I love art journaling. It’s brought so much joy, peace and awareness to my life. It allows me to find focus, or rather, to place my focus where it will best serve me. In my case, that is often in the area of self-love, acceptance and a feeling of being enough.
Recently I was working on a journal page when my husband walked in and asked me what I was up to. I replied, “Fixing a mistaek…<grin>… because that’s what I do.” He smiled and quoting my tagline said, “Well…mistaeks are mandatory.”
This page began with a little gesso and acrylic paint. More gesso and the end of a paint brush scribbling the words, “because I love myself enough I release all criticism and fear.” The lettering was then traced with black marker and covered with more gesso and paint. I proceeded to add some stamping from rubber stamps I had carved out myself. It was beginning to come together.
I never have a plan; particularly when I art journal. Still relatively new to the process and idea of art journaling I spent some time looking at a few videos on YouTube. I found one that sprayed color wash onto the page and then splattered alcohol (your basic rubbing alcohol) onto the color wash creating this marbling effect. I loved it.
I didn’t love the writing. I liked the words I chose, I just didn’t like the black pen I’d chosen to use. Hmm.
Cover it up with some tissue paper and Mod Podge. Write it again with a different pen.
I thought I liked it until I photographed it; never mind that it’s an iPhone snap in bad lighting. Okay, cover it up again with more tissue paper and Mod Podge. 
Do you think I’m a perfectionist? I am. But I also think that I needed these words to sink in, to resonate, to root themselves into my thought process.
Somewhere between who I was
and who I am meant to be
Learning to love
every part of me.
