The Red Dragonfly - Art Journal, Mixed Media, Collage Workshops

Creativity at Work: Light through the window

2012-03-07T22:30:00.000-08:00

Creativity and beauty is always around us. I noticed that I get so focused at work I don't even notice the beauty around me. So in January I started to journal about all the bits of joy and beauty that shows up in my work place.

In the afternoon there is one hallway that becomes a wash of bright sunlight and the blinds make a wonderful pattern of lines on the carpet I captured the moment with my cell phone camera. (What did we do without cell phones and digital cameras?) It just reminds me of the beauty of simplicity.

~ Julie

Project 52: Week 10

2012-03-06T20:22:00.000-08:00

$3.00 USD

Project 52: Week 10 Digital Papers include:

3 digital papers: 1 Journal Background and 2 Calendar Pages
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

You are purchasing a digital file only. No printed materials will be shipped. At the end of your purchase you will be sent to a page where you can download the file.Watermarks will not appear in purchased file.

This file is for personal use only or a small business where you create crafts, cards or invitations for others. It may not to be used for commercial purposes. You may not copy, share, sell or distribute the file in any form.

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

Enjoying good food ...

2012-03-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

I had a great dinner with my team at work in San Francisco. I have always heard great things about about the amazing food at Crustacean's restaurant,but nothing prepared me for the size of this crab. Crustacean's is famous for their garlic crab and noodles so I was excited to finally try it. I love seafood, I grew up eating Maryland Blue Crab in the summer as a kid. I have seen many crabs in my day but this is one big crab and it was delicious! (This crab looks like it might be praying....praying for mercy before I eat it!)

~ Julie

Things I'd like to try....

2012-03-03T22:37:00.000-08:00

I'd love to make something like this at A Work of Heart in Andrea's Jewelry class. I love necklaces with lots of little charms on them.

Big Juicy Journal Page: Birds of a Feather ...

2012-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

I spent a week away from my journal in a business trip and I really missed working in the pages. I'm in love with these little birds. I cut 2 shapes from random journal and book pages.. one for the bird body, one for the wing and one for the beak. I found the perfect page in my Big Juicy Journal for a background and went to town with paints, gesso and vintage stamps.

They where so much fun to create.

~ Julie

Creativity at Work: My Favorite things

2012-02-29T15:00:00.000-08:00

I think it's important to have a work space that's inspiring. As a creative person I need to be surrounded by beauty. I dress up all my environments with a bit of my personality. My office is filled with clippings of color and cute supplies that make me happy. Here's my list of my must have goodies at keep at work to bring beauty, fun and creativity to my life at work:

Martha Stewart Sticky Notes

I found these cool sticky notes at Office Max. They come in 3 pastel colors...pink, yellow and green. They are great for making quick notes, to do lists and reminders. They are more fun than the plain square yellow sticky notes. The shape of the notes is really sweet.

Alexa Pulitzer and Papaya Paper Mouse Pads

I love these for making notes and to do lists also. There's a pretty big space to illustrate and diagram ideas. I usually make notes and keep adding throughout the day...then toss it when everything is completed. I've had these two pads for 2 years.

Pilot G-2 Pens

I love these pens. I buy 20+ at a time. They give off a smooth, dark, thick, steady, stream of ink (love that!) They are my go to pens for all my notes. I've actually tossed out all my other pens so I never have to accidentally pick up something other than the pen I love!

Artful Blogging Magazine
I keep a copy of Artful Blogging Magazine at my desk. Work is so busy I almost never get to read it but from time to time I'll take a break for lunch by myself and read for a few minutes. It's a bit of an escape and inspirational at the same time. I also cut out images and pin them to my walls to spruce up my office space.

Travel: CHA Los Angeles, California

2012-02-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

So much fun at CHA 2012

This year Andrea and I attended CHA Los Angeles. It's one of the biggest craft and hobby shows in the country! Andrea's been a few times but this was my first time at the event. There were isles and isles of art supply and crafting companies. There were huge displays with creative ideas for journaling. I got lots of ideas for our next Juicy Soul Retreat.

We got to rub elbows with some creative celebrities... Dave Tutera (creative event planning) , Tori Spelling (creative Jewelry design), Kathy Caro-Murillo(Crafty Chica), Traci Batista (Designer) and Tim Hotz (Art Journaling).

Most tables where handing out samples or offering mini workshops to try their products. My mind has been spinning since the event and I can't wait until some of my favorites hit the stores....

Project 52: Week 9

2012-02-26T09:43:00.000-08:00

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 9 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

Project 52 in Action: Composition Book Covers

2012-02-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

Andy was cleaning out his office this week and found some old composition books. The pages where pretty good but the covers where a bit rumpled so I created covers from my journal pages. I loved how this came out so I made a template for you to cover your own composition book.

What you'll need:

Composition covers
Glue (White school glue is fine)
Washi/Paper Tape

What to do:

Print and cut out your composition book covers
Spread a light coating of glue with a brush. (slip wax paper under the cover so glue doesn't get on the other pages)
When completely dry, Apply washi/paper tape to the spine and edges. This will make sure the edges stay down and gives a finished look to your book. You can use any decorative tape you like but washi tape is thin and easy to manage around the composition book edges.
Then have fun adding letters and other embellishments.

Project 52: Week 8

2012-02-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

$3.00 USD

Project 52: Week 8 Digital Papers include:

3 digital papers: 1 Journal Background and 2 pages of Composition Book cover (1 front and 1 back)
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

Project 52: Week 7

2012-02-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 7 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

Project 52: Week 6

2012-02-05T18:36:00.000-08:00

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 6 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

Artists I Love :: Tascha Parkinson

2012-02-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

I have enjoyed Tascha Parkinson's work for years. The first time I saw her work I was browsing ebay for original art work. Her work caught my eye right away. It's so happy and playful... I just love it. Since then I check our her site from time to time to she what she's up to and today I saw that she is working on a Sketchbook Project. Here is the video about her submission to the project for 2012.

Project 52: Week 5

2012-01-29T22:47:00.000-08:00

$3.00 USD

Project 52: Week 5 Digital Papers include:

3 digital papers: 1 Journal Background and ! Two Page Calendar
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

The Red Dragonfly home page gets a new look ...

2012-01-26T20:08:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited! I just redesigned the home page for The Red Dragonfly.com. I love it. It reflects the kind of journal pages I've been creating these days. I am in love with printing on pages with bubble wrap (the dots you see). It's so fun to collect things and use them in journaling for unexpected results. I have had so much fun this weekend creating pages, scanning sections and using them on my website. If you have attended any of my classes I often slip a few digital journal pages in to your welcome packets.

I hope you enjoy the new home page and for those of you attending the Juicy Soul Retreat...I look forward to seeing you this coming weekend.

~ Julie

Project 52: Week 4

2012-01-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 4 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

Juicy Soul Retreat Video!

2012-01-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

Here's what you can expect to see at our Juicy Soul Retreats. You'll see everyone develops their own style and everyone discovers their favorite techniques. We introduce new techniques and new variations on old techniques at each retreat. There is always the opportunity to learn and try things in new ways. We hope you'll join us for our next retreat.

