The prompt for the Blog Challenge today is the best article of 2009.

This has me stumped.  I read blogs and I read books but I’m not a magazine reader.

So, rather than name one article I’ll name the blog I read religriously.  It’s called Just Something I Made.  The author is Cathe Holden. She’s a graphic designer and an amzingly creative person.
The way she sees items and what she does with them is fascinating to observe.  She shares lots of ideas and a lot of graphics/downloads as well.  Her artistic style appeals to me.  She’s who I want to be when I grow up

Restaurant moment. Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

That’s the prompt for the Best of 09 Blog Challenge today.

That’s hard for me because I’m not much of an experimenter when it comes to food.

But this year we discovered Qdoba Restaurants.  And I just can’t get enough of their shredded beef burritos and chile con queso.

I am from a place where really good, authentic mexican food is as common as gas stations.  So living where that isn’t really available has been difficult. It’s my favorite food, after all! While Qdoba’s isn’t the same as Texas mexican food, it is a good substitute. And the cool thing is that it’s sort of a cafeteria style so you can get it exactly the way you like it.

Viva la burrito!!

I’m going to participate in Gwen Bell’s Best of 2009 Blog Challenge.  I’ll hopefully be writing in response to a prompt she posts daily throughout December.

Gwen’s Challenge question for December 1 is: Trip.What was your best trip in 2009?

The BEST trip I took this year was that trip down the aisle to meet Mister in front of the preacher.  But to be more cooperative with the intention of the prompt, I’ll talk about the trip we took on our honeymoon.  We went to Eureka Springs, AR.

After a year of planning the wedding, moving, a death in the family, Mister being unemployed for 6 months – we were both exhausted.  What a perfect place we chose to just BE.

The foilage was in a full array of colors, the weather was perfect and we took advantage of nature and just went with the flow.  It was a nice opportunity for us to be with each other in a quiet way. No tv, no radio, just us.  We lolled in front of the fire for two days.  Only going out occassionally for something to eat.

This has been all over the news all over the world, so you have probably seen it already.  I  saw something about it on the tv a few times before I actually went and watched the video on YouTube.    I’m posting it here to bring your attention to this incredible story.  Please take a deep breath and allow yourself to really take in what is going on here.  Try not to see this as just a nice story.

All of us have creative talent.  And I believe that most of my readers have chosen to nurture that creativity.  However, our society has taught us that to be recognized as “an artist” you have to have an art  degree, or someone outside yourself must make that distinction.  Watch Susan Boyle in this video.  No one came to discover her.  She took the initiative to allow others to hear her talent.  She knows she has it.

I can’t imagine the courage it took for her to go on that show.   But before she goes on stage she says   “I’m going to make the audience rock.”  She didn’t worry about her looks or whether she was going to “make a fool of herself”.   (That’s one of my biggest fears.  The mean voice in my head is constantly saying “They’re going to make fun of you.”)    In a later interview on Good Morning America,  she talks about how kids made fun of her in school.  That’s a trauma she has probably carried with her all her life, and yet she still got on tv and faced Simon and risked being made fun of once again.   But in her heart she knew she could sing.

Now, sit back and really think about YOUR dream while you watch this video.  Allow yourself to believe in YOU.  I truly hope this inspires you to believe in yourself and know that you can make your dream come true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnmbJzH93NU

In my fun journaling group today we were discussing what types of journals we prefer and how many different journals we each keep.  Some of my journals are still packed away, but what I have with me you can see in this photo.

The colored ones on the left are from a time when I was searching for the kind of journal I liked.  None of them are completely filled.  Then I found sketch books.  I love that sketch books are cheap, spiral bound and a nice big size.  I completely filled several of them.  Those were the first ones I ever filled before changing to something different.  But, as I’ve expanded the art techniques I use in my journals, I’ve found that the paper in the sketch books just can’t hold up to the abuse.  So now I prefer watercolor paper.  I have a few that are just watercolor paper pads.  But most recently I have bound my own books with watercolor paper.

I like at least an 8 x 10 in size.  Any smaller and I feel confined.  I combine art and writing on most of my pages so I like lots of room!

What type of journal do you use?  Do you use just one, or do you keep different journals for different purposes?

P.S.  I’ve fallen down on taking a photo every day.  So, I’m counting this as my photo today

Just a reminder that all my courses are $10 off til the end of next week.

Fun Art Journaling $30.00

Fun Art Journaling Continued $30.00

Journaling Prompt Cards $15.00

Creative Ways to Pray $15.00

Photoshop for Artists $25.00

To read the full description and to order go to this page.

Beginning today, I will be featuring a website each Thursday.   I am beginning with the sites I link to from Creative Clown.  If you’d like me to link to your site or blog, leave me a comment and I’ll check it out.    I will be focusing on sites that fit in with my interests and sensitivities, so please only ask me if you have a site related to art, journaling, self growth, self discovery or something similar.

This week, I’d to begin by introducing you to my dear friend, Kristina’s blog, Art Alchemist.  You are going to LOVE her blog!!  She is a scientist and an artist.  What a fantastic combination.  Her blog is all about the experiments she conducts.  It is so cool!

Seriously, her education and career was as a research scientist.  So she does serious experiments on things like image transfers – which printer works best?; which medium?; which paper?   And she reports the whole process in her blog.

So, if you want to know what kind of paint, pens, gel medium, etc etc etc to use, go check her out!!

Karen at Square Peg People has honored me with the "I Love Your Blog" Award.

Getting an award always amazes me and humbles me.  Especially because this one comes from Karen, a wonderful writer!

Here are the rules for the award:

1.The winner can put the logo on their blog

2. Link the person from whom you received your

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4. Link those blogs to yours

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you nominated.

So, here are the people I’d like to share this award with:

Biblioddessey

Meggie Cat

Northwoods Luna

Zen Moments

Creative Slush

Self Help Healing Arts

Art Junk Girl