A colorful weekend

image source

This has been me the past couple of weeks, juggling too many plates - coordinating a community event for over 300 people, writing a research unit, redesigning a publication, programming three mini children's events, attending more meetings than I can count, and teaching. Needless to say, that unlike the picture, I have had to drop a few plates, blogging being among them. In fact, the busyness of the past month has made it difficult to achieve the vast majority of the monthly goals I established for my over-aspirational self last year, but I'm okay with that because I'm still achieving, and that's what keeps me moving.

That said, I knew I needed to take some time for myself this weekend or I'd be the next cracking plate. As much as I wanted to write and work on Project Life, these tasks seemed too daunting for the energy level I had, and so I did like a kid and took to coloring, adding one completed page and one background to my art journal.

Being in a blah mood, I took to singing Florence + the Machine's "Shake It Out" 

and decided both the words and sentiment would be good

to have in my art journal as a reminder.

After "painting" the background with water soluble wax pastels,

I wrote the lyrics from the chorus in a spiral

to make a sun (symbolizing the dawn in the chorus)

and then added the main message.

When Hubby saw the background, 

he asked me where I got the inspiration for the color scheme.

I shrugged.

And then I realized it was the coaster I had been staring at while painting...

Hidden inspiration is indeed everywhere!

I didn't have it in me to make another page,

but I wasn't quite done playing with my crayons yet.

So while watching a Storage Wars and Shipping Wars marathon 

(don't judge until you watch them),

I created what is definitely my favorite background to date.

I might have difficulty bringing myself to layer something on top of this one!

The acts of coloring and painting were surprisingly relaxing, 

and it felt good to ignore all the in-air plates for a short while and spend time on the juggler.

art journal: Strathmore Windpower Watercolor 6"x9" pad; water soluble wax pastels: Reeves;