33, an important age for hobbits

"33, an important age for hobbits, this is when they become of age and leave the irresponsible "tweens," the age between childhood and coming of age." Well the day for the give away is here and the reason for this date is my 33 birth day. The quote is from the book Lord of the rings, and is the only quote I know for the age of 33.

The winner get an art journal parcel with some of my favourite art supply's. Canson sketchbook, Medallion drawing pen, a box of neocolorII watersoluble 15 pieces, Derwent charcoal pencils, Derwent watersoluble sketching pencils, compartment box, two Formline brushes, 12 Jumbo colour from Faber-Castel, 5 Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours, Faber-Castell jumbo grip pencil, Spectrum Pro 4B pencil, Bic evolution HB pencil, Staedtler minerva HB pencil, Staedtler Mars Lumograph 2B pencil, CretacoloR monolith -line eraser, Derwent pencil sharpener, glitter, sparkling stars, vintage paper and stickers.

First I like to say THANK YOU to all that played along and shared ideas!

Do you know all the great ideas filled up 10 pages? I am so looking forward to journaling all these great ideas and to fill up my box.

The winner had the quote "You could also use smooth, tactile pebbles and write a 'prompt' or inspirational word on each in Sakura souffle pen or sharpie/other permanent pen."

the user name is Bubblemunch, congratulation. I am also sending a thank you card to Poetic Dreams, Aly B and Apple for there continually sharing of ideas.

For the give away I split the ideas up and here is how I see them.

Words/phrases/ quotes:
- Inspiration! because it holds all your ideas and prompts.

- What is the origin of your name? Were you named for someone?

- For each of the colours, write what they symbolize to you, how do they make you feel? Add two more to the list and do the same.

- Describe your favourite food in detail by using texture, flavour, smell, and colour. Why is it your favourite food?

- Open a dictionary at random and, closing your eyes, pick a word. Do this three times so you end up with three words. Write for 15 minutes and write down a memory, dream, or totally fictional event using all three words.

- You have the most beautiful copper hair, so I think you should have some of that colour on it.

- What are some favourite expressions that you like to say?

- Just start a list of words that come to mind. Don't think, just list. Doesn't matter what they are. I used to do this when I needed ideas for short stories & it worked well

- Sum up each day with a rendering...instead of putting the highlight of the day in words, state it visually.

- Make an ongoing list of words that I just like the sound of, and ones that I don't. For example, I love the word licorice. I hate the candy, but just like the sound of the word, and serendipity. I am curious to see if a pattern shows up in the words.

- Microsoft word: Bring up an empty page and type in a word. Go to the top of your page and left click tools, left click Thesaurus. Now....you can find tons of words to work with! This can take you in so many directions!!!

- I could add sayings I find in my reading / write down quotes that i find in books as I'm reading them.

-I like to use the words and verses of favourite songs that are meaningful to me and touch my heart as prompts to create journal pages.

- You could put colours in or words you like the sound of or names - each jar would be personal but it would be fun to see what words got taken out at the same time and what visual pictures you could make from them.

- Use a random word generator site like http://watchout4snakes.com/CreativityTools/Main/Intro.aspx You can generate random words, phrases or sentences.

- Use a newspaper or magazine and choose paragraphs, words or pictures based on numbers that you've randomly picked .../ Use a different one of your books each time!
3rd word from first 3 paragraphs on 3rd page.
4th picture on page 4
5th sentence on page 5 etc ... and if you really want to challenge yourself - do combinations

- I like to find interesting phrases in old books and snip them out. I keep them in a box and will pull one out randomly to either write about or to create a collage around.

- I love quotes so would try and include these into my journal.

- I love using quotes on my pages...either made up or borrowed. Find one and design a page around how it makes you feel or what it makes you think about.

- Start the journalling experience with a period where you do some deep breathing. clear your mind. get yourself ready for the journal journey! Then grab a piece of scratch paper or a mini notebook filled with just ideas and do some free writing... give yourself a certain time limit - 5 minutes write words only ...anything that pops into your head.

- Do some free writing of sentences/prose/etc...you never know what could come up...some great stuff indeed.

- I cut words out of magazines before I recycle them. I keep them in a plastic covered container. When I am lost for an idea to journal/sketch about, I reach into the box and pull out 5 or so words and try to arrange them into a saying. This provides the impetus for my journaling.

- I love art journalling and collaging. 'Dream' always the subject that I look forward.

- Do ya have a favourite poem? How about incorporating that into ya box?

- Teaching tools for kids

- How about Ya favourite Poem?

- Robet Frosts "Nothing Gold Can Stay"

- Favourite song

- "ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES"

- Quotes

- Embracing change

- That other place

- Thrive!

- Desert wind

- Dusted damson

- Ocean ripple

- Crown

- Purity

- Refresh

- Moonlight bay

- Sewing

- Crafts

- Destiny

- Hope

- Dream

- Creativeness

- Artistic

- Passion

- Imagine

- Sexy

- Talented

- Sweet

- Generous

- Giving

- Caring

- Friendly

- Blush

- Water - write a haiku

Childhood/ memory/thoughts:
-What did your childhood home look like?

