I am so dang excited!!  I am offering a brand new class.  It’s called Stencil and Ink for Art Journaling.  This is my newest obsession and I just want to share it with everyone!  You aren’t going to believe how verstaile and fun spray inks are!!  The class begins Sept 1st, so if you’d like a chance to win, please share a link to the class information page.  Then come back here and leave a comment telling me where you share the link and you’ll be entered in a drawing!!  Here is the link you need to share:  http://creativeclown.com/classes/stencils

I really think this class is going to be a lot of fun.  If nothing else, my passion should rub off on you at least a little bit.  I love this technique as much as I love gesso!  Those of you who know me very well know that’s saying a LOT!!  Read all about the class  here and then share the link so you’ll have a chance to take the class for free!!  But if you don’t win – please join me in this fun class!

Update on my freind quest:  Today I found a scrapbook store in a town about 30 mins away and met two wonderful women!!  I’m going to go hang out with them and create.  Maybe this weekend!!!  You should check out their site. She has things I’ve never seen before.  Yummy goodies!!!

My “Find Your Personal Symbology” class begins June 22.  It is one of those classes that really engages everyone.  It’s not a technique class.  It’s a class where you learn to look at your own life and find the symbols that have messages for you.  It’s only 4 weeks long, so doesn’t require a huge time commitment and it’s only $25.  Please go here to read more details about the class and to sign up.  I hope you’ll join me!!!

This is a course that I dreamed of teaching for many years before I actually wrote it and sold it the first time. It is a class that enables women to freely explore and learn about themselves in a creative and non-threatening way.  Through  the lessons I share the methods I have learned from many years of self exploration, leading to mygrowth in being able to nurture myself, forgive myself and face the hard things in life with confidence and optimism.

Some people reach adulthood with the ability to handle life with finesse and balance, but most of us don’t.  Especially women.  We have so many things we are responsible for that we usually are just running to try and keep up.  Who has time to slow down and look inside?  I sincerely believe that is the reason for stress related diseases, sadness, discontentedness and many other issues we face.

If you would like to acknowledge your worth, and give yourself just ten weeks (one lesson per week) to explore the methods I’ve found to be successful for the the past twenty years, then please join me in Waking Up to the Real You.  To sign up, go here.

Trip to Michael’s

I don’t have a Michael’s where I live so when I get to go it’s a real treat.  I had a few copies of the 40% off coupon but you are only supposed to use one per person per visit, but I forgot something and went back to pay for it, and the nice lady let me use a second coupon!!  Woo hoo!!

I got a white Jelly Roll pen!  Actually I bought two because I knew I’d use them up quickly.  It’s the plain old Jelly Roll Medium, and it works great in my journal.  It’s very opaque and writes a normal size like any regular pen.  It flows smoothly and doesn’t gum up or run.  I think it cost $1.39 which is a great price for a white pen!!

I also found these great markers!  They are called Opaque Stix by Marvy.  This picture I found is of the metallic markers.  I didn’t get that set.  I got the regular set which has black, white, green, blue, pink and purple.  They are just like a regular marker, like a Crayola marker.  But they are opaque!  They are water soluble so they don’t have a strong odor, and they write very smoothly.  They aren’t completely flat in color like Sharpies are.  And they don’t bleed through the page.  I am very impressed and hope that they will come out with more colors.

I paid $5.99 for the set at Michael’s.  I found them at this site where you can buy them individually, including the metallic ones for $1.09 each.

Click to enlarge

I got some cool stuff in the dollar bin, too.  For 50 cents I got this cute weekly planner.  I’m inspired to actually look at it and use it since it has such bright colors!  I scanned a page and plan to print some out after I’ve used all these up.  I got a neat background rubber stamp for 50 cents also.  And I got a huge tub of gesso.

It is so fun to have new supplies.  Nothing like opening a fresh container of gesso that isn’t all dried around the lid.  And, since I’ve actually been painting and collaging, I don’t have to feel guilty about buying new supplies.

New Class Begins Tomorrow

The Personal Symbology class begins tomorrow.  If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s not too late. It doesn’t require any special supplies.  If you do any type of art, you already have all you’ll need.   It’s a four week class and it’s only $25.  Read more about it here.
I am excited about this class beginning.  I haven’t taught any of my classes in quite a while, so I’m looking forward to the interaction and fun.  This class is a lot of fun, because you always learn something about yourself that you didn’t know before, and it’s fun to see where symbols show up.

I edited the information on my Symbology course that will begin Jan 25th.  I failed to explain in the earlier post that the class is 4 weeks long.

Creative Clown has a policy that you can retake any class you’ve taken for only $5.00.  So, if you’ve taken the Symbology class before and would like to join us again, just send me an email and I’ll get you an invoice so you can take it again for only $5.00.  But even if you haven’t taken it before, the cost is only $25.00 for a full four weeks of lessons and great interaction and guidance on an fascinating subject.

Photo A Day

This is a new product I’m going to list in my Etsy shop.  It’s an old, rusty rake that I made into a jewelry hanger.  The cross attached is made of cast metal, too.

I’m working on a new class that I hoped would be finished by now, but it has 30 videos so it’s taking longer than I thought it would.  In the meantime, I’m missing teaching classes so I want to offer one this month.  I was trying to decide what class I’d like to offer first and thought about the last time I offered my Symbology class.  It was a great group and we had a lot of sharing.  It’s the sort of class that helps you make a lot of discoveries and find surprises in your art.  This class provides new ways of looking at things and leads you in new directions with your journaling.

