I Heart the Art Journal - 2010

Do you ever feel like God, the Universe, or whatever higher power you personally believe in is trying to send you a message? For me, I often need a sledgehammer to get through to my noggin. Let me explain...

• My friend, Roberta, first introduced me to her Dream workshop. Setting goals and writing them down have a much higher chance of success. When I moved away, Roberta and I kept in touch for a couple of years, but then we lost touch. She recently found me through blogging and we have resumed our friendship :) Coincidence? I don't believe in coincidences.
• My friend, Lauren, has participated in 52Q for ~2 years. I have admired her ATC cards that she has shared on her blog and wished I had time to participate. Then she posted a link to Bruce Mau Design's Incomplete Manifesto for Growth. Lauren is participating in Tiggerye's I Heart the Art for 2010 (weekly Saturday prompts).
  
• Maggie, owner of Cuttlebug Challenge blog, recently posted that she hopes to participate in Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project.

See what I mean? A sledgehammer. When I saw Lauren's journal cover, I was intimidated and thought I should not even try. Yesterday I spent 3 hours in my craft room and I didn't create single card, but not for lack of trying! Some days are like that...okay, a lot of days :)

I woke up this morning and decided I have to do this. No thinking or planning allowed...just do it. I love the top note die, so I grabbed that. I knew if I wanted to stay motivated to do this for 52 weeks, I needed to choose paper for my project that makes me smile. You know I went for my scraps first! I pulled these Creative Imaginations papers and a scrap of red Bazzill (red is my favorite color and Bazzill is my favorite card stock). I picked two pieces of chipboard that happened to be cut the same size. I cut the CI paper to those dimensions. The heart was on my table from yesterday's lack of success trying to make valentines.

I decided to do the first prompt, "Aim to..." on the inside of the front cover. My aims were taken directly from Mau & Rubin:

• Begin anywhere
• Love your experiments
• Process is more important than outcome
• Spend out- don't save for a special occasion- now is special

I managed to "spend out" on the heart on the front cover, the stamped "i" on the front cover, and for the pink Thickers letters. None of these products had ever been opened.

So what do you think?