person?

Join us in Our Book Club Group at Connect to discuss these questions and the chapter!

Be inspired by the book!

Pages 97, 105-109,113-117, 118

Or any of the pages in between!

Be inspired by a technique!

ART JOURNAL TECHNIQUE: Use a (digi) brush/stamp 13 times or use 13 brushes/stamps

Inspiration for Prompt #5:

Rain K.

“There’s nothing more precious in the world than the feeling of being wanted” Dana Dors

Journaling:
Our beloved friends that live in London and Istanbul spent a lot of time with us on our first trip to London, driving us all over the city, eating in fabulous Lebanese and Indian restaurants, spending hours absorbing the beauty in the museums, the treasures of the library, Westminster Abbey, 300 year old trees at Kew gardens, walking in the footsteps of history, art, science, deepening our friendships over weeks of close, intimate contact, laughter, tears, life stories.

Everyday, Richard would say, “Are you possessed of the Affliction to see…”, the changing of the guard, the crown jewels, the wax figures at M. Tussad’s, on and on…so after a few days, I asked if he felt that I was possessed? Afflicted?? Somewhere in the translation from American to the Queen’s English, I had missed some important words like “bubble and squeak” (cabbage and potato), “gobsmacked” (amazed), and “possessed of the affliction” (the desire to…). Torch, boot, tube, lots of easy words, but oh so many differences right down to how I hold a knife and a fork…Gary was summarily informed that he would NOT be invited in all likelihood to have tea with the Queen, unless he moved that fork from right to left hand, after all,

We were on our way next to Barcelona, so it was imperative to get that tea invitation, toot sweet. Didn’t want to miss out! Ahhh, the lovely, amazing wonders of travel with another couple, leaving off the boundaries of familiarity, being willing to be vulnerable, to reveal the inner soul, weeks and weeks, the joys, the sorrows, the unbridled ecstasy and fun, the shame, the embarrassment, all rolled into months together. Fluidity and love. What a miracle, to see and be seen, to strip away the familiar and experience the priceless moments.

Credits:
Tangie Baxter:
Field Notes: Spring, and Winter
Sea brushes
AJC13 paper
Director font

Other: London Calling brush set by Rebecca Wagler

Sandy aka ms. mauk

Prompt:

There’s nothing more precious in this world than the feeling of being wanted. ~Diana Dors
ART JOURNAL TECHNIQUE: Use a brush 13 times or 13 brushes

Credits:
Tangie Baxter:
Touch of Madness
AJC12 Parcel 30
Journey 12
Vintage Ad Words 2

Other: DeCrow Designs: Feb Mega Alpha (2009); Jessica Bolton: Foam Stamped Alpha; Studio Sherrie JD: Couples Therapy

Tina C. aka ~tina0319

Hybrid Page

Prompt: “There’s nothing more precious in this world than the feeling of being wanted.” ~Diana Dors
Technique: Use a brush 13 times

Journaling: I try to share my joy of Art Journaling with my best friend Jeff. He doesn’t understand it but he always looks & listens he even oh’s and awes. Boy do I Love him!
Credits: Tangie Baxter

Papers:
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_paper9

Elements:
tangie_ink_corporated3
tangie_ink_corporated53
tangie_ink_corporated86
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_paintnewspaper
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_paintedbuds
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_grass
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_swirl
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_staple
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_ephemera_2
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_doodledflower
tangie_UnconventionalWisdom_cloud
tangie_YouAreBrill_paint2

Brushes:
tangie_Inktastic_Week26_BRUSHES

Fonts – All by Tangie:
AJF Very Good Advice
AJF Walrus
AJF Wonderland
AJF Mad Hatter
AJF Gryphon
AJF Flarkspur
AJF Five Seven and Two

Hybrid Items
Faber Castell Gelleto’s
Glitter Tape
Flowers
Bird
Tag
Sharpie Marker

Julie Ann

Hybrid Page

Prompt – Question: What kind of joy and pleasure have you found in the online friendships in the Art Journal Caravan?

Technique: Use brush or stamp 13 times (I did this both digitally and by hand)
Digital: I used a brush from Conversed 5 Bonus Brushes 12 times around the border and then the a brush from Inkstastik Week 26 behind the girls in yellow for #13.

