Ardithian, Wackadoodle Art Journal and Picking My Brain!

If you are a fellow artist or journal lover, then you know the excitement I felt when I opened my handmade journal for the first time, almost like a kid in a candy store with NO ADULTS IN SIGHT! Ahhhhhhhh, I kind of touched it for a while, felt the pages, and breathed deeply because I knew this was no ordinary journal. You see, I have been a journal divorcee just about my entire life. What does this mean......well, I love the thought of journals, I would get a new one and launch myself into it, only to.....peter out and divorce it after a month or so. Sadly, I have various and random petered out  and divorced journals all over the place and it made me stop and look at my pattern. Why did I peter out with them? What's the deal with inconsistency? Should I cut them up and glue them into one just to make me feel better? LOLOLOLOL

UNTIL.......I was surfing Youtube and came across this video. Dirty Footprint Studios Drowning In Blue Art Journal 
Needless to say I had to pick my mouth up off the floor several times because I knew, I just knew I had finally found the type of journal my soul had longed for, the one I could be committed and married to for like life, and I also knew exactly where that journal was, because I had eyed it with great envy at Hobby Lobby for the longest time. A handmade, watercolor journal, with my name on it sat on their shelves and in this moment, it called my name.


THEN.... of course, I went and got it. Gessoed several pages just like Connie Hozvicka suggested, and sat with excitement watching the paint dry. Minutes ticked by, ok, gesso takes a while to dry so I cheated and got the blow dryer out, then.....started with the inside cover with watercolor and allowed it to evolve from there. Here are the pics of my first entry. I chose the sun, a full of bling and color sun, because I believe we must all walk toward the light in our lives. For me, God is that light, but the sun, the created light here, surrounding me, is a gift he gave me and I choose to wrap myself in as much of it as I can. 

 The second page, well that is pretty much just me being me, and of course I had to add my Ardithian spin on it along with my five finger toe shoes, which are my fave shoes of all time. 
I also chose to add a heartfelt thanks, on my first entry, to my dear, sweet hubs, because without his patience and love, I wouldn't have the freedom to create, be a fruitcake at heart, or paint, so to you Bill....thank you and I love, love, love U! 

Where am I heading with this one????? Time will tell but I know this like I am breathing, this journal will be one I can show the grandkids, and the neighbors, and my fans many moons down the road. Wanna join me? 

My fabulous artist friend tagged me in a blog with some intriguing questions, which I shall list and answer here. Might give all of you a little more insight into ME, which on one hand I would say I would be shy to share, but on the other, I have a blog.....duh......shy doesn't equate with online sharing, LOL! 

1. If your life was a sitcom, who would you cast as yourself and your most important co-stars?

This is easy, take Raymond's sense of humor, put it on a body dressed in Betsy Johnson's fabulous clothes, must have rainbow colored hair by the way, working in a psyche ward as an art therapist. Surrounded by, of course, all folks who are thought to be "crazy" but in actuality, really know the secrets to life and share them freely, between meds of course, bahahhahahha. My most important co-stars would be the geeky guy from The Big Bang, because his intellect makes me want to bust a gut with laughter, which is oh, so important in my line of work. And.......Frazier Crane as my own, personal therapist. Last but not least,  the British lady priest on PBS, can't think of the name of her show, but I love her character!

2. Outdoor concerts: Yay or Nay? And why?
Yes, been to see Bob Dylan outdoors, which, sad to say was my only outdoors concert ever attended in 42 years.  I have often wanted to go to Bonaroo, but my health and funds make that all but impossible. Would love to catch Jimmy Buffett and Will Kimbrough this weekend, but the Ticketmaster Puppets cut my strings. 

3. If you could learn one new skill tomorrow and be absolutely awesome at it, what would it be and why?

Forensic Scientist. I have always, yes always, been fascinated by the human anatomy and skeletal system. Now the blood, I could do without that, but the actual study of the parts and structure would completely mesmerize me to no end. Hopefully, if I was really awesome at it, I could get be a physical engineer as well, and design spine replacements that function better than our own and last a lifetime.

4. What would your name have been if you were born the opposite gender?

I have never really been told that, but considering how strange and beautiful my name is, and the fact that people mistake me for a man all the time, hello catalog printers!!!!!!, I guess it would have been Ardith Lee instead of Ardith Lynn.

5. Uhoh! It's karaoke time. What do you sing?
Somewhere Over the Rainbow......of course

6. What's your guilty pleasure?
Orange Circus Peanuts, Charleston Chews, Cadbury Cream Eggs, foot massages, and by all means, sitting on the deck of a hut in Tahiti, toes dangling in the cosmic, icy blue water, the smell of coconuts in my hair, my sweet hubs beside me, but......haven't had that one yet......and I say yet.

7. #1 on the bucket list?
Oh geeze! The million dollar question.......but I am only going to share my number 2, not number one. Finally get my children's book finished, then published, then sell......

8. Best thing you ever ate?

Easiest question for me, my grandmother's chicken and dumplings

Thanks MEK for thinking about me. Go out into this day friends and find the beauty in it, even through pain, or sorrow, the beauty is there to be found, and to comfort!