~ List of Juicy Soul Retreats

Journaling on a Rainy Day

2012-01-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

It's the weekend again. We are expecting storming cold and rainy weather this weekend. Time for hot coco, fuzzy sweaters and blankets. I love staying indoors when it's cold outside. This has always been a great time to creating in my journal. When its gloomy outside I like to write in my journal. First its a few fun phrases. Then maybe an observation or three from my day. From time to time I tell the story of a long lost memory. It's good to write and tell stories in the pages of our journals. It's particularly good to write on pages covered in random color and texture. Each page calls for its own story. I use the entire page and sometimes the entire two page spread to tell my stories. I use a lot of words or just a few...but I always enjoy visiting those stories in my journal.

Project 52: Week 3

2012-01-16T12:55:00.000-08:00

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 3 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

Project 52 in Action

2012-01-09T23:33:00.000-08:00

Using some of our Project 52 Digital Papers to create a Gratitude Calendar.

Project 52: Week 2

2012-01-08T17:35:00.000-08:00

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 2 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 1 Journal Background and 1 Page of Letter Boxes (Boxes approximately 1.5in)
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Click here to see all Project 52 Digital Papers

A Year in Review: Good Bye 2011 ... Hello 2012

2012-01-02T20:24:00.000-08:00

A Year in Review

Before I reflect on 2011, I want to say THANK YOU for organizing your lives to attend our classes, reading the blog, subscribing, inviting friends and overall participating in expanding creativity in the world. Thank you for bringing your smiling faces, personal stories, flowers from your garden and well wishes. I appreciate your generosity and love. It has been a joy to be with you at various stages of your creative journey to play in color, draw outside the lines and make a beautifully creative mess together. Thank you for awakening to your own creative muse and continuing to inspire creative play.

I look forward to my workshops with you and my time on the blog writing and reading your responses. Thank you!

Here are a few more bright spots from 2011....

We spent 2011 at a beautiful hotel in Monterey, California by the ocean at a fire pit, sipping cocktails and watching fireworks. I love the ocean so every chance I get to sit by the ocean is pure joy. These little luxuries really feed my creativity.

My good friend Andrea challenged me to start a big art journal. She gave me this HUGE 800+ page journal to work in for the year. In 12 months, I am halfway through the book with images, words and color. It has been sooo much fun and I now use it to demonstrate my favorite techniques in class. Got to love friends like that!

I got a new car this year and now road trips are a major joy. We visited Nevada City and the Apple Festival to shop and hang out with friends. We enjoyed the old history of each town. In Nevada City we stayed in a 100 year old victorian farm house. It was beautiful. I loved the town so much I would like to have a vacation cottage there. It would be so cute to have a little art studio there to escape to for a long weekend. (I think I have something new for my vision board.)

I went naturally curly in 2011. After flat ironing my hair for years, I was turned on to naturallycurly.com where I learned how to care for my hair. So now I am rock'n the natural curls God gave me. This is kind of a big deal since I never knew I had curly hair. Most of the curl memory is back (Did you know curls have memory? Until they are treated right they won't curl all the way.)

Road trip to LA to see Mr Big at the House of Blues. We hung out in LA and did some sight seeing. I have family in LA but I've never done the tourist thing. We did it and it was so much fun. I recommend it! We also sat in on a taping of the Price is Right. We were on TV! You have to look really closely but we are in the audience screaming our heads off...it was so fun.

.

Road trip to LA to for my cousin's wedding. It was beautiful and it was great to see the family at such a happy occasion.

Finally jazzed up my home studio and got a little organized. Creating is alot more fun when you can find things.

Vision board and Juicy Soul Retreats where a blast. Lots of great new friends and we were sold out for most classes. A few ladies got the BIG Journals to work in. I can't wait to hear how everyone is doing in their journals.

Looking forward to 2012 ...

The mantra for 2012 is to keep doing what's working and look for fun ways to expand. We made some great strides with classes and our community this year. I want more of you to participate in our classes and creative challenges. I want to hear from you when you create things that make you happy. I want to hear more from those of you that can't make it to classes.

Peace and Bliss,

Julie

Project 52

2012-01-02T11:00:00.000-08:00

Each week Andrea and I will feature a set of art backgrounds created using the collage and journaling techniques teach in our workshops and practice in our journals. These backgrounds will be available for sale each week as a digital download for you to use in your own creative projects.

As a bonus we will periodically create items using each others backgrounds in projects and we will feature on our website. We will also welcome your participation by inviting you to send your photos of creative projects you have created with our backgrounds.

Project 52: Week 10

$3.00 USD

Project 52: Week 10 Digital Papers include:

3 digital papers: 1 Journal Background and 2 Calendar Pages
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52: Week 9

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 9 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52: Week 8

$3.00 USD

Project 52: Week 8 Digital Papers include:

3 digital papers: 1 Journal Background and 2 pages of Composition Book cover (1 front and 1 back)
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52: Week 7

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 7 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52: Week 6

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 6 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52: Week 5

$3.00 USD

Project 52: Week 5 Digital Papers include:

3 digital papers: 1 Journal Background and ! Two Page Calendar
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52: Week 4

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 4 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52: Week 3

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 3 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 2 Journal Backgrounds
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52: Week 2

$2.00 USD

Project 52: Week 2 Digital Papers include:

2 digital papers: 1 Journal Background and 1 Page of Letter Boxes (Boxes approximately 1.5in)
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Project 52:Week 1

$3.00 USD

Project 52: Week 1 Digital Papers include:

3 digital papers: 2 Calendar Pages and 1 Block Page (blocks are approx.1.5 in.)
PDF format
8.5 x 11 inches
High resolution - 300dpi

Creative Intention 2012

2011-12-28T20:12:00.000-08:00

2nd Annual

This is our second annual Creative Intention setting for 2012. This is not the standard New Year's resolution (those always seem so heavy). This is a creative intention...you get to say all the ways you plan on expressing your creativity in 2012. Maybe you will finish a creative project you've always wanted to complete, Maybe you will take a dance class, Maybe you work on a creative project at your church, Maybe you will fill the pages of a journal with you next novel, maybe you will teach art at your children's school for an afternoon. The options are as diverse as your imagination, so look into 2012 and see where you would like to expand your creativity. . How will you incorporate art and creativity into your life in 2012?

2012 Participants

Creative Intentions for 2012

Get ideas from our 2011 participants:

How to submit your creative intention.

Write out a short and sweet creative intention for 2012.

Find a photo of something that reminds you of your intention or take a photo of yourself holding up your written intention. Here are some ideas for taking your own photos and here is an example of a photo holding an intention.

Submit your creative intention and photo by Jan 16th, 2012 and I will post your intention and photo to my blog. I will also check in with you by email a few times a year to see how things are going. Get started by clicking on the "Submit Your Creative Intention" button below.

2011 Creative Intention Story: Julie

2011-12-28T09:36:00.000-08:00

2011 Creative Intention Story...

" My 2011 Creative Intention opened up a channel for creative play and experimentation in my life and it happened in gradual steps during the year." ~ Julie

In 2011 my creative intention was to make appointments for creative play. I planned to use all the art supplies I had been stock piling and make dates with myself and my friends to be creative.

Right after I set that intention, Andrea presented me with a challenge that we would take on together...to fill a HUGE 800 page journal with our art. I leaped at the chance and started the BIG Juicy Journal. I got the HUGE journal from A Work of Heart Studios layed it open in my studio and surrounded it with paints and colored pens. I began to create in short bursts of time (5 or 10 min) and sometimes in longer sections of time (1 hour or more). The more I created the more I enjoyed the process. I started to create while talking on the telephone. I turned off the TV (my guilty pleasure) and started listening to pandora radio while I slapped on some color, scraped on gesso,and wrote stories in my journal. I started to look forward to my time in my journal.

