Fun & Free Stuff

Creative Journaling Tips for Beginners

Creativity is about unconscious processes that are always MESSY. So we want to Mess with our journals.
 There is NO wrong way with creative expression – only YOUR way, which is always RIGHT. . . . for you.

Here’s an easy way to begin...

Supplies

1. Buy the least expensive spiral bound (the pages lay flat) artist sketch pad you can find.

2. Get a box of crayons. Or you can use paint or markers — anything goes — but crayons are a good way to begin.  They help us go back to those days when it was OK (OR NOT) to scribble and mess around. Crayons can bring up lots of different thoughts, feelings and memories.

Intuitive Start

1. Focus on how you are feeling right in the moment.
2. Looking at your crayons, intuitively chose the color(s) that represent how you are feeling.
3. Using the color(s) you’ve chosen, mess around and experiment.

Mess Around

1. Scribble, change colors, scribble some more.
2. Color in parts of your scribble.
3. Write how it feels to scribble, following the scribble lines.
4. Doodle with the crayons. Doodling is fun and you will find recurring shapes and colors over time that represent certain feelings or themes.
5. Write about the doodle. Make up a story, or observation.
6. Break up the crayons, peel off the paper and use the sides of the crayons to fill in all the spaces and forms created by the doodle with color.
7. Write on the colored page with black crayon your thoughts & feelings about your doodle.
8. How did you react to breaking up your crayons?
   How was it to color the entire doodle?
   What is your reaction to all the colors you used?
   Title your pages. And always write the date.

Mess Up?

If you think what you did is ugly or “not artistic” or stupid WRITE about that thinking.
Sharing our thoughts, feelings and secrets with a journal is healing.  The journal listens to you.  It won’t talk back or betray your confidence.  It’s always available.  Come to think about it, it’s a lot like Max without the feeding or walking!

Doodle Daily!

Take a doodle break.  5 minutes is enough. 

1. Check in with your feelings.
2. Pick colors
3. Doodle away
4. Label or write about your doodle, how you are feeling, what you are thinking.

Creative Journaling Journal Sparkers

Download Judy's list of ideas to get your creative journaling juices flowing!

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Judy's Articles and Email Newsletters

How to Create Your Own Vision Board (PDF, 76KB)

Banishing the “Ugly Three:” A Guide for Support Group Leaders (PDF, 67KB)

Links

	Cool Site Snowflake Watching Photos of snowflake crystals Now THAT’s coooooool! www.snowcrystals.com
	Crafty Sites The Orange County Gourd Society Patch Simply gourdeous www.nicheofbliss.com
	The Puppetry Home Page Strings attached. . . www.sagecraft.com/puppetry/
	Fibromyalgia & Pain Sites National Fibromyalgia Association www.fmaware.org/
	Fibromyalgia Treatment Dr. Paul St. Amand Information on fibromyalgia guaifenesin treatment protocol Support groups, research, resources. www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com
	The National Pain Foundation www.painconnection.org
	American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, Inc. www.afsafund.org
	Patrick B. Wood, M.D., Andrew J. Holman, M.D, Lynne Matallana, founder & president NFA Current research findings on fibromyalgia http://www.lifebeyondpain.com
	Keep in Sight Sites Art and Creativity for Healing a non-profit organization Free painting workshops for those suffering from abuse, illness, grief & stress. www.art4healing.org
	Arts in Therapy non-profit, online community www.artsintherapy.com
	The Academy for Guided Imagery Training academy for Interactive Guided Imagery sm Imagery research & resources www.academyforguidedimagery.com
	Friend(ly) Sites Russ Conley Gourd Artist and woodworker http://www.geocities.com/magicrusty/homepage.html
	Jan Book multi media artist www.JanBook.com
	Randi Winters, watercolor artist www.watercolorsbyrandi.com
	Casey Truffo, practice builder consultant www.beawealthytherapist.com
	Kathe Caldwell, facilitator for pain & fibromyalgia In the Face of Pain workshops www.HypnosisSolutions.net
	Lynne Everett, facilitator for pain & fibromyalgia In the Face of Pain workshops
	Web Designer David Salahi Patient, creative, communicative, web-designer www.OnlyConnections.biz

Max's Pet Peeves (for this month)

Humans who walk too slow.

Architects who design houses with round door knobs.

Dry dog food.

Cats

Attention all dogs, cats, birds, hamsters!

Let me know your pet peeves. Email me at because they won't give me my own computer — yet.