I'd love to read a little more about your philosophy. When and why you started journaling, and how your journaling or the reasons for it have changed over the years. Do you not feel that you now journal for your blog? I feel that I work for my readers!

I've kept a journal in some form since I was in 4th grade. I still have my little lock and key first journal. When I was little, I thought that I wanted to be a writer and that I would write great things, hence the need for a journal. There isn't much in that little book but what I did write brings me back to that memory and what was going on in my life then. I loved the idea of documenting my life and my thoughts, even if they were just ramblings.

I kept a journal off and on as I got older, as well. I wrote a lot of poetry, lists, feelings, ramblings, doodles, drawings and the like. I still have those pages, as well. I always had a pen in my hand. I was very quiet 'in person' but I could speak volumes in my books. It's nice to be able to look back and reflect on these pages as they capture moments and memories in my life.

When I moved to Los Angeles in 1995 and got married, I was very lonely. We were alone out here as all of my family and friends were on the East Coast. I picked up my journal even more so when I got pregnant in 1996. When my son was born, I created two beautiful scrapbooks for him. While I enjoyed making the albums, I wasn't totally fulfilled with them.

I taught myself how to bind and create my own books. It's one thing to make beautiful books that remain empty and another thing to have a strong desire to FILL THEM UP. I had been teaching basic card and stamp making classes before this. I started teaching how to make journals and my ideas for working in the journals. It was a hard sell at the time. This whole art movement was still in the infant stages and people didn't get it. It took awhile before it exploded and the light bulbs started going off. I was (and still am) excited and inspired by not only what I made with my own hands, but seeing how my teachings translate to my students' work. The journey has been an exhilarating roller coaster ride.

I quickly learned that my focus in art and in my teaching should be on what *I* want to create and teach. I taught many, many classes in the early days because someone (usually a store owner) would ask me to do a class on such and such. If my heart wasn't into it and it wasn't something that I was passionate about, that attitude would be reflected in the class and the class sample. While I am always open to suggestions on classes, I now only teach what moves and motivates me. I strongly encourage my students to learn and apply these same ideologies to their artwork. If it's exciting, learn it, love it, live it and see how far you can push it. Make it yours.

I work in my journal for one person and one person only, ME. I have NEVER created a page in my journal for someone else. I don't worry about what someone else sees, reads or thinks in my journal. It's MY journal. All of the pages that you see on my blog are not -NEVER-pages that are pre-planned or created solely to be on my blog. I work in my journal daily. I post all of my journal pages on my blog not to show off or anything of the sort but for two important reasons:

1. To document the pages and the moment. In case anything were to ever happen to my books, I'll have a permanent record of them on my blog.

2. To reinforce my "If I can do it, you can do it" attitude. If I can make a journal page, so can you!

I bare it all in my journal. It's my safe place. It's my place not only to document and explore my life but also to try new things and ideas. It's my safe place. When I create the pages, I don't worry about what someone else thinks, after all it's my journal. I put all of my pages on my blog to encourage people that life isn't always roses, but there are also thorns every now and then. We have good days and bad days and they should both be documented and explored. I explore topics and thoughts in my journal that many don't agree with. This doesn't stop me from posting the pages. I've pissed off a lot of folk as well over the years with my pages. I would never get on someone's blog and say the things that people have said to me over the years. It's my frickin' JOURNAL, people. I've been hurt over the years but I quickly decided that if I don't stay true to myself and my own thoughts, ideas and actions, then I wouldn't be me. I wouldn't be honest or real and my pages would reflect that. My pages are me. They are my life. They are my thoughts. They are my actions. They are a reflection of not only my life but also my view of the world around me. That's what a journal should be!

Ask me anything