I have filled over half the book with art journal pages. It has become my go to book for new techniques, experimentation, contemplation and play. The book helps me share examples of journaling techniques in my classes. It helps me discover and purge old art supplies so I can create freely. It gives me a big blank canvas to try new things as many times as I need without worrying about wasting paper.

Creative Intention 2012 Participants

2011-12-14T21:59:00.000-08:00

"For 2012 I will inspire others to expand their creativity! I would like to expand my reach to share my creative process with artists all over the world. My big goal is to be a featured artist in my favorite Somerset Studios magazines. I would also like to design a creative journaling line of products based on some of the tools I use in my journal projects."

Julie
California
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"For 2012 I am committing to journaling! "No More Excuses" is a Gina Armfield course that guides you through the year with DAILY journaling. My journal is prepped and ready to go January 1. "

Darci
California

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Pink lights

2011-12-13T23:42:00.001-08:00

Unraveling last year's Christmas lights and found this strand of pink lights. So pretty.

Dreams do come true...Jennifer Sherman

2011-12-13T20:28:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Sherman is a dear friend of mine. She's my curly hair mentor. She was hanging out with friends earlier this year and someone asked her to share something that she would like to do that she's never done. She said she always wanted to do a TED talk. Within a few weeks someone offered her the opportunity out of the blue. So here she is, giving her TED talk! Dreams do come true.

Art Storage Tip

2011-12-11T11:41:00.001-08:00

This year I spent much of my creative time in my BIG Juicy Journal. I realized that I needed a quick and easy way to create on the go...so I found these plastic photo boxes from Micheal's. I purchased 2 boxes (If you want to try this watch for the 50% off coupons). I have one that holds 10 mini plastic boxes and one that holds 16 mini plastic boxes for groups of art supplies. I filled separate boxes with images, pens, little scissors, 2 stamp pads, stamps, tapes, etc. and labeled them with my favorite label maker the Brother PT-65. Now when I'm ready to create on the go I just switch out boxes to give me all the supplies I need.

Announcing: Project 52

2011-12-09T21:37:00.001-08:00

Today we are announcing a new project for 2012. Andrea and I went away to plan our 2012 workshop schedule and during our planning we decided to do something entirely outside of our comfort zone. Here's the deal ... we will be creating art journal backgrounds every week for 52 weeks starting January 2, 2012.

Each week Andrea and I will feature a set of art backgrounds created using the collage and journaling techniques teach in our workshops and practice in our journals. These backgrounds will be available for sale each week as a digital download for you to use in your own creative projects.

As a bonus we will periodically create items using each others backgrounds in projects and we will feature on our website. We will also welcome your participation by inviting you to send your photos of creative projects you have created with our backgrounds.

This is a way for us to try something new every week and offer our creations to you. It's exciting and a little scary but every once in a while you need to do something out of your comfort zone just to add a little spice to life.

We want to give a special thanks to Susannah Davidson Pfalzer (one of our Creative Resolution Participants for 2011) who inspired our idea with her Make 52 Project for 2011. We are really inspired.Check out Make 52 and prepare to be dazzeled on January 2nd 2012 for our Project 52.

Julie & Andrea

I see you and you matter to me ...

2011-11-26T22:39:00.001-08:00

I really enjoy listening to something inspirational in the morning. I sometimes I put on some up lifting music in my car to set the mood for the day. I even have a few play lists I've created for different kinds of moods...relaxing, inspirational, excitement, joy. Recently I have added listening to retrospectives of past Oprah shows on the XM radio. Each morning there is some inspiring interview with an author or interesting topic to think about. It's amazing how each morning I get a little nugget of information that I can incorporate in to my day.

Last week there were lots of discussions around the power of appreciation and acknowledgement. It inspired me to create in my journal and gave me time to reflect about the role of acknowledgement in my life. It has been powerful to acknowledge others when they make a difference in my life. It has also been really interesting to allow myself to receive acknowledgement...and not brush it off...but really let it in.

It's an amazing practice and journaling has really given me a place to really integrate the experience.

2012 Workshop schedule planning

2011-11-21T22:34:00.001-08:00

It's a good thing ... to have friends that share your vision, get excited with you and help you plan the future.

It's a good thing ... when you can laugh until your belly hurts and tears roll down your cheeks.

It's a good thing ... when you can be in silence with another and break the silence at just the right time to share a new discovery or idea.

It's a good thing ... when you can enjoy the simple pleasures of life with others : the taste of hot mint tea. The amazing fragrance of ylang ylang lotion. A night walk under the stars.

It's a good thing... when you can sit in the cold night air and dream of ways to share your gifts with the people you love in support of them living creative, happy and fulfilled lives (and those people include you too)

It's a good thing... when you find a friend that becomes your sister friend

It's a good thing to plan 2012 workshop schedule with Andrea at Chamenade in Santa Cruz Mountains. We have lots to share in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Creative Indulgences in Las Vegas

2011-11-10T21:30:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite places to visit is Las Vegas. Not just for the fun night life but for all the over the top things to see. Las Vegas does luxury like no other. I really feel like I can unwind in Vegas. This is the entry way of a Spa at the new Cosmopolitan hotel. The entry way is just the beginning of one of the most spectacular spas I've ever visited. I had a hot stone massage that was amazing! These little indulgences are amazing for my creative spirit!

Juicy Soul Retreat - January 29, 2012

2011-10-17T19:17:00.001-07:00

Juicy Soul Retreat
Sunday, January 29 2012

The Juicy Soul Retreat is an afternoon of journaling and creative play. We will be teaching you how to live and create in your journals as your own personal studio for creative expression. You can begin a new journal or you can continue to build in one of your existing journals. The choice is yours. Our intention is that you spend time in your journal with paints, textures and words and revisit the bliss of journaling through art. You will learn techniques for creating backgrounds, color pages, and share your experiences in the pages of your journal.

RETREAT SCHEDULE:

Juicy Journaling Techniques

with Andrea Chebeleu

Big tables, tons of art supplies...What could be more fun! You will learn some amazing techniques to turn flat blank journals in to juicy journals for your words, poetry, collage, photos, lists, mantras, ideas, songs, prayers, intentions, stories, notes, and dreams. Bring a journal of your choosing.

Living in Your Journals:

Spilling open and celebrating your life through journaling

With Julie Valentine

In this workshop you will discover the wonderful world of fonts, journal page frames, images and story windows. You will be guided through the journaling process to begin to design a focus for your journal. You will explore the variety of tools available to you to support you in journaling your ideas, dreams, stories, experiences when the creative muse appears in your path. We will explore the variety of fonts, letters and methods of capturing words on a page. We will also give you a chance to journey with words, frames for your words and given journaling prompts and ideas for topics you might explore in your journal pages. Bring a journal of your choosing.

Juicy Journaling Studio

Self Guided time to experiment and play with Andrea Chebeleu & Julie Valentine

We will act as muses for your creative process and offer the space you have been craving to create on big tables with tons of art supplies and friends to play with...What could be more fun! Spend time in community turning your flat blank journals in to juicy journals for your words, poetry, collage, photos, lists, mantras, ideas, songs, prayers, intentions, stories, notes, and dreams. You will not be given instructions. This is your time to use all the techniques you've learned in previous classes to create your journal, experiment with colors and try different supplies.Bring a journal of your choosing.

