MY SOUL IS FED BY NEEDLE AND THREAD
....ohh and pencils and paper

Friday, July 8, 2011

Favourite things Friday and Floral Friday.

I can't believe Friday has rolled around again. Today I am sharing two favourites....the 1st and most important to me is my Mum had a health scare and has come up trumps. Thank you! Thank you!

The 2nd is my Journals. I used to believe to journal you had to be very organised with copperplate handwriting and an incredible memory to record all your doings in precise chronological order. Well!!!!! That was not me. However I took part in a workshop conducted by my lovely yoga sister Janeen (very talented lady) on creative journalling. What a revelation! I discovered I could have any kind of journal I chose. I could scribble, do my worst or best handwriting depending on hormones or the state of the household, cut out pictures I liked, record favourite or funny sayings, things that inspired me. I could rant and rave if the mood took me.....because as Janeen told us all...IT"S YOUR JOURNAL! And so my love of being a keeper of  Journals began. I have 4 Journals. One for my poetry (scribblings). One for recording my truest deepest feelings, special moments and inspiring bits and pieces. One which is purely pictorial it's called a Discovery Journal and it contains images that appeal to me, chosen without question and complied in this book. It's amazing how you start to see a certain taste for certain colours, styles etc emerge. It's truly insightful in getting to know yourself. The last one is for when I travel anywhere....it's fun to look back on and my Husband can never remember the finer details of the trip (now there's a surprise) except for Bathurst Panoramic racing track. The fact we went around it 6 times could be the key!!!! I have done a great deal of pondering on why I find it so necessary to record things and collect things and my conclusion is that it comes from losing my Father when I was 3 years old. In those days you didn't talk about sad or difficult things and so I never knew my Father or who he was as a person. I would have given anything to have had a letter or a diary to have read his words and thoughts so I think I am making sure my Family will be under no illusions as to who I was. The good, the bad and the ugly. You see we always keep parts of ourselves back from everyone and nobody is completely known....so this is my way I guess of being remembered truthfully...as I am.
I encourage everybody to give yourself this gift to record your authentic self. I often go to my journals and read them when life knocks me off kilter. It helps me remember exactly who I am.
One thing that hinders people from journalling is that someone else will read it. I don't worry anymore because if you invade my privacy and read something you don't like....your fault. I don't journal everyday only when I feel I really want to. So A fresh new page and a lovely new pen set my little heart a fluttering.
To see other Favorites visit Shay our wonderful and witty hostess.
My floral offering this week is a beautiful free graphic from Home and Beautiful whose link you will find on my side bar.
I think they are from vintage postcards (which I love). These roses are exquiste and to think they would have been hand drawn and painted fills me with awe. Bronwyn hosts Floral Friday and is always an inspiring visit so drop by and say hello.
Have a great weekend and Happy Sttiching,
Blessings Michelle xxx

8 comments:

  1. glad to hear your mum is ok.
    The postcards are beautiful.
    I must admit I used to keep a journal from my late teens into my mid 20's but went through them one day and I had that 'someone else may read this' thing and they were so personal so I destroyed them all. I don't regret it but I did keep a more relaxed journal when the kids were young.

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  2. Lovely Post & Glad to hear your Mum is OK...Nice Idea with the Journals...
    Have a Good Weekend.
    cheers

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  3. So glad to hear your Mum is Ok Michelle. I cant resist Journals with good quality paper, pretty pens, coloured pencils and paints. I also love making scrap books, have done since childhood, not the ones with photos all the rage at the moment, but I put favorite poems,Quotes and wise words, then decorate the pages with lovely pictures,cards etc. Blessings to you and your Mum, R.

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  4. lovely post Michelle,i enjoyed reading it and you also have a great weekend

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  5. So very, very glad to know your mum's ok! Great post, I've never done a journal, blogging is the closest I've come, except for my prayer journal. It's much easier for me to type than write. Nothing beats a pretty journal though!

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  6. So glad your Mom is doing ok , hope her health continues to improve .I want to thank you for your post about journaling , you have inspired me to follow your footsteps and give it a try , I have had a diary a few times but am rather slack at keeping it up but I like your idea of including things you love not just what has happened today or yesterday . Great post!

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  7. Great post Michelle. I have an e-journal which has very spasmodic entries. Gaps of years in places. I would love to have known my parents as young people. Mum has a collection of letters tied up in a bundle from Dad. She has said that we are NOT to read them and that they are to be buried with her. I won't and they will but I would just LOVE to read them!
    Your rose cards are just beautiful. I wish I could draw/paint like that.

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  8. So glad your Mum is fine. Those health scares our parents have do put things in perspective dont they (although I think you hadve plenty of spot on perspective already- you're one of the most together people I know!)

    I love your journals. A few years back when I was going through a really hard period in my life I took to journalling .It really helped me to write my thoughts down on paper. Now I guess I use my blog to thought sift! However nothing can beat a favourite pen and blank page for inviting all sorts of thoughts!

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