Come help me shape the new economy. What of we changed the way ecourses/offerings were presented? What if we all gave a little so everyone could benefit? It only works if you get involved. www.journalgirl.com #artjournal #artist #crowdsource #creativewarrior #mixedmedia #illustration #journalgirl

Pretty pretty postcard sets are now up on Etsy! (journalgirl.etsy.com) They came out so beautifully….I want to hang them all over! #art #postcards #prints #artist #journalgirl

I use my regular blog for creative living and art, and I do post pictures and such here…my Tumblr account is more for me than others - I DO have a separate account for fandom stuff, but haven’t signed on in forever! 

As I explore more and more, I’m finding I want to interact with the chronic illness/disability/fibromyalgia community over here, and rather than create another account, I may begin to post, in addition to Instagram pics or reblogged art/inspiration/motivation, little snippets of what’s going on in my life. 

For instance, I recently discovered that my body does NOT enjoy air travel, and it usually takes me about a WEEK to recover from traveling. It’s pretty painful and horrible, and for a time, my hips were so sore, standing felt like I was being stabbed in my joints and I could barely move….I shuffled, really. 

Felt like the Tin Man before Dorothy came by with some oil. 

I had a great day, and then was slammed with a migraine. 

This is a new development, and one I’m suspecting in the result of the concussion I suffered in March. I guess taking this long to heal isn’t unheard of, and I hope this is like a fever….it gets worse before it breaks and goes away. 

Body pain I can deal with. But head pain? Even writing this, I can feel the pain creeping up the sides of my head….tingling…my stomach beginning to flip-flop. For days, the pain was so bad, I cried a LOT. I’ve kept a lot of this to myself, offline, or locked on FB, but I also want to share, because sharing helps you feel less alone. 

And that’s what seems to be happening….I feel more isolated. Without blog posts, vlogs, art, and regular interaction via email, I feel very alone and very scared. I don’t have the option of going to the doctor or getting any tests done, as I haven’t been able to work and am very low on funds (am also uninsured!). 

My family and close friends are great, but I miss the support of a regular job or solid community. I love relating and helping those like me, but am walking a tight-rope with a tiny net of regular contributors. And my main project has shrunk and continues to do so, as my health impacts my ability to post things on time (they are LATE, but always THERE). 

I did a little art tonight. I felt lovely, putting down paint. I may crawl into bed and doodle with some crayons. I’m keeping my spirits light, laughing, playing as I can. I’m going gluten free and managed to shop for stuff. I pray things let up soon. Please, please let me have another Good Day. Please let my head stop pounding, let words lose their spikes, light making me scream like a gremlin. 

I pray to heal. Soon. 

Some art made on vacation to tide you over until I’m well enough to properly interact on the internets again. ;)

pampong:

Words of Wisdom for All Artists by itsalwaysabby on Flickr.

My sketching tools. They’ve gotten much more complicated since started taking college-level drawing classes. While I love charcoal, it’s easier to do graphite sketches in a journal on the couch. 

Mmmm comfort. 

From left to right: 

• Mechanical Pencil - HB
• Mechanical Pencil - B
• Mechanical Pencil - 3B
• Graphite Crayon - 6B
• Pink Eraser
• Pencil Eraser (best invention EVER)
• 2 blending stubs (these are more for when I color with my Prismacolor pencils)

I start with the HB pencil to get the basic frame done. I then go in with the B to add some more and a bit of shading. The 3B comes last because it’s easiest to shade and do bigger areas. If I’m not going to color with colored pencils, I use the graphite crayon fror the darks. 

I’m going to be doing that 29 faces in May thing. Missed yesterday, but am getting started today as I relax after 3 hours of finishing my charcoal final. Those drawing horses are murder.