Registration: $115 for all 3 sessions, After 1/22/2012: $125

Juicy Soul Retreat - March 11, 2012

2011-10-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

Juicy Soul Retreat
Sunday, March 11 2012

RETREAT SCHEDULE:

Juicy Journaling Techniques

with Andrea Chebeleu

Living in Your Journals:

Spilling open and celebrating your life through journaling

With Julie Valentine

Juicy Journaling Studio

Self Guided time to experiment and play with Andrea Chebeleu & Julie Valentine

Registration: $115 for all 3 sessions, After 3/04/2012: $125

Juicy Soul Retreat - June 10, 2012

2011-10-17T19:16:00.001-07:00

Juicy Soul Retreat
Sunday, June 10 2012

RETREAT SCHEDULE:

Juicy Journaling Techniques

with Andrea Chebeleu

Living in Your Journals:

Spilling open and celebrating your life through journaling

With Julie Valentine

Juicy Journaling Studio

Self Guided time to experiment and play with Andrea Chebeleu & Julie Valentine

Registration: $115 for all 3 sessions, After 6/03/2012: $125

Juicy Soul Retreat - Sept 9, 2012

2011-10-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

Juicy Soul Retreat
Sunday, Sept 9 2012

RETREAT SCHEDULE:

Juicy Journaling Techniques

with Andrea Chebeleu

Living in Your Journals:

Spilling open and celebrating your life through journaling

With Julie Valentine

Juicy Journaling Studio

Self Guided time to experiment and play with Andrea Chebeleu & Julie Valentine

Registration: $115 for all 3 sessions, After 9/02/2012: $125

Create Your Best Life Project

2011-10-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Create Your Best Life

The Create Your Best Life project is as community project I started in 2002. I wanted a tool to help me reflect on my accomplishments and create the next step in my journey. It started as a few key questions in a few different documents from many of the questions I gathered from workshops and questions that sprung up from my journaling practice. I ended up with so many questions I soon found the need to create an online tool. I shared the tool with friends and family and within a few months I took the plunge to make it available to a broader audience on my website. Since then 1000+ participants have completed this questionaire from around the world.

Here is the most recent comment

"I really thought that the process was easy once I got started. It made me take a look at my life and put things into perspective. I loved the read-back from the answers that I put in. I found this to be very helpful"

Echo, New York, NY

Create Your Best Life Questions

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers Workshop - Jan 15 2012

2011-10-12T14:22:00.001-07:00

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers

Date: Sunday, January 15, 2012
Time: 11:00 am - 1:30pm
Cost: $65/person ($75 after 1/11/2012)
Location: A Work of Heart,
2196 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125
408.266.1005

About the workshop

This workshop will provide a peaceful space to create your vision board for 2011. We will explore the role of vision boards in goal setting and discuss how journaling can support you in the process! I will guide you through a series of steps that I have learned over years of creating vision boards of my own. You will be given time select images and create a vision board of your own.

I will also give you the opportunity to practice a valuable journaling process to help you capture any inspired ideas that might lead you to your goal. I call this process "Idea catching" and I will share with you the process of capturing your inspired actions in an "Idea Cather" or Idea journal. This journal is unique in that it holds every wild idea, clue, phone number, map, quote that will lead you to your goal. These journals have been extremely powerful in capturing inspired actions that result from focusing on my vision boards and has lead me to solutions and surprising results.

With your Vision Board and Idea Catcher, you will have everything you need to creative fabulous year!

What to Bring?
Images (optional)
You will have time to pull images during the workshop, but for some people it takes time to find the right images. Feel free to collect images from magazines on your own and bring them to the workshop. Look for images that represent what you want to experience this year.

An Image of YOU
For the vision board you will need a photograph of you or an image of something that represents you for the collage. I suggest that you make a color copy of any images since we will be using them in the vision board.

Magazines to Share (optional)
Magazines will be provided for you to rip and tear. If you would like to bring magazines to share, please do!

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers - May 20, 2012

2011-10-12T14:22:00.000-07:00

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers

Date: Sunday, May 20, 2012
Time: 11:00 am - 1:30pm
Cost: $65/person ($75 after 5/16/2012)
Location: A Work of Heart,
2196 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125
408.266.1005

With your Vision Board and Idea Catcher, you will have everything you need to creative fabulous year!

Magazines to Share (optional)
Magazines will be provided for you to rip and tear. If you would like to bring magazines to share, please do!

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers - July 22, 2012

2011-10-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers

Date: Sunday, July 22, 2012
Time: 11:00 am - 1:30pm
Cost: $65/person ($75 after 7/18/2012)
Location: A Work of Heart,
2196 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125
408.266.1005

With your Vision Board and Idea Catcher, you will have everything you need to creative fabulous year!

Magazines to Share (optional)
Magazines will be provided for you to rip and tear. If you would like to bring magazines to share, please do!

Journal Art in Action: Journaled Canvas

2011-10-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

Journal Art in Action: Journaled Canvas

In our workshops we teach a number of techniques that can be used in your journal or on canvas. You might have seen many of our layering techniques in the art you see in local stores. You can always purchase something for your home but what if you created something original using the techniques you've learned with us.

Above is something you might find in a store. Below is my version inspired by the painting above.

Take some time this week to see images and break them down into manageable parts and recreate your own version on canvas.

Art Supply Haul: Diaso

2011-10-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

ART SUPPLY HAUL
If you have attended any of our Juicy Soul Retreats you might have heard us mention our favorite store for art supplies.. DIASO. It's a Japanese dollar store and they carry lots of fun things including art supplies. A few weeks ago I went to one of their largest locations in the area near San Francisco and purchased a basket full of fun things.

Here's what I got and how I plan on using it...

Plastic Lace Place Mat
I found this amazing plastic lace place mat (green) that I use to spray through with watered down acrylic paint for pattern on my journal pages. Spray inks work great with this too. Some of the ink gets captured on the plastic so I used the run of on other pages. The pattern looks great. I show some pictures later.

Liquid Chalk Pens
The big pens in the middle are liquid chalk pens which are great for creating lettering on dark painted backgrounds. These need to be covered with a gel medium after it drys to set the ink. If I don't cover it with something clear the chalk flakes and moves around. That actually might be fun to play with and see what happens.

Acrylic Paint
I found a variety of acrylic paints to cover my journal pages. They came in some amazing colors...very rich and vivid. When I use them more I'll show you some results.

Mini Index Cards
I found this mini index cards they are the exact size of business cards. I had this idea of using them to write on and slip into envelops in my journal. They might also be fun to create one of a kind business cards.

I found a few You Tube videos about art supply hauls. Its fun to see what other people find and use in their art.

Thrift Store Art Haul Video

Art & Crafts Supply Haul Video

Artist Date: Missoni Score!

2011-09-14T22:11:00.000-07:00

It's all over the news this week about the "Missoni Mania" happening at Target. Women are lining up for hours in front of Target stores to get anything created by Missoni. It was too crazy not to check out, so a decided to make it an artist date and go in search of designer goodies myself.

I braved the stores looking for Missoni. I was not alone...there were others...with carts looking along with me. I felt myself racing them ...then running to what looked like a hand towel. It was a false alarm. I went to another Target and I finally scored...2 barrettes and 2 eye masks. I love eye masks for traveling (it makes me feel all Hollywood) and the barrettes will look great in my hair. I was so excited when I found them I felt like I won the lottery.It was like a little bit of creative history in my hands.

The whole experience reminded me of my mom fighting off a lady to get me a Cabbage Patch doll for Christmas in the 80's. It didn't matter that I was almost in high school at the time (long past playing with dolls) ..my mom had to get me one of those Cabbage Patch dolls. She scoped out the Toys R Us stores in the area. Made deals with the sales people to call her when they came in. That lady can work it! Today I got a taste of that ... and it was exciting!

