Soul Journaling: Day 3 Critics, and how do we protect ourselves?

Before we start today I want to take a moment to share some thoughts from yesterday’s assignment. (I hope you guys don’t mind me quoting you.)

Elizabeth wrote in her blog: “You'd be surprised how difficult I found it to write my name over and over again... as though I was being selfish or self centered...”

And here are two comments from women who were brave enough to show their journals to their family:

“I showed DH my journal... he didn't get it... sigh... he said, "show it to me when you're done. "He won't recognize it will he???"

“My Darling Heart is shaking his head at my latest messy art play...”

And even while I worked in my journal, I thought to myself, "I wonder how many people will think this is silly and not art?”

These thoughts and voices belong to our critics, both from the "inside" and the "outside". Some are good and some are, well... not so great. We need to learn to listen to our creative voice and not allow criticism to injure us or to influence us away from our journey.

Allow your art to be silly. Allow your art to be ugly... ugly doesn’t mean it is bad. Art doesn’t have to be pretty, impress your friends, or match your bedroom set. Allow your art to be whatever it wants to be. Only when you listen to that “true” voice will your art begin to come alive. When I was making my page yesterday, I was also thinking to myself, "I feel like a kid again doodling my name across my notebook :)” “This book belongs to… reminds me of the little Golden books I used to love as a child. I remember writing my name in those books too.” That was my true voice.



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Did you do your homework? If not that’s OK. I'm not sure I have all my answers yet either. I think I’m going to make this next assignment a 2 day’er so anyone who needs it will have time to catch up and we can spend a bit more time with this page. Here was your homework assignment:


I want you to think about what you need to protect and nourish your creative spirit. Think about the things that sustain you. What’s needed to shield you from outside criticism and your inner critic?

Today we will be constructing our own Soul Armor!
I want you to think of strength and protection. Think about what you turn to when you are “under siege”. What does your creative spirit NEED more of? How do we keep all those critical voices from crippling us in our crusade?

I want you to work on page 2 in your journal. You may want to draw your armor. Maybe you want to collage it. I found these amazing black and white sketches of Renaissance armor. I will be printing out one of them and painting and writing over it to make it my own. You can go that way if you want. Or, if you don’t have a printer, you can tear out magazine ads and collage and paint your armor on top. The only “rule” is you have to incorporate your answers to your homework question somewhere on or around your armor.

Here are some photos to inspire you:

Here are the links to the images I used for my armor. Most of them are free and public domain. I found this TREASURE of a site only last night! I know you all will LOVE it too.

http://karenswhimsy.com/medieval-clipart.htm

http://karenswhimsy.com/medieval-armor.htm

http://karenswhimsy.com/family-crest.shtm

Oh and check out the Renaissance fashion while you are there…AMAZING!

I ended up choosing the guy with the lance wearing the fancy skirt. He fills my page perfectly and I’m just trying to figure out placement. (If the image you want is not as big or as small as you'd like and you're not a photoshopper, remember you can print it out and resize it at any copy machine.) I plan on attaching him with a coat of matte gel underneath and on top of him to protect him (soon to be her) from my paints. If you don’t have matte, you can use any kind of glue or even tape! I’d stay away from Modge- podge or anything glossy if you can because it seems to make pages stick together more. But there is nothing wrong with using what you have. I hate making people have to buy more stuff.

Now that he is attached and dry I will start the altering process. I know I have to draw and write some words on the armor but it is so dark that it won’t be legible unless I make some spots for that by painting with Gesso first. I picked a few areas that kept the main shapes of the armor intact and I can always add more later.

I think armor needs some shine don’t you? Add glitter, gold or silver leafing or even household foil or metal (duct repair) tape to your armor. Be free. And if you mess up…glue a new image over it and start over! No worries!

Here is mine so far. It has a long way to go. I need to add more color and more words. I need to do something to the background too. Maybe journal around her? I will continue working today and tomorrow.

(click for larger views)

So there will be no new assignment tomorrow. Catch up or continue working on your Armor and I will post more pictures and updates of mine and anyone who sends me pictures tomorrow.


I added some blog links of fellow Soul journalers who wish to share their journey. They are found at the bottom right column of this page. So take a peek and don’t forget to leave them comments! Comments are one of the "warm fuzzies" of life! Right Viki? ;)

Here are a few pictures Penney emailed me of her journal. I love the cover she made and the stamp on her name page is too cute! Kinda reminds me of one of Alpha Stamps stamp "The Queen of last minute" haha!

Good-morrow my fair maidens! :)