- Name a food or item from your childhood that you can describe in detail using your senses. What memories does it hold for you? Good or bad?

- What are some blessings you have in your life (sometimes you have to look hard for them.)

- If you were able to give people advice...things they should do...what would you tell them.

- If you could go on a vacation anywhere with one other person, who would it be and where would you go? Why?

- Name 5 things you are greatful for, that you've never been greatful for before.

- I have been doing the dialogue thing in my written journal, I love it. You write a conversation between you and someone or something-I usually try it with my "future" self ;)

- You could try a couple of children's books. I especially like the vintage ones. Find a picture in it, and study it. Does it remind you any particular moment in your own childhood? Write about that.

- I like to find old pictures on-line and write stories about the people in them and what I would show them if they travelled in time to me and I had one day to show them around the 21st century...

...then I write a response journal from their POV of the adventure. It helps me gain perspective on what I see and take for granted on a daily basis.

- Here is a bit of a darker prompt but I find that is helps me to get stuff out of me and onto the page reducing my anxiety "what is keeping you up at night?"


- Your box reminds me a little bit of the old Hope Chests, that mothers would put together for their daughters, filled with the linens and cloths they would need in their new married lives. I was thinking your box is already a Hope chest...hope that you'll find inspiration, hope that you'll have the time to work in your art journal. So perhaps that's a theme to work from, in terms of decorating your box...a new twist on Hope Chests.

- Been thinking if ya happen to have pics from the time ya were born till present, why not add a pic for every year? Just pick one of ya favs and add it. Then every year add a new one till it's complete. I think seeing how ya've transformed over the years would make for an awesome Inspiration box!

-How about thinking of your first 'buys' or first experiences/ Your first ________ experience

- The first single you bought

- The first album

- Your first car

- The first poster you put in your room,

- Any new place you visited.

- Someone from your childhood,

- What is your earliest memory?

- What is your favourite meal and why?

- What is your favourite art supply and why?

- What are your dreams?

- What are your fantasies?

- What are your favorite things?

- This box is your dream activation box. Let it contain your wildest dreams for yourself and your life. Wild and outrageous dreams. Who would you like to be?

- What would you like to be?

- Where would you like to go?

- What would you like to have, see, do?

- Why not take a clip art or magazine image of a person and write a diary entry for them? Imagine what their day was like and what they would like to day. This would be a great exercise for writers or even just a chance to get out of your own skin for a while when you're feeling down. =)

- I was thinking...Have ya ever had a dream which seemed so real? Or one which actually came true? How about doing something creative with that?

- Favourite flowers

- Favourite colours.


Props:
- Old childhood toys

- Old family photos

- An old clock,

- Vacation photos

- Postcards

- Old jewellery

- Idea for decorating your box, why not decoupage your sketches, journal entrys onto it, like travel stickers on a suitcase..

- Toys

- Save small bits of scrapbook paper

- Wrapping paper

- Candy wrappers

- Boxes that have interesting cut-outs to use as templates

- Things found on the sidewalk

- Things I pick up when I go on a walk. I collect these in a box and use them for inspiration.
I also love to go to thrift stores and yard sales in search of items that are inspiring to me and that I can use in my artwork.

- One thing that I like to do is collect takeout menus and other things I can use for memorabilia, even if that particular outings isn't noteworthy. An example, when I ate a Chili's a while back with my boyfriend it was rather lowkey but I took one of the coasters and a menu home with me. I didn't write in my journal about that date but one we had a week or so ago. Only this time we had my nephew and niece with us. It was a night to remember, even if it isn't a fond memory but I was able to use the things I had taken home before to journal about this night. The moral to my journal post was to remind myself to never take these 2 kids out to eat in a crowded restaurant again any time soon. It will be takeout for us.

- A mirror would be a food prop. You can draw yourself, or the underside of anything.

- A rock or other finds that remind me of something or someone

- Pictures are always good

- A game spinner with things to make a mark about listed on the chart would be fun

- Dictionary pages,

- Bible pages,

- Old linens, with their intricate embroidery, can be fun to draw.

- You could also use smooth, tactile pebbles and write a 'prompt' inspirational word on each in Sakura souffle pen or sharpie/other permanent pen.

- I would include for sure is different sized lid tops or tubes to create circles on my pages.

- Get some paint chip cards or paint catalogues/leaflets - the page can be set around that particular shade (you can have fun trying to get it right or get a tester!) and some have great names to work around too

- How about keeping some scraps of material or patterned papers in your box as inspiration for designs, colours, patterns, backgrounds.

- Was thinking why not add some special pics of those ya love. Those whom touched ya life and write some descriptive words about them. I think that would look wonderful since ya added a map of where ya were born.

- Even children's colouring books for inspiration?

- Using a quote book?

- I was going through my hope chest & thought why not use post cards as inspirations? Ya can use some from various places ya visited or even have people mail ya a postcard and use it. I think that would be a cool project.