I braved the stores, faught off the fashionistas and got the Missoni!

Travel Journals

2011-09-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

I love to travel. I never want my trip to end. Journaling on my trip lets me remember the details of the trip and every yummy sensation that I experience in the moment. The cool saltyness of the oceam. The warm sun on my skin. The funny travelers we met on a mountain top and shared stories. Its all there in the pages of my journal, I cherish these journals and one day I will find a beautiful book case and put them up on display for me to visit over and over again.

September 2011 - Juicy Soul Retreat

2011-09-12T23:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for coming out to our final Juicy Soul Retreat of the year. Andrea and I had a blast co-leading the retreat and there was lots of play, joy and creative juiciness from everyone who joined us. Each retreat has its own flavor and this session was so much fun I am still buzzing with ideas that we all came up with for our journals.

Below is a few photos of the fun. I created some custom pouches for each participant to hold stamps, chocolate and a pen....perfect for a creative genius on the move. Andrea created hand painted folders for everyone filled with a variety of papers and surprises for collaging.

Thank to everyone for carving out some time in your lives to be in community to create with us. It was fun getting messy with you and we look forward to seeing how your journal pages progress. Stay tuned for the next dates for our 2012 Juicy Soul Retreats. See all Photos

Still making something special for the Juicy Soul Retreat

2011-09-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

Shhhh! I'm making something for the Juicy Soul Retreat. The ladies registered for our Sunday class are in for a treat. It's our last class of the year and Andrea and I are going all out.

Preparing for Juicy Soul Retreat this weekend...

2011-09-08T00:07:00.000-07:00

The Juicy Soul Retreat is this weekend. This is a half a yard of canvas covered in paints, crayon, ink, marker and tape using a few techniques Andrea and I teach in our workshop. Andrea and I create unique juicy kits for each participant. I'll be using this canvas to create some thing yummy for everyone that participates in the Juicy Soul Retreat. I'll post a picture of the finished project when its done. Andrea is working on folders to hold other goodies. If you would like to join us there are only a few more spots. You can register online through A Work of Heart Studio.

Use old Office Supplies for journaling

2011-09-03T01:19:00.000-07:00

Use your old office supplies:
Background page with purple acrylic paint and printed circle sticker labels to make this random page.

Visited DC for a week.

2011-07-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

Spent some time back east with family for a few days. Every year I go there are so many changes. New shopping malls and streets in all new places. We drove around town looking around at all the changes. My Dad took the photo above on one of our trips around town.

I did learn something new about travel...I love Jet Blue! The seats are not too close together and the XM radio and Cable Channels are great. I also enjoyed my Nook Color. I purchased it for the trip and it was perfect for reading magazines and books. I could make notes in the Nook Color and highlight sentences to refer back to later. It's my new favorite toy.

Joyful Packaging

2011-07-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

Aren't these the most beautiful sugar packets ever! I saw these in a Coffee Shop in Santa Cruz, CA. Each one is unique and holds 2 perfect scoops of sugar. Little things like this bring me such joy!

Feet in the Grass

2011-07-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

Before I begin to journal I look for inspiration. Sometimes I need to go to a new location or have new experiences to spark a creative journaling idea. I went to a local park in a new part of town I haven't explored in a while and walked along the water and took a few photos. In the distance I saw a park with a well manicured lawn. I could not wait to get over there to take off my shoes and stand in the cool grass. I love the feeling of grass under my feet. This grass was so thick I could hardly see my toes.

Vision Board Stories: Julie

2011-07-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

Here is my most recent manifestation from my Vision Board. As I shared in my vision board class, images are powerful tools for manifesting our desires. If we set the intention with images or words we must also be ready to take the actions as they come until the dream is realized...

In January 2011 I put an image on my Vision Board of a smiling woman with naturally curly hair. I have always wanted naturally curly hair. I started having my hair straightened from the time I was 7 years old until about 5 years ago. (a long time) I never thought I had curly hair until I decided to find out what my "real" hair looked like over 10 years ago. For a short period of time I stopped straightening my hair. My hair grew into an unruly frizz ball and I returned to straightening my hair.

So I set my intention in January 2011 to take my hair on again and learn how to manage and style it. July I met a woman at an event with the most beautiful curly hair. I asked her about her hair and she gave me the name of a salon in San Francisco,CA (Madusalon.com) that taught her how to manage her naturally curly hair. The salon specializes in naturally curly hair. They offer product recommendations and prepare a plan of action to restore your curls. I made an appointment and today I am rockin' the curls I always wanted. They are more like waves now but my stylist gave me a plan and each day some new curl forms. It may take 6 months for the full curl pattern to return but I'm on my way.

Set and intention, take the actions and don't give up. :)

Creative Resolution Story: Marie

2011-07-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Marie's 2011 Creative Resolution

"Explore new techniques... Deeper into techniques...Business opportunities...The world around me."

What's happened since you made your creative resolution in January 2011?

Explore, has helped focus my artistic energies as well as actively search for ways to make my art pay. More in-depth exploration has been in screen printing and layering design.

I traveled to Virginia and South Carolina where I renewed friendships and further explored Charleston, SC and Ashville, NC.

How has your creative resolution evolved since you made your declaration?

It hasn't changed. I needed a focus and I seem to have chosen wisely.

What have you learned about yourself?

I have always needed focus to stick to a plan. This hasn't changed.

What's next for your creative journey?

I have some ideas about where to submit teaching proposals and will pursue that. Since the screen printing offered lots of variety of design and mark making, I want to do more as well as use some of my work in art quilts.

:: More 2011 Creative Resolution Participants

Juicy Soul Retreat Sunday, September 11, 2011

2011-07-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Juicy Soul Retreat
Sunday, September 11, 2011
11 - 5pm
San Jose, Ca

With Andrea & Julie

The Juicy Soul Retreat is an afternoon of journaling and creative play. We will be teaching you how to live and create in your journals as your own personal studio for creative expression. You can begin a new journal or you can continue to build in one of your existing journals. The choice is yours. Our intention is that you spend time in your journal with paints, textures and words and revisit the bliss of journaling through art. You will learn techniques for creating backgrounds, color pages, and share your experiences in the pages of your journal.

RETREAT SCHEDULE:

Juicy Journaling Techniques

Living in Your Journals:

Spilling open and celebrating your life through journaling

You will discover the wonderful world of fonts, journal page frames, images and story windows. You will be guided through the journaling process to begin to design a focus for your journal. You will explore the variety of tools available to you to support you in journaling your ideas, dreams, stories, experiences when the creative muse appears in your path. We will explore the variety of fonts, letters and methods of capturing words on a page. We will also give you a chance to journey with words, frames for your words and given journaling prompts and ideas for topics you might explore in your journal pages.

Juicy Journaling Studio

Self Guided time to experiment and play

You will continue to tell your own stories in your journal using the techniques you have learned in the early part of the workshop. We will act as muses for your creative process and offer the space you have been craving to create on big tables with tons of art supplies and friends to play with...What could be more fun! Spend time in community turning your flat blank journals in to juicy journals for your stories and dreams.

Registration: $85, After 9/08/2011: $95

Freedom!

2011-07-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

As the 4th of July weekend begins, I've been thinking about freedom. I have been on a journey over the last month or so to discover spaces in my life where I can expand my experience of freedom. When ever I call out to the universe in that way, there is a response...