So, I’m going to start this class on Jan 25th.  It lasts 4 weeks and costs $25.00.  The information about the class is below.  If you’d like to sign up, please go to http://creativeclown.com/symbology.  If you have any questions feel free to write me!   If you do any kind of art journaling you already have all the supplies you’ll need.  If you are wanting to get started in journaling, you’ll just need a journal and maybe some colored pens.

I’m going to ask my Santa to give me an art course for Christmas.  I know there are many.  I’d like one for art journaling, layering, collage – something along those lines.  What course have you taken that you’d recommend? Is there a class that really inspired you, or caused you to shift in your art?  Or was just fun and worth the money?  Please leave comments with your suggestions.

This course will begin a new session on the 15th.  You will interact with me and other Waking Up participants as we work  through fun, creative exercises to help you examine your beliefs about who you really are, reflect on how you became who you are, and look at who you want to be. The course is ten weeks long, with a lesson each week.

Below is a link to a free sample of one of the weekly lessons.  Download it and see if it seems like something you’d enjoy.

Sample Lesson

If you would like to read more about this course, or sign up go here.

This course was my first journaling course and it has been enjoyed by hundreds of people over the past four years.  This course is great for a beginner to art journaling.  If you’ve been journaling a while but need some inspiration or creativity sparks, this is a course for you, too.

The 12 week course provides two lessons each week.  One of the lessons focuses on an art technique.  The other teaches about self-exploration through journaling.

Examples of the lessons:

Making rubber stamps

Coptic binding

Mandalas

Naming ceremony

Dreams

Gluebooks and Grunge

Lettering

Doodling

Background techniques

Symbology

This course introduces many art supplies and unusual items that can be used in your art journal.  The lessons include pictoral tutorials with step by step instructions for all techniques.

Most importantly, this course encourages you to make art journaling your OWN process and have fun.  There are no rules for journaling and this class will help you jump right in and feel free to explore.

All classes are presented in a special group on my Ning site.  You will be invited to the group upon registration.  In the group all members will interact and be able to ask questions and receive encouragement throughout the class.  If you want, you can post pictures of your journal pages and share your process while taking the class.

What some students said about the class:

This is the first class I ever took, pertaining to Art Journaling, and I can’t recommend this class enough, especially if you’re a beginner.  I know how overwhelming it can be, to want to start an art journal, and not be sure of where to start.  Zura is a gentle guide and teacher, in teaching you just what you can do with that sketchbook or journal you just bought.  This class will teach you some wonderful art techniques to use in your art journal, and I love how Zura teaches you to just play with all that wonderful paint and ephemera you have.  I think the most important thing she teaches, however, is how your art journal can be such a creative and fulfilling tool in exploring who you are.  Her class reminds me a bit of Lucia Capacchione’s book “The Creative Journal”, in that an art journal can be the place where you work out your life.  And really, with the prices of online classes these days, $40 for 12 WEEKS of 24 lessons, for a class that will jumpstart a practice that will serve you and your life, is just nothing.  I can’t recommend this class enough.
Kristina Winnett

I have taken all of Zura’s art journaling courses, and I highly recommend them! Each lesson is packed full of information and inspiration galore! Whether you’ve kept a journal for years or you’re just getting started, there is inspiration for everyone! These courses are a tremendous value and the information you learn will have you creating wonderful journal pages before you know it! So, rush over to the sign-up button right now and take fun art journaling, you’ll be glad you did!!!
Lynn

I

The next class begins on July 9th.

$40.00

On Tues, July 1st two of my classes will be starting up again.   You can sign up here or click the buy now button on this page.

Happy Feet

This class is so fun!!  It’s only three weeks long, but you will have a great time learning to paint your own colorful designs on any shoes.  You will learn to prepare the shoes, what types of paint to use, and ideas for designs you can create.  In the three weekly lessons I will take you step by step through painting your shoes. After the class, you will be able to paint leather, canvas or plastic shoes.

The classes are presented in a special group on my Ning site.  You will be invited to the group upon registration.  In the group all members will interact and be able to ask questions and receive encouragement throughout the class.  If you want, you can  share your process while taking the class.

The next class begins on July 1st.

$15.00

Creative Ways to Pray for Those You Love

This class has been a favorite of many for 3 or 4 years.  It includes 30 daily email lessons.  There is no group for this class because it is a very personal topic.  You can reflect on the lessons in the quiet of your own home.

The lessons are delivered by email to your inbox daily for 30 days.

The next class begins on July 1st.

“I’m getting caught up on my Creative Ways to Pray and I’m so excited.
This course is as much about creativity as it is about prayer.  While
am I loving feeling a new sense of empowerment in learning how I can
send good energy and focused, gentle thoughts to those I love, I am
also feeling the effects of new creative impulses in my day to day life.
In other words, I’m not only feeling closer to my loved ones, but
I’m feeling closer to myself. The imagination and research that
you have put into this course is inspiring and invigorating.  Every
lesson hits me deep in my body, where my soul connects to Spirit
with the greatest energy.   This course is a true gift.”

Marney Makridakis
Artella.com-Founder/Editor

$25.00