- I have a big box of old postage stamps that I like to use for mixed media art journal pages. They make great inspiration pieces for travel pages, communication pages, and the fun animal stamps can be used as wildlife in nature pages.

- I love using aluminium foil as a collage piece.
- I also like to search through magazines and let the words and the people speak to my imagination. I rip out whatever speaks to me and just collage it without thinking about it.

- I love collecting chocolate wrappers and silver and gold foils. I then decorate my journal/scrapbook with the foils.

- I also use old magazine pieces and try to recreate that piece in my own way in the journal!

- Just thought of another- Collect all of the paper you amassed today (reciepts, candy wrapers, a piece of paper you found on the street, etc.)Next, use the for the base of your page; you could tint them with water colours and then sprinkle rubbing alcohol on it,

- Tear them and place them in a pattern,

- Use them as inspiration for your colour scheme,

- Coat them in thick layers of acrylic and use the end of your brush to doodle in it, etc.

- Create a handful of inchies, place them in an envelope and shake it up. Pick an inchie, no peeking! Now base your spread on the theme/color of the chosen inchie. I also like to use them as a means to date my pages =)

- Each day walk outside and pick up something you like, some thing small. (a rock a Pinecone or maybe a bird feather) Then add it to your daily things.

- I would add a needle and thread to the box. I love seeing journals that have words sewn in or pictures sewn in. It's a lovely touch.

- Using pencil shavings, of various colour, create an illustration by gluing the shavings onto your page.

- I go to library sales and buy the hardback collects of things like Life magazine, incredible black and white photos and text excerpts.

- I also purchase bags of watch parts to embed in pages.

- Why not take some of your favourite words and write them on cardstock - decorate them if you wish - then put them all into a jar - shake it up and take out two words then journal what comes to mind from that.


Observations/ direct instruction:

- Use pink, blue, yellow, red

- Rip paper and glue into your journal

- Use a stencil today

- Use a repeating pattern

- Paint with watercolours

- Use spray ink

- How about life? Maybe a seed growing into a plant or tree? An older person with all those lovely wrinkles?

- Look out the window for a predetermined number of times throughout the day (I did once every hour) and then sketch it into a 1 inch by 1 inch box, like an inchie.Because I was moving I wrote the time and guessed the location of the view from the window.

- If you are looking outside of a building window, this would be great to study light and color and how it affects an image.

- How about drawing things that you can see from one vantage point in your house or outside.

- Draw the piece of technological equipment that's your favorite (Computer? Internet Modem? Printer? All of the above?)

- Make a patchwork quilt in your journal, and fill all the boxes in with things that describe you (drawn out, although using fabric would be cool, too)...a friend of mine inspired me to try this.

- Another prompt I came up with and I have been using is I am drawing (doodling really) a self portrait of myself each day for a week. I make a point to portray the predominant emotion I am feeling and the clothes I'm wearing. Tomorrow is my last day for the prompt but I like seeing the range of emotions so much in my doodles I am making it a regular part of this journal.

- I think it's important to claim your crafting talents to banish self doubt and getting stuck. Why not take a photo of yourself, alter it with acrylics, and then design a crown for yourself. You could even make it a 3D element by using an accordion fold or those puffy glue dots. Claim yourself as a Queen Crafter!

- Also, I found this idea on Creature Comforts, lay in the grass and search for shapes in the clouds

- I figured I'd leave one more idea for the last day before the drawing- it's a very simple one but I've been using it a lot lately when I get stuck trying to think of a colour scheme. Choose any book or magazine from your shelf that you know has pictures in it. Flip to a random page and use the colour scheme from that picture. This has helped me use colours I don't normally consider/like so it's been really helping me see the possibilities of colours and how they're affected when they're used together.

- Never dismiss children's art projects, they can be adapted to your higher skill level. Try shaving cream painting to get a marbled paper effect- use a cookie tray and spread about 1" of shaving cream onto it. Next take water colours or food colouring in eye droppers to paint the shaving cream. Use a comb or skewer to swirl the paint. All you have to do is lay a piece of cardstock onto the painted shaving cream and press to make sure it comes in full contact with the paper. Then just scrap off the shaving cream from your paper and you will have a lovely marbled effect!

- I like to draw lots of different faces on my journal pages. I like to see how many different facial features I can come up with.
Use the sky as a prompt. Draw what you see in the clouds.

Contributing to this list of ideas are:
Aly B , An Evolving Artist @ Swallowcliffs.blogspot.com/ , Annette , Apple , ArtSnark , bonniebluedenim , booksrmysoul , Brandi , Brenda , bubblemunch , deborah , DellaLuna , Digital Misfit , Francine Cronos , gaylemontayostudio , ikkinlala , Joan Y , Jocelyn , John Donald Carlucci , Katla , LaY hOoN , LucyLuxx , Melisa , Melissa , Mindy Blanchard , Noble Beeyotch , Orinda , Owen , Poetic Dreams , postal orphan , RenMeleon , The Gypsy , trish , Valerie A. Heck , Vicki Holdwick , zura