I was at a workshop and saw this woman with the most beautiful curly hair. I could not stop watching her hair. I found myself looking at each shiny curl. I pulled out my mini journal and began to write about the experience. What I discovered was that its time for me to embrace my own naturally curly hair. I have been flat ironing my hair for years to hide the curls and keep things neat. I tried going naturally curly years ago and I just looked like I put my finger in an electrical socket. As I wrote in my journal, I could see how my concerns about my hair have limited me in ways I had never seen before. I never choose humid places to go on vacation because of my hair. I don't like to go to dance clubs because of my hair. I don't like to go anywhere when its rainy because of my hair. One time I had a chance to live in Seattle and I turned it down because the weather would mess up my hair. Its kind of funny when I think about it.

So my journey is taking me in a new direction...to find freedom and acceptance of my hair. I asked the woman with the beautiful curly hair where she got her hair done and she told me that there was a salon in San Francisco that specializes in curly hair exclusively. That's the next part of my journey. I'll keep you posted.

Journal prompt:
Where are you experiencing more freedom in your life?

Creative Resolution Story: Andrea

2011-05-31T23:01:00.000-07:00

What's happened since you made your creative resolution in January 2011?

I have brought in an assistant to help me get more marketing done..which in turn manifests my creative resolution.

How has your creative resolution evolved since you made your declaration?

Originally my creative resolution was one word "Vision" but it has evolved to clarify vision meaning to "See and be seen" I've also started an epic project of creating 1000 pieces of art in an effort to "find my style". This can also be a vehicle to "be seen" by having a body of work to show.

What have you learned about yourself?

I am capable of setting goals and working steadily toward them. I do well with a little bit of focus and still having the freedom of loose boundaries.

What's next for your creative journey?

I will continue with my "epic project" and create art work every day to reach my goal of 1000 pieces and in the process find more places to post pictures, thus continuing to "be seen" I will enter challenges and submit artwork to my favorite publications.

:: More 2011 Creative Resolution Participants

Big Juicy Journal - Backgrounds

2011-05-29T19:11:00.000-07:00

Spending some time in my journal playing with color, texture and shapes. Rubbed the page with black gesso. Used strips of paper from a Nordstroms sweater advertisement. Spray painted color through a old trivet. Dipped the end of a toliet paper roll in paint to make random circles. Collaged the page with old book pages and journal pages with holes cut in them. I had no idea where I was going with this but I like where I arrived. It's not over...there is a story to tell on this page...this was the birth of a background.

The BIG Juicy Journal

2011-05-22T10:50:00.001-07:00

The BIG Juicy Journal, a set on Flickr.

Brisk and sunny day...
Listening to Emiliana Torrini Radio station on Pandora.com...
Nagchampa burning...
Jasmine iced tea...
Paint, pens, and paper ...
Working in my Big Juicy Journal.

What are you doing today?

Creative Planning Retreat for 2012 Creative Workshops

2011-05-15T18:38:00.001-07:00

Creative Planning Retreat 2011, a set on Flickr.

This was a great weekend. Andrea (http://www.aworkofheart) and I went to the mountains to plan the creative classes we will be offering in 2012.

Andrea and I spent a little time in Barnes & Noble collecting inspiration in the pages of Somerset Studio Magazines . We purchased a few and headed over to the Buttery in Santa Cruz, CA. We had lunch outside serenaded by two musicians playing Celtic music in the summer sun. I had the most delicious Hot Buttered Latte & a Curry Chicken Sandwich. It was a delight to all the senses. Great inspiration and a wonderful spark for new ideas.

We were are planning a variety of pleasures for the coming year.

- Juicy Soul Retreats
- Vision Boards & Idea Catchers
- Blog Parties
- More show and tell time...Creative Resolutions, Vision Board Stories & Journal Pages

If you are looking for more ways to collaborate and be challenged in your creative journey...we will have more opportunities for you to play and create.

Join my mailing list to get updates

Project 365: 2011 _ New Photos Added

2011-05-09T23:00:00.001-07:00

Project 365: 2011, a set on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Just added more images to my Project 365. I was inspired by Suzette of Wing Gleam Studios to take a photo a day for 365 days. Since I have been looking for my next creative challenge and I always carry my camera with me...I thought this would be a great opportunity to see the world in a new way.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bellavie/sets/72157624197391655/

~ Julie

BIG Juicy Journal

2011-05-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

I'm working in my BIG Juicy Journal. Its still a work in progress but its been fun to add images and texture to the page. The face is an image I found in a antique shop in Niles, CA. I use the image alot in my journal pages.

Trip to Nevada City

2011-05-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

Found lots of inspiration on my trip to Nevada City, CA to meet up with friends. It was a great discovery. Sweet little town with lots of charm. Amazing little artist boutiques and really friendly people. I feeling creative and refreshed!

Home Studio Spruce Up! AFTER photo

2011-05-01T22:51:00.000-07:00

Home Studio "AFTER" photo

This is my lovely newly organized home studio space. I have all my favorite supplies in drawers, everything is labeled and put in clear boxes. My BIG juicy journal is out on my desk and ready for inspiration. I was so inspired I created my new banner for this blog..."visual communication". Yep that banner was made in my new studio.

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers - Sunday, July 10

2011-05-01T15:23:00.000-07:00

Canceled: Vision Boards and Idea Catchers

Andrea of A Work of Heart will be traveling and the Studio will be closed this week. If you are interested in the vision board workshop please register for my July 24th workshop. Date: Sunday, July 10, 2011
~~Time:~~ ~~11:00 am - 1:30pm~~
~~Cost:~~ ~~$65/person ($75 after 7/7/2011)~~
~~Location:~~ ~~A Work of Heart, 2196 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125 408.266.1005~~

With your Vision Board and Idea Catcher, you will have everything you need to creative fabulous year!

What to Bring?
Images (optional)
You will have time to pull images during the workshop, but for some people it takes time to find the right images. Feel free to collect images from magazines on your own and bring them to the workshop. Look for images that represent what you want to experience in 2011.

An Image of YOU
For the vision board you will need a photograph of you or an image of something that represents you for the collage. I suggest that you make a color copy of any images since we will be using them in the vision board.

Magazines to Share (optional)
Magazines will be provided for you to rip and tear. If you would like to bring magazines to share, please do!

Home Studio Spruce Up!

2011-05-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

Its a lazy Sunday afternoon and I feel inspired to spruce up my home studio. My studio has been taken over by found objects, art supplies and half finished projects. Its time to move the energy in this room. Its time to breathe life into this room again. So today is the day.

This is the "before" picture. When its done I'll post the "after" photo.

TODAY! Day at the Studio

2011-04-26T02:41:00.000-07:00

A Day At The Studio

Tuesday, April 26 2011
A Work of Heart Studio
http://www.aworkofheart.com/
$7 hr
1:30 -5pm

Come join me for a day in the studio to journal and paint. I will be there to fill my juicy journal and create. If you have the day off today and you are looking for something creative to do come by the studio from 12 -5 for a bit of studio time. There's no formal instruction, just and opportunity to be together and create.

The BIG Juicy Journal

2011-04-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

The BIG Juicy Journal

Andrea of A Work of Heart and I gave ourselves a challenge in 2011...to live in a BIG Juicy Journal. These journals are REALLY big. It is 13X11X3 with over 800 pages. It may take us a few years to fill all the pages but I can tell you the process has been amazing. There is something about having so many pages to work on that gives me the freedom to try new things. I color as many pages as I can with color wash, then go back in and add words and images to the pages. Some pages I love and some I will cover with gesso and start over. I have even ripped pages to re-purpose them for other pages. Its been so much fun.