By Hand: Stamped the date 13 times, it says “Happy Place February 15, 2013″(below)

However, I ended up smearing it before it was dry. I like the artsy look though!

Journaling:

Quote: “I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy.” – Charles R. Swindoll

My writing: The Art Journal Caravan has been a wonderful creative outlet for me to meet like-minded individuals. These persons have such amazing talents that awe me.

Members open up on their art journal pages, allowing the rest of the group to see inside their soul, get to know their personalities, their strugglels, their triumphs. It gives others the chance to give back, with praise and support.

In addition, I’ve been blessed to world closely with the Studio Tangie Creative Team, and VIP Tour Members, bonding quite closely over the past few years. I absolutely couldn’t do what I do on the blog without their support and encouragement.

I hope to meet some of these people one day! (written before I met Heather)

Both Pages – Prompt 4 and 5

Week 4 Credits – Studio Tangie:
Brushes: Conversed 5 Bonus brushes, Inktastic Week 26 Brushes
Paper: Studio Box Workshop No. 4, Tangible Plans™ {Add Ons} #021, Tangible Plans™ {Add Ons} #015
Elements: Art Journal 2013 Expedition Kit, Collage Fodder Silhouettes,
Tangible Plans™ {Starter Kit & Workshop} By Tangie, Tangible Plans™ {Add Ons} #010

Products Used:
Felt word: Creative Imaginations
Stickers:
Date stamp: K&Co. Smash
Tissue tape: Tim Holtz
Metal: Tim Holtz
Stamping Ink: Vivid
Mist: Dylusions Black

Julie Ann

Digital

Prompt: How do you share your joy with your friends?

Technique: I used 13 different brushes

Journaling: My #1 way to share joy is to connect on Facebook and update my status, or share a photo. My best friends from all areas of my life are on Facebook, and I trust that they’ll see my updates.

The joy I feel with my friends is expressed verbally. I let them know my gratitude for them being in my life. I text them and thank them for the wonderful time we spent together. As SARK says, “We connect, and joy happens.”

I love the “compound energy” feeling that SARK mentions. A great example is this book club, because I was not very confidient to start it, I was not sure anyone would join. I’m ecstatic that more than 5 people joined let alone 30! It’s even more satisfying that it’s bringing joy to others.

Credits: Tangie Baxter
Brushes: Gypsy Rhapsody
Paper: Quote Backgrounds
Gesso: Gesso Mats 1

Other: Joyous Journey by Crowabout StudioB
Font: Tangie Art Journaling Font Larkspur

Heather aka sparklyduck75

Journaling: Someone throws their heart and soul onto a page, and you’re looking at it, you’re looking right inside them and they’re letting you see everything. Fearlessly. And it makes you feel brave, so you come back with your own heart all over a piece of paper, and you let them stare into you. It’s raw and real and honest and bold and amazing. It is an endless source of art, of courage, and of love. That’s what I love about the Caravan… all the trembling hearts more beautifully fierce than we could ever imagine.

CREDITS: AJC March 13 Collection by Tangie Baxter.
Font: Housegrind.

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THANK YOU BUNCHES TO MY TEAM FOR YOUR SUPER CREATIVE PAGES!!!

Next week, I’ll see you back here for my prompts based on Chapter 6!

If you have the book, and want to know what Chapters we will be reading, or if you want to read ahead (yet know this is not a race! you can read as we go along!!!)

here is the SCHEDULE:

• Prompt 1: No reading instructions
• Prompt 2: Chapter 1 – Pages 19-36
• Prompt 3: Chapter 3, Pages 55-76
• Prompt 4: Chapter 4, Pages 77-94
• Prompt 5: Chapter 5, Pages 95-119 WE ARE HERE THIS WEEK!
• Prompt 6: Chapter 6, Pages 120 – 135
• Prompt 7: Chapter 7, Pages 136-150
• Prompt 8: Chapter 10 Pages 189-206
• Prompt 9: Chapter 11, Pages 208-227
• Prompt 10: Chapter 12, Pages 228-247
• Prompt 11: Finale, Pages 248-253

Now it’s your turn! I am looking forward to seeing your pages on JOY IN FRIENDSHIPS!!!

Please share a link to your page (copy and paste the url) here on this post!

Remember: come join us at

• Our Book Club Group
• Create Your Own Book Club Album