Part of my journey will be to share what I create in the pages of my Big Juicy Journal in my workshops. If you join us for any of our classes you will be able to see the progress in our journals first hand. If you are unable to join us for classes this year, I will be posting images on this blog from time to time. It's my hope that journaling will give me great new ideas to share in my classes and inspire you to live in your journals on a regular basis.

If you have started your own journal feel free to post the URL so we can all see what you are creating.

You can see current images of my BIG Juicy Journal pages on Flickr

Fat Book: Wings

2011-04-15T00:07:00.000-07:00

Andrea at A Work of Heart put a call out for participants in a Fat Book for the theme "Wings". Here are my page contributions to this Fat Book project. I had so much fun creating 4X4 mini art collages. I used a combination of images from my Big Juicy Journal and bits and pieces I collected over the last few years.

Idea Catchers - Sunday, May 15

2011-04-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

Idea Catchers

Date: ~~Sunday, May 15, 2011~~ CANCELED
Time: 11:00 am - 1:30pm
Cost: $45/person ($55 after 5/13/2011)
Location: A Work of Heart, 2196 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125 408.266.1005

About the workshop

In this class you will gain clarity in what it is you want for your life and fuel your internal power to manifest these dreams through creative expression. There are 3 major steps to manifesting your desires, stating what you want, feeling good and taking inspired actions. An Idea Catcher is a book that holds your goals and the list of inspired actions to take over a set period of time. In this workshop I will guide you through a series of steps to create your own 30 day idea catcher.

I will also give you the opportunity to practice captureing any inspired ideas that might lead you to your goal. I call this process "Idea catching" and I will share with you the process of capturing your inspired actions in an "Idea Cather" or Idea journal. This journal is unique in that it holds every wild idea, clue, phone number, map, quote that will lead you to your goal. These journals have been extremely powerful in capturing inspired actions that result from focusing on your goals and will lead you to solutions and surprising results.

What to bring?
A list of things you want to manifest in the next yearTake some time before this workshop to list things that you would like to manifest in the next 12 months. It doesn't have to be perfectly worded but you do need to have a few good ideas of what you want. If you are feeling particularly brave...toss in some desires that you've always wanted but where too scared to ask.

A medium sized notebook
Idea catchers are active journals. You'll get the most out of them if you can carry them around with you throughout the day. Make sure to choose a notebook and size that is easily portable and has at least 100 pages. If you don't have a notebook, there will be several there for you to purchase at the studio on the day of the class ($7 - $20).

Adventures of the BIG Juicy Journal

2011-04-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

This year Andrea and I started a challenge...to fill an extra big Juicy Journal with images, words, stories, etc. We have both been filling the pages and bringing our learnings to our classes. If you have attended our classes this year you might recognize some of the images. This weekend I had a few fun journaling sessions in my home studio. I wanted to share my latest page. I used an enlarged black and white image from an old Christmas card, stamps, paints and good old fashioned imagination. I might do more with these 2 pages but I'm not sure yet. Here is my show and tell for the week. If you have created new pages I would love to see them...leave me a comment and a URL so we can all see.

YouTube Journals

2011-04-09T00:34:00.000-07:00

This is a video I found on YouTube by SillySoozo. I love looking at how other people journal. This is absolutely beautiful.

Change of scenery...

2011-04-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like a change of scenery to awaken my creative muse. This weekend I took off to LA with friends. It was a wonderfully creative experience. We went to a rock concert at the House of Blues, had lunch at Rainbow Room on Sunset and had dinner on the ocean in Malibu. I am all charged up again and ready to create in my Big Juicy Journal!

What are you doing to awaken your own creative muse?

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers - Sunday, July 24

2011-04-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers

Date: Sunday, July 24, 2011
Time: 11:00 am - 1:30pm
Cost: $65/person ($75 after 7/21/2011)
Location: A Work of Heart, 2196 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125 408.266.1005

With your Vision Board and Idea Catcher, you will have everything you need to creative fabulous year!

What to Bring?

Images (optional)
You will have time to pull images during the workshop, but for some people it takes time to find the right images. Feel free to collect images from magazines on your own and bring them to the workshop. Look for images that represent what you want to experience in 2011.

An Image of YOU
For the vision board you will need a photograph of you or an image of something that represents you for the collage. I suggest that you make a color copy of any images since we will be using them in the vision board.

Magazines to Share (optional)
Magazines will be provided for you to rip and tear. If you would like to bring magazines to share, please do!

Registration Coming Soon!

Bits of beauty ...

2011-03-28T02:34:00.000-07:00

The light was coming in my kitchen window and shining on my beautiful roses and a special stone. I started buying flowers for myself when I was in graduate school. At the time I was miles away from home and feeling a bit like a fish out of water. I would buy flowers each week or so and place then in a cup in my dorm room. Seeing those flowers on my desk made my little space feel like home. It brought me so much comfort.

To this day I associate flowers with a sense of home peace, beauty and comfort.

So may today be filled with peace, beauty and comfort .

Juicy Soul Retreat - Sunday, June 12th

2011-03-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

Juicy Soul Retreat
Sunday, June 12 2011
11 - 5pm
San Jose, Ca

RETREAT SCHEDULE:

Juicy Journaling Techniques

Living in Your Journals:

Spilling open and celebrating your life through journaling

Juicy Journaling Studio

Self Guided time to experiment and play

Registration: $85, After 6/05/2011: $95

Juicy Soul Retreat - Sunday, March 13th in San Jose, California

2011-03-06T00:52:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about preparing to lead our next Juicy Soul Retreat! Andrea and I have been living in our juicy journals all year. We both started creating in great big journals that have 1000+ pages. They are HUGE. It's been a real challenge to be creative on 1000+ of pages but I have been lovin' the process. I have no idea where the journey is taking me but I can tell you I am learning a lot of new ways to cover pages and add textures.

My creative resolution for 2011 was to create more time to be creative. My journal has become my new creative workshop. I can experiment and play to my hearts content. It's the one place I know I can color outside the lines and be free. This journal is for me and the more time I spend creating in my journal the more joy I feel. That spills over on to everyone I come in contact with.

Join us for the Juicy Soul Retreat if you are craving an experience of discovering your own creative space in the pages of your very own journal. If you have been looking for some inspiration to move back into your journals and create...then Juicy Soul Retreat is the place to be.

Our next session is Sunday, March 13th in San Jose

Inspiration Thursday - London Illustrator Tony Riff

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Tony Riff from itdrewitself on Vimeo.

Juicy Soul Retreat - Sunday, March 13

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Juicy Soul Retreat
Sunday, March 13 2011
11am-5pm
A Work of Heart
San Jose, CA

Gallery of images from previous Juicy Soul Retreats

2011 Creative Resolution!

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Welcome to a more vibrant and creatively expressed 2011. We created an opportunity for you to share your creative resolutions for 2011 and you responded. THANK YOU! These brave women answered the call and shared their intentions in a big bold way. This is a declaration to make time for creative play, inspiration and freedom.

As you read the resolutions on the following page, allow yourself to be inspired. You may even want to create a creative resolution of your own. So bring out those paint brushes, crayons, stamps and sparkles, make a big sign and make this year your most creative year ever!

Meet the 2011 Creative Resolution Participants

Creative Resolution 2011 Participants

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Creative Resolution:
"I resolve to be creatively fearless"
Kristy, California, USA

Creative Resolution
"I resolve to value what I do"
Dori, California, USA

Creative Resolution:
"I resolve to create more art"
Rita, California, USA

Creative Resolution
" I resolve to make craft dates at this shop [a work of heart]"
Shelly & daughter, California, USA

Creative Resolution
"My 2011 creative resolution is to make 52 creative projects in 52 weeks - and blog about them with instructions, tips, and techniques at make52.blogspot.com!"
Susannah, California, USA

Creative Resolution
"I resolve to expand my VISION..." "I will do this through sharing with others through social media like facebook/twitter & my blog. Sharing my vision will also help me focus and gain clarity."
Andrea, California, USA

:: Andrea's Update

Creative Resolution
"My creative resolution... Keep creating from my heart and soul." "I have finally opened my website. Have done 3 1/2 paintings and have had great feedback. Made awesome wallets for christmas and gave them as presents to my friends. Estamia Rocks"
Estela, California, USA

Creative Resolution
"Explore new techniques... Deeper into techniques...Business opportunities...The world around me." Marie, California, USA

:: Marie's Update

Creative Resolution
"My resolution is to finish some (read many) projects and thus free myself to explore new things guilt-free"
Judy, California, USA

Creative Resolution:
"My creative resolution is to make appointments for creative play." I plan to use all the art supplies I have been stock piling and make dates with myself and my friends to be creative. That might also include making more time to be creatively inspired by going to art museums and music concerts.

Julie, California, USA

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers - Sun, Jan 30

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Vision Boards and Idea Catchers

Date: Sunday, January 30, 2011
Time: 11:00 am - 1:30pm
Cost: $65/person ($75 after 1/27/2011)
Location: A Work of Heart, 2196 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125 408.266.1005

With your Vision Board and Idea Catcher, you will have everything you need to creative fabulous year!

What to Bring?

Images (optional)
You will have time to pull images during the workshop, but for some people it takes time to find the right images. Feel free to collect images from magazines on your own and bring them to the workshop. Look for images that represent what you want to experience in 2011.

An Image of YOU
For the vision board you will need a photograph of you or an image of something that represents you for the collage. I suggest that you make a color copy of any images since we will be using them in the vision board.

Magazines to Share (optional)
Magazines will be provided for you to rip and tear. If you would like to bring magazines to share, please do!

Juicy Soul Retreat - March 13, 2011

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Juicy Soul Retreat
Sunday, March 13 2011

RETREAT SCHEDULE:

Juicy Journaling Techniques

with Andrea Chebeleu

11:00am - 1:00pm
$40

Living in Your Journals:

Spilling open and celebrating your life through journaling

With Julie Valentine

1:00pm - 3:00pm
$40

Juicy Journaling Studio

Self Guided time to experiment and play with Andrea Chebeleu & Julie Valentine

3:00pm - 5:00pm
$20

Registration: $85 for all 3 sessions, After 3/06/2011: $95

Vision Boards and Idea Catchers - Jan 16

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Vision Boards and Idea Catchers

Date: Sunday, January 16, 2011
Time: 10:30 am - 1:00pm
Cost: $65/person ($75 after 1/13/2011)
Location: A Work of Heart,
2196 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125
408.266.1005

With your Vision Board and Idea Catcher, you will have everything you need to creative fabulous year!

What to Bring?

Images (optional)
You will have time to pull images during the workshop, but for some people it takes time to find the right images. Feel free to collect images from magazines on your own and bring them to the workshop. Look for images that represent what you want to experience in 2011.

An Image of YOU
For the vision board you will need a photograph of you or an image of something that represents you for the collage. I suggest that you make a color copy of any images since we will be using them in the vision board.

Magazines to Share (optional)
Magazines will be provided for you to rip and tear. If you would like to bring magazines to share, please do!

Creative Resolution Launches Jan 1, 2011

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Launching: Saturday, January 1, 2011

Creative Resolution Celebration: Wednesday, January 19th

What is your 2011 Creative Resolution?

Andrea Chebeleu of A Work of Heart and I are joining forces to invite you to declare your 2011 Creative Resolutions. What will you do this year to expand your creativity and express your authentic self this year? Tell us how you will be more creative this year and we will post your photo on our blog on Wednesday, January 19th for a Creative Resolution Celebration.

Creative Resolution: My creative resolution is to make appointments for creative play. I plan to use all the art supplies I have been stock piling and make dates with myself and my friends to be creative. That might also include making more time to be creatively inspired by going to art museums and music concerts.

Name: Julie

Location: California, USA

How to play...

1. Choose your creative resolution. How will you expand your creativity this year? If you need assistance discovering a focus try the Create Your Best Life survey.

2. Write your Creative Resolution on a big piece of paper.

3. Take a picture of yourself holding your creative resolution.

4. Upload your photo from January 1, 2011 - January 14, 2011(The deadline for entries has ended. We are no longer accepting entries.)
5. We will list everyone's photo on our site Wednesday, January 19th for a Creative Resolution Celebration!

Creative Resolution Photo Submissions End Friday, Jan 14th.

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There is still time to join the creative resolution celebration. What will you do this year to expand your creativity and express your authentic self this year? Tell us how you will be more creative this year and we will post everyone's photo and creative resolution on our blog on Wednesday, January 19th for a Creative Resolution Celebration. The last day to submit your creative resolution is Friday, Jan 14th.

How to play...

1. Choose your creative resolution. How will you expand your creativity this year? If you need assistance discovering a focus try the Create Your Best Life survey.

2. Write your Creative Resolution on a big piece of paper.

3. Take a picture of yourself holding your creative resolution.

4. Upload your photo from January 1, 2011 - January 14, 2011 (The deadline for entries has ended. We are no longer accepting entries.)
5. We will list everyone's photo on our site Wednesday, January 19th for a Creative Resolution Celebration!

Creative Expression Project: Create Your Best Life

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Creative Expression Project:

Create Your Best Life

The Create Your Best Life project is as community project started in 2004. I wanted to find out what would happen if people slowed down to really think about what they wanted in life. So I created a tool that was based on some of the most powerful questions I ask myself when I'm considering my next project. I created this tool for my use and then I made it available to the public. Since then 1000+ participants have completed this questionaire from around the world.

Start Now!

Happy New Year & Creative Resolutions for 2011

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Andrea Chebeleu of A Work of Heart and I invite you to declare your 2011 Creative Resolutions! I've already declared mine...I'm going to plan some artist dates to be creative or creatively inspired. Now its your turn, what will you do this year to expand your creativity and express your authentic self this year? Tell us how you will be more creative this year and we will post everyone's photo and creative resolution on our blog on Wednesday, January 19th for a Creative Resolution Celebration.

Here's the link to the site that explains all the details...
Creative Resolutions for 2011

Congrats Khris!

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2011 is shaping up to be an awesome year. Today I was doing a little after Christmas shopping and I spotted the DIY bride magazine on the news stands. I jumped for joy when I saw it and immediatly texted Andrea of A Work of Heart Studio. We did a happy dance for Khris.

Khris Cocheran is the author DIY bride and a teacher at A Work of Heart.

Khris has attended a few of my workshops and she is such a joy. I am excited to see her success with this "bookzine". I purchased a copy for myself, its a great source for not only DIY wedding ideas but DIY event planning ideas.

To get a copy of your own visit http://www.tauntonstore.com/diy-bride-034014.html

Congrats Khris!

Celebrate the Holiday !

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!